"And we shall give the Christmas party together, my four daughters and I, and we'll do exactly as we choose and invite whom we please."
"Oh, oh!" exclaimed the four young girls. "Won't it be fun?"
"It will for me," said the little old lady. "And I need to have a good time. I am getting old before my time for lack of amusement. And now, my lady-birds, who else shall we invite to the house party?"
"Who else?" said Grace, somewhat crestfallen; for four intimate girl chums are invariably jealous of admitting other girls to the charmed circle.
"Do you mean what other girls, Mrs. Gray?" asked Jessica.
"No, no, child; I mean what other boys, of course. Do you think I want any more than my four nice freshmen to amuse me? But I don't think this party would be complete without four fine fellows to look after us. Who are the four nicest boys you know?"
"David," exclaimed all four voices in unison.
Mrs. Gray laughed.
"There seems to be no difference of opinion on that score," she replied; "but is David the only boy in Oakdale?"
"He's the nicest one," said Anne, who could never forget how kind David had been to her when his sister was her bitter enemy.