“Seems to me,” Uncle Hiram answered, his eyes twinkling, “that I heard something about this party before.”
“I may have told you something about it,” admitted Elizabeth Ann, “but I didn’t tell you about Roger Calendar. Catherine invited him to come and he doesn’t want to go, because he hasn’t any costume.”
“What kind of a costume does he want?” Uncle Hiram asked showing the liveliest interest.
“Oh—I don’t know,” confessed Elizabeth Ann. “Something that isn’t a tramp costume, I guess. He says he looks like a tramp every day, and he won’t go to the party dressed to look like one.”
“Don’t blame him,” Uncle Hiram said. “Don’t blame him a bit. I think I can lend the lad something—suppose you come with me, Elizabeth Ann, and we’ll overhaul a chest or two and see what we can drag up in our net.”
“I love to overhaul,” declared the enthusiastic Elizabeth Ann, who hadn’t the slightest idea what Uncle Hiram meant.
CHAPTER XII
SEAMEN’S CHESTS
But it was usually safe to think that what Uncle Hiram planned would be pleasant. And when Elizabeth Ann found herself in a small square dark room, in the hold of the ship, according to Uncle Hiram—and the cellar as Aunt Grace called it—she began to feel a thrill of excitement. Doris had gone home with Catherine directly from the bus, and would not come till supper time.
Uncle Hiram turned on the electric light and Elizabeth Ann saw that Tony was purring against her legs—he had followed them down. It had taken Tony a little time to learn to go up and down ladders, but now he could do it beautifully.