"Goosey," whispered Callie, "don't you see he's only gassing? This is part of the fun."
"Oh, is it?" sighed Meta, and she waited for the secret of the fun to develop.
"Look at your programme," Callie instructed her. "See, this is the Impressario's Predicament. The Wandering Minstrel comes next. He will be splendid, I can tell you."
"Mr. Piper Hide-and-Seek," murmured Meta, studying her programme. "What a funny name!"
"Oh, you child!" Callie laughed aloud, but as suddenly hushed, for the sensation of the evening, to the Meadows party, had begun.
A very handsome man, in the gala dress of a stage peasant, of the Bavarian Highlands possibly, came forward with a short, military step, and bowed impressively. There was a burst of applause from the bluecoats in the gallery, and much whistling and stamping from the boys.
"Who is it?" the lady in front whispered to her neighbor.
"One of the soldiers from the post," was the answer.
"Really!"
But the lady's accent of surprise conveyed nothing, beside the speechless admiration of the Meadows family. Callie, who had been in the exciting secret all along, whispered violently with the other girls, but Meta had become quite cold and shivery. She could not have uttered a word.