It was the question which accompanied every home plan, and on which hung a momentous importance, but the Percivals appeared quite taken aback by the suggestion. The girls stared, and their mother smilingly waved it aside.
“Oh–h, I don’t think we need trouble about that! It’s only once a year, and we must do the thing well. If you have a suggestion, dear, please let us have it!”
“I was thinking,” said Darsie hesitatingly, “of a treasure hunt!”
Instantly all four hearers acclaimed the idea with such unanimity and fervour that the proposer thereof was quite overpowered by the thanks lavished upon her.
“The very thing! Why did we never think of it ourselves? Every one will like it, and it will keep them moving about, which is always the great problem to solve. Presents, presents, lots of presents, stowed away in odd corners...”
“We’ll each take a certain number and hide them in our own pet corners when no one else is in the garden. We’ll make the parcels up in green paper, so as to be less easy to find...”
“Every one must be told to bring them back to the lawn for a grand public opening, so that the disappointed ones may join in the fun...”
“We may take part ourselves, mother? We must take part! Get lots and lots of presents, and let us hunt with the rest!”
“Certainly, dears, certainly. It is your party as much as mine; of course you must hunt. I’ll run up to town and buy the presents at the stores. You must help me to think of suitable things. Bags, purses, umbrellas, blotters, manicure-cases—”
“Boxes of French bonbons, belts, scarfs—”