"What could we have, Frank?" Marian inquired, her brow puckered a little.
"Well, April Fool's Day is next Wednesday--why not get up a frolic for that evening?"
"No, men, women, and children. Invite the families. Send out an invitation to the whole Creek. There will be a lot who can't come. Cook up plenty of stuff and we can play tricks--they won't need much entertaining. How would that suit you, Chicken Little?"
Jane had just strayed in to join the family group and was listening with interest.
"Jane, where did you pick up such a coarse expression? Father, that's just what I complain of. How am I to teach my daughter to be a gentle woman, when she is constantly hearing vulgar language?"
"Chicken Little is old enough to know better than to use such words, but she probably got that from Ernest or Sherm, if the truth were known." Frank laughed.
"Why, bully isn't a by-word--or strong language--and Ernest said it a lot. You never said anything to him about it's being vulgar."
"My dear daughter, can I never make you understand that little ladies may not do everything their brothers do?"
"I don't care, Mother, I'm sick of hearing about ladies, and if bully is so vulgar, I don't see why it isn't vulgar when a boy says it. You expect Ernest to be a gentleman, don't you, just as much as you do me to be a lady?"
"Come, Chicken Little, don't speak to your mother that way," Dr. Morton reproved her.
"You may go to your room and remain until you can address your mother respectfully, my daughter."
Frank's plan was carried out. There were no formal invitations issued. Frank and Dr. Morton and Jim Bart spoke to every neighbor they met for the next few days, inviting them to come to an April Fool frolic at seven on the evening of April first, and asking them to pass the invitation along to the other residents of Big John. Chicken Little and Sherm rode over to give Captain Clarke a special invitation, fearing he might not have become sufficiently used to Creek ways to come on the more general bidding.
The Captain was charmed and begged leave to send Wing over to help that evening. Wing delighted in every new experience he was having on the Creek. He grinned joyously at the prospect.
The entire Morton family entered into the preparations for this novel party with enthusiasm. Even Jilly and Huz and Buz caught the excitement of something unusual going on, and hung round, and got under everybody's feet, more successfully than usual. Jilly had the privilege of scraping icing bowls while Huz and Buz looked enviously on. They licked their sticky chops ecstatically when Jilly turned the bowl over to them after she had done her best with the big tin spoon. Her mother reproached her for letting the pups eat out of one of the family dishes, but Jilly couldn't see why her mother was so particular.