The day was set. A Saturday morning in late May. The guests in ordinary were invited. In other words the feminine First Readers had been told that they would be admitted to Patrick Brennan's yard at ten o'clock on that May morning, on condition that each would bring a flag and say nothing to the uninvited boys. The free-for-all spirit was not endorsed by Patrick, and the contestants were only seven, picked and chosen, be it said, with a nice adjustment to Patrick's own prowess, for "I ain't goin' to be licked in me own yard," had been his steadfast determination throughout.
Nathan Spiderwitz was given to inspirations always inconvenient and distressing. He experienced one at this eleventh hour when all the arrangements were completed, and it remained only to invite the guest of honor.
"Who gives the prizes?" he demanded, as he and Patrick were superintending the construction of a grand stand made of soap-boxes and a broken sofa. "Where is the prizes, and who gives 'em?" he repeated.
"Mind your own business," was Patrick's useful answer. It showed a bold front and left time for thought.
"Don't _you_ worry 'bout prizes," muttered Patrick darkly, "they ain't none of _your_ business. You got a swell chanst to git any prizes in my yard. Not when I'm in it, ye don't."
Thus with Nathan. But with Morris he was more frank.
"There's one thing," said he, when he found that crack long-jumper in the boys' yard at luncheon time, "what I'm going to let _you_ do."
"Is it nice for me?" queried the Custodian of Gold Fish.
"Great!" answered Patrick. "I'm goin' to let ye ast Miss Bailey to the party."
Morris glowed with pride and importance. "I likes that," he breathed.
"Well, you can do it. Ye don't want to tell her what kind of a party it is. Just go up to her after school and say that 'we invites her to come to my yard at ten o'clock in the mornin', and bring seven prizes with her.'"
"Oh--oh-h-h! I couldn't to say nothings like that," Morris remonstrated. "I guess you don't know what is polite. I don't know has Missis Bailey got seven prizes."
"She'll get 'em all right, all right," Patrick assured him; "ain't she always givin' 'em around? You just tell her 'ten o'clock and seven prizes.' It's all right, I tell you. I could'a showed ye the picture on that paper of a lady standin' up givin' out the prizes. An' Miss Bailey's the only lady goin' to be there."