“Oh, these are dead easy to make,” she said. “I only wish I could make cake, though.”
“I’ll show you any time you like,” said Chub kindly. “I’ve taken prizes for my cake.”
“I guess you mean for eating it,” laughed Harry. “Oh, but just you all wait! On my birthday I’m going to have the biggest cake you ever saw! It’s going to be fourteen inches across on top and it’s going to have pink and white icing all over it and sixteen candles!”
“By jove!” cried Roy. “I’d forgotten about your birthday. Is it this week, Harry?”
“_Thursday!_” exclaimed Chub sharply. The others stared at him in surprise.
“Do you object to Thursday?” asked Roy sarcastically. “Because if you do Harry can change it.”
“No,” muttered Chub, “but I didn’t know it was so soon.”
“He’s worried because he’s forgotten to buy you that diamond necklace,” explained Dick. “How old will you be, Harry? Not sixteen?”
“Sixteen!” declared Harry proudly. “Isn’t that lovely? And I’m going to have a birthday party at the Cottage. And you are all invited.”
“Hum,” said Roy suspiciously, “who else is coming?”
“Oh, just some of the girls I know,” answered Harry carelessly. But she looked at the boys anxiously. Roy shook his head.
“I guess that lets us out, Harry,” he said. “I wouldn’t dare take Chub into society. He’d probably eat the candles off the cake or drink out of his finger-bowl.”
“Oh, I think that’s mean!” Harry cried disappointedly. “I wanted you to come!”
“Too many girls,” grunted Dick. “Can’t stand them in bunches like that. I get nervous for fear I’ll tread on one of ’em.”
“I tell you what we will do, though,” said Roy. “We’ll give you another birthday party here in camp in the evening, and it’ll be a dandy, too! What do you say to that?”
“Oh, that would be nice!” said Harry rapturously. Then her face fell again. “But I did so want you to come to the Cottage, Roy!”
“Oh, I meant all of you,” declared Harry, “and you know very well I did.”
“I’m not afraid of a few girls,” said Chub. “I’ll go, Harry.”
“You’ll stay right here,” answered Roy. “I’d just like to see you at a girl’s party!”
“I’ve been to lots of them,” said Chub loftily. “I’m a great success at functions of that sort. At home they can’t do without me.”
“Well, they can do without you here, all right,” responded Roy cruelly. “And they’re going to. Harry’s going to have her girls’ party in the afternoon and then she’s coming over here and we’re going to give her another. We will employ that celebrated caterer, Mr. Richard Somes, to prepare the repast.”