Chapter XVI: Before the Party

Meanwhile we must return to the mother country, to take note of important happenings there. While our doughty explorers were eating their hunter's stew in this strange land and sprawling beneath their tree in the gathering twilight surrounded by unknown perils, the gay Silver Fox Patrol returned from New York after a day spent in shopping and sightseeing.

They proceeded at once to their railroad car down by the river where they found the Ravens, who had just returned from a hike. Soon the Elks, returning from an auto ride, joined their comrades and a lively discussion occurred. It pertained to the lawn party to be given that evening at the home of Miss Minerva Skybrow of the Camp-fire Girls.

"What time do you have supper at your house?" Doc Carson asked Roy Blakeley.

"We have it about eight o'clock on Saturdays," said Roy. "My father's playing golf."

"Same here," said Artie Van Arlen; "my father has to stay late so as to beat your father."

"If he stays at the links long enough to do that you'll never see him again," said Roy. "What time is this racket supposed to be, anyway?"

"Eight sharp," said Grove Bronson.

"Are we going to go all separated together or all separated at once?" Roy asked.

"Positively," said Warde Hollister.

"Positively what?" asked Connie Bennett.

"It's all the same to me, only different," said Roy. "Only this is what I was thinking. We all have supper at different times except Pee-wee and he has supper all the time. As Abraham Lincoln said at the battle of Marne, 'Some people are half hungry all the time, some people are all hungry half the time, but Pee-wee is _all_ hungry _all_ the time.' I wonder where he is anyway?"

"Down in Bennett's having a soda, I guess," said Westy Martin.

"Is he going to the party?" Tom Warner asked.

"Search me," said Westy. "I guess not, he doesn't dance. I heard somebody say he was with some fellows up the river."

"Starting a new bunch of patrols, I suppose," said Roy.

"Bentley's gardener saw him somewhere," said Wig Weigand.

"It's just possible he was somewhere," said Roy. "I've often known him to go there. Let's talk of something pleasant. What do you say we get a light supper down here. Anybody that wants to go home and dress can do it only he has to hustle. She wants us to wear our scout suits anyway, she said so. I say let's get a few eats down here and then wash up and all hike it up there together. United we stand----"

"What are we going to eat?" Grove Bronson asked. "I don't see anything here but some fishhooks and a package of tacks."

"Listen to the voice from Pee-wee's old patrol!" said Roy. "_Eats_! I'll fry some killies. Haven't we got some milk chocolate and Ulika biscuits? I bet there's a large crowd of peanuts and other junk in Pee-wee's locker. Can't you wait till you get to Minerva's? She'll have chicken salad and ice cream and sandwiches and cake and lemonade and paper napkins and souvenirs and everything. We'll feel more like eating a little later. What do you all say? If each of us goes home we'll never get together again; we'll all straggle in there one by two."

"Suppose she doesn't have anything but a couple of fancy boxes of bonbons; you know how girls are," said Doc Carson. "Safety first, that's what I say."

"I haven't had anything to eat since lunch time," said Ralph Warner.

"Minerva wouldn't wish anything like that on us," said Connie.

"You said it," said Roy; "they're not passing around famines up at her house. Where do you think we're going? To Russia? Minerva's got the Sandwich Islands green with envy. What's the use of spoiling refreshments by eating now? You fellows are worse than the children of Armenia! I say, let's have a swim; the tide is nice and high, and then rest up and eat some crackers and hike up to the party. They'll be throwing chocolate cake at us up there.

"My patrol all have their good suits on; most of the rest of you have some Christmas tree regalia in your lockers, and the others can beat it home and hurry up back. What do you say? Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye!" Roy shouted. "Carried by a large majority! Come on, let's go in for a swim while the tide's up. That will help to give us an appetite."

"What do you mean, help to give us one?" asked Artie Van Arlen. "Haven't I got four already?"

"Well, when you come out of the water you'll have five," said Roy.

"Suppose--suppose," said Dorry Benton, who was ever cautious, "suppose, just _suppose_ they should only have lady fingers and grape juice, or something like that." He stood uncertain, dangling his bathing suit. "Suppose they should have afternoon tea crackers. Did you ever eat those?"

"They're more likely to have roast turkey," said Roy. "Don't I go up there every couple of days and play tennis? I can't play the game even because they're always pushing a chunk of cake into my left hand."

"I know, Roy," said Warde Hollister. He also was a far-sighted and thoughtful boy who did his homework in the afternoon and started on New Year's saving up for next Christmas. "But this is a lawn-party--Japanese napkins and lettuce and things like that. We're taking an awful chance, Roy. We may get salted almonds----"

"You should worry," said Roy; "here's your bathing suit. Come on, we've only got about an hour. Think of the poor children of Europe. Minerva Skybrow is positively guaranteed. I never saw such a bunch, you're always worrying about something."

And with that, by way of starting things, he pushed Connie Bennett into the water . . .