Page:Poor Cecco - 1925.djvu/96

84 to me. You can suit yourselves. But as for that person”—pointing with his claw at Bulka—“he’d better wear a label if he doesn’t want to get into trouble again.”

“Insufferable creature!” declared Jensina, as the owl flapped heavily away across the field. “I can’t stand owls; they are all the same. Look!” she exclaimed, pointing across the pasture. “Something is going on over there!”

Something certainly was going on. One of the many hummocks in the field was hung about with twinkling lights, green and pale and golden, and as they drew near they could see that these were countless glowwormy lanterns, hung artfully from the grass blades. The effect was both elegant and festive; the whole hummock was a blaze of coloured light, and beside the doorway stood a placard with the words:

“A ball! We must go to this!” cried Jensina, who had lived so long in retirement that the mere prospect of a party made her forget all her weariness. “I adore dancing, but if it is a formal affair I suppose I had better put on my frock!”

And snatching the bundle from Poor Cecco she hastily unrolled it to get out her dress. She was so anxious to get