“No,” said Elise; “there are plenty of rooms, but no one is big enough for an affair of that kind.”

“But we have one,” exclaimed Rosamond eagerly.  “Our house has an immense ballroom.  We almost never use it, but it would be just the place for a bazaar.”

“Would your people like to have us use it?”

“Oh, yes; mother lets me do anything I like.  And, anyway, she’ll be awfully glad to help an American girl—­you said an American girl, didn’t you?”

“Yes, Miss Hunt is from New England.  Oh, it will be lovely if we can have the bazaar in your house, and all the American colony will come, and we’ll make a lot of money.”

The plan was laid before Mrs. Farrington, who entirely approved of it, and then the five girls went over to Rosamond’s to ask Mrs. Barstow’s consent, and to look at the ballroom.

Mrs. Barstow was greatly pleased with the idea and consented at once that the bazaar should be held in the ballroom, and she went with the girls to look at the big apartment and to make plans.

As the Van Ness party were only to remain in Paris a week, it was necessary that the affair should be arranged speedily and the plan quickly carried out.

Mrs. Van Ness, Mrs. Farrington, and Mrs. Barstow were to be patronesses, but the girls, the two Van Ness boys, and Martin Barstow were to do the actual work and make all arrangements.

It was a somewhat original scheme of entertainment, and as Alicia described it the rest all agreed that it would be great fun.

It was to last only one afternoon, from three to six, and it was called the “Bazaar of Arts and Manufactures.”

The girls called upon many members of the American colony and asked them to donate material of any kind, such as silks, satins, ribbons, fancy paper, materials or fabrics of any sort.

They responded generously, and also gave many articles to be sold at the bazaar, and promised to send contributions for the refreshment room.

The boys declared that their part was the decoration of the ballroom, and they not only ornamented the room, but built various little booths and arranged such counters and tables as were needed.

When the day of the bazaar came nobody knew quite what the entertainment was to be, but were prepared for an original amusement of some kind.

After a large crowd of people had assembled Guy Van Ness mounted a platform and announced that there would now be held a contest of arts and manufactures.  Everybody present, on the payment of a certain sum, would be allowed to compete, and prizes were offered to the successful competitors in each department.

Then, greatly to the amusement of the audience, he announced that the various achievements arranged for were such easily accomplished feats as the trimming of hats, the painting of pictures, modelling in clay, making paper flowers, and various other arts and handicrafts, among which each might select a preference.