But when they returned to the other room they found Sammy Ray and Roy Tyler on the piazza, close to the open door.  Roy beckoned to his sister, and they held a whispered conference during which the words, “You ask her,” energetically spoken by Roy, could be plainly heard by those inside.

Nellie turned presently, half laughing, but a little embarrassed.

“The boys want to know if they can’t come in,” she said.  “I tell them it’s ridiculous for boys to attend a sewing society, but they won’t go away till I’ve asked.”

Here the boys stepped forward and took off their hats.  Their faces shone with the scrubbing with soap and water they had given them, and both had on clean collars.  Sammy dived in his trowsers pocket and brought out a couple of big brass thimbles and some needles stuck in a bit of flannel.

“We are willing to help sew,” said the boy, and bravely stood his ground, though all the girls laughed, and even Miss Ruth looked amused at the sight of these huge implements.

“If we let you in at all, boys,” she said, “it must be as guests.  What do you say, girls?  Suppose we put it to vote.  As many of you as are in favor of admitting Samuel Ray and Roy Tyler to the meeting of the Patchwork Quilt Society, now in session, will please to signify it by raising the right hand.”

Every hand was lifted.

“It is a unanimous vote,” she announced.  “Walk in, boys.  One more chair, Susie.  Now, then, are we ready?”

But this was fated to be a day of interruptions, for while she was speaking the door opened and in walked Lavina Tibbs, bearing a plate piled high with something covered with a napkin.

“Miss Elliot’s compliments,” she said, “and would the Bed-quilt Society accept some gingerbread for luncheon?” She set the plate on the table, removed the napkin with a flourish, and added on her own account:—­

“It’s jest out of the oven, an’ if it ain’t good I don’t know how to make soft gingerbread, that’s all!”

Good?  If you had inhaled its delicious odor, and seen its lovely brown crust and golden interior, you would have longed (as did every boy and girl in the room) to taste it directly; and, having tasted, you would have eaten your share to the last crumb.  Miss Ruth gave Susie a whispered direction, and the little girl brought from a corner cupboard a pile of pink-and-white china plates, and napkins with pink borders to correspond.  The plates had belonged to Miss Ruth’s grandmother, and were very valuable; but Ruth Elliot believed that nothing was too good to be used, and that the feast would be more enjoyable for being daintily served.  But when all were helped, she still appeared to think some thing was wanting, and, after looking round the circle, her glance rested upon Mollie.  The little girl had been unusually quiet ever since her dispute with Fannie, for she knew very well, though not a word of reproof had been spoken, that her aunt was not pleased with her.  She dropped her eyes before Miss Ruth’s gaze, and grew red in the face; then suddenly jumping up, she said:—­