the old days three o'clock had been the fashionable hour for dining in
the county, with a hot supper at eight. Aunt Claudia, keeping up with
the times, had decided that instead of dining and supping, they must
lunch and dine. The Judge had agreed, stipulating that there should be
no change in the evening hour. "Serve it in courses, if you like, and
call it dinner. But don't have it before candle-light."

So the moon was up when Becky came down in her blue dress. She had not
expected to wear the blue. In spite of the fact that Randy and his
mother and Major Prime had come back with them for dinner, she had
planned to wear her old white, which had been washed and laid out on the
bed by Mandy. But the blue was more becoming, and the man with the
Apollo head had eyes to see.

She came into the Bird Room with a candle in her hand. There was a lamp
high up, but she could not reach it, so she always carried a candle. She
set it down on the case where the Bob-whites were cuddled in brown
groups. She whistled a note, and listened to catch the answer. It had
been a trick of hers as a child, and she had heard them whistle in
response. She had been so sure that she heard them--a far-off silvery
call----

Well, why not? Might not their little souls be fluttering close? "You
darlings," she said aloud.

Randy, arriving at that moment on the threshold, heard her. "You are
playing the old game," he said.

"Oh, yes," she caught her breath, "do you remember?"