"That's right," proceeded Katy, who, as oldest and biggest, always took
the lead in their plays. "Now if we're fixed and ready to begin, the
Fete (Katy pronounced it _Feet_) can commence. The opening exercise will
be 'A Tragedy of the Alhambra,' by Miss Hall."

"No," cried Clover; "first 'The Blue Wizard, or Edwitha of the
Hebrides,' you know, Katy."

"Didn't I tell you?" said Katy; "a dreadful accident has happened to
that."

"Oh, what?" cried all the rest, for Edwitha was rather a favorite with
the family. It was one of the many serial stories which Katy was forever
writing, and was about a lady, a knight, a blue wizard, and a poodle
named Bop. It had been going on so many months now, that everybody had
forgotten the beginning, and nobody had any particular hope of living to
hear the end, but still the news of its untimely fate was a shock.

"I'll tell you," said Katy. "Old Judge Kirby called this morning to
see Aunt Izzie; I was studying in the little room, but I saw him come
in, and pull out the big chair and sit down, and I almost screamed
out 'don't!'"

"Why?" cried the children.

"Don't you see? I had stuffed 'Edwitha' down between the back and the
seat. It was a _beau_tiful hiding-place, for the seat goes back ever so
far; but Edwitha was such a fat bundle, and old Judge Kirby takes up so
much room, that I was afraid there would be trouble. And sure enough,
he had hardly dropped down Before there was a great crackling of paper,