Aunt Mary! Glasses
down!"
"You can't drink this, you know, Aunt Mary," said Jack,--"it's bad taste to
drink to yourself."
"I don't want to drink," said Aunt Mary, beaming,--"I like to watch you."
"Here's to Aunt Mary's liking to watch us!" cried Clover.
"No," said Burnett rising, "don't. It's time to go and get the salad now."
"We'd ought to have the automobile for this party," said Aunt Mary, and
everyone applauded her idea, as they rose and gathered up their
belongings.
It was a droll procession of men with mice and a lady with a parrot that
got under way and moved in among the Japanese fans and swinging lanterns
of the next room in the suite of Burnett's friend. Five little individual
tables were laid there and on each table lay a Japanese creature of some
sort which--being opened somewhere--revealed salad within.
"Well, I never did!" exclaimed the guest; "this dinner ought to be put in
a book!"
"We'll put it in ourselves first," said Mitchell. "I never believe in
booking any attraction until it has been tried on a select few. Burnett
having selected me for one of this few, I vote we begin on the salad."
They began forthwith.
Aunt Mary suddenly stopped eating.
"Some one called," she said.
"It's the parrot," said Jack; "I heard him before."
"What does he say?" said Mitchell.
"Listen and you'll find out," said Jack.
They all listened and presently the parrot said solemnly:
"Now see what you've done!" and relapsed into silence.
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