Part 13 (1/2)

In a little while the varnish had softened, and Mr. Bobbsey could lift Snoop up and hand her to his wife. Then he took up the board, and washed from Snoop's paws what remained of the varnish. She was all right now, and purred happily as Flossie and Freddie took turns holding her.

”But the floor is spoiled--or that part is where you poured the turpentine,” said Mrs. Bobbsey.

”The painter will varnish that part over when he comes in the morning,”

said Mr. Bobbsey. ”Then we must keep Snoop out of the way until it dries.”

And this was done. The floor was gone over again with the varnish brush, and the marks of Snoop's paws did not show. Nor did the cat again go into the parlor until the floor was hard and dry.

”Mother,” asked Nan one day, about a week after Snoop had been stuck fast in the varnish, ”may I have a little party?”

”A party, Nan?”

”Yes, just a few boys and girls from my cla.s.s in school. The parlor looks so nice now, with the new floor, that I'd like to give a party.

May I?”

”Well, yes, I guess so,” answered Mrs. Bobbsey. ”How many would you invite?”

”About a dozen. We could have sandwiches, ice cream and cake. I could bake a cake myself.”

”Well, you might try. I have showed you how to make a simple cake, that is not too rich for little stomachs. You might bake a sponge cake, and put icing on top. Yes, I think you may have a party, Nan.”

”Oh, thank you, Mother. Now I'll write the invitations.”

”I'll help you,” offered Flossie.

”I'm afraid, dear, you can't write quite well enough,” said Nan with a smile. ”But you may seal the envelopes for me, and put on the postage stamps.”

”Oh, I like to do that!” cried Flossie. ”The sticky stuff on the stamps tastes so nice on your tongue.”

”It is better to wet the envelope flaps and the sticky side of the stamps with a damp cloth or a sponge than with your tongue,” said Mother Bobbsey. ”I'll show you the way.”

So when Nan had written out the invitations on some cards, she and Flossie put them in envelopes. Then Mrs. Bobbsey gave them each a little sponge, which they dampened in water, and with that they moistened the sticky places, both of the stamps and the envelopes. And so the invitations were made ready to mail.

”Have you invited any boys to the party?” asked Bert.

”Yes, some,” answered Nan. ”But only a few.”

”Then I'll come,” he said. ”I don't like a party with just nothing but girls.”

”And I'll help Nan bake her cake,” offered Flossie.

”So will I,” added Freddie. ”I like to clean out the cake dishes, and eat the sweet dough and the icing.”

”Oh, I want to do some of that, too!” cried Flossie.

”I can see what kind of a time you're going to have making your cake!”

laughed Bert, ”with those two youngsters hanging around.”

”Oh, I'll take care of them,” said Nan, smiling.