68 THE ADMIRAL'S TEA-PARTY 



Having smoothed my hair and endeavoured to 

 regain somewhat of a party appearance which the 

 rough wind had sought to destroy, I re-enter the 

 hall, to find darkness and the silence of suspense 

 still prevailing. The ingle-nook in the parlour 

 attracts me with its great oak beam, above which 

 is an overmantel laden with many glittering ob- 

 jects, such as Dutch windmills and brass toys. The 

 room has been purposely cleared of much furniture 

 and only the handsome Empire settee and a few 

 chairs are against the wall together with an oak 

 dresser and the Grandfather clock. 



At last another " grown-up " like myself appears. 

 It is the farmer's wife, who is cook and housekeeper 

 combined. I inquire furtively whether I am right 

 in taking up a position in the ingle-nook, and 

 express surprise at her being able to fit so many 

 hungry guests into the house and yet reserve enough 

 space for dancing in the parlour. Silently she 

 beckons me to follow her. Across the hall is 

 another room, which on weekdays is the kitchen, 

 but to-night has been transformed into a dining- 

 hall. This long, narrow room, with its many oak 

 beams running across and great enveloping chim- 

 ney-corner, into which quite a family party can 

 gather, is brilliant with red, white, and blue decora- 

 tions. A lamp lights it from above, and in the 

 centre is a very large table, laden with every 

 imaginable delicacy. It is like a fairy supper- 

 party. Each little blue plate — and there are over 

 twenty of them — has stacked upon it gifts for 

 every individual guest. Coloured ribbons hung 

 from the lamp form festoons that unite one layer 



