"If I ever did!" cried Alexia irritably to herself, "see anything so
queer! Now she thinks she must race after those boys. I wish I'd kept
still. Jasper, she's just as funny as ever," as he came up with a plate
of salad, and some oysters. "Who?" said the boy; "is this right,
Alexia?" offering the plate.

"Why, Polly," said Alexia; "yes, that's lovely," with a comforted glance
at the plate and its contents. "Oh! she's gone off, Mr. Alstyne," to
that gentleman, approaching with Polly's ice. "You can't expect her to
stay for the goodies," beginning to nibble at her own.

"Where is she?" cried Mr. Alstyne, laughing, and sweeping the room with
his brown eyes. "Oh! I see," his glance lighting on the Whitney boys'
corner.

"Yes, she told me to tell you," said Alexia, between her mouthfuls of
salad and oyster, "where she is," as he started.

"Oh, Percy and Van!" Polly was whispering hurriedly, "I'm sorry I hurt
your feelings, only it was so very dreadful, you know, to hear you go on
so to each other."

"We didn't mean anything," said Percy, pushing one foot back and forth
in an embarrassed way, and looking as if he did not know what to do with
his hands, which confused him more than anything else, as he had been
quite sure of them on all previous occasions.

Van thrust his into his pockets, and seemed on the point of whistling,
but remembering where he was, took his lips speedily out of their