"We've been waiting for ages!" exclaimed Arline.

"But you said half-past six, and it is only one minute past that
now," reminded Grace, showing Arline her watch.

"Of course, you are on time," laughed the little girl. "I should
have explained that I'm hungry. That is why I speak in ages instead
of minutes."

"Your explanation is accepted," proclaimed Elfreda, screwing her
face into a startling resemblance to a fussy instructor in freshman
trigonometry and using his exact words.

The ready laughter proclaimed instant recognition of the unfortunate
professor.

"You can look like any one you choose, can't you, Elfreda?" said
Arline admiringly. "I think your imitations of people are wonderful."

"Nothing very startling about them," remarked the stout girl
lightly. "I'd give all my ability to make faces to be able to sing
even 'America' through once and keep on the key. I can't sing and
never could. When I was a little girl in school the teachers never
would let me sing with the rest of the children, because I led them
all off the key. It was very nice at the beginning of the term, and
I sang with the other children anywhere from once to half a dozen
times, never longer than that. I had the strongest voice in the room
and whatever note I sang the rest of the children sang. It was
dreadful," finished Elfreda reminiscently.