fellows grinned at one another, seized their silver spoons, and dived
into the stews in a fashion that would have horrified every servant in
the house.

How they ate! Oysters and coffee and pickles and cakes and jellies!
There seemed no limit to their capacities; neither did they make the
slightest attempt to correct their table manners. None of them paid any
outward attention to their "sheets," although Alfred and Gracie spread
theirs with elaborate care; they leaned their elbows on the table, they
made loud, swooping sounds with their lips, and, in short, transgressed
every law known to civilized life. Why not?

What did they know about civilized life?

Nevertheless, not one movement of young Ried escaped the notice of some
of them.

He tried still to carry on a conversation; though the business of eating
was being too closely attended to on all sides to let him be very
successful.

Gracie studied _him_, and was not only interested in his efforts, but
roused to make some attempts herself. What could she talk about with
such people? School? The Literary Club? The last concert? The course of
lectures? The last new book that everybody was reading? No, not
everybody; assuredly not these seven.

On what ground _was_ she to meet them?

Yet talk she must and would. Mr. Ried should see that she at least