Part 18 (1/2)
”It's a fine show,” declared Norton. ”A friend of mine saw it in New York.”
”What time are we to be ready?” asked Belle, with a look at Cora.
”It begins at eight, if you start now putting on your hats you'll be ready in time, it's only a little after six,” remarked Ed.
”Smart!” exclaimed Bess. ”We can be ready as soon as you!”
After supper--or dinner whichever you prefer to call it--the boys went to their rooms to get ready for the little theatre party. The girls, with much whispering and not a little laughter proceeded, apparently, with the same object.
But a little later the motor maids, accompanied by their chaperone, Mrs.
Fordam, slipped down a rear stairway, out into the ladies' parlor of the hotel, and thence into two big limousine cars that awaited them. The girls had on semi-evening dress, with some flimsy chiffon veils over their heads in place of hats, which might account for the speed with which they got ready.
”Isn't it nice we met those boys!” exclaimed Eline.
”They came just in time to make it possible for us to retaliate,” remarked Cora. ”And our boys need a lesson.”
In the somewhat luxurious autos that had drawn up in front of the hotel were four young men in evening dress. They greeted the girls enthusiastically.
”It's awfully nice of you to come on such short notice,” said one to Cora.
”Oh, we were only too glad to” she answered.
CHAPTER XII
AT THE COVE
”Well, what do you know about that?”
”It--well, so long as there are none of 'em here I'll say it--it's the limit!”
”They got back at us all right!”
”And to think we never suspected.”
”What will we do with these theatre tickets?”
Four young men, in freshened attire after their auto ride, stood disconsolately in the hotel parlor. Jack was fingering a note that a bell boy had brought him. Walter, Ed and Norton, with the a.s.sistance of Jack, had given voice to the expressions with which we have begun this chapter. The note read:
”Dear Jack:
”We don't seem to care about the theatre this evening. I met Harry Dunn, and his two cousins--also another young man--Ralph Borden--and they asked us to go to a little private dance. Mrs. Fordam is with us. We met Harry at Lake Como last year, you remember. He is that tall, dark, distinguished-looking fellow. So we thought we'd prefer the dance to the theatre, especially as Belle and Bess have seen the play. Sorry to have to waste so many good tickets, but perhaps you boys will have time to paint another honeymoon sign.
”Cora.”
It was this note which had been handed to Jack as he and his companions had been waiting in the parlor for the girls, that had caused all the trouble.
”So, that's their game!” exclaimed Cora's brother, as he crumpled the paper up in his hand. ”They've played a trick on us all right!”