Part 12 (2/2)
”Please stop a second and meet my friends that are visiting meMiss Light and Miss Miller, Mr. Dorrance, a prominent junior, girls.”
Betty smiled up at Ted as she added the last in complimentary fas.h.i.+on, but he shook his head at her, pleasantly acknowledging the introduction.
”She doesn't say what I'm prominent for, you notice,” but with a salute from his hatless forehead, Ted was gone. There was no standing on ceremony when school hours were on and everything, even lunch, ran on schedule.
”I'll not have to hurry as much as I thought, girls, since it was first lunch. I'm about crazy today, I suppose, with delight at your being here and wanting you to know about everything and everybody. What would you like to do while I'm in cla.s.s and study hall? Want to visit both of them?”
”How many periods have you this afternoon, Betty?”
”Three, but one of them's in gym.”
”All right, we'll visit study hall and gym and stay in the library or auditorium during your cla.s.s.”
So it was decided. ”Gym” proved most interesting. Study hall was full of possibilities, Sue said, for it was interesting to see whether this one or that one studied or not, to guess who they were and to recognize those whom they met. And after the last gong had rung, how odd it was to pa.s.s through those crowded halls, where pupils were putting away their books in their lockers, getting their wraps from them, and going to their home rooms until dismissed. It was all on a bigger scale than in their home school. And the crowded street car was another feature, not so pleasant, perhaps.
But Betty looked out for the girls, to see that they had each a strap, until Chet and Budd and a freshman boy Betty knew, who were, happily, near, caught Betty's eye and signaled the girls to come where they were sitting, half rising, yet holding the seats until the girls should be ready to slide into them.
”Now, then,” said Chet, hanging to a strap in the aisle, after a brief introduction to Janet and Sue, ”what do you think of our school? I noticed you had company, Betty.”
”We're quite overwhelmed by the school, really,” answered Janet, politely, and smiling up at the boy whose seat she was occupying. ”But we have a good school, too, and I think you can learn anywhere.”
”I suppose you can,” said Chet, ”if you work at it. Did you see the stadium?”
”Yes, and it's just marvelous. I don't wonder Betty raves over everything!”
This satisfied Chet, who did not much care for the remark about learning anywhere. ”I'm invited to meet you at Carolyn's Sat.u.r.day, no, Friday night, so I'll see you there. Yep, coming,” and Chet moved down toward a boy who had beckoned him.
Gradually the jam lessened, as one after another reached a stopping place. By the time Betty and her friends had reached their own stop, every one was seated. Budd was the last one to swing off, and like Chet he parted from them with a ”So long, girls, I'll see you Friday night.”
”Those boys must know you pretty well Betty,” said Janet.
”They do. Ever since Carolyn's party.”
CHAPTER X: MORE FESTIVITIES
”Thanksgiving always means turkey and mince pie to me,” frankly said d.i.c.k, as he sniffed savory odors and executed a clog dance on the kitchen floor to the detriment of its bright linoleum.
”Scat!” said an unappreciative sister at the close of the brief effort.
”This kitchen isn't big enough for any antics.” But Betty was grinning and Janet, who was wiping dishes, tapped a toe in time. ”We're clearing the deck for Mother's greatest efforts,” Betty continued. ”n.o.body can have the roast turkey just right as she can. Thanks, Janet. There's the place to hang the towel. Now you girls get ready, while I peel the potatoes and do a few other things. Mother, shall I wash celery now?”
”Why, that will be very nice. You are bound to leave me nothing to do, I see.”
”That, my dear Mother, is your imagination and a beautiful dream. When we come home from church and find the turkey cooked and the potatoes ready to mash and the mince pie sizzling hotyum, yum!” Betty was hanging up the dish pan and hurrying to put the celery in cold water.
”Church!” sniffed d.i.c.k, still hanging around.
”Just for that,” grinned Betty, ”I believe I'll urge Father to take you with us.”
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