Part 57 (1/2)

So the circle of chairs and crickets was made around the sofa, and the real business of the evening began. It was in the very commencement of things Joel noticed that every one of the members seemed to take a fancy to Jack.

Curtis Park leaned over from his chair. ”I say, Frick, change places with me.” Frick was next to the visitor, Joel, of course, being on his other side.

”No, you don't,” said Frick, not over politely.

”Oh, that's mean,” began Curtis, then he remembered where he was, and sat back in his chair, biting his pencil.

Frick straightened himself up with enjoyment

”You can take my pencil,” he said to Jack magnanimously; ”we all brought 'em, you know, she wanted us to.”

Joel caught the last of this. ”Oh, dear me!” he exclaimed, in remorse, ”I forgot mine; and, Jack, I was going to bring one for you.”

”He can take mine,” said Frick, shoving a very stubby specimen into Jack's hand.

”Mine's better,” said Curtis, reaching over a brand-new one, just sharpened to a fine point; ”take mine, Jack, you much better.”

Jack, not knowing how to refuse, took it. And the other boys, seeing Curtis Park come down from his high-flown notions enough to notice so conspicuously the new boy, all began to find ever so many things in him that were worthy of, their attention. So, instead of Joel having to push him along, Jack became quite popular. The result was that Joel was left out in the cold.

”Now,” said Mrs. Sterling brightly, after a little of this chat had been going on, and Gibson had shaken up her pillows, and raised her mistress into a more comfortable position, ”you all know, of course, that Doctor Fisher reports Lawrence ready for a little amus.e.m.e.nt, if we send it to him, for no one is allowed yet to see him.”

”But we will be soon. Doctor Fisher told my father so yesterday,” piped out Porter Knapp, sliding to the edge of his chair.

”I don't doubt it,” said Mrs. Sterling, smiling at him, ”but until that good time does come, why we who belong to the Comfort committee ought to set to work on something that will cheer him up. And as I believe work of that kind always gets along better when ever so many club together at it, why, I thought I'd ask you all to meet here, and we'd see what could be done this evening. Now what shall we do first?”

She looked all around the circle, but no one spoke. ”Oh, dear me!” she said, and her face fell.

”I'd rather write out conundrums than anything else,” said Curtis Park, seeing some answer was expected.

”Good!” Mrs. Sterling beamed on him. ”Does any other boy have something to propose?”

”Puzzles,” said Frick decidedly. ”I'd a great deal rather have puzzles; conundrums are just horrid.”

”Two things to choose from,” and Mrs. Sterling laughed. Her spirits were rising now, and all the doubts she was beginning to feel overwhelming her as to the wisdom of inviting these boys in for the evening, fled at once.

”I think puzzles are just as horrid as conundrums,” said Joel Pepper, beginning already to feel the p.r.i.c.kles run up and down his legs, from sitting still so long, and wis.h.i.+ng for nothing so much as a good scamper; ”they're both as horrid as they can be.”

”Oh, Joel!” exclaimed Mrs. Sterling, quite crestfallen.

”Well, propose something yourself, then, Joe,” said his next neighbor, with a nudge.

”Oh, I can't,” said Joel, quite horrified; ”I don't know anything that we can write down.”

Jack leaned over and whispered in his ear.

”The very thing!” cried Joel, slapping his knee. And, ”Tell it yourself, Jack,” in the next breath.

”Oh, no, no,” protested Jack, shrinking as far back in his chair as he could, and getting very red in the face.

”I very much wish you would, Jack,” said Mrs. Sterling. And she looked at him in such a way, that Jack although he had wild thoughts of taking a flying leap out of his chair, and off to the small grocery shop, nevertheless stuck to it manfully and at last found his tongue.