Part 18 (1/2)
Sarah tucked the stockings under her ap.r.o.n, Marion slipped her arm through her friend's, and hiding the slipper between them, with beating hearts, and almost sure of detection, they walked slowly down the long entry, directly in the face and eyes of Miss Stiefbach. As they approached her she stopped, and with more than her usual mildness remarked:--
”Ah! young ladies, thinking of home, I dare say; but I trust you will have as pleasant a Thanksgiving here as there, although I am happy to say there has not been the usual influx of boxes.”
The girls laughed slightly in reply, nudging each other quietly as she pa.s.sed on, restraining their desire to rush for Marion's room, and not until the door was fairly closed behind them did their pent-up feelings find vent, when Marion, tossing the slipper till it hit the ceiling, shouted:--
”Victory! three cheers for General Brown, the Stonewall Jackson of Ma.s.sachusetts!”
”But what in the world should I have done if you hadn't rushed in, and told me she was coming?” exclaimed Sarah. ”Why, I should have run right into her!”
”Lucky for you you didn't,” remarked Grace; ”she'd have given you Jessie; if you know what that is.”
”Well, Marion and Sarah,” said Florence, ”I think you're both perfect angels!”
”Yes, dear, 'angels in disguise,'” remarked Marion. ”Well, this angel will proceed to put your foot into Miss Stiffy's delicate, little stocking; the slipper will be a perfect fit, I know; you'll have the most stylish foot in town. There! now see if you can step on it.”
”Take hold of me, please, for I know I shan't be able to bear my whole weight on it!”
”Don't be in a hurry; lean on my shoulder; put your well foot on the floor, and set the other down very carefully.”
”O Mab, it hurts awfully! I don't see how I can ever get down to tea in the world; but I shall have to grin and bear it, or else Miss Stiefbach will find it out.”
”Suppose you go down now,” suggested Sarah, ”and we can help you into the dining-room before the bell rings, and if we all crowd round you Miss Stiefbach won't notice the slipper.”
”That's a capital plan,” said Marion; ”now put your arm way over my shoulder, Flo. Grace, take hold of her that side, and Sallie go in front as a spy. I think this is growing interesting.”
”Very--for you,” remarked Florence.
”You poor child! does it hurt terribly? Don't step on it, hobble along as well as you can, and lean all your weight on us.”
With much hopping and halting, and little starts and agitated whispers, as they thought they heard Miss Stiefbach or Miss Christine behind them, they proceeded on their way, and after some little time reached the dining-room in safety, and as the tea-bell rang immediately after, and the scholars all came in together, nothing unusual was noticed; but they dreaded the moment when they should have to leave the dining-room on their way to the study, where Miss Stiefbach always read history aloud for an hour after supper. Marion had been turning it over in her own mind during the meal, and decided to make an attempt to get rid of the reading that night.
”Miss Stiefbach,” she asked, as supper was almost over, ”didn't you say you hoped we should all have as pleasant a Thanksgiving as if we were at home?”
”I believe I said so, Marion. I certainly meant it.”
”Well, do you know, when I'm at home, our Thanksgiving begins the night before, and we _never_ spend the evening reading history.”
Miss Stiefbach could not help joining in the general laugh, only her laugh was a dignified smile, and replied, ”I suppose that means that you would like to give up our history to-night.”
”I don't think we should any of us weep if that should be the case.”
”No, I suppose not; and for fear you might if the reverse order of things was to take place, I will dispense with the reading to-night, and Miss Christine and myself will withdraw from the room, leaving you young ladies to chat over your supper for a while longer.”
”Oh, splendid!” ”Thank you, Miss Stiefbach.” ”Just what we wanted!”
etc., resounded from all sides, as, with a most unusually gracious bow, Miss Stiefbach left the room with Miss Christine, who nodded and smiled back at the girls, fully appreciating the pleasure they experienced at being released from all restraint.
The closing of the door was a signal for a general hubbub; every tongue was unloosed, and the spirit of mischief reigned supreme. One girl drank her tea to find it strongly flavored with salt; another raised her goblet of water to her lips just as a piece of biscuit went splash to the bottom of the gla.s.s, das.h.i.+ng the contents into her face; a third turned suddenly on hearing her name called from the other side of the table, only to be hit plump on the nose with a hard cracker; and so it went on, a perfect Babel of shouts and cries; for the younger girls, following the example of the older ones, went in for a regular train, and pieces of bread and broken crackers were soon flying in every direction.
Marion and Sarah took advantage of the confusion to get Florence up to her room; having succeeded in doing so, Marion produced a hammer, and getting down on her knees prepared to open that wonderful Thanksgiving box.