He didn't know
in the least what she said, or how she looked, as he couldn't raise his
eyes, but he remembered afterward that her voice was sweet and low, and
that somehow he wasn't so afraid after that, and then Joel dragged him into
a knot of boys, for by this time several were pouring into the room. And in
five minutes Jack felt as if he had known them all for years, and he quite
forgot that this was the first time he had ever gone into company.
When the bustle of the arrival was over, and every member of the Comfort
committee was present, Mrs. Sterling said:
"Now I think, Gibson, the first thing we should do is to have supper."
So Gibson went over and touched the electric button on the wall, and in
came the butler and two maids bearing trays full--well, just crowded with
all the good things a boy could desire to eat. And these having been placed
on the big, mahogany table in the center of the room, usually filled with
books and magazines, but which had been cleared for the purpose, each boy
was invited to come up and be helped to whatever he wanted, an invitation
that wasn't long left unaccepted.
Joel, in his fear that Jack would somehow be left out in the cold, bent all
his energies toward getting him something to eat. The consequence was, that
he forgot all about waiting on Mrs. Sterling, and, glancing around after he
had poked a plate of cold chicken and jelly into Jack's hand, he saw two or
three of the boys--Frick and even little Porter Knapp--vying with each
other to be the first to serve their hostess.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306