Elizabeth ran off with alacrity. She enjoyed helping Electra but was not always permitted to, for Electra was cranky and as she had been with the family a long time and was an excellent servant, her peculiar moods were overlooked and the children were not allowed to bother when she was cross.
“Please let me take it in,” Elizabeth begged. “Let’s wait till they are all at the table; it will be so much more of a surprise that way.”
Electra was ready to humor her and allowed her to bear in a well-piled plate in triumph, Elizabeth announcing with an air of having planned the whole thing “See, what a surprise I’ve brought.”
“Humph! You didn’t make it,” said Bert scornfully.
“I don’t care if I didn’t; I knew about it and that is more than you did. Bah!” returned Elizabeth.
“Here, here, don’t let us have any squabbling,” said Mr. Hollins. “That is not the sort of sauce we want to season a good supper.” And the two children subsided, being the more ready to do so since they did not want to waste any time in beginning their meal.
CHAPTER V
The Themes
ELIZABETH’S little sister Babs was singing energetically as she played a pretended accompaniment on the sofa:
“Wild rose and Injun girl, bright alapaca,
Where sweeps the waters of the blue Jumiaca.”