“Not in the least,” replied Mrs. Selden graciously, pleased with the boy’s courteous manner.
“I’m glad you said that,” remarked Joanne as she and Bob turned away. “Now Gradda will talk about me, which she wouldn’t do before my face.”
That is precisely what did happen, for Mrs. Marriott tactfully led the way to the subject. “I was attracted to your little granddaughter when I first saw her,” she began. “She has such a bright interesting face, rather intense at times.”
“Yes, she is too intense, I’m afraid,” responded Mrs. Selden. “She is not strong but is nervously active, and I find it difficult to curb her nervous energies which outweigh her physical powers.”
“Then,” returned Mrs. Marriott, “it would seem a good thing to build up her physical strength.”
“That is what my husband advises. He advocates an outdoor life, but how is the child to be properly educated if we were to live in the country? I could not endure the isolation and where would she find proper companionship, a matter so important now that she is growing beyond childhood? She has had governesses, but now that the doctor has retired we have about decided to live in Washington and send her to school.”
“There are excellent schools in Washington,” remarked Mrs. Marriott.
“So we hear. Do you recommend any special ones?”
Mrs. Marriott rapidly turned over in her mind the schools of which she knew, then mentioned one which encouraged its pupils to belong to a troop of Girl Scouts whose meeting place for rallies was the school’s gymnasium, and presently the subject of this organization was brought up. While this was being discussed Dr. Selden joined them, and soon the three were animatedly talking over schools and schoolgirls in general and Joanne in particular.
This was the beginning of more than one conversation upon the same subject, so that by the time the steamer docked it was almost settled that Joanne should try the Everleigh school, though the matter of her joining the Girl Scouts was left open.