“The concert was simply great,” said Chet Lacey, rushing up. “I never heard so many compliments in all my life. People were simply wild. Where is Aunt Nan? I want to tell her about them.”
“I’m here,” said Miss Chesney coming forward, “but don’t think I come in for any compliments. The success is all due to Madame Risteau and her son.”
“No, it isn’t,” spoke up Bob; “it’s entirely due to Joanne. We expected to be in the audience till she called us up and told us the thing had slumped and couldn’t we come to the rescue.”
“You are always coming to my rescue, it seems to me,” said Joanne in an aside. “Besides, Bob, your mother volunteered. I hadn’t the ghost of an idea that she was here or that she was a famous singer.”
“Oh, well, give mother all the credit you choose,” said Bob, “but leave me out. I only filled in.”
“Gee! if you call that filling in,” said Chet, “it’s what I’d be perfectly satisfied to do. You filled in and then some.”
Then everybody began praising everybody else, the Boy Scouts coming in for their share, and all went home happy; Joanne, probably, the happiest of them all.
CHAPTER XX
REACHING THE GOAL
THE Easter holidays brought Joanne many pleasures, but none greater than the day she spent at Chevy Chase, which gave her the opportunity of a long and intimate talk with Mrs. Marriott.
“It is more than a year since we met,” said Joanne regarding her friend with loving eyes, “and I do hope you see some improvement in me.”