Leon advanced a step, and appeared to be hesitating between the overgrown infant and the jewelled Louisa, when Stanley’s wonderful headgear caught his eye.
“Thanks, I’ll take Lo,” said he, bowing before the appalling vision.
“Very well, take your places,” commanded Harry, pointing to the head of the table; “and don’t forget to look out for the leg of that end table, because it’s ricketty. Lieutenant Wilde, it’s your turn next.”
Lieutenant Wilde chose Max, and the others paired off in turn, until they were all seated at the table. It was a wildly hilarious party, and in spite of wooden plates, paper napkins and no serving, they enjoyed their supper as only hungry, healthy boys can do, though the maidens present were by no means left behind. And while the knives and forks were busy, the tongues kept pace with them, and the jokes flew up and down the room till the walls echoed with the laughter, and the boys in the farthest corner of the house wondered enviously “what on earth the Wilders are at.”
“My dear,” Dr. Flemming had said to his wife, that evening, “if you have nothing else to do, suppose we go up to see Irving to-night. We haven’t been up there since he went back.”
Mrs. Flemming agreed and, at a little before eight o’clock, the doctor and his wife climbed the stairs of Old Flemming, and knocked at their nephew’s door. All was dark within, but on the door was a card: “In Number Fifteen.” The doctor read it.
“Fifteen? Let me see, that is the Arnolds’ room.”
“How good of Irving to go in there!” said Mrs. Flemming. “I suppose he was afraid that Leon would have a dull evening for his birthday, and has gone in to stay with him for a while.”
“Leon has had rather a bad time this winter,” answered the doctor; “worse than any of us know, I fancy, for he has taken it so as a matter of course, that he hasn’t had half the sympathy he has deserved. Well, as long as Irving isn’t here, I suppose we may as well go home again.”
“Let’s go in to see Leon for a few minutes,” suggested Mrs. Flemming. “He would be so pleased to have you call on him, and now we are here, we can do it as well as not.”