“I am overcome,” said Miss Larkin, who seemed really bewildered at this further compliment offered her.
“Of course you are!” rejoined King. “We expected you to be. We’d have been much disappointed if you hadn’t been overcome. Now, that’s all right, so please recover your equilibrium, and we’ll proceed to see what happens ‘when the pie was opened.’ ”
“Very well,” smiled Miss Larkin; “go ahead. I can stand it now.”
Then King and Flip lifted off the cover of the big box, and left exposed the great pile of dainty parcels. Everybody had a gift, and, of course, Miss Larkin had a great many.
Though not of great value, they were all dainty and pretty little souvenirs, and Miss Larkin had real tears in her eyes, as she received one after another.
“It’s like Christmas!” exclaimed Flip, as he smiled with pleasure at the box of fudge given him by Kitty.
“Don’t open it now,” warned King; “take it home with you; ’cause we’re going to the dining-room in a minute.”
“All right,” said Flip, “but it looks greedy not to pass it around.”
“No, it doesn’t,” said Kitty; “’cause it’s your present. It only just happens to be a pass arounder. If it was a paper doll or a hair ribbon, you couldn’t pass it around. So—you see.”
“I see,” agreed Flip, laying the box aside, but he did feel a little embarrassed about it.