By virtue of her position as heroine of the day, Rosy Posy was allowed to sit up to dinner, and though she fell asleep at the table, with a “fig-cracker” in her hand, she was carried away to bed without interrupting the festivities.
And festivities they were. For a sort of reaction from the late tragic events, and the fact that ice cream always made a “party,” so enlivened their drooping spirits that the little Maynards were their own gay selves once more, and “Larky” proved that upon occasion she could be as merry as her nickname sounded.
CHAPTER VI
LETTERS AND CARDS
“It’s awful to have Father and Mother away so long, but it’s lovely to get their letters,” said Marjorie, as Sarah brought in a big budget of mail that the postman had just brought. The Maynards were at breakfast, and as King distributed the various letters, postcards, and parcels, there proved to be something for everybody at the table.
Mr. and Mrs. Maynard were now in Florida, and they sent many souvenirs of their trip.
Marjorie had a silver teaspoon, King a book-mark, Kitty a pin-tray, and Rosy Posy a queer little doll, all of which were marked with the name of the beautiful hotel where the travellers were then staying.
Miss Larkin received a lovely lace handkerchief, which was a more elaborate gift than the others, though not so specially a souvenir.
Then each had two or three postcards of the Florida scenery, and, best of all, each had a letter addressed separately and individually.
As they eagerly opened and read them, Rosy Posy, only slightly assisted by Sarah, also opened her letter and pretended to read it, nodding her curly head and smiling as if she could really make out the written pages.
And then, each in turn, they read their letters aloud.