“Go away, then,” said Marjorie, her fingers in her ears, “until we know ours.”
“All right; here, hold up these middle pages,” and King left his sisters in possession of the book.
Kitty finished next, for Midget’s lines turned out to be pretty hard ones to learn. But, after a while, they were firmly fixed in her curly head, and the three went in search of Miss Larkin.
“We’re ready,” King announced, cheerfully, as he offered her the book.
As they had found Miss Larkin in the pantry, and as she was just turning some jelly out of a mold—a proceeding which required extreme care—she did not extend a hearty welcome.
Moreover, the pantry, though roomy as a pantry, was not well adapted to the invasion of three eager and wide-awake children.
“Oh!” sighed Kitty, gazing rapturously at the laden shelves; “what beautiful desserty things! I thought you said only two people were coming, Miss Larkin.”
In her zeal for entertainment, Miss Larkin had provided an over-abundance, and as she felt a little sensitive on the subject, Kitty’s remark irritated her.
“Little girls shouldn’t criticize their elders,” she said, severely.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to, Miss Larkin,” cried Kitty, apologetically. “I’m sure I think the things are lovely. And prob’ly Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer have very large appetites.”