While they sat there, Muriel Brown came in, accompanied by two of her girl friends.
"Oh, mayn't we chum with you?" Muriel cried, and our four girls said yes, delightedly.
"How strange we should meet," said Dolly, but Muriel laughed and responded, "Not so very, as I'm here about four or five days out of the seven. I just simply love the waffles here, don't you?"
And then the girls all laughed and chattered and the New Yorkers invited the other four to several parties and small affairs.
"New York is the most hospitable place I ever saw!" declared Dotty. "We seem to be asked somewhere every day for a week."
"Everybody's that," laughed Muriel. "But you must come to these things we're asking you for, won't you?"
"I don't believe we can promise," said Bernice, suddenly growing serious. "You see, we may go home on Wednesday."
"Day after to-morrow? Oh, impossible! Don't say the word!" And with a laugh, Muriel dashed away the unwelcome thought. "I shall depend upon you," she went on, "especially for the Friday party. That's one of the best of all! You just MUST be at it!"
"If we're here, we will," declared Alicia, carried away by the gay insistence. "And I'm 'most sure Bernice and I will be here, even if the others aren't."
"I want you all," laughed Muriel, "but I'll take as many as I can get."