Alicia looked put out, but a glance at her uncle's face proved his seriousness, and she said no more about the actor.
The evening wore away, but it seemed to the girls as if it never would be ten o'clock. And it was greatly to their relief, when, at about half-past nine, Mr. Forbes bade them good-night and went off upstairs.
"It is all the queerest performance," said Bernice. "What in the world does Uncle Jeff want of us,—I can't make out. The outlook seems to be that we can have all the fun we want daytimes, and pay for it by these ghastly evening sessions."
"There's something back of it all," said Alicia, astutely. "This revered uncle of ours, Bernie, has something up his sleeve."
"I think so, too," said Dotty. "He scrutinises us all so closely, when he thinks we're not looking. But I, for one, am quite willing to put up with these evenings for the sake of the fun we have in the daytime."
"I should say so!" agreed Dolly. "We never can thank you enough, Bern, for bringing us."
"And I'm glad to have you here," said Mrs. Berry, entering the room. "You're like a ray of sunshine in this dull house,—like four rays of sunshine."
"But WHY are we here?" insisted Alicia. "You must know why, Mrs. Berry.
Do tell us."
"You're here, my dears, because Mr. Forbes invited you. There is no other reason,—no other explanation. And now, tell me, did you like the play?"
"Did we LIKE it!" exclaimed the volatile Alicia, "we're just crazy over it. Why, the chief actor—"