“Oh, nonsense!” said John decisively, and when Babbie seconded the invitation, Mr. Trevelyan allowed himself to be persuaded to stay.
“You see the Doctor did come,” John announced triumphantly to the waiter, when that functionary reappeared with the lark-pie and stewed cheese. “And Boswell is with him, so you’d better bring us something extra.”
“Very well, sir,” said the waiter, smiling condescendingly at the absurdity of the “Hamericans,” and Babbie overheard a rosy-cheeked English girl at the next table say she did wish people wouldn’t persist in treating England as if it were a queer, old-fashioned toy that it was fun to spend your summers playing with.
“Come, John, you mustn’t tease that poor waiter any more,” she commanded. “Mr. Trevelyan and Mr. Benson don’t even know why you’re doing it.”
So John explained to his guests that they had unwittingly joined a ghost-hunt, and then the girls told about the Dunstaffnage ghost, and Mr. Trevelyan followed their story up with an account of a ghost he had seen in the Australian cattle-country.
He was an Australian, he explained, and John, who was tremendously interested in queer, out-of-the-way places, kept him busy telling his experiences in the bush all through luncheon. He told his stories so well that every one else stopped talking to listen, and they sat over their luncheon long after every one else had left.
“Goodness, but you’ve had an interesting life, Mr. Trevelyan,” said Madeline, when they finally rose to go. “Aren’t you crazy to get back to Australia? Everything else must seem tame after that.”
Mr. Trevelyan bowed gravely in acknowledgment of her interest. “I shall not go back at present. My widowed sister and I are planning to settle down near Paris. We have bought a house, and she is already in France, visiting a friend. As soon as I have finished a little business that I have here I shall join her and we will set up housekeeping. And now I must really leave you. I have a business engagement.”
“All right, old man,” said Billy gaily. “Only don’t forget to turn up for dinner and the theatre.”
“Unless you wish to postpone——” began Mr. Trevelyan.