They had something to eat after a while, sitting on the stairs with Mary, while Dr. Hinsdale beamed on them all and brought them salad and ices.
“You mustn’t talk about it, you know,” Mary explained, “because it won’t be announced until next week, and you mustn’t think of running off and leaving us out here alone.”
“All right,” Katherine promised her. “We’ll be the mossy bank for your modest violet act. Only do try not to look so desperately in love or everybody who sees you will guess the whole thing, and it will look as if we told.”
Most of the seniors spent the afternoon at the station seeing their families off, but Betty left hers in Nan’s care and went canoeing with Dorothy King in Paradise. Dorothy was just as jolly and just as sweet as ever. She wanted to know about everything that had happened at Harding since she left it, and especially all about Eleanor Watson.
“You’ve pulled her through after all, haven’t you?” she said.
“No, she pulled herself through,” Betty corrected her. “I only helped a little, and a lot of others did the same. Why even Jean helped, Dorothy.”
Dorothy laughed. “I can’t imagine Jean in that rôle,” she said, “but I’ll take your word for it. Let’s go and see Miss Ferris.”
Miss Ferris was alone and delighted to see her visitors.
“Everything has come out right, hasn’t it?” she said, smiling into Betty’s radiant face.
Betty nodded. “Just splendidly. Did you know about Eleanor’s being toastmistress?”