“Let’s hurry back and ask your mother right away,” suggested Dorothy.
More mystified than ever at this unusual display of enthusiasm, he complied with the girl’s request. All the way back they talked of nothing else. He too was thrilled with the plan; he said he would take a room at the hotel and come in only for meals, so that the house would be freer for the girls.
As soon as they were home, they lost no time in putting the project before Mrs. Hadley. Always glad to comply with the young people’s wishes, she readily fell in with the scheme, and seemed as pleased as they were. She suggested that they make a tour of inspection of the house with her, so that she might assure herself of the plan’s practicality. They began with the attic.
“These rooms are small,” she said, throwing open the two doors and displaying the conventional attic rooms, with the slanting roofs besides the windows. “But they really aren’t bad.”
“They’re very comfortable!” said Dorothy. “At least I find mine so.”
“Well, then, that disposes of four girls, and there are two bedrooms besides mine on the second floor. Yes—” she was noting two or three things to attend to, as she talked—“we can put eight girls up, if John will move out.”
“Of course I will!” he replied, readily.
“Then really the only thing that worries me is the dining room,” she concluded. “Do you suppose we could get eleven people around our small table?”
“I’d just as soon be waitress,” offered Dorothy; “and that would bring the number down to ten.”
“Indeed you won’t!” protested Mrs. Hadley. “When the party is given in your honor!”