They arrived shortly after three o’clock, and after selecting a big picnic table under the trees, and establishing Mrs. Munsen there with a magazine and her knitting, and piling the packages around her, the merry party of seven went off to take in the amusements. Forgetting their years and their dignity as proprietresses of a business and sponsors of a baby, they entered as joyously into the fun as if they were children—singing on the airships and carousels, screaming at the breath-taking descents of the scenic railways. They made the rounds thoroughly, spending money extravagantly, in order not to miss a single sensation. At last, when it was nearly six o’clock, they returned tired but happy to Mrs. Munsen’s table.
“Well, you look as if you had a good time!” she said, smiling at their flushed faces. “It does me good to see you drop your worries for a while.”
“We did have a good time!” announced Marjorie. “We didn’t miss a single thing!”
“And here you have supper all ready, too!” remarked Ethel. “Really, Mrs. Munsen, that is too much! Why didn’t you wait?”
“Oh, my dear, there was nothing much to do. I enjoyed it. And we’re going to have coffee, too! I made arrangements for that!”
“Wonderful!” exclaimed Alice. “I move we start right in now—immediately. I’m as hungry as a bear!”
For twenty minutes or so they were so occupied with the business of serving themselves and each other, and eating the delicious food they had brought, that there was no concerted effort at conversation. At last, when their hunger showed signs of being satisfied, they began to go into detail about the afternoon’s amusement.
It was Doris who first mentioned the boys, regretting the fact that they were not there to enjoy the supper.
“It certainly is a pity,” she said, “to think of their eating in restaurants and boarding-houses with all this marvellous food going to waste. For we can never eat it all!”
“Yes, I have to admit that Marjorie was hard-hearted,” said Mrs. Munsen.