The two other races were duly pulled. Dater came out first in that which concerned his own club. The Ossokosees were presented at the side of the barge with their prize. Mr. Voss made a little speech. The crowd gave their final cheers as Philip received it for his associates. That two hundred dollars was to be spent in improving the boat-house. Somebody had talked of buying a new shell with it; but that was not heard of again after the day’s deeds with the old one. Then the crowds broke up. The carriages rolled in different directions. The excitements of the morning were over. In the evening there was to be a special reception at the Ossokosee House, given by Mr. Marcy.
“But I never went to a regular grown-up party, even,” protested Gerald, in visible concern when Miss Davidson declared he must go with her and see how Philip and the rest would be lionized. “I—I’m not old enough.”
“Neither am I, for that matter, Gerald,” laughed Philip, with a droll glance at the amused Miss Davidson; “so you ought to go along to keep me company. I am not a ladies’ man, like Davidson or McKay.”
“Well, you will have to walk about the hotel dining-room with some girl; you see if you don’t,” declared Gerald. But Philip did not. Nearly all the evening Gerald found his friend near him, where the boy could listen to the fine speeches lavished on Touchtone and every member of that crew of Ossokosee—quite numerous enough to turn older heads than Philip’s. Miss Beauchamp, who was quite old enough to be Philip’s aunt, declared that she, for her part, “felt jealous of Gerald” when Philip said that he would leave the scene for a while to see the boy quickly to his bed, Gerald having become fagged out with his enjoyment.
“You had better adopt him, Touchtone,” Mr. Marcy suggested as the two turned away.
“O, I will, if his father will let me,” retorted Philip, laughingly.
“Humph!” said Mr. Marcy, half aloud, “I doubt if he’d mind it half as much as he ought.”
The party broke up half an hour later. Early hours were the custom at the Ossokosee. Philip was to sleep in Gerald’s room that the accommodation he thus vacated might be given to some particular guests. The races had filled the house.