The youths tried hard to look as if they were dejected over their disgrace. Several gouged their eyes; others muttered their discontent, and Chester Haynes had the audacity to declare loud enough for all to hear:
“Looks very much as if the ‘empire’ had money on the race.”
Scout Master Hall must have heard the insulting words, but, if so, he showed no evidence of it. Then the defeated runners recovered from their humiliation sufficiently to crowd around the victor and congratulate her on her success.
“It’s larned ’em a lesson,” said Mike, “which the same is not to be so cocksure of their smartness whin they haven’t got any smartness to be cocksure of. But for this desarved defeat some of ’em would have the imperdence to challenge me to a foot race.”
The Boy Scouts were so charmed by the sweet innocence of the “Queen” that all remained at home for the remainder of the forenoon. Alvin drew funny pictures for her on large sheets of paper; Chester showed no little ingenuity in cutting out dolls and odd figures; most of the other boys went through scandalous antics for the sole purpose of winning her applause, while Mike sang some of the lullabies and folk songs he had learned in Ireland. When he did this, everything else was hushed and all became listeners, for the charm of that wonderful voice was irresistible.
At the dinner table the guest was set in a chair elevated for the occasion, and presided like a veritable queen. Every hearer bowed his head when she folded her hands, closed her eyes, looked upward and said:
“O Lord, who giveth all things good,
To whom the ravens look for food,
Deign to look on us from heaven,
And bless the food that thou hast given.”