"Oh! Oh-h!" exclaimed Jamie, in plain delight, while Jimmy, under John Pendleton's steady gaze just managed to save the situation by not blurting out HIS surprise and pleasure. Naturally, too, just then, blushing Mrs. Carew became the center of every one's interest, and the danger point was passed. Only Jimmy heard John Pendleton say low in his ear, a bit later:
"So you see, you young rascal, I'm not going to lose you, after all.
We shall BOTH have you now."
Exclamations and congratulations were still at their height, when
Jamie, a new light in his eyes, turned without warning to Sadie Dean.
"Sadie, I'm going to tell them now," he declared triumphantly. Then, with the bright color in Sadie's face telling the tender story even before Jamie's eager lips could frame the words, more congratulations and exclamations were in order, and everybody was laughing and shaking hands with everybody else.
Jimmy, however, very soon began to eye them all aggrievedly, longingly.
"This is all very well for YOU," he complained then. "You each have each other. But where do I come in? I can just tell you, though, that if only a certain young lady I know were here, I should have something to tell YOU, perhaps."
"Just a minute, Jimmy," interposed John Pendleton. "Let's play I was Aladdin, and let me rub the lamp. Mrs. Carew, have I your permission to ring for Mary?"
"Why, y-yes, certainly," murmured that lady, in a puzzled surprise that found its duplicate on the faces of the others.
A few moments later Mary stood in the doorway.
"Did I hear Miss Pollyanna come in a short time ago?" asked John
Pendleton.