While they waited it seemed to them that never before had simple tasks, such as fitting a key into the lock, been performed with such exasperating slowness, and the girls fairly danced with impatience. The older folks smiled indulgently, and Mr. Sanderson chuckled as he pulled Evelyn’s ear and inquired inanely, “if she were having a good time.”
He was crushed a moment later by the withering scorn from three pairs of merry eyes, and Mrs. Payton exclaimed, laughingly, “Such a question! All you have to do is just look at them.”
Then, at last, the door flew open and they gazed on what was to be their own domain for five days at least; and it 76 is safe to say that, in her heart, each of the girls wished it were to be twice as long.
“Oh, isn’t it perfectly, beautiful, wonderfully lovely?” cried Jessie, getting more excited with each adjective, and when the others laughed merrily at the extravagance of her description, she added, defiantly, “I don’t care; it is! I’ll leave it to any one.”
“You are right as far as you went, Jessie,” Lucile backed her up, “only you didn’t say half enough.”
“And there’s a full bed and a cot, just as we thought,” Evelyn went on with the inventory, “and a bea-utiful dresser, and three darling chairs, and—and——” she finished incoherently.
“I’m sorry you all seem so dissatisfied,” said Mr. Payton, with so droll an attempt to look gloomy that Lucile then and there threw her arms about his neck and gave him an ecstatic kiss, crying joyfully, “Oh, you are the most wonderful father in all the world!”
“Lucile!” exclaimed her mother warningly, whereupon Lucile, who was far too happy to consider consequences, promptly kissed the astonished lady. “To say nothing of Mother!” she cried.
Much to every one’s surprise, far from being displeased, Mrs. Payton seemed rather to enjoy her daughter’s impulsive outburst, merely cautioning her not to overheat and overexcite herself too much, as the day gave promise of being a very hot one.
“The big portholes make it so nice and light, too,” said Jessie, again referring to the stateroom. “Why, one wouldn’t even mind being seasick here!”