What Big Josh said to Judith was, “And how do you do, Miss Buck? Remember you? Of course I remember you, but do you remember me?” 175
“And how could I forget you when you have given me many a lift on the road? You never passed me by without picking me up.” Judith’s manner was so frank and sweet and she smiled so brightly at Big Josh, returning his vigorous handshake with a strong, unaffected clasp, that the good-natured fellow was won over completely.
“Well, well! We’ve pretty near got the same name,” he cried heartily. “You are Buck and I am Bucknor. I wouldn’t be astonished if we had been the same in the beginning. Either your folks knocked the nor off or my folks stuck it on. Ha! Ha! We may be related for all we know.”
CHAPTER XVI
The Morning After
“All over and paid for!” yawned Colonel Crutcher the morning after the debut party. “I tell you I couldn’t do it every night.”
“Neither could I—nor every week, nor every month, nor even every year,” agreed Major Fitch. “But I tell you, Crutcher, it was worth it, I mean digging in our jeans for the money and getting so tired out and feeling our age and everything. It was worth it all, just to see our girl’s eyes shining and to prove what she is made of. I tell you she stood up there and received with as much dignity as Queen Victoria herself.”
The old men were gathered together on the Rye House porch, chairs tilted back and feet on railing as usual.