The hotel proprietor left the dining-room, where he personally superintended the serving of his guests, and joined the Judge, advising and complaining:
“We’ve the usual Saturday, week-end crowd in the house and I’d like to have your party get through in yonder soon’s you can, if you please. I’m driven half-crazy, nights like this, by the demands and exactions of these transient people. I need every man-jack of the help and somebody says that Tommy has gone off with your lads. Tommy is small but he’s the best bell-boy in the house and—I’ll trounce him well when he gets back for serving me such a trick. Best get your dinner now, Judge, or I’ll not promise you’ll be able to later. Excuse me for urging, it’s in your own interest, and—There comes another load from somewhere! and I haven’t a room to give them. Cots in the parlor, if they choose, nothing better?”
With that he hurried to meet the newcomers and the Judge said to Aunt Lu:
“We certainly should go in to table now. It does no good to sit here and wait. That doesn’t bring the runaways any sooner and they’d ought to go without their suppers if they’re so thoughtless of our comfort. Mrs. Stark, won’t you come?”
Then he observed that the lady was weeping copiously. It was now fixed in her mind that Monty was drowned. She had been told that he had gone sailing with that other dreadful bugler-boy the Judge had picked up, and, of course, this was the only explanation of his absence. She refused to be comforted and would have gone out in a boat herself to search for her son had she felt this would be of the slightest use. Indeed, she was fast becoming hysterical, and Mrs. Hungerford shook her head negatively when her brother begged her to leave her post and come with him.
“Very well, then, sister, Miss Greatorex and the girls and I will go without you. Afterward, when the boys come, I’ll try to have a special meal served for you somewhere. If I can! Come, Molly, Dolly; and I’m glad that you, Miss Greatorex, have some sense.”
So they departed and finding that Mrs. Stark was attracting the attention of the other guests upon the piazza, Aunt Lucretia persuaded her to cross the street to the pavilion that stood upon the bluff above the water and that was now deserted.
“From there we can see the boat as soon as it approaches, dear Mrs. Stark, and I feel sure you’ve no cause for such anxiety. Doubtless the boys have been fishing and have not realized how long. It is still bright daylight yonder and these are glorious moonlight nights. Even if they stayed out till bedtime they could see all right enough.”
Mrs. Stark followed the advice to seek the pavilion; yet simply because it brought her that much nearer her lost darling. But when a tray of supper was sent out to the two ladies there she refused to touch it and her grief spoiled her companion’s appetite as well.
After a little time Miss Greatorex and the girls retired to their rooms, at the Judge’s advice. He too had at last become infected with the anxious mother’s forebodings and felt that there was no need for Molly and Dolly to be also frightened. Then he joined the watchers in the pavilion, where the other guests refrained from disturbing them, although it was a favorite resort on pleasant evenings.