He made a flourish with his hands that nearly knocked the hat from a girl in the path they were slowly treading, and the young owner turned suddenly. It was Lucy Hapgood.
"Look out there, you"—she began, then catching sight of Joyce she blushed a little, ducked a courtesy, and turned once more to the man.
"What's the matter with you now, Tonguey Murfree? Ain't this good enough for you? You'd blow if you was in a palace, sitting on a throne, I do believe. You'd find some trick about it, some'ers."
Joyce met her laughing eyes and felt a hearty liking for her.
"You and I aren't looking for tricks, are we?" she said. "Have you had a good time?"
"Boss! and I hate to go, but I ought to, 'cause poor Nate'll be sleepy, and he has to get to work early mornings. He stayed with the young 'uns for me."
"And you have seen everything, Lucy?"
"Guess I didn't miss much," laughing happily, "My! but the supper was good. I only wished I could eat more, or else take some of it home. I ain't much on the cooking yet."
"You'll soon learn," encouraged Joyce. "How would you enjoy joining a cooking class, and learning how to do it all?"
The girl's honest gray eyes twinkled under the the long dark lashes, which gave them such pretty shadows.