“THAT is,” said the boy, simply, and Thorpe, after staring for a moment, smiled and rang the bell for breakfast.
When Julia made her appearance, a few minutes later, the table was already laid, and the waiter was coming in with the coffee.
“I thought we'd hurry up breakfast,” her uncle explained, after she had kissed him and thanked him for the sunrise he had so successfully predicted—“because I knew you'd both be crazy to get out.”
He had not over-estimated their eagerness, which was so great, indeed, that they failed to note the excessive tranquility of his own demeanour. He ate with such unusual deliberation, on this exciting morning, that they found themselves at the end of their repast when, apparently, he had but made a beginning.
“Now you mustn't wait for me at all,” he announced to them then. “I'm a little tired this morning—and I think I'd just like to lie around and smoke, and perhaps read one of your novels. But you two must get your things on and lose no time in getting out. This is the very best time of day, you know—for Alpine scenery. I'd hate to have you miss any of it.”
Under his kindly if somewhat strenuous insistence, they went to their rooms to prepare for an immediate excursion. He was so anxious to have them see all there was to be seen that, when Julia returned, properly cloaked and befurred, and stood waiting at the window, he scolded a little.
“What on earth is that boy doing?” he exclaimed, with a latent snarl in his tone which was novel to her ear. “He'll keep you here till noon!”
“He's shaving, I think. He won't be long,” she replied, with great gentleness. After a moment's pause, she turned from the window and came gayly forward.
“Oh, I forgot: I was going to feed the birds. There are several of them out there now.” As she spoke, she busily broke up some of the rolls on the table. Her face was bright with the pleasure of the thought.
“If you don't much mind, Julia,” her uncle began, with almost pleading intonations, “I rather think I wouldn't feed those birds. The rule is there before our eyes, you know—and it's always been my idea that if you're at a hotel it's the correct thing to abide by its rules. It's just an idea of mine—and I daresay, if you think about it, you'll feel the same way.”