“Here we are,” cried Betty just then, and Mr. Lee, driving in, ordered them facetiously to “pile out.”
They “piled,” while Dick and Doris, still disappointed that they, too, had not been permitted to meet Janet and Sue, came running out, followed by Amy Lou, whose mother was trying to hold her back or at least to throw something around her to protect her from the frosty air. “O, Janet, it’s going to be such a glorious Thanksgiving!” exclaimed Sue in Janet’s ear, as she followed her up the steps and into the house. And Betty was crying to the welcoming mother, “O, Mother, they can stay over Sunday and don’t care if they miss school on Monday!”
“Well, isn’t that fine,” warmly responded the hostess. “I’m glad, too, to see the girls from the old home and thankful to have room enough to tuck you away. Take the girls back to your room, Betty, and have them get ready for dinner. Doris, you may set the table if you will, and Betty will help me take up the dinner presently.”
This was the beginning. On Wednesday morning, Betty took her guests to school with her, for Janet, particularly, wanted to visit a few of the classes. Sue told Betty that she could “dump her any place” if she liked. Impressed with the numbers and the apparent complexity of the system, the girls visited one or two classes, met Betty’s home room teacher and the others, in a hasty way between classes, and then waited for Betty in the auditorium or the library, where there was much to interest them.
There was an auditorium session, with a few exercises appropriate to the Thanksgiving season and then a brief organ recital by a visiting organist, whom the principal had secured for a real treat to the entire school.
“Oh, I’m so glad that you heard our big organ,” said Betty as she took them to the library to leave them there while she went to her last class before lunch.
“And it was great to see that immense room filled with nobody but high school pupils, and their teachers, of course,” added Janet, “only–only, I believe, Betty, that I’d be too confused. Some way, I like the little old high school at home, and we have such a pretty building, even if it is small.”
“Oh, you’d get used to it,” Betty assured Janet. “I have, and still, there’s something in what you say, of course. Now I’ll be right up to take you to lunch; it’s on the floor just above the library, you know, and I’m going to bring Carolyn and Peggy along so we’ll sit together at lunch and talk. Don’t you think they’re sweet?”
“Peggy’s a perfect dear,” promptly Sue replied, “and Carolyn is too nice for words, simply adorable.”
After this tribute, the girls followed Betty into the library, where Betty spoke to the librarian in charge and took them to a seat at one of the tables. “You can look at the books, if you want to,” she whispered. “I spoke to Miss Hunt, so it will be all right.”