The time did not drag, for boys and girls were coming and going, or sitting at the tables to read or examine books. The girls felt a little timid about investigating any of the shelves, but the pleasant librarian came to speak to them and to suggest where they might find books of some interest. Accordingly, each with a book spent a little while in reading, though, it was hard to put their minds on anything requiring consecutive thought.
And now bright faces peeped in, for Janet and Sue sat not far from the door. Betty was beckoning and leaving the books upon the table, the two guests joined Betty, Carolyn, Peggy and Kathryn Allen, whom they had not met.
“This is Kathryn Allen, girls,” said Betty in the breezy, hurried way made necessary by the rapid movement of events. “I’ve told her who you are. Let’s hurry in and see if we can get places together. Mary Emma Howl and said she’d try to save places for us at that table by the window that we like. She’s in line now. Look at that long line already! I’m glad we happened to have first lunch, Janet, since you’re here.”
“What is ‘first lunch,’ Betty? Do you have to take turns?”
“Yes. There are several periods. Father says that that is the only thing he doesn’t like about this school, that there isn’t enough time to eat without swallowing things whole. But it isn’t as bad as that, really; and most generally we don’t try to eat a big meal. Still, things are so good, and you get so hungry, you know, especially if you can’t eat a big breakfast.”
“I don’t like all your stairs,” said Sue, “but I suppose it can’t be helped. I guess your mother’s right–you need wings.”
“Oh, you get used to where rooms are and it isn’t so bad. Of course, the building does spread out awfully and up the three stories and basement. And by the way, we can eat all we want to this time, for I saw Miss Heath and told her that I had company, and if I was a little late to the first class would she give me a chance to make it up–and she was in an awful hurry and said, maybe without thinking, that I could.”
The tables did look tempting. “First lunch” saw the whole array of pretty salads and desserts, the chief temptations to the pupils, the steaming meats and vegetables, so good in cold weather. Cafeteria fashion, the long line passed, choosing what to put on their trays, and oh, the noise, within the concrete floors and walls! Sue said to Janet, as they walked along, that she was fairly deafened; but she had no sooner sat down with the other girls at the table where places had been successfully held for them by Mary Emma, then she began “shouting” with the rest to be heard.
Betty saw to it that her guests had a good selection of viands, for neither Sue nor Janet were inclined to take enough, not wanting to run up the price for their young hostess. “Mercee, Betty, do you want to kill us?” asked Janet as Betty placed a particularly toothsome looking fruit dessert in her tray, in addition to the modest piece of pie which she had herself selected.
“Oh, no, not yet, Janet. Remember the turkey we’re going to have tomorrow; but you must have nourishment!”