Ramon only laughed at that and took the large apron, soberly offered him by a Betty with twinkling eyes, and tried to fasten it around himself. But he was not used to tying a bow in the back, Betty told him, so she would finish the operation. “Now see what an artist you are in the dining room first, Ramon.”
Thus Betty, while she arranged the linen pieces on the table, waved a hand at the buffet and flew into the kitchen herself. “Won’t they be surprised when they come back?” she called, appearing in the door with a whole head of lettuce in her hands. “And it will be fine to have you to help us make the table small after supper. Father always has to help with that because the table sticks and we can hardly push it together. Do you think you would be strong enough?”
Ramon gave Betty an amused look. “Yes, Miss Betty, I think I’m strong enough and I’d do anything for any of you!”
“Well,” sighed Betty, “I really don’t believe in having your company work, but under the circumstances it is a great help! You see Mother had been doing so much cooking, so I made her promise to go out for a ride.” With this Betty disappeared from view, to wash the lettuce under the faucet and run into the pantry for the big glass dish or bowl.
Ramon finished arranging the fruit and nuts and went out into the kitchen declaring that he was no artist and that she could change anything that he had done. Betty managed to keep him busy, but it was only about fifteen minutes before the whole family arrived, Dick to utter another whoop at seeing his hero in an apron, and the girls to join the activities with much fun and lively conversation. Mrs. Lee was allowed only to supervise and make the coffee and Mr. Lee declared that he would not think of being underfoot in such a busy kitchen and dining room.
“The boy looks happy,” he said to his wife. “I’m glad I asked him to come. He’s a very sober, lonely chap, so far as home is concerned. He probably has a good enough time at school, especially since he made such a hit in football, as you tell me.”
“I wonder how he gets his lessons, if he works so hard,” said Mrs. Lee.
“How do any of them get their lessons?” asked Mr. Lee in return, “with all that is going on. It hasn’t hit Betty yet, thanks to our management.”
Young appetites were ready for the supper that spread so invitingly on the pretty table; for it was decided to set everything conveniently near, since they were their own servants. Then afterwards the girls quickly cleared the table, and Ramon, without remark and under Betty’s direction, took out the leaves and made the table small. Betty and Janet together at one end pushed against Ramon on the other. “It will give us more room and look better,” explained Betty to the girls, who were still ignorant of what was to come. Betty, too, was ignorant in regard to who was to come. She was as uneasy and restless as a girl could be and not show that something was on her mind. Ramon was wondering what excuse he could offer for staying so long, but it took some time to clear away the supper and while Mrs. Lee told Betty to “go and entertain her guests and she would finish up the dishes,” Betty, by way of camouflage, said, “we could leave them till morning of course; but it will be nicer in the morning not to have them before us.” Sue rather wondered at Betty’s easy compliance.
At last the bell rang, not a steady ring with perhaps another, but a series of rings in rhythm. Janet and Sue looked up surprised from a puzzle that Betty had given them and Ramon to work out. But Ramon grinned and Betty laughed, running to the door. “Something’s up,” said Sue. “I suspected it!”