"Yes, we thought we'd accept promptly your kind invitation to drop in upon you at any time, so that we could see the Mansion and its contents just as they are."
"Oh, yes, they are always ready for inspection."
"We hope that you will ask us to stay to dinner," added Tom, after he had followed Philip's example and had shaken hands with the others.
"Oh, certainly! especially as you have made it so evident that you are ready to accept."
"That is delightful! You see we feared to wait for a formal invitation, lest you might show us only the company side of things, and we are anxious to see you just as you are."
"Ah! we have no company side. We decided in the beginning to welcome our friends at any time, if they would take us just as we were."
"This doesn't look like an institution," said Tom, glancing around the pretty room.
"No, we haven't seen the real inmates yet. I suppose you keep them under lock and key," interposed Philip.
"Hardly," responded Miss South, "because—"
Then, as the door was pushed open for a minute, shouts of merriment from another part of the house showed that if in durance vile, the inmates were at least in full possession of some of their faculties.