“Oh my,” thought Elizabeth Ann to herself, kissing her favorite cousin, “Poor Doris must have been so sick!”
CHAPTER III
ALL DECIDED
Muffins barked wildly at the lovely white cat that came trotting up to Elizabeth Ann. This was Antonio—better known as Tony—and he was plainly glad to see his little mistress again. Elizabeth Ann gathered him in her arms as they went into the house.
It wasn’t a large house and the four guests added to the Mason family, completely filled the little dining room. There was dear Aunt Jennie—who had the sweetest smile of any of her aunties, Elizabeth Ann often thought; and pretty Emmy, the older daughter, and Jerry and Rodney, the two big cousins; and Ted and Lansing, the two younger boy cousins. And Doris, of course. But Doris was so strangely quiet that Elizabeth Ann hardly knew her. Usually Doris made as much noise as her brothers did.
“Ted about Cally,” commanded Ted, as soon as they were all seated at the table. “Did you like it? Wasn’t it hot down there? Mother told me you learned how to ride a horse, Elizabeth Ann.”
Doris didn’t say a word. She sat beside her mother and drank her milk when she saw Uncle Doctor looking at her, but she didn’t touch her plate and Elizabeth Ann was surprised to see that she didn’t eat her dessert either when Emmy brought that in. Elizabeth Ann was never allowed to have dessert if she didn’t eat her dinner; but here was Doris, who could have apparently what she wanted, refusing to eat a chocolate éclair.
“I suppose it’s because she has been sick,” thought Elizabeth Ann.
After dinner, they took a little walk on the beach, but Uncle Doctor said Elizabeth Ann must go to bed early because she had had a long journey. Doris had not come with them for the walk and she was already in bed, Aunt Jennie said, when the others returned from the beach.
“Perhaps she’ll be up early in the morning,” said Elizabeth Ann sleepily to Cousin Nellie.