Presently she ran her eyes down the benches where the boys sat, and there was Gray waiting apparently for her to look around, for he too nodded gayly to her, as though he had known her from the start. The teacher saw the exchange of little civilities and he was much puzzled, especially when, the moment school was over, he saw the lad hurry to catch Marjorie, and the two then turn together toward the little stranger. Both thrust out their hands, and the little mountain girl, so unaccustomed to polite formalities, was quite helpless with embarrassment, so the teacher went over to help her out and Gray explained:
"Marjorie and I stayed with her grandfather, and didn't we have a good time, Marjorie?"
Marjorie nodded with some hesitation, and Gray went on:
"How—how is he now?"
"Grandpap's right peart now."
"And how's your cousin—Jason?"
The question sent such a sudden wave of homesickness through Mavis that her answer was choked, and Marjorie understood and put her arm around Mavis's shoulder.
"You must be lonely up here. Where do you live?" And when she tried to explain Gray broke in.
"Why, you must be one of our ten—you must live on our farm. Isn't that funny?"
"And I live further down the road across the pike," said Marjorie.