It made her eyes shine and her cheeks glow to hear such whispered words as these:
"Yes, indeed! Aren't you?"
"Far and away the jolliest one yet!"
"Do get me some more salad, won't you, please? It's the best I ever ate!"
"Up-and-down jolly time. A fellow likes to be made feel at home like this."
Miss Blake, who without seeming to be watching any one, saw that every one was well supplied, kept a constant eye on Nan, and at last, on the strength of what she discovered, thought it was time to interfere.
"Now sit down, my dear," she commanded softly, coming up behind the girl and touching her gently on the arm. "You are getting all tired out and having nothing to eat yourself. Every one is served and the waiters will look out for the rest. I have saved a place for you in the corner beside Louie and Ruth. So go now and rest and eat and enjoy yourself. You must not be the only one at your party who is neglected."
Nan gave her a grateful look and dashed off toward Louie and Ruth who were beckoning wildly to her to come. They had so much to tell that they almost forgot their plates in their eagerness to talk.
"Grace Ellis is just wild to come over here," confided Louie.
"But Mary Brewster won't let her. Mary just bosses Grace about till I think it's positively disgraceful," whispered Ruth.