“There, unload everything. It’s all right. I sent these folks after them. Didn’t have time to go myself. Yes, yes, they belong here. The Three R’s sent the table.”
With eager exclamations, the boys and girls unloaded six chairs, an oak table, a rocker, a box 56 spilling over with stationery and colored cards, a miscellaneous lot of books, two neat rugs and half a dozen lamps of a variety of styles and shapes.
“The Three R’s gave the table and chairs,” explained Algernon, “and Mrs. Kittredge said to call at her house for the rocker and some of those lamps. And these other things I bought. Miss Crockett over at Hampton told me what to order and they came to-day, and I opened them up at the house.”
Catherine came up beside Algernon and watched him unpack the boxes of cards, pens, paper clips, mending tissue, paste, shears and other new and shining articles. She was distinctly surprised. A large share of their little capital must have gone into these purchases. And Algernon had told no one, not even herself, that he was buying them.
Dorcas caught up a sheet of the paper.
“It seems to me it’s rather fresh of you to spend the association’s money for paper with your name on it, without knowing whether the permanent organization will want you or not.”
The glow faded from Algernon’s eyes. The consideration with which he had been treated these last few days had taught him to estimate properly the tolerance which had been all he had received before. Catherine, even, looked puzzled and not quite pleased.
“O, I say,” he protested sadly. “You don’t 57 think I’d go and spend the public money, do you? I thought it would be fun to have these things all ready. I didn’t know you’d rather have had me give the money and let the rest of you send in the order. I just did it for my share,–I’m awfully sorry.”
Catherine lifted her head brightly.
“Indeed, you did exactly right. None of us would have known half so wisely how to use it. What did I tell you people? How many towns have librarians who work without pay, and furnish all their materials besides?”