He shook hands all around and patted each straight shoulder. “Don’t forget me,” he said, “and remember if there is anything I can do to help, we are all working together. See this?” He smiled and pulled aside his coat. There on his waistcoat was the Thanks Badge they had sent him. “I always wear it,” he said, and with a merry good-bye hurried through the little door, and was gone.
Rosanna went to the hall and looked out.
“Hurry, hurry!” she called. “Here she comes! We nearly missed her!”
The bride, in her travelling dress, was coming down the stairs. She paused on the landing and looked down at the sea of smiling faces below. Then suddenly she tossed her bouquet out. A dozen hands reached for it, and the girl who caught it danced up and down. Everyone laughed.
“What did she do that for?” asked one of the Websters.
“The one who catches the bride’s bouquet,” said Miss Jamieson, “will be the next one married.”
“Quick!” cried Elise. “Let us all form the guard-line for her. Never mind those staves!”
Slipping through the throng and out the door, the girls formed a double line to the automobile waiting at the curb. A great white bow was tied on the back, and Rosanna quickly took it off and hid it.
“Cita wouldn’t like that,” she explained. Then she stood with her hand on the door. The house door opened and in a blaze of light, confetti and rice showering about her, rose leaves floating above her, the little bride and her tall young husband ran down the steps and through the double line of Scouts, who closed solidly before the door of the limousine as she entered it. The other guests were shut out. For that moment she was again their little Captain and belonged to them alone. Forming in a solid group, they suddenly shouted the Girl Scout yell, threw her a shower of kisses, and crying good-bye over and over, watched her little hand wave a farewell as the car sprang forward.