“Why! Of all things!” exclaimed Polly, astonished at what she heard.
“There must be some mistake. I can’t picture Algy having enough gumption to do such a thing without some one to coach him in it.” So saying, Jack hurried to the clerk to find out if the message was correct.
“Yes, Mr. Baxter,” replied the clerk, politely. “I was just coming on for my morning duty when the young man paid his bill and left orders with the porter for the forwarding of the trunks.”
“Trunks! He only had one, I thought,” gasped Jack.
“I’ll call the porter and you can speak to him,” said the man.
The head porter was called and Jack learned from him that four trunks were removed and expressed to Williams. Jack felt perplexed, but he concluded that it was a fortunate day for his friends when silly A. A. A. had sense enough to realize that he was not a very welcome addition to the Dalken party. Then he hurried back to tell his companions of the strange move made by Algy.
“Don’t let’s waste time wondering why he did it, but let us enjoy the respite he is giving us. It will be dreadful to find him awaiting us at Williams as he is sure to do, because he hasn’t pep enough to plan any journey for himself. I will wager anything that Ma is the cause of this sudden move of his, and she can explain how he managed to get away so early without saying good-morning to us,” said Dodo.
At this moment Mrs. Alexander was seen approaching the group. She was smiling too genially for one who had nothing to hide, and long before she joined the watching circle of friends, she began to apologize for her tardiness.
“You see, it is so difficult to dress without the help of a maid. I am unaccustomed to doing my hair and hooking my gown. And, of course, Dodo never thinks of me, in these little acts of kindness.”
“Don’t spoil the day’s outing by explanations,” retorted Dodo, impatiently. “It’s bad enough for you to have held up the entire crowd for an hour.”