"Who would have thought that anybody like me would have been toasted by ladies and gentlemen!" said Phyllis, when her health was proposed.
"We never know what may happen to us. We may all be roasted next!" said May, quaintly.
"I don't believe I could hold another drop of lemonade, not even if the president of the United States came in and begged to be toasted!" Gay said, despairingly.
"Wouldn't speeches be easier to swallow than toasts?" asked May, with a sigh that matched Gay's in depth and length.
"What, just plain, dry speeches, without anything to make them slip down easily?" asked Gay.
"Yes," May answered.
"Speech! speech!" cried Mr. Walcott, who was enjoying the fun as hugely as Lyman or Robert or any of the boys there—and the Hazelnook boys were enjoying themselves, albeit they had less to say than the lively twins.
"Let Lyman make the first speech. He's scarcely spoken a word," said Gay.
But Lyman declined the honor, saying he was born to listen not to talk.