“Reading from the left to the right, first row standing are my brother, Jack Pellew, Ellen Birch, and Mr. Wing. Seated, are Frances Bliss, Charlie Preston and Mabel Wing. The gentleman lying down is Tim Reynolds and it is his boat that we want you to take back to Nantucket,” Jane said in oratorical tones, “and all you aforementioned, this is my friend Frederick Gray.”
“Mr. Wing,” Fred said, going forward to shake hands with him, “it is very kind indeed of you to let me be with you tonight. I haven’t seen so many new people at one time for years.”
“It is great for us to have you with us,” Mr. Wing said. “We were beginning to need a little new blood, and your coming and Tim’s coming just started things nicely rolling again.”
Fred could not but feel at home at once with the cordial welcome he had received and he soon found himself seated by Tim talking of the trip he was to make with the “Sabrina.” He told Tim that Virg Bradford had consented to go with him and then he was so eloquent in his praise of the little “Sabrina” that Tim immediately decided his pet would be perfectly safe in such appreciative hands. So the few minutes before supper passed very quickly for Fred and Tim. But they rather dragged for Jane and Breck, for they felt, as Jane put it, “on pins and needles,” till they knew how everybody would take it.
The little Dutch steward came in with delicious pea puree and the little party fell to with a right good will. The lobsters that Breck and Jane brought back from Hurricane Island formed the special dish of the meal and were prepared with an interesting sauce of vinegar and butter that the steward claimed as his own receipt. With the coffee, Jack rose and announced that he had something to say.
“But we don’t want any after-dinner speeches,” objected Mabel, “besides this is a supper and who ever heard of after-supper speeches? Fred is the guest of honor, and he ought to be the one to speak if anybody has to.”
“You have but to hear me and I know you will think I was justified in speaking. I’ll make it short and snappy,” Jack promised Mabel, “for I know you want to talk yourself.”
“Jack, you’re horrid. Shut up and begin,” Mabel commanded.
“Don’t give such confusing orders, daughter,” Mr. Wing said. “Go on, Jack, I am awfully interested and will keep my daughter quiet if I have to gag her.”
“Well, it’s this,” Jack began. “In the first place, I haven’t the faintest idea how a thing like this ought to be done—”