“When you have finished,” Freda whispered to Belle, “we want to give Denny something.”
“Of course,” Belle replied. “How selfish we are, sitting here ‘gabbing,’ and neither you nor your mother has had supper yet. I’ll serve coffee at once.”
“Don’t hurry,” Freda said. “We have time enough.”
Everyone, however, seemed to guess at once that they should make room for the next “table,” and the coffee was swallowed, hastily.
“What is it?” Lottie ventured to ask Freda. “We are just dying of curiosity. What has happened?”
“Oh, I can’t tell you now,” Freda answered, evasively. “I guess everyone knew we were shipwrecked this afternoon.”
Cora appeared at the door. “May we come to eat now?” she asked. “I have only succeeded in making Denny stay with the understanding that we won’t keep him long. He is anxious to get back to his cabin.”
“I am that,” said Denny, following Cora into the dining room. “Can’t tell what’ll happen now.”
“Then something did happen,” Bess said aside, to Marita. “I can’t imagine what.”
“Now you must eat a good meal,” Mrs. Lewis insisted to Denny. “I remember well how you always loved macaroni and cheese.”