"I'm so sorry for poor Miss Salisbury," observed Pickering, lazily watching
Jasper's efforts.
"Well, you needn't be," retorted Alexia; "she's very fond of me, Miss Salisbury is, and I don't in the least know what she'd do if I left her school. But I never shall go away, for I just dote on her."
"It looks like it," said Pickering, with a laugh.
"Well, I do," declared Alexia; "she's my very sweetest friend, except Polly
Pepper, so there!"
"Oh, dear me! I don't know what next to say," cried Jasper, holding off the notice at arm's length, and scowling at it dreadfully.
"You ought to see your face, Jasper," cried Alexia. "Dear me! it's positively awful."
"Well, it's not half as bad as I feel," said Jasper, "with this terrible old notice weighing me down."
"'Attention'," drawled Pickering, reading the two lines. "'You are requested to appear—'"
"Hold on!" cried Jasper, turning over the notice. "Who told you to read it out, pray tell?"
"I'm on the Committee, I'd have you know," said Pickering coolly.