Jack turned away with a feeling that it wasn't good manners to be looking on, and glanced out of the window.
"Come over and look at our butterflies," cried Joel, running over to a cabinet against the wall, "they're just beauties."
"Oh, have you collected butterflies?" cried Jack, whirling around, greatly excited.
"Yes; Dave and I have," said Joel, "we have lots and lots."
It didn't take Jack long to be over in front of the cabinet, and pulling out its many drawers. So that he was lost to all the fuss of dressing that Joel and David were undergoing, and it wasn't till he had been clapped on the back most vigorously with a, "Wake up, old chap," that he realized that the dreaded time had arrived when he must go out to his first company. Then a dreadful feeling came over him.
"Oh, I can't go," he declared, his face turning as red as a beet, and he stood still, perfectly miserable.
"Why, Mrs. Sterling expects you," began David!
Joel had no such gentle ways.
"Come along, you," he cried, hauling Jack away from the cabinet and hurrying him off downstairs. Then he began to chatter as hard as he could, saying the first things that came into his head, until the gray stone mansion was reached, and they were fast and safe within the door.
Joel drew a long breath and began to mount the stairs.