Jim laughed gayly.
“Fat chance of that!” he declared.
“But you’ll promise?” persisted Nancy.
“Oh, yes; to please you I’ll promise,” he agreed indulgently.
“My goodness!” exclaimed Nancy, looking at her watch after a long silence, during which the swan, disgusted at the lack of attention from the two human beings, sailed off down the lake, “do you know that it’s after five o’clock? Martha went off somewhere with Mr. Pierce; Jeanette was going through some of the shops; and Miss Ashton suggested that we all be back about five thirty. We had rather a ‘picked up’ lunch, as she called it; and to-night we’re going out to dine.”
“I know it.”
“You do? How?”
“Because I invited you all to go to dinner with me.”
“You did! When?”
“I asked Miss Ashton this morning, and she accepted for the crowd.”