“Immensely.”
“Everybody does. I suppose we ought to be very proud of him, and we are, but then we are afraid for him at the same time. What a boy he is! See, he’s hunted up our big flag and hung it from Syd’s window in honor of your coming. You’ll have to make a speech now.”
CHAPTER XII
AN ALARMING DISCOVERY
Rex come down to the gate to meet them.
“I’m sorry that mother isn’t home,” he said. “She’s just had a telegram from Syd that takes her to town and will keep her there with him all night Some business connected with the new house,” he added with a glance at Roy.
“But the girls are home and will be delighted to receive you with fitting honors,” he went on. He did not say that he had had quite a time to induce them to appear at all. He had rushed into the house in his impetuous way announcing that Roy was coming along with a young man they had met down at the creek who was a famous author and was so nice, and whom they had invited to tea.
“But we don’t know him, Rex,” Eva had exclaimed in considerable dismay. “You oughtn’t to bring strange people to the house in that way.”
“Oh, but it’s just the same thing as if we did know him,” and Rex went on to explain about the story he had written, which they had all read and admired.
“But is he nice and respectable himself?” Jess inquired. “You know some of these writers are horribly poor and go about with threadbare clothes. He might not be the right sort of man for us to know at all.”
“Jess!” Eva exclaimed severely. “The idea of your thinking that because people are poor they can’t be respectable! We shall be very glad to meet your friend, Rex,” and Jess felt that she was in such disgrace that when Mr. Keeler was presented she tried to redeem herself by being excessively friendly.