"Somebody was talking of teaching us to skate yesterday," said Miss Harper. "I want to learn dreadfully. What do you say to going down to that pond we were looking at and giving us our first lesson."
"I'm there!" said Master Henry, whose language was always more emphatic than choice, "what do you say, all of you young shavers?"
"I second the motion for one," said Mr. Curtis
"And I for another," said Lieutenant Gleason, and a universal assent came from the gentlemen.
"And what says our host?" said Miss Harper, with a smile.
"That he is always delighted to sanction anything Miss Harper proposes," he said, with a bow.
"And what says our hostess?" said Captain Arlingford, turning to Georgia, who with her fictitious bloom gone, sat pale and languid at the head of the table.
"That she is afraid you will have to hold her excused," replied Georgia. "I scarcely feel well enough to accompany you."
"You are indeed looking ill," said Miss Arlingford, anxiously; "pray allow me to stay with you, then, as you are unable to go out."
"And me too!" sung out Henry Gleason so eagerly that the mouthful he was eating went the wrong way, nearly producing strangulation. "There is not much fun in teaching girls to skate; all they do is stand on their feet a minute, then squeal out, and flop down like a lot of bad balloons, and then get up and screech and go head over heels again. It's twice as jolly hearing Miss Arlingford sing."