"Oh, bless your 'eart, I've got plenty for 'im; he don't know what 'e's putting into his mouth most of the time," said Sally, picking up the wet boots, and retiring.
"Only I do like to have things nice when he comes, because of course he is used to having things done in the proper way," remarked Jacqueline, with a stifled sigh. She was the only one of the four who felt their poverty in this kind of way.
"I never see Mr. Haldane eat anything but chocolate," said Wyn with a laugh. "Perhaps he doesn't like our food."
"Sally is a really good cook, that's my one comfort," returned Jac. "And now I have two pieces of news for you. The first is that he, Mr. Haldane, has got the gold medal."
"No!" cried Wyn, in tremendous excitement. "You don't say so! How splendid! How we will all congratulate him! Tell me all about it—how many votes ahead was he?"
Jacqueline launched into a mass of details, most eagerly appreciated by her listener.
"How we will cheer him at the Distribution to-morrow!" she cried. "I always felt sure he would do it."
"I don't think there was ever much doubt about it," was the answer, in a voice which Jac in vain strove to render perfectly tranquil. "He is very clever, isn't he?"
"Clever and nice too," said Wynifred. "One of the very nicest men we know. And, now, what's the other piece of news?"
"Oh—only that the Ortons are back in town. As I passed Sefton Lodge in the omnibus, it was all lighted up."