The girls followed the marshal into the ’buses. The Sophomores surrounded them and attempted to climb over the wheels. But the policemen, by some well-directed rib-poking with their clubs, were enabled to free the ’bus. The three Juniors mounted to the drivers’ seats, and then, leaving a crowd of chagrined and disgusted Sophomores on the sidewalk, the ’buses rattled down the street.
At the hotel the Freshmen boys greeted the new arrivals from the steps and escorted them to the parlors.
“How in the world did you boys get over here?” asked Edith.
“Sneaked,” responded Addison Meyers, briefly. “Three or four of the boys are putting themselves a good deal in evidence over at the Watson House, just to keep up appearances. They’ll come later.”
Then the party proceeded to take sole possession of the second floor of the hotel. There was a cozy little dining-room on that floor, just large enough for their use. Their rather sudden descent upon his establishment had evidently taken the landlord by surprise, and, red of face and short of breath, he was now doing his best to catch up.
“I’m actually faint,” declared Belle Shephard, twenty minutes later. “I hope the spread ’ll be ready on time. This terrible excitement makes me hungry.”
Kauffman responded gallantly. “What, ho, landlord!” he said, rapping vigorously on the door of the dining-room. Immediately a shuffling step was heard within, and the door was opened but a few inches.
“Mein Herr, these ladies are ravenous. They demand planked white fish or your life. How soon—”
“Planked white fish?” interrupted the landlord, in indignant astonishment. “I give you not one white fish. I promised them not. For so little money, it is not—” But Kauffman had suddenly shut the door upon his protesting countenance, and turned to the group behind him.
“How’s this, His Excellency denies the white fish?”