Lucile Triumphant Part 15

"I'll see that you don't get lost or run over," he said, comfortingly, with that air of protection that all men, even very young ones like Jack, love to a.s.sume toward girls and women, especially pretty ones.

And it must be noted that from that instant Jack Turnbull rose forty good points in Lucile's estimation. It gave her a feeling of grateful security to be piloted through the crowd in this masterly fashion. Soon they had covered the length of the platform and had reached the curb, which was lined with cabs and taxis.

"Here, pile in, all of you," Mr. Payton commanded, as he looked around to see if they were all there. "I guess you five young people can manage to squeeze into one car. Come, Nellie," to his wife, "you get right in here," and he proceeded, with the other men, to help the ladies into the two waiting cabs.

"Pretty close quarters," said Jack, as he slipped into the square inch of s.p.a.ce between Jessie and Evelyn. "I suppose I might have walked," he was adding, doubtfully, when Lucile broke in with a decided, "Indeed, you shouldn't have thought of such a thing! What difference does it make if we are a little crowded?"

"That's all very well for you, Lucy; you're not having the breath squeezed out of you," Jessie began, when Phil interrupted, mischievously:

"Why don't you change places? Lucy doesn't mind and you do, Jess."

"You have it!" exclaimed Jack, enthusiastically. "The first minute I saw you, I said to myself, 'That fellow has brains.' Come on Jess; vacate,"

and he slipped his arm about his cousin, gently lifting her from the seat.

"Go ahead, Lucy," urged Evelyn from her corner.

So, with a great deal of merriment, the exchange was made, much to the satisfaction of everyone concerned.

The rest of the journey through the traffic-laden streets to the hotel was so vivid a panorama of shifting scenes that, to the unaccustomed eyes of the girls, it seemed like one confused blur.

"Oh, are we there already?" Lucile exclaimed, regretfully, as the taxi stopped abruptly before the great white pile of the Hotel McAlpin. "The ride has seemed so short!"

"I wish you were going to stay in New York," Jack whispered, as he helped her to alight. "We'd get my car and whiz all around this old city until you'd know it better than Burleigh."

"Oh, if I only could!" she cried, her eyes alight with the very thought.

"Wouldn't it be fun?"

"You just bet it would," he agreed, with a warmth that brought even a brighter color to her face.

An instant later they were joined by the others and they pa.s.sed through the imposing entrance.

In the hotel office the girls drew close together, and Lucile said, in a voice scarcely above a whisper, "So this is New York!"

"Do you like it as much as you thought you would?" asked Phil, overhearing.

The girls turned wonder-filled eyes upon him.

"Oh, much more!" they chorused, with a vehemence that left no room for doubt.

CHAPTER XI

"ALL ASh.o.r.e WHO ARE GOING ASh.o.r.e!"

Three hours later, refreshed and invigorated by a most delectable lunch, eaten in the beautiful dining-room of the hotel, our travelers were ready for the last stage of the preparatory journey. Nothing remained now but the short ride to the wharf and then--the rapture of embarking on the wonderful "Mauretania," which had hitherto been but a magic name to them, breathing of romance and wonder. Then a final farewell to their friends, and before them stretched the great European continent, holding the unfathomed mysteries of thousands of years.

There was England, upon whose soil, in ancient times the savage Britons fought against great Caesar--and lost. There was France, scene of the bloodiest revolution that has ever dyed red the pages of history--a revolution that proved supreme the tremendous, onrushing power of the ma.s.ses. And there was Rome itself, where every inch of soil, where every nook and cranny of the famous catacombs marked some great historic drama played in the days when "to be a Roman were better than a king!"

With all the romance of the Old War about to unfold itself to their enchanted eyes, is it any wonder that our girls were eager for the start?

"All ready?" said Jack.

"Oh, I've been ready and waiting for half an hour or more," laughed Lucile. "I do wish the folks would hurry!"

"I'm afraid you don't like our great city, you seem so anxious to leave it--and me," he said, with a reproachful side glance.

"Oh, I do, I do! I love it--the city, I mean!" she added, in some confusion, as he glanced at her inquiringly. "It's all wonderful, and I could spend a year here without getting tired; but as long as we do have to leave it, I wish we would hurry," she added, naively.

"Well, here come your brother and Jessie now, so you won't have much longer to wait--worse luck!" said Jack, with a wry smile. "I suppose I may at least be allowed the privilege of seeing you safely on board?"

Lucile threw him a merry glance as the rest came up. "I suppose you may,"

she mimicked.

A few minutes later they stepped out of the cab and onto a sun-flooded wharf, where confusion reigned supreme. An immense crowd of people stood upon the dock, talking, laughing and gesticulating excitedly, and every one seemed in the highest of spirits. And, indeed, how could they be anything else, thought Lucile, as she looked about her with dancing eyes; the world had never seemed so essentially a place to laugh in as it did on this glorious morning.

"Well, we haven't very much further to go," said Mr. Payton, beaming genially down upon them. "There's the good ship, 'Mauretania,' mates.

Neat little craft, eh?"

And following the direction of his glance, they gazed for a second at the towering bulk of the steamer, scarcely daring to believe the evidence of their eyes.

"Say, that's cla.s.s!" breathed Phil, reverently, and Jessie added, "You could put all of Burleigh in one corner and never miss it!"

They all laughed, and Lucile started forward. "We can go on board now, can't we, Dad?" she inquired.

"Sure we can go on board. We'll have just about time to look at our staterooms, if we hurry."

Since that was just the very thing everybody was most anxious to do, they wasted very little time in following his suggestion.

Jack kept close to Lucile's side as they threaded their way through the crowd, and Phil took charge of the other two girls.

As Lucile watched the three, she suddenly broke into a little ripple of laughter, and, upon being questioned severely as to the reason of such unseemly mirth, she said, gaily, "I was just wondering what poor Phil will do with three girls, and one his sister, at that."

Jack laughed amusedly. "It will be pretty hard on the poor fellow," he admitted. "I think I ought to go along. I could at least relieve him of his sister."

"For which he would be devoutly thankful," she added.

"No more than I," said Jack, from which we may gather that our friend was much accomplished in the gentle art of flattery. However, to do him justice, he meant it, and even the most confirmed old bachelor, looking at Lucile, must have admitted that he had just and sufficient cause. In fact, there were not many who did not look at Lucile, who, with flushed cheeks and shining eyes, was the very image of radiant happiness.

At last their party had wormed its way through the crowd and were waiting at the foot of the gangplank for them to come up.

"Goodness! I had no idea it was so enormous!" Evelyn was saying. "I'm almost afraid of it."

"You'd better stick close to me," Jessie advised. "Then if we get lost, we'll at least have company."

"Don't let's stand here, at any rate," Mrs. Payton broke in, impatiently.