Polly's First Year at Boarding School Part 28

The Freshmen began to look uneasy. It entered their heads that perhaps their party was not going to be the success they had planned. Then just as Polly and Lois were exchanging glances, Betty, who was hunting for more wood for the fire, stumbled over the mysterious box.

"h.e.l.lo, what's this?" she called. "Why, it says Freshman Cla.s.s on it."

Every one pounced on the box and opened it, to find a big fat turkey all carved but held together by a narrow white ribbon, paper plates and napkins and drinking cups, cranberry jelly, a huge chocolate cake, any quant.i.ty of cookies, and boxes of candy.

Well, you can imagine the surprise. As each new item was unpacked, there was a chorus of exclamations, such as:

"Where under the sun did it come from?"

"Do look at the immense turkey!"

"Somebody knew I loved home-made cookies!"

"Please, all, leave me alone with this chocolate cake!"

No one knew where it came from except Betty, who caught on at once, and Polly and Lois made her keep still. It was a royal spread, which means everybody ate more than was good for them.

When it was finally over and they were all sitting comfortably around the fire, the Freshmen started singing Angela's song:

"There is a flat rock near the school, near the school, Where we abandon every rule, every rule, And mingle with the Seniors fair And never, never think of care!

You're the oldest cla.s.s of all the year, all the year, And we're the very youngest here, youngest here, Three years will pa.s.s and we'll be Seniors, too, And we're going to try to be like you!

Fare thee well, for we must leave you, Do not let this parting grieve you, But remember that the best of friends must part, Adieu, dear Seniors fair, adieu, adieu, adieu, We can no longer stay with you, stay with you, Three rousing cheers for the cla.s.s of '15, They are the best we've ever seen!"

(Angela never was satisfied with the last line.) Louise Preston was sitting with Lois and Polly on either side of her, and as the song ended, she put her arm around each of them.

"This has been the very best party of the whole year," she said, "and I think I know something about the way the wonderful box came to be here."

Polly and Lois tried to appear very innocent, but it was of no use.

Finally Polly said:

"Well, perhaps you do, but please don't tell any one what you know."

"All right, I promise," Louise said, "but I will tell _you_ two this much-you're quite the sweetest children in the school, and I can't tell you how much I and the rest of the Seniors appreciate all the things you have done for us this year."

"I'll tell you how you can-" laughed Lois "-by letting us help some more."

It was now the Seniors' turn to cheer, and they did it most heartily, calling each Freshman's name in turn. Then Betty, who was very full of turkey and bananas, got up to make a speech.

"'Friends, Romans and Countrymen,'" she began, "lend me your ears." Then mimicking the chaplain, she continued: "My dear young friends, tonight has been one of the pleasures never to be forgotten. The bacon was perhaps not all that it might have been, but surely we can afford to overlook that in the face of this blessed turkey."

"Somebody throw something at Betty; she's off," Angela called.

"Come and help reload," suggested Connie.

With a few muttered remarks about an unappreciative audience, Betty brought her speech to a laughing close and turned to, with a will, to replace the rugs and pillows. In a short time everything was in, and the wagon started for home.

It was a glorious ride. The Freshmen repeated their song and cheered and cheered the Seniors, and the Seniors returned the compliment.

When there was a lull in the singing, as they pa.s.sed through the village, Betty, almost asleep in the hay, grunted:

"You may all thank me for this party; it never would have happened if I hadn't squashed that bally lemon."

The wagon drew up under the Bridge of Sighs, just as the big school clock tolled ten o'clock. The girls parted with many thanks on both sides, and they were all conscious that they would remember this as the jolliest evening of the year.

As Polly and Lois said good night in the latter's room, Lois said:

"Well, it was a success, and no one but Bet and Louise guessed about the box."

"Wasn't it!" agreed Polly. "I'm awfully glad we thought of it; we'd have starved if we hadn't. I think the Seniors enjoyed it, too. Isn't Louise a darling? Do you know, Lo, if I wasn't so strongly opposed to 'crushes,' I might get an awful one on Louise."

"Could you?" smiled Lois in reply. "I'll tell you a secret-I've had quite a desperate one on her myself for two years."

Later, as Polly slipped into bed, she said aloud to the pictures on the wall:

"What a wonderful box it was." And closing her eyes she murmured sleepily: "Bless Uncle Roddy's heart."

CHAPTER XV

VISITORS

Lois bounded up the stairs, two steps at a time, waving a yellow telegram in the air and shrieking: "Polly!" at the top of her lungs. Not finding her friend in the corridor, she started for the gym, and discovered her there vigorously bouncing the basket-ball.

"Polly, come here quick," she cried; "I've just had a wire from Dad saying he, mother and Bob are coming up here this afternoon."

Polly tucked the ball under one arm and put the other on Lois' shoulder.

"Are they really?" she asked delightedly. "What time?"

"The wire doesn't tell, just says, this afternoon. They may be here any minute." Then rubbing her cheek against Polly's she added, coaxingly:

"You'll help me entertain them won't you, Poll, and stay with us all the time they're here? Promise."

Polly made a wild attempt to throw the ball in the basket, half way across the room as she answered:

"Of course I will, what do you want me to do?"

"Hurry and get out of your suit first," said Lois. "I'm going to ask Mrs. Baird about the trains."

Polly hurried to her room to change, and was just tying her sailor tie, when Lois knocked at the door.

"They can't get here until three thirty," she announced. "So there's loads of time."

Polly had almost completed her dressing.