“If I ever did!” cried Alexia irritably to herself, “see anything so queer!  Now she thinks she must race after those boys.  I wish I’d kept still.  Jasper, she’s just as funny as ever,” as he came up with a plate of salad, and some oysters.  “Who?” said the boy; “is this right, Alexia?” offering the plate.

“Why, Polly,” said Alexia; “yes, that’s lovely,” with a comforted glance at the plate and its contents.  “Oh! she’s gone off, Mr. Alstyne,” to that gentleman, approaching with Polly’s ice.  “You can’t expect her to stay for the goodies,” beginning to nibble at her own.

“Where is she?” cried Mr. Alstyne, laughing, and sweeping the room with his brown eyes.  “Oh!  I see,” his glance lighting on the Whitney boys’ corner.

“Yes, she told me to tell you,” said Alexia, between her mouthfuls of salad and oyster, “where she is,” as he started.

“Oh, Percy and Van!” Polly was whispering hurriedly, “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings, only it was so very dreadful, you know, to hear you go on so to each other.”

“We didn’t mean anything,” said Percy, pushing one foot back and forth in an embarrassed way, and looking as if he did not know what to do with his hands, which confused him more than anything else, as he had been quite sure of them on all previous occasions.

Van thrust his into his pockets, and seemed on the point of whistling, but remembering where he was, took his lips speedily out of their curves, and looked the other way.

Just then Mr. Alstyne came up.

“Oh!” cried Polly suddenly, the color rushing over her face.  “Could you, Mr. Alstyne, give that to some one else?  Percy and Van are going to wait upon me.”

“Yes, indeed,” said Mr. Alstyne in a flash, “nothing easier;” and he disappeared as suddenly as he came.

“Now, boys,” said Polly, turning back to them and whispering busily, “I know you won’t ever say such perfectly dreadful things to each other again.  And so I’m going to ask you both to get me something to eat, will you?”

“How do you know we won’t?” cried Percy slowly.  He was sorry enough for the episode in the coach, yet couldn’t resist the temptation to show he was not to be driven.

“Because I shall then have nothing whatever to eat,” said Polly merrily, “for of course I can’t take a bit from anybody else after refusing Mr. Alstyne’s kindness.  Don’t you see?  Oh, Percy! you wouldn’t quite do that?”

Van laughed.  “She’s got us, Percy,” he said, “quite fast.  You know you won’t fight, and I won’t again; we both said so a little while back; so what’s the good of holding out now?”

Percy drew himself up very slowly and decidedly.  “I won’t trouble you so again, Polly,” holding out his hand.  “Now would you like oysters?” all in the same breath.

“And here’s mine,” cried Van, extending his brown one.  “Can’t I bring you some salad?”

“Yes, yes,” cried Polly gaily, and she released their hands after a cordial grasp.  “You may bring me everything straight through, boys,” as they rushed off, heads erect, to the crowded supper-table.