When the boys came out of the dressing-room they immediately left the club and proceeded directly to the hotel, where the rest of Frank"s friends were staying.
Barney, Hans, Ephraim and Bruce were engaged in a game of pinochle when the others came in, and the Dutch lad was greatly excited.
"You poys don"d gif nopody a show!" he squawked. "On der last handt Parney feex der carts, und dese dime I haf a shance to meld dree hundret beenuckle, but you don"t let me done him. Uf dot peen fair blaying you vos a liar!"
"Arrah, come off yer perch, ye Dutch chaze!" retorted the Irish lad. "Ye troied to milt two quanes av doimonds an" two jacks av spades instid av voicy va.r.s.ey, an" thot koind av a play don"t go in this game."
"Vot vos der madder mit me anyvay!" cried Hans, flourishing his cards.
"You pelief I don"d know nottings apout dot game, hey? I shown you britty queek, py shimminy! Vait a bit! I haf der deese und a hundred und vifty drums, und den I pelief you vill laugh oudt uf der odder side uf my mouth."
"Oh, say!" grunted Browning, with a yawn, "are you chaps going to play cards? or are you going to shoot your mouths at each other all the time?
I"m getting tired."
"So be I, b"gosh!" put in Ephraim, banging his fist down on the table.
"I never played this game before, and yeou fellers roped me in for a sucker, but I"ll show ye what kind of suckers they raise in Varmont. I"m gittin" hot enough to melt the hull gol darn pack!"
"There is a lively game of cards," laughed Frank. "It is better than a circus when they get to playing pinochle."
The appearance of Frank and his companions broke up the game, for Hans protested that he was being cheated, and refused to play any more, to the disgust of the other players.
Creighton invited the entire party to be present at the bout between Burk and Jackson, and an hour was spent discussing the coming event, at the end of which time Charlie departed, having invited them all to call on him any time. Before departing, he gave Frank and Bart a quiet tip that he would be pleased to see them that evening.
Nearly all the boys had secured tickets for the Chestnut Street Theatre that evening, with the exception of Frank and Bart. They were resolved to have a pleasant time while they remained in the Quaker City.
Although it was September, the evening proved to be very warm, and, on arriving at Creighton"s, Frank and Bart found something of a lawn party was in progress. The garden was illumined by Chinese lanterns, with the exception of certain cozy corners where comfortable seats could be found, and such corners were much sought by more or less sentimental young couples.
An orchestra furnished delightful music, and the hum of voices and sound of laughter could be heard on all sides, while pretty girls and manly-looking lads strolled and flitted hither and thither about the grounds.
"Jove!" muttered Frank, as he and Bart paused and looked about. "This is a surprise! Creighton didn"t tell us what was going to happen."
"If he had, I should have spruced up a trifle more," came ruefully from Hodge. "I have half a mind to skip out now."
"And I have half a mind to skip with you," confessed Merry.
"Neither of you shall do anything of the kind!" exclaimed the voice of Mabel Creighton, and then she, accompanied by Bessie Blossom, swooped down on the hesitating lads and made them captives.
"This is just a jolly surprise all around," Mabel explained. "There is scarcely a soul present who knew what was going to happen. Charlie said it was the last opportunity we"d have for a lawn party this season, and we decided to improve the occasion. We"ll have a jolly time."
"We always have a splendid time here," said Bessie, clinging to Bart"s arm. "Charlie said you were coming, and we have been waiting for you."
"And now we"ve caught you, you can"t get away," laughed Mabel.
"Then we must resign ourselves to fate and thank goodness we have such charming captors," smiled Frank.
"I don"t seem to care what happens to me now," Hodge declared. "I can be led to any fate without a struggle."
"Then come on," cried Mabel, "and we"ll lead you to cake and ices."
Soon they were cozily seated at a small table, with ices before them. As they chatted and laughed, another couple came along and took a table near at hand. Before they appeared Frank recognized the saucy laugh of f.a.n.n.y Darling.
"Oh, it was such fun!" she was saying, as she sat down. "I knew I could touch him if I kept firing hot shots in his direction, and I was right.
He stood it as long as he could, and then he shot back. But wait till I get another good chance. I won"t do a thing to that fellow!"
"He is not worth wasting your time and breath on, Miss Darling," said the voice of Wallace Hegner. "The best thing you can do is not to notice him."
"Oh, I couldn"t do that! There wouldn"t be any fun in it. He may be smart, but there are others. I"d like to see you get at him, Mr. Hegner.
I"ll bet you"d do him up in short order with the gloves."
"Well-ahem!" coughed Hegner, "I mean to get at him some time, and I may not wear the gloves. What I"d like to do is to leave the mark of my fist on his--"
The girl gave a startled exclamation and grasped Hegner"s arm, saying something in a low tone. Hegner was heard to ask, "Where?" and a whispered conversation followed.
Frank was genuinely amused, for he knew they had been speaking of him. A low, musical laugh came from his lips, and he observed:
"It is remarkable how really amusing some little occurrences are, Miss Creighton. Did you ever notice it?"
The others of the party had not failed to take in the significance of the words they had heard, and it was with no small difficulty that they repressed a hilarious burst of laughter. Indeed the girls were unable to refrain entirely from laughing, and Hodge smiled in a weary, derisive way, saying:
"Some people never know how really amusing they are. They go through the world thinking they are having fun with everybody else, and all the while they are making a show of themselves."
f.a.n.n.y Darling jumped up quickly.
"Come, Mr. Hegner," she said, her voice not quite steady; "I do not care to sit here."
Hegner said something in a growling tone, and they moved away.
"It"s too bad," said Frank; "but we are not to blame. We could not help hearing."
"I don"t know as it"s too bad," declared Mabel. "They should be careful what they say. I can"t bear Wallace Hegner, and I do not understand what there is about him that interests f.a.n.n.y. But she is queer, anyway."
"It doesn"t strike me that she is very agreeable," said Bart.
"If she takes a fancy, she can be awfully hateful; but she is good-hearted, and when she likes a person she would do anything in her power for him. It"s too bad she is so freakish."
"She is just saucy enough to be amusing," declared Frank. "I do not mind it in the least."
"It is evident she does not know of your little bout with Mr. Hegner,"
said Hodge. "She thinks he can do you."
"Charlie told me all about it," put in Mabel, quickly. "I"m so glad, for Wallace Hegner has carried himself with an air that was little short of bullying."
"Perhaps he has learned a lesson," smiled Bessie.
"It will take more than that to teach him a lesson," Mabel a.s.serted.
"What he really needs is a good whipping."
"Well, that is what he is liable to get if he does not let Merry alone,"
nodded Bart.