"I wish you were," she said, a little regretfully; "all the boys I know are nice, enthusiastic young people, like myself, and I"d like some one to be different, just for a change."
"Well, I can"t. I a.s.sure you, I"m both nice and enthusiastic, if not so awfully young."
Patty smiled up at him. "Prove it," she said, gaily.
"All right, I"ll prove it by poking an inquisitive nose into every tent on the place. Come on."
They went the rounds of the gay little festival, and so vivacious and entertaining did the captain prove, that Patty confessed frankly that she had misjudged him.
"You"re NOT blase," she declared. "I never saw any one less so. If you fight with as much energy as you enjoy yourself you must be a fine soldier indeed!"
"Oh, I am!" returned the captain, laughing. "I"m one of Uncle Sam"s n.o.blest heroes! He hasn"t realised it yet, because I"ve not had a real good chance to prove it, but I shall, some day."
"Perhaps you could show other people, without waiting for Uncle Sam"s turn."
A slight earnestness in Patty"s tone made Captain Sayre look at her quickly.
"I"ll show you now," he said. "Give me chance for a brave, heroic deed, and watch me hit it off!"
"I will!" said Patty, with twinkling eyes. "But it"s Secret Service. I mean Sealed Orders. I"ll lead you to it, but you may "hit it off"
without realising it."
"Lead on, fair lady! From now, you are my superior officer."
But Patty turned the subject then, and the pair went gaily on, stopping often to chat with groups of young people, or to admire some decorations.
At last, Patty adroitly managed that they should pause near Mona, who stood talking with Lora Sayre and Jack Pennington. Patty"s quick eyes saw that Mona was ill at ease, and that the others were including her in their conversation merely through a perfunctory politeness.
Patty, with her captain in tow, went up to the trio, and all joined in merry chatter. Then soon, with a gay, challenging glance at him, Patty said:
"Now Captain Sayre, you have the opportunity you wanted, to ask Miss Galbraith to go with you to the fortune teller"s tent."
For a brief instant the young man looked dumfounded, but immediately recovering himself, he turned to Mona and said, gracefully:
"Miss Fairfield has told you of the secret hope I cherish; will you grant it, Miss Galbraith?"
Mona, flattered, and a little fl.u.s.tered at this attention, consented, and the two walked away together.
Jack Pennington gave Patty an understanding glance, but Lora Sayre said, "How funny for Edgar to do that!" Then realising the impolite implication, she added, "He"s so infatuated with you, Patty. I"m surprised to see him leave you."
"Soldier men are very fickle," said Patty, a.s.suming a mock woe-begone expression; "but your cousin is a most interesting man, Lora."
"Yes, indeed; Edgar is splendid. He has lived in the Philippines and other queer places, and he tells such funny stories. He is most entertaining. But I see mother beckoning to me; I must go and see what she wants."
Lora ran away, and Jack Pennington remained with Patty.
"You"re a brick!" he exclaimed; "to dispose of that marvellous military model, just so you could play with me!"
"That wasn"t my only motive," said Patty, gazing after the captain and Mona--as they stood at the door of the fortune teller"s tent. "He is such a charming man, I wanted to share him with my friend."
"H"m--you say that to tease me, I suppose. But I remember, before he arrived on the scene, you thought ME such a charming man that you wanted to share ME with your friend."
"Oh, yes," agreed Patty, lightly, "and you promised that you"d BE shared. So don"t forget it!"
"As if I"d EVER forget anything YOU say to me! By the way, Mona says she"s going to have a house party. What do you s"pose it"ll be like?"
"I s"pose it"ll be lovely. She hasn"t talked to me about it yet, for we really haven"t had time. The new chaperon came to-day."
"Is she a veritable Dragon? Won"t she let you girls do anything?"
Patty laughed. "I don"t think DRAGON exactly describes her. And she hasn"t denied us anything as yet. But then, she only came this morning."
"I shall call soon, and make friends with her. I"m always liked by chaperons."
"Yes, Mrs. Hastings, for example," said Patty, laughing at the recollection of the night before.
"Oh, all chaperons look alike to me," said Jack. "Now, let"s go over and hear the band play."
Across the garden, a fine orchestra was making music, and Patty hummed in tune, as they strolled over the lawns. As they neared a group of young people who were eagerly chatting, Guy Martin called out, "Come on, you two, you"re just the ones we want."
"WHAT for?" queried Jack.
"To help plan the Pageant. You"ll be in it, won"t you, Patty? It"s for charity, you know."
"I can"t promise until I know more about it. What would I have to do?"
"Oh, you have to be part of a float. Stand on a high, wabbly pedestal, you know, and wave your arms about like a cla.s.sic marble figure."
"But I never saw a cla.s.sic marble figure wave her arms about," objected Patty; "indeed, the most cla.s.sic ones don"t have arms to wave. Look at the Milo Venus."
"I can"t look at her, she isn"t here. But I look at you, and I see you"re just the one for "The Spirit of the Sea." Isn"t she, Lora?"
But Lora Sayre had set her heart on that part for herself, so she said, in a half-absent way, "Yes, I think so."
"You THINK so!" put in Jack Pennington. "I KNOW so! Patty would make a perfect "Spirit of the Sea." I vote for her!"
"I"m not a candidate," said Patty, who had divined Lora"s wish. "I won"t agree to take any special part until I know more about the whole thing."
"Well, you"ll soon know all about it," went on Guy. "We"re going to have a meeting soon to arrange for the parts, and plan everything."
"Have that meeting at our house, won"t you?" asked Patty, suddenly. "I mean at "Red Chimneys." Won"t you all meet there?"
"Why, yes," said Guy. "We"ll be very glad to. I tell you, there"s lots to be done."
Patty had made her suggestion because she knew that if the committee met at "Red Chimneys," they couldn"t help giving Mona a good part in the Pageant, and if not, she couldn"t feel sure what might happen.
But Lora didn"t look satisfied. "I thought you"d meet here," she said, "because mother is chairman of the Float Committee."
"I know," returned Guy, "but, for that very reason, she"ll have to have a lot of other meetings here. And as I"m supposed to look after the Sea Float, I thought it a kindness to your mother to have our meetings elsewhere."