Excerpt
CHAPTER I WELCOME HOME
“I do think waiting for a steamer is the horridest, pokiest performance in the world! You never know when they’re coming, no matter how much they sight them and signal them and wireless them!”
Mrs. Allen was not pettish, and she spoke half laughingly, but she was wearied with her long wait for the Mauretania, in which she expected her daughter, Nan, and, incidentally, Mr. Fairfield and Patty.
“There, there, my dear,” said her husband, soothingly, “I think it will soon arrive now.”
“I think so, too,” declared Kenneth Harper, who was looking down the river through field-glasses. “I’m just sure I see that whale of a boat in the dim distance, and I think I see Patty’s yellow head sticking over the bow.”
“Do you?” cried Mrs. Allen eagerly; “do you see Nan?”
“I’m not positive that I do, but we soon shall know, for that’s surely the Mauretania.”
It surely was, and though the last quarter hour of waiting seemed longer than all the rest, at last the big ship was in front of them, and swinging around in midstream. They could see the Fairfields clearly now, but not being within hearing distance, they could only express their welcome by frantic wavings of hands, handkerchiefs, and flags. But at last the gangplank was put in place, and at last the Fairfields crossed it, and then an enthusiastic and somewhat incoherent scene of reunion followed.
Beside Mr. and Mrs. Allen and Kenneth Harper, Roger and Elise Farrington were there to meet the home-comers, and the young people seized on Patty as if they would never let her go again.
“My! but you’ve grown!” said Kenneth, looking at her admiringly; “I mean you’re grown-up looking, older, you know.”
“I’m only a year older,” returned Patty, laughing, “and you’re that, yourself!”
“Why, so I am. But you’ve changed somehow,—I don’t know just how.”
Honest Kenneth looked so puzzled that Elise laughed at him and said:
“Nonsense, Ken, it’s her clothes. She has a foreign effect, but it will soon wear off in New York. I am glad to see you again, Patty; we didn’t think it would be so long when we parted in Paris last Spring.”
“No, indeed; and I’m glad to be home again, though I have had a terribly good time. Now, I suppose we must see about our luggage.”
“Yes,” said Roger, “you’ll be sorry you brought so many fine clothes when you have to pay duty on them.”
“Well, duty first, and pleasure afterward,” said Kenneth. “Come on, Patty, I’ll help you.”
“Oh, dear,” said Mrs. Allen, “must we wait for all this custom-house botheration? I’m so tired of waiting.”
“No, you needn’t,” said Mr. Fairfield, kindly. “You and Nan and Mr. Allen jump in a taxicab and go home. I’ll keep Patty with me, and any other of the young people who care to stay, and we’ll settle matters here in short order.”
The young people all cared to stay, and though they had to wait some time, when at last they did get a customs inspector he proved to be both courteous and expeditious....