Mrs. Hungerford as positively
declined to leave Mrs. Stark, and the Judge's temper was again being
sorely tried. Their twenty-mile drive and sight-seeing had sharpened
appetites that already were quite sharp enough and the eminent jurist
wanted his supper. To walk off his impatience, if he could, he paced up
and down the long verandah at a brisk rate, which did not tend to allay
that uncomfortable feeling in his "inner man."

The hotel proprietor left the dining-room, where he personally
superintended the serving of his guests, and joined the Judge, advising
and complaining:

"We've the usual Saturday, week-end crowd in the house and I'd like to
have your party get through in yonder soon's you can, if you please.
I'm driven half-crazy, nights like this, by the demands and exactions
of these transient people. I need every man-jack of the help and
somebody says that Tommy has gone off with your lads. Tommy is small but
he's the best bell-boy in the house and--I'll trounce him well when he
gets back for serving me such a trick. Best get your dinner now, Judge,
or I'll not promise you'll be able to later. Excuse me for urging, it's
in your own interest, and--There comes another load from somewhere! and
I haven't a room to give them. Cots in the parlor, if they choose,
nothing better?"

With that he hurried to meet the newcomers and the Judge said to Aunt
Lu:

"We certainly should go in to table now. It does no good to sit here and
wait. That doesn't bring the runaways any sooner and they'd ought to go
without their suppers if they're so thoughtless of our comfort. Mrs.
Stark, won't you come?"

Then he observed that the lady was weeping copiously. It was now fixed
in her mind that Monty was drowned. She had been told that he had gone
sailing with that other dreadful bugler-boy the Judge had picked up,
and, of course, this was the only explanation of his absence. She
refused to be comforted and would have gone out in a boat herself to
search for her son had she felt this would be of the slightest use.
Indeed, she was fast becoming hysterical, and Mrs. Hungerford shook her
head negatively when her brother begged her to leave her post and come
with him.

"Very well, then, sister, Miss Greatorex and the girls and I will go
without you. Afterward, when the boys come, I'll try to have a special
meal served for you somewhere. If I can! Come, Molly, Dolly; and I'm
glad that you, Miss Greatorex, have some sense."

So they