Polly, I'd try and get him for myself--that is how much I admire him."
"Oh my! Won't you tell me something about him, Nolla?" asked Dorothy,
eagerly.
"I really don't dare, Dodo," returned Eleanor, assuming a wise
expression. "Polly would drop me forever, if she thought I confided in
anyone about her love-affairs. Besides, you can find out everything for
yourself, now that you are going to remain with us, this winter. Still, I
would love to know just who that wireless came from." Eleanor added the
latter remark after a moment's deep consideration.
"I'll tell you what we can do," ventured Dorothy, in a whisper. "We have
often visited the wireless room; let's you and I go there again, and
start a friendly chat with the operator. Maybe he will speak of the
message."
Without stopping to think whether this method would be principled or not,
Eleanor eagerly agreed to Dorothy's plan. While Polly and Nancy were
discussing the beautiful hazy picture made by New York's sky-line as seen
from the Harbor at Quarantine, Dorothy and Eleanor hurried to the
wireless room.
The young man had often been entertained by the girls during the trip
from Europe, so this visit was not suspected of having a secret motive
back of it. He chatted pleasantly with his callers and, after a time,
spoke of the very topic they wished to hear about.
"I suppose you girls will all be on the _qui vive_ this evening?"
"Yes, it is awfully nice of the captain, isn't it?" said Eleanor,
referring to the dance and thinking that the operator also meant that
event.
"Oh, I do not think the captain had as much to do with the invitation as
had the Inspector General of the Quarantine. Of course we have a clean
bill for the ship or no one would have been allowed to step on board
tonight; but at the same time your friends must have had a good hard time
to get the invitation from the authorities. Only a New Yorker who
understands the ropes, could have managed the matter so quickly."
Dorothy was about to ask what he was talking about, when Eleanor pinched
her arm for silence. Then the latter spoke: "Oh yes! He is a wonder--we
think!"
Dorothy gasped at Eleanor, and the smiling girl winked secretly at her.
The operator had not seen the pinch nor the wink, but he continued
guilelessly: "Well, from what I've seen of Miss Polly, only a 'wonder'
would cause her to notice him at all!"
He laughed at his own words and Eleanor joined him, even though she
failed
|