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"And now," went on Grandpa Maynard, "I think that you should be amused for an hour. They don't sit up to dinner, of course, my dear?" he added, turning to his wife.
"Yes, we do!" was on the tip of Marjorie's tongue, but she checked the speech just in time, and said nothing.
"No, of course not," replied Grandma Maynard; "our dinner hour is eight, and that is too late for children. Besides, I have invited some guests to meet Ed and Helen. So the children will have supper in the small breakfast-room at half-past six, and meantime, as you say, we must give them some amusement."
King greatly wondered what these grandparents' idea of amusement would be, but Marjorie and Kitty had so little hope that it would be anything very enjoyable that they took little interest in it.
However, when it proved that the amusement was to be a ride in the park, it sounded rather attractive.
Chapter XII
At Grandma Maynard's
The ride in the park, though conducted under rather formal conditions, proved very enjoyable to the four young Maynards.
Grandpa Maynard's equipage was a Victoria with a span of fine horses. On the high front seat sat the coachman and footman in livery, who looked sufficiently dignified and responsible to take care of a merry flock of children.
But, impressed by their surroundings, the children were not very merry, and Marjorie sat decorously on the back seat with Rosy Posy beside her, while King and Kitty sat facing them.
It was a lovely afternoon, and the park drives were crowded with vehicles of all sorts. Marjorie secretly thought carriage driving rather tame after motoring, but there was so much to look at that it was really desirable to go rather slowly.
As they passed the lake, Parker, the footman, turned around, and asked them if they would like to get out and see the swans.
They welcomed this opportunity, and the footman gravely assisted them from the carriage. He selected a bench for them, and the four sat down upon it without a word.
At last the funny side of the situation struck King, and as he looked at his three demure sisters, he couldn't stand it another minute. "I'll race you down to that big tree," he whispered to Marjorie, and like a flash the two were off, with their; heels flying out behind them.
Parker was scandalized at this performance, but he said nothing, and only looked at Kitty and Rosamond, still sitting demurely on the bench.
"They'll come back in a minute," said Kitty, and the footman answered respectfully, "Yes, Miss."
"Did you ever see anything like it?" said King to Marjorie, as they reached the big tree almost at the same time.
"It's awful funny," Midget returned, "but just for a day or two, I don't mind it. It's such a new experience that it's rather fun. Only it's such a temptation to shock Grandpa and Grandma Maynard. I feel like doing something crazy just to see what they would do. But we promised not to get into any mischief. Shall we go back now?"
"Might as well; if we stay much longer it will be mischief. I'll race you back to the carriage."
Back they flew as fast as they had come, and when they reached the others, their cheeks were glowing and their eyes sparkling with the exercise.
The impassive footman made no comments, and in fact, he said nothing at all, but stood like a statue with the carriage robe over his arm.
So Marjorie assumed command, and said quietly, "We will go back now, Parker," and the man said, "Yes, ma'am," and touched his hat, quite as if she had been Grandma Maynard herself.
But the very fact of being in a position of responsibility made Marjorie more audacious, and as the man put them into the carriage, she said, "On the way home, we will stop somewhere for soda water."
"Yes, ma'am," replied Parker, and he took his place on the box.
The others looked at Marjorie a little doubtfully, but greatly pleased at the suggestion. And after all it certainly was not mischievous to get soda water, a treat which they were often allowed at home.
They left the park, and drove down Fifth Avenue, and after a while the carriage stopped in front of a large drug shop.
Parker assisted them from the carriage, and ushered them into the shop, which had a well-appointed soda fountain. Then Parker proceeded to select four seats for his charges, and after he had lifted Rosamond up on to her stool, and the rest were seated, he said to Marjorie, "Will you give the order, Miss Maynard?"
Feeling very grownup, Marjorie asked the others what flavors they would like, and then she gave the order to the clerk. The footman stood behind them, grave and impassive, and as there was a large mirror directly in front of them, Marjorie could see him all the time. It struck her very funny to see the four Maynards eating their ice cream soda, without laughing or chatting, and with a statuesque footman in charge of them! However, the Maynards' enjoyment of their favorite dainty was not seriously marred by the conditions, and when at last they laid down their spoons, Marjorie suddenly realized that she had no money with her to pay for their treat.
"Have you any money, King?" she asked.
"Not a cent; I never dreamed of having any occasion to use it, and I didn't bring any with me."
"What shall we do?" said Kitty, who foresaw an embarrassing situation.
"If you have finished, I will pay the check," said Parker, "and then, are you ready to go home, Miss Maynard?"
"Yes, thank you," said Marjorie, delighted to be relieved from her anxiety about the money.
So Parker paid the cashier, and then marshalled his charges out of the shop, and in a moment they were once again on their way home.
"Pretty good soda water," said Marjorie.
"Yes; but you might as well drink it in church," said King, who was beginning to tire of the atmosphere of restraint.
"I wish they did serve soda water in church," said Kitty; "it would be very refreshing."
And then they were back again at Grandpa Maynard's, and were admitted with more footmen and formality.
But Marjorie, with her adaptable nature, was beginning to get used to conventional observances, and, followed by the other three, she entered the drawing-room, and went straight to her Grandmother. "We had a very pleasant drive, thank you," she said, and her pretty, graceful manner brought a smile of approbation to her grandmother's face.
"I'm glad you did, my dear. Where did you go?"
"We drove in the park, and along the avenue," said King, uncertain whether to mention the soda water episode or not.
But Marjorie's frankness impelled her to tell the story, "We stopped at a drug shop, Grandma, on our way home, and had soda water," she said; "I hope you don't mind."
"You stopped at a drug shop!" exclaimed Grandma Maynard. "You four children alone!"
"We weren't alone," explained Marjorie "Parker went in with us, and he paid for it. Wasn't it all right, Grandma?"
"No; children ought not to go in a shop without older people with them."
"But Parker is older than we are," said Kitty, who was of a literal nature.
"Don't be impertinent, Kitty," said her grandmother. "I do not refer to servants."
Now Kitty had not had the slightest intention of being impertinent, and so the reproof seemed a little unfair.