Then they had a most "scrumptious" meal, by Betty's report at home. She gave her father an inquiring glance before she decided upon her own order and he smiled upon her; suggesting that she order a good meal, for the dining car would be taken off and their breakfast would be delayed.

"We shall probably, all of us, breakfast at home. Mr. Murchison will meet the countess, Betty, and we shall take a taxi straight home."

So Betty grasped the fact that her father wasn't "caring for expenses,"

as the girls were accustomed to express such recklessness, and modeled her own order after Lucia's. Comfortably filled, she watched her father pay the bill and leave what seemed to her an enormous tip for the waiter. But sakes alive, weren't they dining with a countess?

CHAPTER V: A REAL SOPh.o.m.oRE AT LAST

"h.e.l.lo, Betty Lee! Where in the world have you been?"

Betty was just coming from the office where she had been "signing up"

for her soph.o.m.ore year's work and obtaining her schedule of studies, her home room a.s.signment and various points of information. She was very much interested in seeing to what teachers she would recite, but looked up smiling at the boy who addressed her. Cla.s.ses were pa.s.sing for the fifth period, the one before lunch, she supposed.

It was Tuesday, but Betty had not been able to get to school till after the taxi ride home with her father, the exciting reunion of the family, the good breakfast and many little delays. d.i.c.k and Doris had gone to school on time; but Betty tarried with her mother and could scarcely stop talking long enough to scrub up and dress suitably for school.

"Why, Chauncey Allen, howdy! I haven't seen you all summer! Where's Kathryn?"

"Wondering why you didn't show up at school yesterday, I imagine. We heard nothing else last night at dinner."

"Mother could have told if she'd telephoned. We were just detained at New York because the _Statendam_ didn't get in on time--just got home this morning about breakfast time."

"Have a good time?"

"Grand!"

"How was the countess?" Chauncey was grinning widely now.

"All right," smiled Betty. But Chauncey, seeing several girls headed in Betty's direction, threw up his hands as if to say, "Help, see who's coming," and with a comical glance at Betty, hurried off to join another boy.

"Oh, _here_ you are!" exclaimed Peggy Pollard, kissing Betty warmly, while Betty held out her hands to Selma Rardon and Dotty Bradshaw.

"I didn't think I'd be missed," said Betty, "for you all would be so busy on opening day; but we can't talk now, can we?"

"No; come on. Are you signed up for Miss Heath's cla.s.s?"

"Yes. I was so scared for fear I'd get put in another section."

"Good; we'll all be together, then."

Scampering down the halls in order to be on time to cla.s.s in the limited time between cla.s.ses, the girls arrived breathless, Betty to exchange nods and smiles with girls and boys who were slipping into cla.s.s room seats, and to catch a pleasant, welcoming smile from Miss Heath, who presently, in attending to the roll, gave Betty a chance to present her card.

How different it was from the year before! Now she knew what to do and she began the year with a group of dear friends among the girls, to say nothing of the jolly boys.

There was no lunch in the lunch room on these first days, but the usual early dismissal occurred. However, a group of Betty's friends sat for a little while in a gra.s.sy spot on the grounds, to discuss important affairs, as well as to see Betty and each other.

"I hated to leave camp," said Selma, "but isn't it good to be back? Say, Betty, try out for the hockey team. We need a lot of good material besides just the regular team."

"Maybe," said Betty.

"Tell us what you saw in New York, Betty," suggested Dotty Bradshaw, cute little Dotty, as "big as a minute" and so serious about some things.

"It would take too long," replied Betty.

"Oh, just mention a few things."

"Like Fifth Avenue and Broadway, for instance? Well, the parks and the Tombs with the 'Bridge of Sighs' across from the Criminal Court----"

Betty adopted a hollow tone here, but went on more cheerfully--"and Tammany Hall, another wicked place, I suppose, and the skysc.r.a.pers and the Hudson River and of course the statue of 'Liberty Enlightening the World.' We took a little trip up the Hudson and crossed on the ferries, and rode out Riverside Drive, and went into the big stores, and I spent all my money, of course; and we had delicious things to eat at different places, and museums and art galleries and the Battery. Father gave me a good time. It was said to be a reward of virtue for keeping house for him. But I've had a fine time all summer."

"How many art museums did you eat, Betty?" asked Peggy.

Betty looked blank for a moment, then laughed. "I did mention the museums and art galleries along with things to eat, didn't I? But don't begin on English now, Peggy. I'll get enough of that pretty soon."

"So will we all," returned Peggy Pollard, pretending to groan.

"_Shall_, Peggy," corrected Carolyn, and Peggy reached over to tweak the curve on an ear that showed among curling locks. Carolyn had acquired a new style of hair dressing during the summer, and Betty privately determined to copy it. It was becoming to Carolyn and she _thought_ it would be to her. She would try it anyway, and see.

"Did your father meet the countess, Betty?" Carolyn inquired; but just then two girls sauntered up. They were Mathilde Finn and Kathryn Allen.

Kathryn was making funny signs to Betty behind Mathilde's back, but Peggy welcomed them both. "'Lo, Finny," said she, "have a seat on the 'over-stuffed' furniture. It's been so dry that we're perfectly safe on the gra.s.s now. How's everything signing up and starting in?"

"Perfectly terrible," returned Mathilde cheerfully, as she plumped down beside Betty. Kathryn managed to squeeze in beside Betty and whispered, "You see how friendly Peggy and Mathilde are?"

"M-hm," replied Betty, linking arms with Kathryn. "You'll slide down this slope the first thing you know."

"Who said something about a countess?" asked Selma.

"I did," answered Carolyn. "I asked Betty if her father met the countess."

Mathilde gave Betty a glance full of interest. "Introduce me, Peggy,"

she whispered.

"Oh, yes. Betty, I want you to meet a new soph.o.m.ore, Mathilde Finn.

Mathilde, this is Betty Lee."

Betty smiled and acknowledged the introduction with a little nod, as Mathilde and Peggy were some little distance away. "I hope you will enjoy being a soph.o.m.ore," she said.

"I have been one at another school," Mathilde remarked rather airily.

"But there is such a difference in courses, you know."

Kathryn nudged Betty, who kept countenance and acknowledged that there was, a great difference. Betty recalled Carolyn's question, but thought that she would not answer it unless some one insisted.

Curiosity, however, had been aroused. "Well," said Selma, "how about the 'countess,' Betty?"

"Oh," said Betty. "Mr. Murchison asked Father to meet his sister, Countess Coletti, and her daughter. They came over on the _Statendam_.

That was why I couldn't get home till today. First the ship was to arrive on--Thursday, I think. Then the New York _Times_ said Friday and the next day it was Sat.u.r.day. It really came in on Sunday; so, of course, we had to wait till we could meet them."