human
I felt as though I were in a dream half the time, sighed Polly, when the crowd had dwindled to
gpt
as Max put it, and these were sitting wearily at the messy little tables, dipping idle spoons into the melted cream that had been with difficulty saved for them.
human
I kept on smiling and explaining and telling people to go to Catherine for cards and to Bertha to leave their gifts, and half the time I didn't know what I was saying or who was talking to me. Bert came up once and asked me to tell him which door he came in at, and I tried to find out for him, before I tumbled--before I saw the point, I mean. I never was so exhausted in all my life.
gpt
Poor Algernon, said Tom.
human
You're just beginning your work. Every one of those hundred and sixty-seven cards will be in to-morrow to draw out a book. You ought to keep open for a week every day.
gpt
Three times a week, with evenings, will be enough, replied A. Swinburne, librarian.
human
There's a big job on those books that came in to-night. How many were there finally, Bertha?
gpt
Ninety-six. About twenty are worth putting labels on, answered Bertha cheerfully.
human
I'm a little inclined to think that that part of our plan was a mistake.
gpt
I don't believe it, said Dot.
human
There was one old duck who brought a German primer, and he strutted around as though he owned the place. I'm sure he'll use it constantly.
gpt
He seemed to think he ought to have a card free, because he gave it, put in Catherine.
human
I remember him! He wasn't the only one, though. They all--or a lot of them--seemed to think they ought to be able to draw any number of books on one card, and they don't like the idea of fines at all. I don't envy you, Algernon!
gpt
We ought to have called ourselves the Looking For Trouble Club, groaned Archie.
human
We haven't had a decent Boat Club picnic since we got into this mess. And look at all this place to clean up to-morrow! I'm about dead with work, already. I don't know about the rest of you.
gpt
His Laziness,
human
I've saved your lives, anyway, declared Archie cheerfully, when their derision had spent itself.
gpt
And I'm going to again. I hired a lovely scrub-lady to come to-morrow and make this spot look shipshape--
human
O, Archie! cried the girls,
gpt
Don't interrupt, said the beautiful boy sternly.
human
I am going to vindicate myself. Polly Osgood, didn't that tennis game Friday morning save you from collapse? How about that little canoe jaunt on the quiet yesterday, Catherine? Bess needed a drive Thursday, and Winifred did more good to the public by singing to me all that hot evening than the rest of you did slaving away over some gooey job or other. Dorcas let me reward her Sunday-school kids by a hay-rack ride, and she went along to take care of us. Agnes and Bertha got interrupted on their way down here one morning, and let themselves be persuaded to take a country walk instead, to show me birds' nests for a course I'm not ever going to take next year. And as for Dot,--O, Dot was shamelessly ready to go off any old time with any old body. But you all would have been nervous wrecks by now without me. And you call me names, like an ungrateful populace!
gpt
Archie has shown himself a most artistic sly-boots, said Catherine.
human
I never had more delicious conscience pangs than I did on that canoe-ride.
gpt
So it was with me, declared Polly.
human
And I never dared say anything sarcastic about the other girls not turning up every time, because I felt so guilty myself.
gpt
So did I!
human
Well, so didn't I! exclaimed Dot.
gpt
I was perfectly free to say all the time that I didn't intend to spend my whole summer or even ten days of it working harder than I do winters. I move that Archie be given a vote of thanks for introducing the Rest Cure into the Boat Club, and also a vote of admiration for the beauty of his dissimulation.
human
I second the motion, said Archie himself,
gpt
No, thanks, said Algernon, hearing for the first time a nickname that any fellow might have had applied to himself.
human
Good night, all of you. I'll take good care of things, you can count on that.