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'I can make a pretty good guess。 They'll probably start from Tacitas
as early as eight or nine o'clock； if Elsie is well。 Let's see：
it's about twenty…five miles； isn't it； Uncle Doc？ Say twenty…three
to the place where they turn off the main road。 Well； I'll take a
bit of lunch； ride out ten or twelve miles； hitch my horse in the
shade； and wait。'
'Very well；' said Geoffrey。 'It is not usual for committees to
appoint themselves； but as you are a near relative of our
distinguished guests we will grant you special consideration and
order you to the front。 Ladies and gentlemen； passing over the
slight informality of the nomination； all in favour of appointing Mr。
John Howard Envoy Extraordinary please manifest it by the usual
sign。'
Six persons yelled 'Ay；' four raised the right hand； and one stood
up。
'There seems to be a slight difference of opinion as to the usual
sign。 All right。Contrary minded！'
'No！' shouted Polly； at the top of her lungs。
'It is a unanimous vote；' said Geoffrey； crushingly； bringing down
his fist as an imaginary gavel with incredible force and dignity。
'Dr。 and Mrs。 Winship； will you oblige the Chair by acting as a
special Reception Committee？'
'Certainly；' responded the doctor； smilingly。 'Will the Chair kindly
outline the general policy of the committee？'
'Hm…m…m！ Yes； certainlyof course。 The Chair suggests that the
Reception Committeewell； that they stay at home andreceive the
guests；yes； that will do very nicely。 All…in…favour…and…so…forth…
it…is…a…vote…and…so…ordered。 Secretary will please spread a copy on
the minutes。' Gavel。
'I rise to a point of order；' said Jack； sagely。 'There is no
secretary and there are no minutes。'
'Mere form；' said the Chair； 'sit down； there will be minutes in a
minute；got to do some more things first； that will do； SIT DOWN。
Will the Misses Burton and Messrs。 Burton and Noble kindly act as
Committee on Decoration？'
'Where's the Committee on Music； and Refreshments； and Olympian
Games； and all that sort of thing？' interrupted Polly； who had not
the slightest conception of parliamentary etiquette； 'and why don't
you hurry up and put me on something？'
'If Miss Oliver refuses to bridle her tongue； and persists in
interrupting the business of the meeting； the Chair will be obliged
to remove her；' said Geoffrey； with chilling emphasis。
Polly rose again； undaunted。 'I would respectfully ask the Chair；
who put him in the chair； any way？'
'Question！' roared Philip。
'Second the motion！' shrieked Bell； that being the only parliamentary
expression she knew。
'Order！' cried Geoffrey in stentorian accents。 'I will adjourn the
meeting and clear the court…room unless there is order。'
'Do！' remarked Polly； encouragingly。 'I will rise again； like
Phoebus； from my ashes； to say that'
Here Jack sprang to his feet。 'I would suggest to the Chair that the
last speaker amend her motion by substituting the word 〃Phoenix〃 for
〃Phoebus。〃'
'Accept the amendment；' said Polly； serenely； amidst the general
hilarity。
'Question！' called Bell； with another mighty projection of memory
into a missionary meeting that she had once attended。
'I am not aware that there is any motion before the house；' said
Geoffrey； cuttingly。
'Second the motion！'
'Second the amendment！' shouted the girls。
'Ladies； there IS no motion。 Will you oblige the Chair by remaining
quiet until speech is requested？'
'Move that the meeting be adjourned and another one called； with a
new Chair！' remarked Margery； who felt that the honour of her sex was
at stake。
'Move that this motion be so ordered and spread upon the minutes； and
a copy of it be presented to the Chairman；' suggested Philip。
'Move that the copy be appropriately bound in CALF；' said Jack；
dodging an imaginary blow。
'Move that the other committees be elected by ballot；' concluded
Scott Burton。
'This is simply disgraceful！' exclaimed the Chair。 'Order！ order！ I
appoint Miss Oliver Committee on Entertainment； with a view of
keeping her still。'
This was received with particular as well as general satisfaction。
'Miss Winship； we appoint you Committee on Music。'
'All right。 Do you wish it to be original？'
'Certainly not； we wish it to be good。'
'But we only know one chorus； and that's 〃My Witching Dinah Snow。〃'
'Never mind； either write new words to that tune or sing tra…la…la to
it。 Mr。 Richard Winship； the Chair appoints you Committee on
Menagerie； and suggests that as we have proclaimed a legal holiday；
you give your animals the freedom of the city。'
'Don't know what freedom of er city means；' said Dicky； who feared
that he was being made the butt of ridicule。
'Why； we want you to allow the captives to parade in the evening；
with torch…lights and mottoes。'
'All right！' cried Dicky； kindling in an instant； ''n' Luby； 'n' the
doat； 'n' my horn' toads； all e'cept the one that just gotted away in
Laura's bed； but may be she'll find him to…night； so they'll be all
there。'
This was too much for the various committees； and Laura's wild shriek
was the signal for a hasty adjournment。 A common danger restored
peace to the assembly； and they sought the runaway in perfect
harmony。
'Well；' said Jack； when quiet was restored； 'I am going a little
distance up the Pico Negro trail； there are some magnificent Spanish
bayonets growing there； and if you'll let me have Pancho； Uncle Doc；
we can bring down four of them and lash them to each of the corners
of Elsie's tent；they'll keep fresh several days in water； you
know。'
'Take him； certainly；' said Dr。 Winship。
'Do let me go with you！' pleaded Laura； with enthusiasm。 'I should
like the walk so much。'
'It's pretty rough； Laura；' objected Margery。 'If you couldn't
endure our walk this morning； you would never get home alive from
Pico Negro。'
'Oh； that was in the heat of the day；' she answered。 'I feel equal
to any amount of walking now； if Jack doesn't mind taking me。'
'Delighted； of course； Miss Laura。 You'll be willing to carry home
one of the trees； I suppose； in return for the pleasure of my
society？'
'Snub him severely； Laura；' cried Bell； 'we never allow him to say
such things unreproved。'
'I think he is snubbed too much already；' replied Laura； with a
charming smile； 'and I shall see how a course of encouragement will
affect his behaviour。'
'That will be what I long have sought；
And mourned because I found it not；'
sang Jack； nonchalantly。
'Oh； Laura；' remonstrated Bell； 'think twice before you encourage him
in his dreadful ways。 We have studied him very carefully； and we
know that the only way to live with him is to keep him in a sort of
〃pint pot〃 where we can hold the lid open just a little； and clap it
down suddenly whenever he tries to spring out。'
'Do not mind that young person； Miss Laura； but form your own
impressions of my charming character。 Excuse me； please； while I put
on a celluloid collar； and make some few changes in my toilet
necessary to a proper appearance in your distinguished company。'
'I prefer you as you are；' answered Laura； laughingly。 'Let us start
at on