"Well,"
he said breathlessly, taking a seat on the edge of the big table, "well,
everything went off all right; quite a success, wasn't it? barring the
great Shad,--he was no addition to our party. I'm awfully sorry he's
such a cad; for Max's sake I'd have liked to be nice to him."
"You are hard on him, Phil," Nora said. "He may be a little conceited,
but I think he's not at all a bad fellow; now see if you don't like him
better after you get to know him."
"Not at all a bad fellow!" repeated Felix, sharply. "Well, you may think
so, but I don't. I agree with Phil,--he _is_ a cad! Did you see the
expression of his face as he looked around our shabby old schoolroom,
and took in the simple birthday refreshments? he didn't even take the
trouble to hide his contempt for our poverty and childishness. You may
think that's like a gentleman, but I do not."
"He wouldn't touch the cake, and only took a glass of water," I
volunteered at this point.
"You here?" cried Nora, wheeling round on me, "and Jack? It's high time
you two were in bed." Then she went on: "Our appetites are equal to
anything; but not everybody dotes on home-made cookies and tough sponge
cake.
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