Carolyn Wells

Patty's Success Carolyn Wells

"I do think waiting for a steamer is the horridest, pokiest performance in the world! Younever know when they're coming, no matter how much they sight them and signal themand wireless them!"Mrs. Allen was not pettish, and she spoke half laughingly, but she was wearied with herlong wait for the Mauretania, in which she expected her daughter, Nan, and, incidentally, Mr. Fairfield and Patty."There, there, my dear," said her husband, soothingly, "I think it will soon arrive now.""I think so, too," declared Kenneth Harper, who was looking down the river through fieldglasses. "I'm just sure I see that whale of a boat in the dim distance, and I think I see Patty'syellow head sticking over the bow.""Do you?" cried Mrs. Allen eagerly; "do you see Nan?""I'm not positive that I do, but we soon shall know, for that's surely the Mauretania."It surely was, and though the last quarter hour of waiting seemed longer than all the rest, atlast the big ship was in front of them, and swinging around in midstream. They could seethe Fairfields clearly now, but not being within hearing distance, they could only expresstheir welcome by frantic wavings of hands, handkerchiefs, and flags. But at last thegangplank was put in place, and at last the Fairfields crossed it, and then an enthusiasticand somewhat incoherent scene of reunion followed. Beside Mr. and Mrs. Allen and Kenneth Harper, Roger and Elise Farrington were there tomeet the home-comers, and the young people seized on Patty as if they would never let hergo again