"Never mind that," said Bess, briskly. "The question is: Shall we have the spread?"
So it was decided. With twenty-five dollars they could have a bountiful feast.
"A dollar a plate will give us a delightful supper, with salad, and ices, and all," said Bess, who knew more about such things than Nan, for her mother entertained a great deal in Tillbury.
"But how'll we ever get such things up to our room?" gasped Nan.
"And twenty-five girls would just about swamp us," Nan added.
"Now, don't, Nan Sherwood! You're dreadful!" cried Bess, almost in tears as she saw her castle in the air dissolving.
"Wait!" commanded Nan, good-naturedly patting her chum on the shoulder. "All is not yet lost! Up and at 'em, guards! Never say die!"
"I'd just set my heart on the biggest kind of a spread," mourned Bess. "I wanted anything Cora, and Linda, and Mabel, and that set did, to look like a punctured jitney."
"Thoughts, of course, goosey!" laughed Nan. "Wait! First we must plan to have the spread in a sufficiently roomy place."
"But it's got to be in the Hall," cried Bess.
"Listen!" commanded Nan, dramatically. "I have thought of just the place. We can get the goodies brought around from the caterer in Freeling, in a boat, and nobody'll be the wiser."
Bess Harley had said the discussion of how to spend the five pound note was a serious matter; and when the conference was concluded and the two chums separated to attend different classes, Bess' countenance certainly looked very grave.
Nan was secretly amused at the way in which her friend had taken the suggestion as to the place at which the proposed feast should be held. The thought had come to Nan in a flash; but to carry the scheme through was to test the courage of some of her school friends.
Bess was too proud, after all, to refuse to meet the terms on which her chum agreed to give the banquet; but it was plain she thought the suggestion a risky one. So she carried a rather glum face to Mademoiselle's music class, while Nan sought Professor Krenner for--yes!--a lesson in architectural drawing.
Actually, Nan had taken up this elective study. She had demurely marked a cross against that study at first, in a spirit of mischief. She liked queer old Professor Krenner from the start; and she had threatened on the train coming up from Chicago, to become his pupil in the art which he admitted was his hobby. The professor was surprised nevertheless when Dr. Prescott passed Nan's name over to him without comment.