“Three cheers for Miss Applegate!”
They were given with vociferous enthusiasm. Miss Applegate blushed with pleasure, and as she left the room the Hardy boys and their chums were sitting down to a banquet the like of which they had never seen before. For more than half an hour they indulged in roast chicken, crisp and brown, huge helpings of fluffy mashed potatoes, pickles, vegetables and salads, pies and puddings to suit every taste, and when the last boy sank back in his chair with a happy sigh there was still food to spare.
“I never thought I’d see the day when I’d quit eating while there was still some chicken on the table,” murmured Chet Morton, “but this is the day.”
“We have the Hardy boys to thank for this spread,” said Jerry. “Let’s give ’em three cheers.”
The boys roared out their “hip, hip, hurrah!” three times, while Joe and Frank looked acutely uncomfortable. They looked still more uncomfortable when Slim Robinson got up, pushing back his chair.
“I’d like to say something, fellows, if you don’t mind.”
“Three cheers for Slim!” yelled someone.
So the boys gave Slim three cheers, and he gulped and blushed crimson.
“Speech!”
The cry was taken up.
“Speech! Speech!”
“I’m not going to make any speech,” he said. “I only want to say something.”
“Go ahead!”