Plaisted has come to dinner, has he not?"
"Yes, papa sent him up. I hope you have something nice for dinner, Dexie."
This was the very question that Dexie hoped to hear, so she replied: "Oh!
yes, I think it will pass. There is some nicely-cooked shad for the fish
course; but if that does not suit Mr. Plaisted's fancy, there is sufficient
besides. Say, Gussie, I don't often ask a favor, but I wish to-day you
would praise the shad."
"Praise the shad! Why on earth should I praise the shad! If it is cooked
nice, isn't that enough?"
"No, Gussie, not for this occasion; I'm afraid Mr. Plaisted will not be
partial to shad, but if the rest of us seem to like it, of course he cannot
refuse it."
"Oh! all right. I'll not only praise the shad, but I'll make Mr. Plaisted
think there is nothing I like better."
Gussie hastened down to the parlor, where Mr. Plaisted was waiting, while
Dexie threw herself into a chair in muffled shrieks of laughter.
"There, now, I guess I can keep a straight face till the time arrives;" and
a few minutes later she followed the family to the dining-room.
There was certainly nothing amiss in the manner of the cooking or serving
of the shad, and the presence of this particular fish at the table did not
strike Plaisted as unusual, until Mr.
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