Page:Stanwood Pier--Crashaw brothers.djvu/153

Rh for the rowing exhibition, Keating and Lawrence pointed out the various personages of the School. Mrs. Crashaw was especially interested in seeing Blanchard and Payne and other boys whom Edward had mentioned  often in his letters.

The gymnasium filled rapidly; nearly all the floor-space was occupied with benches;  only at the end was reserved a place for the  performers; there were set up the rowing-machines, the parallel bars, the horizontal  bar, and the inclined ladders.

The rattle of talk and laughter was suddenly submerged in applause; ten little First Formers, clad in white gymnasium suits and  carrying, each one, a pair of tiny Indian clubs,  emerged from the stairway at the left and  trotted forward in front of the rowing-machines. Then they began swinging their clubs, all keeping time together, their small bare arms  twinkling, their chests out, some of them with  smiling faces, some of them serious and intent.

“The little dears!” exclaimed Mrs. Crashaw.