In "The Story-Teller," the bachelor tells the children a story and uses the phrase "horribly good." The author explains "There was a wave of reaction in favor of the story." What is conveyed by the word wave in that line? The children don't respond at all when he uses the phrase. The children respond immediately to the bachelor's use of "horribly good." It causes the children to gasp and murmur to each other. The children respond in various ways to the phrase "horribly good."