Marjorie's Maytime
by Carolyn Wells · English · Gutenberg #15072 · 289,077 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: Marjorie's Maytime
Author: Carolyn Wells
Release date: February 15, 2005 [eBook #15072]
Most recently updated: December 14, 2020
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARJORIE'S MAYTIME ***
E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan, and the Project
Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
MARJORIE'S MAYTIME
by
CAROLYN WELLS
Author of the "Patty" Books
1911
CONTENTS
I A MAY PARTY
II A NEW PET
III A TRIAL TRIP
IV VISITING A CAMP
V HELD A CAPTIVE
VI AT GRANDMA SHERWOOD'S
VII AN EARLY ESCAPADE
VIII AN EXCITING PICNIC
IX ANCIENT FINERY
X CALLING AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE
XI A CHANCE ACQUAINTANCE
XII AT GRANDMA MAYNARD'S
XIII A CHILDREN'S PARTY
XIV A MERRY JOKE
XV A RIDE IN MAY
XVI AT THE CIRCUS
XVII LITTLE VIVIAN
XVIII IN BOSTON
XIX FUN AT COUSIN ETHEL'S
XX THE FESTIVAL
CHAPTER I
A MAY PARTY
"Marjorie Maynard's May
Came on a beautiful day;
And Marjorie's Maytime
Is Marjorie's playtime;
And that's what I sing and I say!
Hooray!
Yes, that's what I sing and I say!"
Marjorie was coming downstairs in her own sweet way, which was
accomplished by putting her two feet close together, and jumping two
steps at a time. It didn't expedite her descent at all, but it was
delightfully noisy, and therefore agreeable from Marjorie's point of
view.
The May-day was undeniably beautiful. It was warm enough to have doors
and windows flung open, and the whole house was full of May that had
swarmed in from out of doors.
The air was soft and fragrant, the leaves were leaving out, the buds were
budding, and the spring was springing everywhere.
The big gold bushes of the Forsythia were masses of yellow bloom;
crocuses popped up through the grass; a few birds had begun to sing, and
the sun shone as if with a settled determination to push the spring ahead
as fast as he could.
Moreover it was Saturday, which was the best proof of all, of an
intelligent and well-behaved Spring. For a May-day which knew enough to
fall on a Saturday was a satisfactory May-day, indeed!
Of course there was to be a May party, and of course it was to be at the
Maynards', because Marjorie always claimed that the whole month of May
belonged to their family, and she improved every shining hour of the
Maytime.
The May party was really under the auspices of the Jinks Club. But as the
club was largely composed of Maynards, it was practically a Maynard May
party.
The bowers for the May Queens had been built out on the lawn, and though
a little wabbly as to architecture, they were beautiful of decoration,
and highly satisfactory to the Royalty most interested.
There were two May Queens, because Marjorie and Delight both wanted the
position; and though both were willing to resign in favor of the other
it was a much pleasanter arrangement to have two Queens. So there were
two bowers, and Marjorie was to be the Red Queen and Delight the White
Queen.
Of course Kingdon was the May King. No one had ever heard of a May King
before, but that didn't bother the Jinks Club any, for they were a law
unto themselves.
Kitty and Dorothy Adams were Princesses of May, and Flip Henderson was a
Prince of May. Rosy Posy was a May Maid of Honor, and Mrs. Maynard was
persuaded to accept the role of Queen Dowager of May.
Miss Hart was of the party, and the title of Duchess of May seemed to fit
her exactly.
And now the time had come, and Marjorie was jumping downstairs on her way
to her own coronation. She wore a red dress, very much trimmed with
flowers made of red tissue paper. The name of the flower doesn't matter,
for they were not exact copies of nature, but they were very pretty and
effective, and red silk stockings and slippers finished off the brilliant
costume that was very becoming to Marjorie's rosy face, with its dark
eyes and dark curly hair.
As she reached the lower hall she saw Delight coming across the street,
arrayed as the White Queen. Really she looked more like a fairy, with
her frilly white frock and her golden hair and blue eyes.
"Hello, Flossy Flouncy!" called out King, using his pet name for Delight;
"you're a daisy May Queen! I offer you my humble homage!"
A daisy May Queen was an appropriate term, for Delight's white frock was
trimmed and wreathed with garlands of daisies. Not real ones, for they
were not yet in bloom, except in green-houses; and so artificial ones had
been sewn on her frock with pretty effect.
King's own attempt at a regal costume had resulted gorgeously, for with
his mother's help, he had contrived a robe of state, which looked like
purple velvet and ermine, though it was really canton flannel. But it had
a grand and noble air, and King wore it with a majestic strut that would
have done credit to any coronation.
Kitty and Dorothy wore light green dresses trimmed with pink paper roses,
and were very pretty little princesses; while Rosy Posy as Maid of Honor
wore one of her own little white frocks, tied up lavishly with blue
ribbons.
Flip Henderson's costume was a good deal like King's, as he had purposely
copied it, not having any other design to work from.
Mrs. Maynard and Miss Hart were not so fancifully attired as the younger
members of the party, but they wore pretty light gowns with more or less
floral decoration.
The whole affair was impromptu; the children had spent the morning
getting it up, and now were going to devote the afternoon to the party
itself.
"We must make a procession," began Marjorie, who was mistress of
ceremonies; "you must go first, Mother, because the May Queen Dowager is
the most honorable one."
"Me go first, too," announced Rosy Posy, taking her mother's hand.
"Yes, you may," said Marjorie. "In fact, Baby, you'd better go first of
all, because you're Maid of Honor; and so you walk in front of the Queen
Dowager."
So Rosy Posy toddled ahead, followed by Mrs. Maynard, who carried a wand
of flowers with gracious effect.
"The Queens ought to come next," said King, but Marjorie's sense of
politeness interfered with this plan.
"No, the Duchess must come next," she said; "I don't care whether it's
right or not as a procession, but I think Miss Hart ought to go before
us children."
So the Duchess of May took her place next in line, and then the two
Queens side by side followed.
Then came the two Princesses, and behind them, the King of May and the
Prince, walking together in affable companionship. It was an imposing
sight, and the paraders were so pleased with themselves that they marched
round the lawn several times before going to the scene of the festivity.
But at last they went to the Coronation Bowers, and decided it was time
for the ceremonies to begin.
The two crowns were in readiness for the two Queens. They were exactly
alike, and were made of pasteboard covered with gilt paper. Miss Hart had
helped with these, and they were really triumphs of gorgeous beauty. Each
lay on a lace-trimmed cushion, and with them were long golden sceptres
with gilt balls on top.
"Who's to do to the crowning?" asked King.
"Why, I supposed you had those details all settled in advance," said Miss
Hart, laughing.
"No," returned King, "we didn't fix things up ahead much, we thought we'd
just make up as we went along. I'll crown Flossy Flouncy, and Flip, you
crown Marjorie,--that'll be all right."
The other members of the Royal Family took seats on rustic benches, and
the two Queens mounted their thrones. The bowers were pretty, and as they
stood side by side, framing the smiling Queens, it was a pretty picture.
"I hate to stop the proceedings," said Miss Hart, "but I think I must run
over and get my camera, and take a snap-shot of this Coronation."
"All right," said King, agreeably, "we'll wait. We'll sing a song while
you're gone, and you can skip over and back in no time."
So while the children sang the "Star Spangled Banner," Miss Hart ran
across the street, and came back with her camera.
"Better wait until they get their crowns on," suggested Kitty, "they'll
look a heap queenlier then."
So the coronation ceremony proceeded. The King and the Prince advanced
majestically to the thrones, bearing the crowns on their cushions.
"Who'll make the speech?" asked the King.
"You may," said Flip, politely.
"No, you're better at it than I am. Well, we'll each make one. You can
begin."
So Flip advanced, and holding his burden high at arms' length he dropped
on one knee before Marjorie, and began to declaim in oratorical tones:
"Fair Maiden, Queen of May, I salute thee! I salute all the rest of you
too, but mostly the Queen, because she is the principal pebble on the
beach. Queens always are. And so, Fair Maiden, Fair Maynard Maiden, I
salute thee."
"That's enough saluting," put in King; "go on with your crowning."
"And so, fair Queen of May, I crown thee, our Queen and our Sovereign!
May your shadow never grow less, and may you have many happy returns of
the day! And with kind regards to all, I'm your humble servant."
Having set the crown squarely on Marjorie's head, Flip bowed low in
humble salutation, and then resumed an upright position, rather pleased
with his own speech.
"I accept thy homage, O Prince," said Marjorie, as she bowed and smiled
with queenly grace; "and I shall endeavor to be the best Queen in all
the world, except Delight, who will probably be better."
With this graceful tribute to her companion queen, Marjorie sat down,
holding her head very straight lest her crown should tumble off.
Then King advanced to Delight, and holding up the other crown, began his
declamatory effort.
"Oh, Queen! Oh, White Queen! Oh, our beautiful sovereign! I bring to thee
a crown,--a crown to crown you with, to show to all that you are our
beloved and beloving Queen of May. Accept, oh, Queen, this crown and
sceptre, and with them the assurance of our alleged loyalty, our humble
submission, and our majestic royalty! I am a little at a loss for any
thing further to say, as I can't think of any more highfalutin words, so
you may as well put on your crown, and let's have some fun."
But though King's high-flown language failed him, it was with a very
magnificent manner that he crowned his Queen and gave her the
flower-trimmed sceptre.
Then Delight, looking lovelier than ever in her added regalia, made her
own little speech.
"I thank you, my people, for your tokens of love and loyalty. I thank you
for choosing me to be your queen, and my rule shall be a happy one. My
only law is, for everybody to do just what they want to, and so I
pronounce the Coronation Ceremonies over."
Delight bowed, and sat down on her throne, while the audience applauded
heartily.
Then the two Queens came down from their bowers, and Royalty gave way to
the members of the Jinks Club.
"Now, let's cut up jinks!" cried King, capering about in his long Court
robes, and looking like a very merry Monarch, indeed. "First the May-pole
dance, that'll limber us up some."
A May-pole had been erected near by, and from its top depended long
ribbons of various colors. Each of the party took one of these ribbons,
and under the direction of Miss Hart, they danced round the May-pole,
weaving the ribbons in and out. It was a complicated matter at first, but
they soon learned how, and wove and unwove the ribbons many times without
getting tangled once. As they danced, they sang a little May song that
Miss Hart had taught them, and as they danced faster and faster it became
a frolic rather than a dignified rite.
At last, all out of breath they dropped on the grass, and begged Miss
Hart to tell them a story.
"I'll tell you of the origin of the May-day celebrations," she said.
"May-day has been a festival since very ancient times. Its reason for
being is the natural feeling that comes to every one at the glad spring
time. When Nature breaks out into new life and beauty, our hearts feel a
sympathetic gladness, and a celebration of the spring is the natural
outcome. The most primitive people felt this inclination, and they used
to gather the flowers that bloomed in profusion about them, set them up,
and to pay them a sort of homage, expressed in dance and song. The old
Romans had what they called Floralia, or Floral Games, which began on the
twenty-eighth of April, and lasted several days. Later in England, and
especially in the Middle Ages, it was the custom for people of all ranks,
even the Court itself, to go out early in the morning on the first of May
and gather flowers. Especially did they gather hawthorn, and huge
branches of this flower were brought home about sunrise, with
accompaniments of pipe and tabor, and much joy and merriment. Then the
people decorated their houses with the flowers they had brought. And
because of this, they called this ceremony bringing Home the May, or
going A-Maying, and so the hawthorn bloom itself acquired the name of
May, and is often spoken of by that name. In those early days, the
fairest maid of the village was crowned with flowers, and called the
Queen of May; she sat in state in a little bower or arbor while her
youthful courtiers danced and sang around her. But the custom of having a
May Queen really dates back to the old Roman celebration when they
especially worshipped the goddess Flora. Another feature of May-day was
the May-pole, which was erected in all English towns and villages, and
round which the people danced all day long. But these merry customs were
stopped when the Puritans put an end to all such jollifications. They
were revived somewhat after the restoration, but they are rarely seen
nowadays except among children. But they are all pretty customs, and the
whole subject will well repay reading and study. I won't continue this
lecture now, but before the month of May is over, we will study in school
hours some of its characteristics, and we will read the poem of the May
Queen, by Lord Tennyson."
"I wish you had boys in your school, Miss Hart," said Flip Henderson;
"you do teach the nicest way I ever heard of."
"Indeed she does," agreed Marjorie; "going to school to Miss Hart was like
going to a party every day."
And then came the crowning glory of the May party. This was the feast,
which was served out of doors on a table prettily decorated with vines
and flowers. Dainty sandwiches were tied up with pink ribbons, and little
glass cups held delicious pink lemonade. The cakes were iced with pink,
the ice cream was pink, and there were pink bon-bons of various sorts. At
each plate was a little pink box of candies to take home; and a souvenir
for each guest in the shape of a pink fan for the girls, and pink
balloons for the boys. The big balloons made much fun as they bobbed
about in the air, and when the feast was over, the guests went away
declaring that the Jinks Club had never had a prettier party.
CHAPTER II
A NEW PET
When Mr. Maynard came home that night he was treated to an account of the
whole affair, but as two or three of the little Maynards often talked at
once, the effect was sometimes unintelligible.
"It was the loveliest party, Father," said Marjorie, as she hung over one
arm of his chair, and arranged a somewhat large bunch of blossoms in
his buttonhole.
"Yes, it was," agreed Kitty, who hung on the other arm of the chair, and
investigated his coat pockets in the hope of finding a box of candy or
other interesting booty.
"It sure was!" declared King, who was sitting on a footstool near, and
hugging one knee with apparently intense affection.
"And what made it so especially delightful?" asked Mr. Maynard, as he
balanced Rosy Posy on his knee; "you tell me, Baby."
"It was a bootiful party," said Rosy Posy, with decision, "because we had
pink ice cream."
"That _was_ about the best part," said Kitty, reminiscently.
"Well, the pink ice cream part sounds delightful, I'm sure; but what was
the rest of the party about?"
"Oh, it was a May party," exclaimed Marjorie, "and we had May Queens, and
a May King, and May Princesses, and everything! I do love May, don't you,
Father? Everything is so bright and bloomy and Maysy. I think it is the
loveliest month in the year."
"Yes, it is a lovely month, Mopsy, and a good month to be out of doors.
Maytime is playtime."
"Yes, I know it; I made a song this morning about that. I'll sing it to
you." And Marjorie sang for her father the little verse she had mad about
Marjorie Maynard's May.
"Huh!" said King, "'tisn't your May, any more than anybody else's, Midget
Maynard."
"No, I know it; but I like to think the May just belongs to us Maynards.
Anyway we have it all. It is our May even if other people use it, too."
"I don't begrudge them the use of it," said Kitty; "of course, it's just
as much theirs as ours."
"Yes, of course," assented Marjorie; "I'm only just sort of imagining,
you know."
"Let me help you imagine. Midget," said her father. "How would you like
to imagine a whole May time that was all playtime?"
"For all of us?" rejoined Marjorie, her eyes dancing. "Oh, that would be
a lovely imagination! It would be like an Ourday all the time! And by the
way, Father, you owe us an extra Ourday. You know we skipped one when you
and Mother were down South, and it's time for another anyway. Shall we
have two together?"
"Two together!" cried King; "what fun that would be! We could go off on a
trip or something."
"Where could we stay all night?" asked Kitty, who was the practical one.
"Oh, trips always have places to stay all night," declared King; "let's
do it, Father. What do you say?"
"I don't get a chance to say much of anything, among all you
chatter-boxes. Rosy Posy, what do you say?"
But the littlest Maynard was so nearly asleep that she had no voice in
the matter under consideration, and at her father's suggestion, Nurse
Nannie came and took her away to bed.
"Now," said Mr. Maynard, "what's all this about Ourday? And two of them
together! When do you think I'm going to get my business done?"
"Well, but, Father, you owe them to us," said Marjorie, patting his cheek
in her wheedlesome way. "And you're not the kind of a business man who
doesn't pay his debts, are you?"
"I hope not; that would be a terrible state of affairs! And so I owe you
two Ourdays, do I?"
"Yes, one for April, and one for May."
It was the custom in the Maynard household to have an Ourday each month.
On these occasions both Mr. and Mrs. Maynard devoted themselves all day
long to the entertainment of the four children, and the four took turns
in deciding what the nature of the entertainment should be. Much of the
previous month their parents had been away, and the children looked
forward to the celebration of the belated Ourday in connection with the
one that belonged to the month of May.
"Before we discuss the question further," said Mr. Maynard, "I must tell
you of something I did to-day. I adopted a new pet."
"Oh, Father, what is it--a dog?" cried Marjorie.
"No, it isn't a dog; guess again."
"A cat!" Kitty guessed, while King said, "A goat?"
"Wrong, all of you," said Mr. Maynard; "now see if you can't guess it by
asking twenty questions."
"All right," said Marjorie, who was always ready for a game. "Is it
animal, vegetable, or mineral?"
"All three; that is, it belongs to all three kingdoms."
"Is it a house?" asked Kitty.
"No, it is not as big as a house."
"Is it useful or ornamental?" asked King.
"Both; but its principal use is to give pleasure."
"How lovely!" cried Marjorie. "I guess it's a fountain! Oh, Father, where
are you going to put it--on the side lawn? And will it have goldfish in
it, and shiny stones, and green water plants growing in it?"
"Wait a minute, Mops; don't go so fast! You see, it isn't a fountain, and
if you should put water and goldfish in it, you'd spoil it entirely."
"And any way, Father," said King, "you said it was a pet, didn't you?"
"Yes, my boy, a sort of pet."
"Can it talk?"
"No, it can't talk."
"Oh, I made sure it was a talking machine. What kind of a sound does it
make?"
"Well, it purrs sometimes."
"Then it is a kitten after all," cried Kitty.
"No, it isn't a kitten. It's bigger than a kitten."
"An old cat!" said Marjorie, scornfully.
"Pooh," said King, "we'll never get at it this way. Of course it isn't a
cat! Father wouldn't make so much fuss over just a cat."
"But I'm not making a fuss," protested Mr. Maynard; "I only told you I
had adopted a new pet, and suggested you guess what it is. If you give up
I'll tell you."
"I don't give up," cried Kitty; "what color is it?"
"Red," answered her father.
"Ho!" cried Kitty, with a sudden flash of inspiration, "it's an
automobile!"
"Right you are, Kitsie," said her father, "though I don't know why you
guessed it so quick."
"Well, nothing else is red and big. But why do you call it a pet? And how
does it purr?"
"You're so practical, Kitty, it's difficult to make you understand; but I
feel quite sure we'll all make a pet of it, and when you once hear it
purr, you'll think it a prettier sound than any kitten ever made."
"Is it really an automobile, Father? And have you bought it? And shall we
ride in it? Where is it? Where are you going to keep it? When will it
come? How many will it hold? Where shall we ride first?"
These queries were flung at Mr. Maynard by the breathless children
without waiting for answers, and as Mrs. Maynard came in just then,
Mr. Maynard told the story of his new acquisition.
"I've been looking at them for some time, as you know, Helen," he said,
looking at his wife, "and to-day I decided upon the purchase. It's a
big touring car, and will comfortably accommodate the whole Maynard
family and a chauffeur beside. It will arrive day after to-morrow, that's
Monday, and after a few short spins around this neighborhood, I think by
Thursday we may be able to start for an Ourday trip in it."
"A whole Ourday in an automobile!" cried Marjorie; "how gorgeous and
grand! Oh, King, isn't it just splendiferous!"
Marjorie sprang to her feet, and grasped her brother round the neck, and
they flew round the room in a sort of a wild Indian war-dance that went
far to express their joy and delight at the prospect.
"Two Ourdays, you know, Father," said Kitty, nestling quietly to
her father's side as her madcap brother and sister whirled round
the room. But they brought up with a round turn, though a little
dishevelled-looking, to hear Mr. Maynard's reply to Kitty's remark.
"Yes, two Ourdays at once!" Marjorie cried, affectionately pulling King's
hair as she spoke. He returned the caress by pinching her ear, and said,
"Will it be two Ourdays together, Father, or one at a time?"
"If you two young tornadoes will sit down quietly for a moment, you may
hear of something to your advantage," said Mr. Maynard, smiling at his
two eldest children who were rather red-faced and breathless from their
recent exertions.
"Sure we will!" cried King, and drawing Marjorie down with him, they fell
in a heap on the floor, and sat there awaiting further disclosures.
"You see," Mr. Maynard began, "as Marjorie says, Maytime is,--what?"
"Playtime," supplemented Marjorie, quickly.
"Well, then, if Maytime is playtime for the Maynards, why shouldn't we
play all through the month of May?"
"Play every day,
All the month of May,
All the Maynards may
Play all day!
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!"
sang Marjorie who often improvised her songs as she went along. This was
not a difficult one to learn, and King and Kitty took up the refrain, and
they sang it over and over with great gusto, until Mrs. Maynard begged
for a respite.
"But of course you don't mean anything like that?" said Kitty, when the
song had ceased.
"But that's just exactly what I do mean. What do you think of the plan of
the Maynards going a-Maying in their own motor car, and taking the whole
month of May for it?"
Marjorie's eyes opened wide. "I know what you mean!" she exclaimed; "you
mean a tour--a tour through the country in an automobile! I've heard of
such things!"
"Wise child!" said her father; "well, that's exactly what I do mean. A
tour through the country in our own motor, and in our own Maytime. How
does it strike you?"
"It strikes me all of a heap!" cried Marjorie, throwing herself into her
father's arms; "tell me more, quick! Seems as if I can't believe it!"
"I can't believe it, either," said Kitty, slowly; "but I 'spect I can by
the time we get ready to start. When are we going, Father?"
"On Thursday, if Mother can be ready."
"Oh, yes, I can be ready. I've only to get a few things for the children
and myself to wear on the journey."
"Yes, we must all have up-to-date motor togs, I'm sure," and Mr. Maynard
looked about as happy over the projected trip, as any of his children.
"But, Father," said Marjorie, "how can you take so much time away from
your business? You said you couldn't take two Ourdays together because
you were busy."
"I didn't say exactly that, dearie, and anyway I was only joking, because
I knew I was going to spring this surprise on you in a few minutes. I
have arranged, of course, to be away from my business for nearly a month,
and have planned to spend the greater part of May taking this motor trip.
We will go to Grandma Sherwood's first, and stay a few days,--"
"To Grandma Sherwood's? Oh, glorious!" And again Marjorie was seized with
a paroxysm of joy, and this time she caught Kitty, and led her off for a
mad dance round the room. "Just think of it, Kit," she cried, "we'll be
at Grandma Sherwood's together, and you can see the lovely room she fixed
up for me, and the house in the tree, and everything. Oh, Kitty!"
"But I'm going to be there all summer, anyway," said Kitty, as she
finally induced Marjorie to tumble on the divan amid a heap of sofa
pillows.
"Yes, I know; but that's different. But what fun for us all to be there
together for a few days! Did you say a few days, Father?"
"Yes, I did; but if you're so turbulent, and excitable, and noisy I think
a few hours'll be enough for Grandma and Uncle Steve."
"It may be enough for Grandma, but it won't for Uncle Steve," declared
Marjorie; "he loves rackety-packety children!"
"Well, he'll get his desires fulfilled when you get there," said Mrs.
Maynard, smiling; "but perhaps the trip there will calm you down a little
bit."
"No, it won't! It just makes me more and more crazy all the time I think
of it! Oh, Father, won't we have a lot of our Ourdays all at once!"
"Indeed we will, enough to last for several years ahead. For if you debit
me with last month's deficiency, of course you must credit me in the
future."
"Oh, no, this rule doesn't work both ways! We'll just take all the
Ourdays that we can get whenever we can get them. But what are we going
to do after we leave Grandma's?"
"Well, if you all agree, I thought we might go over to New York and see
your other grandma."
"Go to Grandma Maynard's, too! Oh, what fun we will have!" and Marjorie
looked as if her cup of bliss were full and running over.
"And after that," said Mrs. Maynard, "if none of you object too
seriously, we thought perhaps a little run up through New England would
prove attractive."
"Mother," said King, looking at her twinkling eyes, "you planned all this
out before? It's no surprise to you!"
"Very true, King; your father and I planned it while we were on our
Southern trip. We had such a delightful outing, it seemed only fair that
we should take you children for a trip also. And your father has been
thinking for some time about buying an automobile, and as he can take the
time now, it all works in beautifully."
"Beautiful! I should think it was!" cried Marjorie; "and Mother, will we
all have motor coats and goggles, and all those queer things that they
wear in automobiles?"
"You won't have any queer things, and I doubt if you'll need goggles; but
you and Kitty shall have pretty motor coats, and pretty hoods and veils.
We'll go on Monday to buy them."
"Oh," sighed Marjorie, "it just does seem too good to be true! It's like
a fairy dream, and I 'spect I'll wake up every minute. What about
lessons, Mother?"
"We've thought of that; but as your lessons would stop the first of June
anyway, you'll only lose a few weeks, and so we're going to take you all
out of school for that time. For this year, at any rate, Maytime shall be
playtime for the Maynards."
"I'm so glad I'm a Maynard, and live in the Maynard family," said Kitty,
with a deep sigh of satisfaction.
"So'm I," declared Marjorie; "there never was such a nice family, with
such a bee-yootiful father and mother!"
And as if this were a signal for a general onslaught, the three young
Maynards made a dash for the two older Maynards, and nearly choked them
with well-meant but rather athletic embraces, which was their fashion of
expressing approval and appreciation.
CHAPTER III
A TRIAL TRIP
Owing to some unexpected delay, the automobile didn't arrive until
Wednesday. But when at last it came whirring up the drive, the assembled
Maynards on the veranda greeted it with shouts of approval.
"Did you ever see such a beauty!" cried Marjorie, as she danced around
the new car, and clambering up on the farther side, jumped over the
closed door, and fell plump into one of the cushioned seats.
"Oh, Mopsy!" cried her father, "that isn't the way to get in."
"I don't care,--I am in! And it's just great in here! Why, there's room
enough for a whole party."
The chauffeur who brought the car seemed a little surprised at the antics
of the children, for he was a stolid Englishman, and not much accustomed
to American exuberance.
Mr. Maynard had engaged him on the best recommendations, and felt sure
that he was a trust-worthy and capable man. His name was Pompton, and he
was large and muscular, with a face that was grave but not ill-natured.
Kingdon made friends with him at once, and climbing up into the seat
beside him, asked innumerable questions about the various parts of the
machine.
"Suppose we go at once for a trial spin," proposed Mr. Maynard, and
almost before he had completed his sentence, a chorus of assent rose in
response.
"Oh, do, Father," cried King; "and let me stay here in front, so I can
see how it works."
"Some other time you may do that, King, but this time I want to sit in
front myself, so hop out, and take one of the orchestra chairs."
"All right, sir," and King tumbled out, and flew around to the other side
of the car. Mrs. Maynard, Kitty, and Rosamond were already seated in the
wide, comfortable back seat. This left two seats in the tonneau for King
and Marjorie, and with Mr. Maynard in front, by the side of Pompton, the
car offered perfect accommodations for the Maynard family. It was a big
touring car of a most approved make, and up-to-date finish. The top could
be opened or closed at will, and there were many appurtenances and clever
contrivances for comfort, designed to add to the delights of a long tour.
The family had been so eager to start at once that they had not paused to
get hats or wraps, and as the top was down, the strong breeze blew their
hair all about, and also made conversation a little difficult.
But the Maynard children were not baffled by difficulties, and they
raised their voices until they were audible in spite of the wind.
"Isn't it magnificent!" screamed Marjorie, pulling at King's collar to
attract his attention.
"Perfectly gorgiferous!--and then some!" he yelled back, a little
preoccupied in manner, because he was leaning over the chauffeur's
shoulder, in his impatience to learn how to run the machine.
They went flying through the streets of Rockwell, and out into the
country for a little run. Then as they were to start on their tour next
day, Mrs. Maynard declared they must be turning homeward.
"Oh, Father," cried Marjorie, "after Mother gets out, mayn't we take
Delight out for a few moments? Even only just around the block?"
"Will she care to go, Mopsy? You know an automobile isn't such a
wonderful novelty to her as it is to you."
"Oh, yes, she'll care to go in ours,--and anyway I mean just for a
minute."
"All right then, chickabiddy; we'll put Mother and Baby out, then we'll
take Delight around the block, and that'll be about all for to-day."
So Mrs. Maynard and Rosy Posy were deposited on their own doorstep, and
the big red car flew across the street to give Delight an exhibition
of its glories.
She was glad to go, but she was far from being as enthusiastic as the
Maynard children, for Delight was a timid little girl, and never felt
entirely at her ease in a fast-flying motor. She nestled in the back seat
between Marjorie and Kitty, and grasped both their hands when the car
swung swiftly around a corner.
Then they happened to meet Flip Henderson walking along the street, and
they picked him up as an extra passenger, and then Kitty said: "Oh, now
we've got the whole Jinks Club except Dorothy Adams. Do let's stop for
her, Father, and then go round one more block."
Good-natured Mr. Maynard consented, and though there was no vacant seat,
Dorothy was bundled in somehow, and the crowd of shouting, laughing
children were driven around several blocks.
The quiet little town of Rockwell was amazed at the sight, and thought it
must be some new kind of a circus advertisement, until they realized that
it was the Maynard family, and people had long ceased to be surprised at
what the Maynards did.
But at last the children who were not Maynards were left at their
respective homes, and the big red car again turned in at its own home.
"Where are you going to keep it, Father?" asked King, as they all
scrambled out.
"I shall have a garage built on the place as soon as we get back; but for
to-night our pet will have to sleep in other lodgings. Skip into the
house now, you children, for I want to talk to Pompton without the
interruption of a crowd of chatter-boxes."
So the three went into the house and stood together at a front window,
flattening their noses against the glass, as they looked out at their new
treasure. King was in the middle, behind his two sisters, with an arm
around both their necks, and he explained to them in a very learned way,
a great many points about the machine that they did not understand. His
explanations were far from being correct or true, but as he didn't know
that, nor the girls either, it really made no difference.
At last Pompton drove away with the car, and they watched it disappear
down the street, and then turned to greet Mr. Maynard as he entered.
Marjorie went straight up to her father, and stood in front of him.
"I do think you are the most wonderful Father in the whole world," she
said, eyeing him in a judicial manner.
"And the grandest!" said Kitty, snuggling herself in under his arm.
"And the tip-toppest!" declared King, grasping his father's other hand.
"Well, well!" exclaimed Mr. Maynard, dropping into an armchair, "I am
certainly catching some fine compliments! And I'd like to return them.
I don't mind confessing that I think you young people just about the
highest class of goods in the market!"
"But we're not as splendid as you are," said Marjorie, thoughtfully;
"because you do things for us, and we never do anything for you."
"Oh, yes, you do," returned her father; "you do all I want you to, by
just living, and growing, and trying to behave yourselves properly."
"But we don't always do that," said Kitty, with a repentant air.
"You do, Kit," said King, generously, "you're always good. Mops and I are
the ones that slip up."
"It's human nature to slip up occasionally," said Mr. Maynard, "but I
think on the whole my kiddies do pretty well. Now, as you know, we start
to-morrow for Grandma Sherwood's, and while I'm not going to give you a
lecture on the subject, I _am_ going to ask you to behave pretty fairly
well while you're at her house. You know she's not as young as she once
was, and a lot of mischievous children may make her a great deal of
trouble if they wish to,--or they can refrain from doing so. Need I say
any more?"
"Not another word, Father," declared Marjorie; "I promise to be as good
as pie,--custard pie!"
"And I'll be as good as mince pie," said King, "you can't beat that!"
"Yes, I can," said Kitty; "I shall be as good as lemon meringue
pie,--with a high, fluffy meringue, and little browny wiggles all over
the top."
"You've struck it, Kit," said her brother, admiringly; "that _is_ the
best kind of pie,--and you'll be the best of the Maynard bunch! Say,
Kitty, doesn't it hurt you to be so good?"
"No," said Kitty, placidly, "I like it."
There was not much fun in teasing Kitty, she was too matter-of-fact, so
King turned his attentions to Marjorie, and with apparent innocence
kicked out his foot just in time for her to stumble over it. This led to
a general scrimmage, in which two Maynards, two sofa-pillows, and a
footstool became very much tangled up, and Mr. Maynard and Kitty sat
smiling indulgently at them, with the air of enjoying the performance and
not caring to take part in it.
Of course the dinner hour and all the hours until bedtime were occupied
in conversation about the projected trip, and when at last the little
Maynards were tucked into bed, their dreams still continued to hover
around the same subject.
* * * * *
The next day proved to be most kindly disposed as to weather, and the
brilliant May sunshine sparkled on the big red car as it stood waiting
for its passengers.
There was more or less hurry and scurry of getting ready, but the elder
Maynards were of systematic and methodical habits, so that really
everything was ready ahead of time. Two trunks had been sent on by
express to Grandma Sherwood's, and one large trunk which was to accompany
them on their trip, was already fastened in place at the back of the car.
The children all had new motor coats of pongee, which they could wear
over other wraps if necessary. The girls also had fascinating little
hoods of shirred silk, Marjorie's being rose color, and Kitty's blue.
They greatly admired themselves and each other in these costumes, and
Marjorie declared it gave her a trippy feeling just to look at them.
They started at ten o'clock. Mrs. Maynard and Kitty sat back with
Rosamond between them. Midget and King in the next two seats, and Mr.
Maynard in front with the chauffeur.
They went flying down the drive to a chorus of good-byes from the
servants, who assembled to see them off, and who would take care of the
house in their absence.
As they whizzed across the street, and paused for a moment in front of
Delight's house, Delight and Miss Hart came running down to wave a
good-bye, and their hands were full of flowers which they flung into the
automobile all over its merry occupants.
"Good-bye, good-bye!" they called, for the Maynards had not stopped, but
merely slowed down a little, and were now again speeding on their way.
Marjorie and King stood up in their places, and waved handkerchiefs and
flowers, and shouted good-bye until they could no longer be seen or
heard.
"Now we are really started," said Marjorie, settling back into her seat
with an air of great satisfaction. "Having all these flowers thrown at us
seems like a wedding trip or something. There's not nearly so much wind
to-day, and then, with this hood, my hair doesn't blow about so, anyway.
Oh, Father, I'm awful hungry! Can't we stop at the grocer's and get some
ginger-snaps and apples?"
"You've just had your breakfast, but I suppose automobile kiddies must
have something to nibble on!" So a stop was made at the grocer's, and a
supply of ginger-snaps and apples was added to their other luggage.
Mr. Hiller, the grocer, was very much interested in the motor party, and
came out himself to wish them good speed.
"I don't know what Rockwell will do without the Maynard tribe," he said;
"you youngsters keep things lively around town. And you're going to be
away a month, you say. Well, well!"
"Perhaps it's a good thing to give the town a little rest, Mr. Hiller,"
said Mr. Maynard, laughing.
"No, sir; no, sir; them children of yours never does anything vicious.
Full of mischief they may be, full of fun they may be, but never really
naughty. No, no!"
Mr. Maynard expressed a laughing appreciation of these compliments, and
then they started once more.
"Now we're really off," said King, "we won't have to stop again."
"Oh, I think most of the fun is stopping," said Marjorie; "I love to stop
and then go on again. Perhaps we can get out and pick some wild flowers
or wade in a brook."
"Not to-day," said her father, "but some days you may do that to your
heart's content. The whole trip is going to be just one long picnic, and
we're going to get all the fun out of it we possibly can."
"I think it's delicious," said Kitty, in her quiet way; "I think it's
fun enough just to glide along like this, with the blue sky shining all
over us, and the trees waving their boughs at us, and even the fences
jig-jigging along at our side."
"You're so poetical, Kitty," said Marjorie; "I love the blue sky and the
green trees too, but just now I want to see a red apple and a brown
ginger-snap!"
"Midget, I believe you could eat at any time," said her mother, laughing.
"Yes, I could," said Midget, contentedly, "'cept when I've just had
enough. And I do feel like eating, but I feel like singing, too."
"You can't do both at once," said her brother.
"No, but I can do first one and then the other. Now I'll tell you,
Father, what to do. You make a little song for us, while I eat this
apple. A kind of a little motor song, you know."
So while Marjorie ate her apple, and the other children engaged in the
same pursuit, Mr. Maynard made a little song for them.
This was a favorite game of the Maynards. Father Maynard had a knack of
turning off verses, and they usually sang them to some well-known air, or
perhaps made up a little crooning tune of their own.
So when the apples were finished and the cores flung away, Mr. Maynard
lined out his little song, and the children quickly learned it.
After two or three attempts they were able to sing it correctly, and they
stowed it away in their memory as one of their favorite songs, and at
intervals throughout the day their young voices filled the air with these
sentiments:
"Very happy the Maynards are;
Taking a tour in their motor car
Gaily to Grandma's lickety-split
Marjorie, Rosamond, Kingdon, and Kit
Mothery, fathery, also along,--
Gaily we sing our motor car song!
Hooray, hooray!
For our holiday
May for the Maynards!
Maynards for May!"
CHAPTER IV
VISITING A CAMP
Rockwell was soon left far behind, and the Maynards' car flew along the
country road, now passing through a bit of woods, and now through a
little town, or again crossing a picturesque brook.
The children were delighted with the new experience, and chatted all at
once, about the roadside sights.
Pompton, the English chauffeur, though he said little or nothing, was
secretly amazed at the gaiety and volubility of the young people. The
children were allowed to take turns sitting in the front seat, and, as
was their nature, they talked rapidly and steadily to the somewhat
taciturn driver.
"What a funny name you have, Pompton," said Marjorie, as she sat beside
him; "at least it seems funny to me, because I never heard it before."
"It's a good old English name, Miss," he returned, a little gruffly, "and
never been dishonored, as I know of."
"Oh, I think it's a very nice name," said Marjorie, quickly, for she had
had no intention of being unpleasantly critical, "only I think it's a
funny name. You see Pompton sounds so much like pumpkin."
"Do you think so, Miss?"
"Oh, well, it doesn't matter about a name, anyway. Tell me about your
people. Have you any little boys and girls?"
"No, Miss; I never was married, Miss. And I ain't overly fond of
children."
"Really, aren't you, Pompton? Well, you'll have to begin being fond of
them, because you see, us Maynard children just can't stand anybody
around who isn't fond of us. Though of course we've never tried, for
everybody who has lived with us has always been terribly fond of us."
"Maybe it'll be a pleasant change then, Miss, to try another sort."
Pompton's eyes twinkled good-naturedly as he said this, and Marjorie
instinctively recognized that he was trying to joke.
"Ah, you're fond of us already, Pompton, and you needn't say you're not!
It's a funny thing," she went on, confidentially, "but everybody loves
us Maynards,--and yet we're such a bad lot."
"A bad lot, Miss?"
"Well, full of the old scratch, you know; always cutting up jinks. Do you
know what jinks are, Pompton?"
"No, Miss; what are they?"
"Why they're just jinks; something to cut up, you know."
"Cut up, Miss?"
"Oh, Pompton, you're just like a parrot! You just repeat what I say!
Don't you know _anything_?"
"Very little, Miss."
But as they rode along, and Marjorie asked her interminable string of
questions about the car, or about the trees or flowers they were passing,
or about sundry roadside matters, she found that Pompton was a very
well-informed man, indeed, as well as being kind and obliging in
answering questions.
As they spun along a bit of straight road, Marjorie saw, some distance
ahead, a girl sitting on a large stone by the roadside. The girl's face
was so weary and pained-looking that Marjorie felt a sudden thrill of
pity for her, and as a second glance showed that the girl was lame, she
impulsively begged Pompton to stop a moment that they might speak to her.
The chauffeur turned around to see if the order were corroborated by the
older people, and Mrs. Maynard said, "Yes, Pompton, let us stop and
see what the poor girl wants."
So the car stopped, and Marjorie impetuously jumped out, and ran to speak
to the girl, who seemed ill and suffering. Mr. Maynard joined them at
once, and they listened to the girl's story.
She said her name was Minnie Meyer, and that she had to walk to the
neighboring town to buy some provisions for her mother. But being lame
she had become so tired that she sat down to rest by the way.
"How far have you to go, child?" asked Mr. Maynard, kindly.
"I have already walked a mile, sir, and it's two miles more to Pelton,
where I must go. I have often walked the distance, but my foot is very
bad just now, and it is hard going. I have been ill, and I am not yet
very strong."
"I should think not!" exclaimed King, who had jumped out to see what was
going on. "Look here, Father, we're going directly to Pelton; it is a
straight road, and I can't miss the way. You let this girl take my place
in the car, and I'll walk."
"Now that's good of you, King," said his father with an approving glance
at the boy, "for this poor child is pretty well tired out. How can you
get home again, Minnie?"
"Oh, sir, I shall have a ride home. A neighbor of ours will take me; but
I have to walk over to Pelton and get my things by the time he's ready
to start."
"And what time does he start for home?"
"About two o'clock, sir."
The child's face was very white, and her eyes were large and dark. Though
probably no older than Marjorie, she looked careworn and troubled beyond
her years.
"You are a good boy, King," his mother called out from the car, "and I
think, Ed, we had better take the girl with us. Kingdon won't mind a two
miles' walk, I know, when it is in such a good cause."
"I'm going with King," announced Marjorie; "I shan't mind the walk,
either, and it will be fun for both of us to be together, while it would
be awful lonesome for King all alone."
"Good for you, Mopsy Midget!" cried King, "you're a trump! Come on, we'll
get there before the car does." King grasped his sister's hand, and they
set off merrily at a good pace along the straight road to Pelton.
Meantime, Mr. Maynard had assisted the lame girl into the car, and Kitty
tucked rugs and shawls around her to make her comfortable.
Minnie Meyer was both awestruck and delighted. She had never been in an
automobile before, and it had all happened so quickly she scarcely
realized her good fortune.
"I think you must all be angels," she said; "and I'm sorry the young lady
and gentleman have to walk so far, and all just for me."
"But they're better able to walk than you are," said practical Kitty.
"That may be, Miss, but it seems queer for the likes of me to be riding
in their place. My! But it goes fast!"
The car passed King and Marjorie, who waved their hands gaily, and
watched it rapidly disappear along the road in front of them.
"I'm glad we're doing a deed of charity, Midget," said her brother, "for
if we weren't I shouldn't relish this long walk very much."
"Now, King, don't go and spoil your noble deed by growling about it! It
was lovely of you to let that girl ride in your place, but if you're
going to kick about walking, you'll spoil it all."
"I'm not kicking. And anyway, Mops, you were the noble one yourself. You
walked just so I shouldn't be lonesome."
"'Course I did! What's lots of fun for two is awful poky for one. Come
on, I'll race you to that big sticking-out tree!"
They flew along the road with their heels kicking out behind, and though
King reached the tree first, he was only a few steps ahead of Marjorie,
who came up panting, and threw herself on the grass by his side.
"We mustn't do that again," she said, "it makes us too much out of
breath, and we can't walk afterward. Now let's rest a minute, and then
walk on just middling fast,--because it's a long way yet. What time do
you suppose we'll get there?"
"Pomp said if we'd walk straight along we ought to get to the inn by
half-past twelve. They won't have lunch till we get there."
"You bet they won't! Do you know where the inn is?"
"Well, I've never been there, but when we get to Pelton I rather guess we
can find the inn! Come on, Mops, if you're rested, we'd better get a move
on!"
Then they trudged on together, finding the way very pleasant, and many
things to interest them as they passed along.
The road was a public highway, and there were many motor cars and much
other traffic.
But as the children kept on a grassy path by the side of the road they
were in no danger, and there was no possibility of losing their way.
"It's just a matter of keeping at it," said King, "but it does seem
longer than I thought. We're not halfway yet."
"How do you know?"
"'Cause Pomp said when we came to the sign-board pointing to Mossville
we'd be halfway, and we haven't come to that yet."
"What makes you call him Pomp?"
"Oh, just for short; and besides he's kind of pompous, you know,--sort of
stuffy and English."
"Yes, he is. I like him, though, and I think he's going to like us, but
he doesn't understand us yet. I hope Father will ask that lame girl to
lunch with us. I think she looked hungry."
"She looked awful poor, and I s'pose poor folks are always hungry. It
must be awful to be always hungry, Mops!"
"Well, I'm 'most always hungry myself."
"Oh, that isn't real hunger; that's just wanting something to eat. Hello,
here's the Mossville sign now! See it?"
"Yes; so now we must be halfway. I'm not tired, are you?"
"No, not a bit. I'd like a drink of water, though. Perhaps we'll come to
a brook."
But they walked on considerably further without seeing any brook, or even
a farmhouse where they might stop for a drink of water. But when they
were about half a mile from Pelton, King saw a little bridge off toward
the right, and exclaimed, "That bridge must be over water of some sort.
If you want to, Midget, we can go over and see if it's clean enough to
drink."
"Come on, then; it won't take long, and I'm 'most choked to death."
They walked across an intervening field, and came to the little bridge
which did cross a small but clear and sparkling brook.
"What can we drink out of?" asked Midget.
"Have to drink out of our hands, I guess; wish we had a cup or something.
Oh, look at that man!"
Midget looked in the direction King pointed, and saw a man seated on the
ground, busily working at something which seemed to be made of long
rushes of reeds.
"He's making a basket," cried King, greatly interested. "Let's go and
look at him."
They trotted over to the man, and King said, politely, "Is that a basket
you're making, sir?"
"Yes," came the answer in a gruff voice, and when the man looked up at
them, they saw he was a strange-looking person indeed. His complexion
was dark, his coarse black hair rather long, and his black eyes had a
shrewd expression, but were without kindliness. "What do you want?" he
said, still in his gruff voice.
"We don't want anything p'ticular," said Marjorie, who did not wish to be
intrusive; "we did want a drink of water out of the brook, but we had
nothing to drink from, and then we saw you building a basket, and we just
came over to look at you. You don't mind, do you?"
"No, I don't mind," and the man's voice was a little less gruff as he
looked at Marjorie's pretty smiling face. Then he gave her another look,
somewhat more scrutinizing, and then he looked again at King. "You want a
drink of water, do you?" and the look of interest in his round black eyes
seemed to become intensified. "Well, I'll tell you what to do; you go
right straight along that little path through the grass, and after a few
steps, you'll find some people, and they'll give you a drink of water
with pleasure, and a nice cup to drink it out of."
"Is it far?" asked Marjorie, for she couldn't see any signs of
habitation, and did not wish to delay too long.
"No; 'tain't a dozen steps. Just behind that clump of trees yonder; you
can't miss it."
"A farmhouse, I suppose," said King.
"Well, not just exactly a farmhouse," said the man, "but you go on, you
youngsters, and whoever you see when you get there, tell 'em Jim sent
you."
"We will; and thank you, Jim," said Marjorie, suddenly remembering her
manners.
"You're welcome," said the man, and again his voice was gruff as at
first.
"Somehow I don't like it, Mops," said King, who had a troubled look on
his face as they walked swiftly along the path indicated.
"Don't like what?"
"His sending us over here. And I don't like him; he didn't look right."
"I thought he was very kind to tell us about the farmhouse, and if his
voice is sort of gruff, I s'pose he can't help that."
"It isn't that exactly; but I think he's a,--a--"
"A what?"
"Never mind; here we are at the place. Why, Mops, it isn't a house at
all! It's a tent,--a lot of tents."
"So it is! It must be an encampment. Do you think there are soldiers
here?"
"Soldiers? No! I only wish they _were_ soldiers."
As King was speaking, a young woman came walking toward them, smiling
in an ingratiating way. Like the man, Jim, she was dark-haired and
dark-skinned. Her black eyes flashed, and her smiling red lips showed
very white teeth as she spoke kindly to the children.
"Come in," she said, in a wheedling voice; "come in; I love little boys
and girls. What do you want?"
Marjorie began to say, "We want a drink of water," when King pinched her
elbow as a sign to be quiet, and he spoke to the woman himself. "We don't
want anything," he said, "we're just passing by on our way to Pelton.
Good-morning."
Grasping Marjorie's arm he turned to go away, but the woman stopped him,
saying, "Oh, don't go so quickly; come in and rest a moment, and I will
give you a drink of milk, and then you can go on to Pelton."
"Yes, let's do that, King," said Marjorie, looking at her brother, amazed
at his ungracious actions.
But King persisted in his determination. "No, thank you," he said to the
woman in a decided way; "you're very kind, but we don't care for any
milk, and we must go right on to Pelton."
"And I say you must stay right here," said the woman, in much sterner
tones than she had used before, and taking the children each by an arm,
she pushed them ahead of her inside of the largest tent.
CHAPTER V
HELD CAPTIVE
Then King's fears were realized. He had suspected these people were
gypsies, and now he discovered that they were. Inside the tent were three
or four men and women, all of the dark, gypsy type, and wearing the
strange, bright-colored garments characteristic of their tribe. They did
not seem ill-disposed toward the visitors, but welcomed them cordially,
and one of the women went at once for a pitcher of milk, and brought it,
with two glasses, which she set on the table.
King was not exactly frightened, for they all seemed pleasant and kind
enough, but he couldn't help remembering how gypsies were credited with
the habit of stealing children, and holding them for ransom. "But only
babies," he thought to himself; "I don't believe they ever steal such big
kids as Marjorie and me."
King was fifteen, and tall for his age, and as he looked at Marjorie he
realized that she was a big girl, too, and he felt sure they were beyond
the age of being kidnapped. But as he noted the furtive glances which
were cast at them by the gypsies, he again felt alarmed, and glanced at
Marjorie to see if her thoughts were like his own.
But they were not. Marjorie was chatting gaily with the good-looking
young woman who had brought her into the tent, and she was accepting
an invitation to have a glass of milk and a cracker.
As an old gypsy woman poured the milk from the pitcher into the glass,
she turned her back to Marjorie, but King's alert eyes could see her
shaking a small portion of white powder into the milk.
Like a flash it came to King what it all meant! They were kidnappers,
these wicked gypsies, and they meant to put some drug in the milk that
the children drank, so they would go to sleep, and then the kidnappers
would carry them away!
King thought rapidly. He couldn't let Marjorie drink that milk,--and yet
if he made a fuss about it, they could easily overpower him. He
determined to use strategy.
"Let me pass the glass to my sister," he said, jumping up, and going to
take the glass from the old woman who had poured it. Unsuspectingly,
she let him take it, but as he turned, he stumbled, purposely, against
the table leg, and spilled all the milk on the ground.
"Oh, excuse me," he said, politely. "Now we shall have to go without
a drink of milk! But we are just as much obliged, and we bid you
good-morning. Come, Midget."
Marjorie was at a loss to understand King's actions, but she knew her
brother well enough to know that his tone and his look meant that
something very serious was the matter, and she was quite ready to obey
him without knowing why.
But though he grasped her arm, and endeavored to lead her out of the
tent, they were suddenly stopped. Two stalwart men who had been sitting
in shadow at the back of the tent came forward, and grasping the
children's shoulders, pushed them back into their seats rather roughly.
"You set down there!" said one of the men, "and don't you move till
you're told to! We ain't decided just what to do with you yet, and when
we see fit, we'll tell you, and not till then, so you just keep still!"
Marjorie suddenly sensed the situation. These people were enemies, not
friends! She understood King's efforts to get her away, and she
remembered, too, his misgivings as they were on their way across the
field.
Moreover, it was she who had insisted on coming, and so she felt, in a
way, responsible for what had happened to them. She jumped to her feet as
soon as the man let go of her shoulder, and cried, with flashing eyes, "I
will not keep still! What do you mean by treating me like that? Don't you
know who I am? We're Maynards! We're Edward Maynard's children,--and
everybody loves the Maynards!"
"Oh, they do, do they!" said the man who had spoken before. "Then that's
a mighty good reason why we should keep you here a little while."
"Keep us here!" stormed Marjorie, not at all realizing that they were
being kidnapped, but merely thinking these people were playing some
sort of a joke upon them. "Why should you keep us here? We want to go
on."
"You want to go on, do you?" And the man fairly snarled at them; "well,
you can't go on, and you may as well understand that! Didn't Jim send
you?"
"Yes, Jim sent us," said Marjorie, remembering what the man who was
weaving the basket had said.
"Then if Jim sent you, you're here to stay. And as it's just impossible
for you to get away, there's small use in your trying! So you may as
well make the best of it, and if you don't want your bread and milk you
needn't eat it, but if you do, you can have it. There, now, I'm speaking
fair by you, and you may as well behave yourselves."
"Speaking fair by us!" exclaimed Marjorie, who was as yet more indignant
than frightened. "Do you call it speaking fair by us to tell us that
we must stay here when we want to go on! You are bad, wicked men!"
"Yes, little Miss," was the answer, with a shout of laughter, "we _are_
bad, wicked men! Now what are you going to do about it? You don't fancy
for a minute that you can get away, do you?"
This silenced Marjorie, for there was no answer to such a question. Her
rage had spent itself in her impetuous speech, and she knew of course
that two children could not get away from this band of villains if they
were not allowed to do so. But she did not cry. Her feelings were too
wrought up for that. She sat where they had placed her, and tried bravely
to conceal the fright and fear that were every moment growing stronger
within her. She gave one imploring glance at King, and he came over and
sat beside her. He took her hand in a tight clasp, implying that whatever
happened they would face it together.
"Keep 'em there for the present," growled the man who seemed to be the
spokesman, and then he and the other man went away, leaving the children
in care of the three gypsy women.
Although apparently the women paid little attention to their young
prisoners, King and Midget could easily see that the eyes of their
jailers were ever alert, and watching their slightest movement. Had they
tried to cut and run, they would have been caught before they reached the
door. But no heed was paid when they whispered together, and so they were
able to hold a long conversation which was unheard, and even unnoticed by
the others.
"You know, Mops, what has happened?" whispered King.
"No, I don't; what do they want of us?"
"Why, we're kidnapped and held for ransom. Those men have probably gone
out now to send letters to Father about the ransom money."
"Oh, then Father'll pay it, and we'll get away."
"It isn't so easy as that. They have lots of fussing back and forth. We
may be here a long time. I say, Mops, you're a brick not to cry."
"I'm too mad to cry. The idea of their keeping us here like this! It's
outrageous! Why, King, by this time we would have been in Pelton. Just
think how worried Father and Mother must be!"
"Don't think about that, Mops, or you will cry sure. And I will, too!
Let's think how to get away."
But thinking was of little use, as there was no way to get away but to
run out at the door, and an attempt at that would be such certain failure
that it was not worth trying.
So the children sat there in dumb misery, silently watching the gypsy
women as they moved about preparing the mid-day meal.
Occasionally they spoke, and their manner and words were kindly, but King
and Midget could not bring themselves to respond in the same way.
"King," whispered Marjorie, "how far do you suppose we are from the
road?"
"Too far to run there, if that's what you mean. We'd be caught before we
started," was the whispered reply.
"That isn't what I mean; but how far are we?"
"Not very far, Midget; after we crossed the little bridge, the path to
this place was sort of parallel to the road."
"Well, King, I've got an idea. Don't say anything, and don't stop me."
With a stretch and a yawn as of great weariness, Marjorie slowly rose.
Immediately the three women started toward her. "You sit still!" said
one, sharply.
"Mayn't I walk about the room, if I promise not to go out the door?" said
Marjorie; "I'm so cramped sitting still."
"Move around if you want to," said the youngest of the women, a little
more gently; "but there's no use your trying to run away," and she wagged
her head ominously.
"Honest, I won't try to run away," and Marjorie's big, dark eyes looked
gravely at her captor.
The women said nothing more, and Marjorie wandered about the tent in an
apparently aimless manner. But after a time she came near to a small slit
in the side of the tent that served as a sort of window, and here she
paused and examined some beads that hung near by. Then choosing a moment
when the women were most attentive to their household duties, she put her
head out through the window and _yelled_. Now Marjorie Maynard's yell was
something that a Comanche Indian might be proud of. Blessed with strong,
healthy lungs, and being by nature fond of shouting, she possessed an
ability to scream which was really unusual.
As her blood-curdling shouts rent the air, the three women were so
stupefied that for a moment they could say or do nothing. This gave
Marjorie additional time, and she made the most of it. Her entire lung
power spent itself in successive shrieks more than a dozen times, before
she was finally dragged away from the window by the infuriated gypsy
women.
Marjorie turned upon them, unafraid.
"I told you I wouldn't try to run away," she said, "and neither I didn't.
But I had a right to yell, and if anybody heard me, I hope he'll come
right straight here! You are bad, wicked women!"
The child's righteous indignation had its effect on the women, and they
hesitated, not knowing exactly what to do with this little termagant.
And strange to say, Marjorie's ruse had succeeded.
For when the Maynards reached Pelton, and had found the inn where they
were to lunch, Pompton, the chauffeur, had expressed himself as unwilling
to sit there quietly and await the arrival of King and Marjorie.
"The poor children will be done out," he said to Mr. Maynard, "and by
your leave, sir, I'll just take the car, and run back a few rods and pick
them up."
"That's good of you, Pompton," said Mr. Maynard, appreciatively. "They
can't be far away now, but they'll be glad of a lift."
So Pompton turned the car about, and started back along the road he had
just come. To his surprise, he did not meet the children as soon as he
had expected, and as he continued his route without seeing them, he began
to be really alarmed. He passed the halfway sign, and went nearly to the
place where he had left them and had taken in the lame girl.
"There's something happened to them," he said to himself. "My word! I
knew those children ought not to be left to themselves! They're too full
of mischief. Like as not they've trailed off into the woods, and how can
I ever find them?"
Wondering what he had better do, Pompton turned the car around, and
slowly went back toward Pelton. At every crossroad or side path into
the woods he paused and shouted, but heard no response. When at last he
came near the place where the children had really turned off toward
the brook, he stopped and looked about. Seeing smoke issuing from among
the trees at a little distance, he thought, "That's a gypsy camp. Now
wouldn't it be just like those youngsters to trail in there? Anyway it's
the most likely place, and I'm going to have a look."
Leaving his car by the side of the road, Pompton struck into the
field, and soon came to the little bridge just beyond which the old
basket-weaver still sat.
"Have you seen anything of two children?" Pompton inquired, civilly.
"No," growled the man, looking up and frowning a little.
"Well, I'm fairly sure they came in here from the road about half an hour
ago. Perhaps you didn't notice them. I'll just take a look round." He
started in the direction of the camp, but the man called him back.
"I tell you no children have been near here," he said, in a voice
slightly less surly. "If they had, they'd have had to cross this bridge,
and I couldn't miss seeing them. I've been here two hours."
This seemed conclusive, and Pompton had no reason to think the man was
not telling the truth. But he was without doubt a gypsy, and Pompton
had small respect for the veracity of the gypsy. He waited a few moments,
pretending to be interested in the man's basketry, but really considering
whether to insist on going on to the camp hidden in the trees, or whether
to believe the man's statement.
And it was at this moment that Marjorie's shrieks rang out.
"Good heavens!" cried Pompton. "What is that?"
The basket-weaver neither heard nor answered him, for the shrieks
continued, and Pompton set off at a run in the direction whence they
came. He was not quite sure it was Marjorie's voice, but there was
certainly somebody in distress, and Pompton was of a valiant nature.
The smoke issuing above the trees was sufficient guide, and his flying
steps soon brought him to the encampment. Flinging open, indeed almost
tearing down the flapping door of the tent, he strode inside.
"What's the matter here?" he began, but he could get no further, for
with a glad cry the two Maynard children flung themselves into his
out-stretched arms.
CHAPTER VI
AT GRANDMA SHERWOOD'S
Aside from his threatening face, red with rage, and stormy with
indignation, Pompton's terrifying aspect was increased by the chauffeur's
costume which he wore. His goggles were pushed up on his brow, but his
eyes darted vengeance, and the three gypsy women were completely cowed at
the sight of him.
"You shall pay for this outrage!" he exclaimed; "and don't think you will
be let down easy! Kidnapping is a crime that is well punished, and your
punishment shall be to the full! I shall take these children away now,
but don't think you can escape! I will see to that! Where are your men
folks?"
Pompton was a large man, more than six feet high, and heavy in
proportion, and as he towered above the frightened gypsy women, they
could find no words to answer him.
"I'll find them for myself!" he exclaimed, and taking the children by
either hand, he hurried them out of the tent.
As Pompton had surmised, the men had run away to the woods, and hidden
themselves, for no trace of them could be seen. The old basket-maker,
too, had disappeared, and there was nothing to prevent their departure.
"Miss Marjorie, you're a wonder!" Pompton exclaimed, as they crossed the
little bridge and made for the road. "Now, how did you think to shout the
very lungs out of you like that?"
"It was the only thing to do, Pompton; they wouldn't let us run away, so
there was nothing to do but holler. My! but I'm glad you came!"
"Me, too!" cried King. "I felt awful to sit there and not do anything to
rescue Mops, but I couldn't think of a thing to do. I never thought of
yelling to beat the band!"
"Of course you didn't, King," said Marjorie. "A boy wouldn't do that.
And, anyway, you can't screech like I can."
"I didn't suppose anybody could, Miss Marjorie; I'm sure such screams
were never heard before, outside of Bedlam!"
"Well, we're safe now, anyway," cried Marjorie, skipping along gaily by
Pompton's side; "and here's our dear, blessed car! Oh, King, I'm so glad
we're safe!"
In a reaction of joy, Marjorie threw her arms around her brother's neck,
and the tears came to her eyes.
"There, there, Mops," and King patted her shoulders, while there was a
suggestion of emotion in his own voice; "it's all right now! Hop in, old
girl!"
"Yes, hop in, both of you," said Pompton, "and I'll get you back to
Pelton pretty quick, and then I'll set somebody on the track of those
villains. They'll not get away!"
The trip to Pelton took but a short time, for Pompton drove as fast as
the law allowed. But even so, they found a very much alarmed group
waiting for them on the veranda of the little inn.
"Where have you been?" exclaimed Mrs. Maynard, as Marjorie flung her arms
around her mother's neck, and burst into violent sobs. The realization
that she was safe brought a nervous reaction, and though she had been
plucky and brave in the hour of danger, she now collapsed with emotion.
"I'll tell you all about it," said King, grasping his father's hands.
"Midget was the bravest, pluckiest girl, and she saved both our lives."
"What!" cried Mr. Maynard, "have you been in danger?"
Marjorie stopped her sobs a moment, and lifted her head from her mother's
shoulder.
"It was P-Pompton saved us! I didn't do any saving,--I only s-screeched!"
"And you screeched good and plenty, Miss Marjorie," said the chauffeur,
"which was what saved the day; and, Mr. Maynard, by your leave, I'll take
the car a minute, to see if there's anybody in authority in this village.
I've a matter to put in their hands."
Without waiting for further explanation, Pompton whizzed away in the big
car to find the public officials, and set them on trail of the gypsies.
For though unsuccessful, their base attempt at kidnapping ought not to go
unpunished.
Kingdon told a straightforward story of all that had happened. Unlike
Marjorie, he was not overcome by emotion, and though somewhat excited
after the experience they had had, he gave a clear and direct account of
it all.
Mrs. Maynard held Marjorie closer as she heard of the danger they had
been in, and Mr. Maynard laid his hand on the shoulder of his tall son,
and heartily exonerated him from all blame in the matter.
"I suppose," King said, a little dubiously, "we ought not to have gone on
to the camp; but Mops,--I mean, we were both thirsty,--and we thought
it was a farmhouse."
"Of course you did," said Mrs. Maynard; "you did nothing wrong whatever."
"I did," said Midget, penitently; "after we passed the horrid basket-man,
King sort of thought he was a gypsy, and he thought we'd better turn
back, but I insisted on going on."
"Nothing of the sort!" exclaimed King. "Mops isn't a bit to blame! I did
think maybe the man was a gypsy,--and I ought to have insisted on going
back."
"Well, well," said Mr. Maynard, "don't strive so hard for the honor of
being to blame. It's all over now, and for the present let's forget it,
while we eat our luncheon, because it might interfere with our digestion.
We're truly thankful to have you back, and we're going to show our
thankfulness by not worrying or lamenting over what might have been."
Mr. Maynard's gaiety, though it was really a little forced, had a good
effect on the others. For, had he taken a melancholy attitude, they were
quite ready to follow suit.
As it was, they all cheered up, and with bright faces followed Mr.
Maynard to the dining-room. Kitty slipped her hand in Marjorie's as they
went along. She had said little while the story was being told, but as
Marjorie well knew, silence with Kitty was always indicative of deep
emotion.
The inn, though modern, was copied after a quaint old plan, and the
low-ceiled, raftered dining-room greatly pleased the children. There were
seats along the wall--something like church pews,--with long tables in
front of them. Mr. Maynard had ordered a dainty and satisfying luncheon,
and Marjorie and King soon found that thrilling experiences improve the
appetite.
Led by Mr. Maynard, the table talk was gay, light, and entertaining; and
though Mrs. Maynard could not quite play up to this key, yet she did her
best, and carefully hid the tremors that shook her as she looked at her
two older children.
"What became of Minnie Meyer?" asked Marjorie, suddenly, for in the
stress of circumstances she had almost forgotten the lame girl.
"I tried my best to persuade her to lunch with us," said Mrs. Maynard,
"but she would not do so. She was very shy and timid, and though very
glad to have the ride, she was unwilling to let us do more for her. She
had many errands to attend to, and she was sure of a ride home, so she
said we need not worry about her."
"I'm glad she had the ride," said Marjorie, thoughtfully; "and of course
it wasn't her fault that the morning turned out as it did."
"No, it wasn't," said King, "and it wasn't our fault either! It wasn't
anybody's fault; it just happened."
"And now it happens that it's all over," said his father, still
insistently cheerful, "and the incident is closed, and it's past history,
and we've all forgotten it. Have some more chicken, King?"
"Yes," said King, "these forgotten experiences make a fellow terribly
hungry!"
The subject of the morning's disaster was not again referred to, and Mr.
Maynard triumphantly succeeded in his determination to eliminate all
thought of it.
By two o'clock Pompton was at the door with the car, and they started
gaily off to continue their journey.
Mr. Maynard sat in front with the chauffeur, and if they indulged in some
whispered conversation it was not audible to those in the tonneau.
Midget and King themselves had quite recovered their good spirits, and
were ready to enjoy the ride through the country.
They went rather fast, as they had started a bit later than they
intended, but not too fast to enjoy the scenery or the interesting scenes
on either side.
On they went, through towns and villages, past woods and meadows, and up
and down moderately high hills. As they neared Morristown, where Grandma
Sherwood lived, the hills were higher and the views more picturesque.
It was not yet dusk when they reached Grandma Sherwood's house, and they
found the wide gate hospitably open for them. They swung into the
driveway, and in another moment they saw Grandma and Uncle Steve on the
veranda, waiting to welcome them.
The impetuous Maynard children tumbled out of the car all at once, and
fairly swarmed upon their relatives.
"Which is which?" cried Uncle Steve. "Kitty has grown as big as Marjorie
was,--and Marjorie has grown as big as King was,--and King has grown as
big as,--as a house!"
"And me growed!" cried Rosamond, not wanting to be left out of the
comparison.
"You're the biggest of all!" exclaimed Uncle Steve, catching the baby up
and seating her on his shoulder, so she could look down on all the
others.
"Yes, me biggest of all," she declared, contentedly, as she wound her fat
arms around Uncle Steve's neck; "now me go see schickens!"
"Not just now, Rosy Posy," said her mother, "let's all go in the house
and see what we can find there."
Easily diverted, the baby went contentedly with her mother, but the
mention of chickens had roused in the other children a desire to see the
farmyard pets, and King said: "Come on, Mops and Kit, let's us go and see
the chickens; come on, Uncle Steve."
"Eliza first!" cried Marjorie, remembering the old cook's friendliness
toward them all; "come on!"
Following Midget's lead, the trio went tearing through the house to the
kitchen.
Uncle Steve paused in the library where the others were, and said to his
sister, "They're the same Maynard children, Helen, if they are a year
older. We enjoyed Marjorie last summer, and I know we'll enjoy Kitty this
year,--but how you can live with them all at once I can't understand!"
"It's habit," said Mrs. Maynard, smiling, "you know, Steve, you can get
used to 'most anything."
"It seems to agree with you, Helen, at any rate," said Grandma Sherwood,
looking at her daughter's pink cheeks and bright eyes.
Meanwhile, the younger Maynards had reached the kitchen, and were dancing
round Eliza, with shouts of glee.
"Are you glad to see me again, Eliza?" asked Marjorie, flinging herself
into the arms of the stout Irishwoman.
"Glad is it, Miss Midget? Faith, I'm thot glad I kin hardly see ye fer
gladness! Ye've grow'd,--but I do say not so much as I expicted! But
Masther King, now he's as high as the church shpire! And as fer Miss
Kitty,--arrah, but she's the dumplin' darlin'! Stan' out there now, Miss
Kitty, an' let me look at yez! Och! but yer the foine gurrul! An' it's ye
thot's comin' to spend the summer. My! but the toimes we'll be havin'!"
It was a custom of the Maynards for one of the children to spend each
summer at Grandma Sherwood's, and as Marjorie had been there last year,
it was now Kitty's turn.
"Yes, I'm coming, Eliza," she said, in her sedate way, "but I'm not going
to stay now, you know; we're all going on a tour. But I'll come back here
the first of June, and stay a long time."
"Any cookies, Eliza?" asked King, apropos of nothing.
"Cookies, is it? There do be, indade! But if yez be afther eatin' thim
now, ye'll shpoil yer supper,--thot ye will! Here's one a piece to ye,
and now run away, and lave me do me worruk. Be off with yez!"
After accepting a cookie apiece, the children bounced out the back door
and down into the garden in search of Carter.
"We've come, Carter; we've come!" cried Marjorie, flinging open a door of
the green-house in which Carter was busy potting some plants.
"You don't say so, Miss Mischief! Well, I'm right down glad to see you!
And is this Master King? And Miss Kitty? Well, you all grow like weeds
after a rain, but I'll warrant you're as full of mischief as ever!"
"Kitty isn't mischievous," said Marjorie, who was proud of the sedate
member of the family.
"And it's Miss Kitty who's to spend the summer, isn't it? Well, then, I
won't have the times I had last year, pulling children up from down the
well,--and picking them up with broken ankles after they slid down the
roof! Nothing of that sort, eh?" Carter's eyes twinkled as he looked
at Marjorie, who burst into laughter at reminiscences.
"No, nothing of that sort, Carter; but we're all going to be here for a
few days, and we're going to give you the time of your life. Will you
take us out rowing in the boat?"
"I'll go along with you to make sure you don't drown yourself; but I
think you're getting big enough to do your own rowing. I'm not as young
as I was, Miss Midget, and I'm chock-full of rheumatism."
"Oh, we'd just as lieve row, Carter; King's fine at it, and I can row
pretty well myself."
But Kitty said: "I'm sorry you have rheumatism, Carter; I'll ask Mother
to give you something for it."
"Now that's kind and thoughtful of you, Miss Kitty. Miss Mischief, here,
would never think of that!" But, as Carter spoke, his eyes rested
lovingly on Marjorie's merry face.
"That's so, Carter," she said, a little penitently, "but do you know, I
think if you did take us rowing, it would limber up your arms so you
wouldn't have rheumatism!"
"Maybe that's so, Miss Mischief,--maybe that's so. Anyway, I'll try both
plans, and perhaps it'll help some. But I hear Eliza calling you, so
you'd all better skip back to the house. It's nearly supper time."
With a series of wild whoops, which were supposed to be indicative of the
general joy of living, the three Maynards joined hands, with Kitty in the
middle, and raced madly back to the house.
They all tried to squeeze through the back door at once, which proceeding
resulted in an athletic scrimmage, and a final burst of kicking humanity
into Eliza's kitchen.
"Howly saints! but ye're the noisy bunch!" was Eliza's greeting, and then
she bade them hurry upstairs and tidy themselves for supper.
CHAPTER VII
AN EARLY ESCAPADE
Marjorie and Kitty occupied the room that had been Marjorie's the summer
before. Another little white bed had been put up, and as the room was
large, the girls were in no way crowded.
Kitty admired the beautiful room, but in her quiet way, by no means
making such demonstrations of delight as Marjorie had when she first saw
it. Also Kitty felt a sort of possession, as she would return later and
occupy the room for the whole summer.
"Lots of these things on the shelf, Midget, I shall have taken away," she
said, as the girls were preparing for bed that same night; "for they're
your things, and I don't care about them, and I want to make room for my
own."
"All right, Kit, but don't bother about them now. When you come back in
June, put them all in a big box and have them put up in the attic until I
come again. I only hope you'll have as good a time here as I had last
summer. Molly Moss and Stella Martin are nearer my age than yours, but
you'll like them, I know."
"Oh, I know Molly, but I don't remember Stella."
"You'll prob'ly like Stella best, though, 'cause she's so quiet and
sensible like you. Molly's a scalawag, like me."
"All right," said Kitty, sleepily, for she was too tired to discuss the
neighbors, and very soon the two girls were sound asleep.
It was very early when Marjorie awoke the next morning. Indeed, the sun
had not yet risen, but the coming of this event had cast rosy shadows
before. The east was cloudily bright, where the golden beams were trying
to break through the lingering shades of night, and the scattering clouds
were masses of pink and silver.
When Marjorie opened her eyes, she was so very wide awake that she knew
she should not go to sleep again, and indeed had no desire to. The days
at Grandma's would be few and short enough anyway, and she meant to
improve every shining minute of them, and so concluded to begin before
the minutes had really begun to shine.
She hopped out of bed, and, not to wake Kitty, went very softly to the
window, and looked out. Across the two wide lawns she could see dimly the
outlines of Stella's house, half-hidden by trees, and beyond that she
could see the chimneys and gables of Molly's house. She watched the sun
poking the tip edge of his circumference above a distant hill, and the
bright rays that darted toward her made her eyes dance with sympathetic
joy.
"Kitty," she whispered, not wanting to wake her sister, yet wishing she
had somebody to share with her the effect of the beautiful sunrise.
"You needn't speak so softly, I'm wide awake," responded Kitty, in her
matter-of-fact way; "what do you want?"
"I want you, you goosey! Hop out of bed, and come and see this
gorgiferous sunrise!"
Slowly and carefully, as she did everything, Kitty folded back the
bedcovers, drew on a pair of bedroom slippers, and then put on a kimona
over her frilled nightgown, adjusting it in place and tying its blue
ribbon.
"Gracious, Kit! What an old fuss you are! The sun will be up and over and
setting before you get here!"
"I'd just as lieve see a sunset as a sunrise, anyway," declared Kitty, as
she walked leisurely across the room, just in time to see the great red
gold disc tear its lower edge loose from the hill with what seemed almost
to be a leap up in the air.
But once at the window, she was as enthusiastic in her enjoyment of the
breaking day as Marjorie, though not quite so demonstrative.
"Put on a kimona, Midget," she said at last; "you'll catch cold flying
around in your night dress."
"Kit," said her sister, unheeding the admonition, and sitting down on the
edge of her bed as she talked, "I've the most splendiferous plan!"
"So've I," said Kitty; "mine is to go back to bed and sleep till
breakfast time."
"Pooh! you old Armadillo! Mine's nothing like that."
"Why am I an Armadillo?" asked Kitty, greatly interested to know.
"Because you want to sleep so much."
"That isn't an Armadillo, that's an Anaconda."
"Well, you're it anyway; and it ought to be Armadillo, because it rhymes
with pillow! But now, you just listen to my plan. Seem's if I just
couldn't wait any longer to see Molly and Stella, and I'm going to dress
right, straight, bang, quick! and go over there. Come on."
"They won't be awake."
"Of course they won't; that's the fun of it! We'll throw little pebbles
up at their windows, and wake them up, and make them come out."
"Well, all right, I will." Kitty reached this decision after a few
moments' consideration, as Marjorie felt sure she would. Kitty usually
agreed to her older sister's plans, but she made up her mind slowly,
while Midget always reached her conclusions with a hop, skip, and jump.
So the girls began to dress, and in a very few minutes they were
buttoning each other's frocks and tying each other's hair ribbons.
Marjorie had invented a way by which they could tie each other's hair
ribbons at the same time, but as it oftenest resulted in pulled hair and
badly made bows, it was not much of a time-saver after all.
"But I do think, Kit," she said, "being in such haste this morning, we
might manage to button each other's dresses at the same time. Stand back
to back and let's try."
The trial was a decided failure, and resulted only in a frolic, after
which the buttoning was done separately and successfully.
"And anyway, we're not in such a hurry," commented Kitty, "and don't ever
try that stunt again, Mopsy. My arms are nearly twisted off!"
"All right, Kit, I won't. Now are you ready? Come on; don't make any
noise; we don't want to wake anybody."
They tiptoed downstairs, and as a greater precaution against waking the
sleeping grownups, they went through the kitchen, and out at the back
door, which they easily unbolted from the inside.
"We'll have to leave this door unfastened," said Marjorie. "I hope no
burglars will get in."
"Of course they won't; burglars never come around after sunrise. Oh,
isn't it lovely to smell the fresh morningness!"
Kitty stood still, and sniffed the clear, crisp air, while the
exhilarating effects of the atmosphere caused Marjorie to dance and
prance in circles round her quieter sister.
"When you've sniffed enough, come on, Kit," she said, dancing away toward
Stella's house.
Kitty came on, and soon they stood on the greensward directly beneath
Stella's bedroom window.
The morning was very still, and the Martins' house looked forbidding,
with its silent, closed-up air. It was not yet half-past five, and not
even the servants were stirring.
Marjorie's courage failed her. "I guess we won't try Stella first," she
whispered to Kitty. "Stella's so scary. Once I just said '_boo_' at
her, and she cried like fury. If we fire pebbles at her window, like as
not she'll think it's a burglar and have yelling hysterics."
"Burglars don't throw pebbles to wake people up."
"Well, Stella's just as likely to think they do. You never can tell what
Stella's going to think, or what she's going to do, either. Anyway, let's
go to Molly's first; you can't scare her."
"All right," agreed Kitty, and hand in hand the two girls trudged on to
the next house.
"I believe I'll get up every morning at five o'clock," said Marjorie; "it
is so fresh and green and wet."
"Yes, it's awful wet," said Kitty, looking at her shoes; "but it's a
delicious kind of a wetness. Dew is awful different from rain."
"Yes, isn't it; dew makes you think of fairies and,--"
"And spiders," said Kitty, kicking at one of the spider webs with which
the grass was dotted.
"Well, I think spiders are sort of fairies," said Marjorie, looking
lovingly at the glistening webs; "They must be to weave such silky,
spangly stuff."
"They weave it for the fairies, Mops. They weave it in the night; and
then about sunrise, the fairies come and gather up the silky, spangly
stuff, and take it away to make their dresses out of it. See, they're
most all gone now."
"Pooh! the sun dried them up."
"No, he didn't; the fairies came and took them away. Of course you can't
see the fairies, and that's why people think the sun dries up the webs."
Kitty spoke as one with authority, and into her eyes came the faraway
look that always appeared when her imagination was running riot. For a
really practical child, Kitty had a great deal of imagination, but the
two traits never conflicted.
"This is Molly's window," said Marjorie, dismissing the question of
fairies as they reached Mr. Moss's house.
"Why don't you whistle or call her?" suggested Kitty.
"No, that might wake up her father and mother. And besides, throwing
pebbles is lots more fun. Let's get a handful from the drive. Get both
hands full."
In a moment four little hands were filled with pebbles.
"Wait a minute," said thoughtful Kitty; "let's pick out the biggest ones
and throw them away. Some of these big stones might break a window."
So the girls sat down on the front steps and carefully assorted their
pebbles until at last they had their hands filled with only the tiniest
stones.
"Now the thing is to throw straight," said Marjorie.
"You throw first," said Kitty, "and then I'll follow."
Like a flash, Marjorie's right hand full of pebbles clattered against
Molly's window, and was swiftly followed by a second shower from Kitty's
right hand. Then they shifted the pebbles in their left hand to their
right, and, swish! these pebbles followed the others.
But though the Maynard children were quick, Molly Moss was quicker. At
the first pebbles she flew out of bed and flung up the window, raising
the sash just in time to get the second lot distributed over her own face
and person.
"Oh, Molly, have we hurt you?" called out Kitty, who realized first what
they had done.
"No, not a bit! I knew the minute I heard the pebbles it was you girls.
I'm awful glad to see you! Shall I get dressed and come out?"
"Yes, do!" cried Marjorie, who was hopping up and down on one foot in her
excitement. "Will it take you long to dress?"
"No, indeed; I'll be down in a jiffy. Just you wait a minute."
It might have been more than a minute, but it wasn't much more, when the
girls heard a rustling above them, and looked up to see Molly, fully
dressed, climbing out of the window.
"Oh, Molly, you'll break your neck!" cried Kitty, for Molly was already
descending by a rose trellis that was amply strong enough for a climbing
rose, but which swayed and wabbled frightfully tinder the weight of a
climbing girl.
However, Molly didn't weigh very much, and she had the scrambling ability
of a cat, so in a few seconds she was down on the ground, and embracing
the two Maynard girls both at once.
"You're perfect ducks to come over here so early! How did you get away?"
"Slid out the back door," said Marjorie; "isn't it larky to be around so
early in the morning?"
"Perfectly fine! How long are you girls going to stay?"
"Not quite a week, I think," said Kitty, and Marjorie added, "So we want
to cram all the fun we can into these few days, and so we thought we'd
begin early."
"All right," said Molly, taking her literally, "let's begin right now."
"Oh, we can't do anything now," said Marjorie, "that is, nothing in
p'ticular."
"Pooh! yes, we can! It's only about half-past five, and we don't have
breakfast till eight, do you?"
"Yes, Grandma has it at eight," said Marjorie, "but, gracious, I'll be
starved to death by that time! I'm so hungry now I don't know what to
do!"
"I'll tell you what," began Kitty, and upon her face there dawned that
rapt expression, which always appeared when she was about to propose
something ingenious.
"What?" cried Midget and Molly, both at once.
"Why," said Kitty, impressed with the greatness of her own idea, "let's
have a picnic!"
"Picnic!" cried Marjorie, "before breakfast! At half-past five in the
morning! Kit, you're crazy!"
"No, I'm not crazy," said Kitty, seriously, and Molly broke in, "Of
course she isn't! It's a grand idea!"
"But you can't have a picnic without things to eat," objected Marjorie.
"We'll have things to eat," declared Kitty, calmly.
"Where'll you get 'em?"
"Kitchen."
"Kit, you're a genius! Prob'ly Eliza's pantry is just chock-a-block with
good things! And as I know they were made for us, we may as well eat
some now."
Then Molly had an inspiration. "I'll tell you what," she cried, "let's go
on the river! in the boat!"
CHAPTER VIII
AN EXCITING PICNIC
Molly's suggestion was so dazzling that Midget and Kitty were struck dumb
for a moment. Then Marjorie said, "No, Grandma won't let us girls go on
the river alone, and Carter isn't up yet."
"Let's throw pebbles and wake him up," said Molly.
"No," said Kitty, "it's too bad to wake him up early, because he needs
his rest. He has to work hard all day, and he has the rheumatism besides.
But I'll tell you what," and again Kitty's face glowed with a great idea;
"let's go and throw pebbles at King's window, and make him take us out
rowing."
"Kitty, getting up early in the morning agrees with your brain!" declared
Marjorie. "We'll do just that,--and while King is dressing, we'll pack
a basket of things to eat. Oh, gorgeous! Come on, girls!"
And clasping hands, the three ran away toward Grandma Sherwood's house.
"What about Stella?" asked Marjorie, as they passed her house.
"Oh, don't try to get her," said Molly; "she'd be scared to death if you
pebbled her, and her mother and father would think the house was on fire
or something."
So Stella was not included in the picnic, and the three conspirators ran
on, and never paused until they were beneath King's window.
"You don't need a whole handful for him," advised Kitty. "I expect he's
awake, anyway, and one pebble will make him come to the window. See, the
window's open anyway; we can just fling a pebble in."
"If we can aim straight enough," said Molly.
After one or two vain attempts, Kitty sent a good-sized pebble straight
through the open window, and it landed on the floor straight beside
King's bed.
In another moment a tousled head and a pair of shoulders, humped into a
bathrobe, appeared at the window.
Seeing the girls, King's face broke into a broad grin. "Well, you do beat
all!" he cried. "Have you been out all night?"
"No," called Kitty, "we're just playing around in the morning. It's
perfectly lovely out, King, and we're going to have a picnic, rowing on
the river. But we can't go unless you'll come too, so bob into your
clothes and come, won't you?"
"You bet I will! Isn't anybody up?"
"Nobody but us," said Marjorie; "so don't make any noise. Slide down the
back stairs and through the kitchen."
"Got any feed for your picnic?"
"We're going to get some. You hurry down and we'll be ready."
"All right," and the tousled head disappeared. The girls went noiselessly
into the kitchen and on through into the pantry. As Marjorie had
surmised, the pantry shelves were well-stocked, and they found doughnuts,
little pies, and cold chicken in abundance. Kitty found a goodly-sized
basket, and remembering King's appetite, they packed it well.
"Here's some hard-boiled eggs," cried Marjorie, "let's take these."
"I 'spect Eliza wants them for salad or something," said Kitty, "but she
can boil more. We must take some milk, Midget."
"Yes, here's a big pitcher full. Let's put it in a tin pail to carry it.
The milkman will be here in time for breakfast."
And so when King came softly downstairs, with his shoes in his hand, he
found the luncheon basket packed, and the feminine portion of the picnic
all ready to start.
"Good work!" he said, approvingly, as he lifted the basket, greatly
pleased with its size and weight.
Molly carried the milk pail, Kitty some glasses and Marjorie some napkins
and forks, for she was of a housewifely nature, and liked dainty
appointments.
"Maybe we ought to leave a note or something," said Kitty, as they
started.
"Saying we've eloped," said King, grinning.
"Don't let's bother," said Marjorie; "they'll know we're just out playing
somewhere, and we'll be back by breakfast time,--it isn't six o'clock
yet."
"You won't want any breakfast after all this stuff," said Molly, whose
appetite was not as robust as the Maynards'.
"'Deed we will!" declared King; "this little snack is all right for six
o'clock, but I have an engagement at eight in the dining-room."
They trudged along to the boathouse, and, as they might have expected,
found it locked.
"I'll get it," said Molly; "I'm the swiftest runner, and I know where the
key hangs in Carter's workshop."
King watched Molly admiringly as she flew across the grass, her long,
thin, black legs flinging out behind her with incredible quickness.
"Jingo, she can run!" he exclaimed, and indeed it seemed but a moment
before Molly flashed back again with the key.
The quartet was soon in the boat, and with a few strokes, King pulled out
into mid-stream.
"Let's have the picnic first," he said, shipping his oars. "I can't row
when I'm so hungry. This morning air gives a fellow an appetite."
"It does so," agreed Marjorie; "and we girls have been out 'most an hour.
I'm 'bout starved."
So they held a very merry picnic breakfast, while the boat drifted along
with the current, and the cold chicken and biscuits rapidly disappeared.
"Now, where do you girls want to go?" asked King, as, the last crumb
finished, Kitty carefully packed the napkins and glasses back in the
basket.
"Oh, let's go to Blossom Banks," said Marjorie, "that is, if there's time
enough."
"We'll go down that way, anyhow," said King, "and if it gets late we'll
come back before we get there. Anybody got a watch?"
Nobody had, but all agreed they wouldn't stay out very long, so on they
went, propelled by King's long, strong strokes down toward Blossom Banks.
It was a delightful sensation, because it was such a novel one. To row on
the river at six o'clock in the morning was a very different proposition
from rowing later in the day. Molly and Marjorie sat together in the
stern, and Kitty lay curled up in the bow, with her hands behind her
head, dreamily gazing into the morning sky.
"Do you remember, Molly," said Midget, "how we went out with Carter one
day, and he scolded us so because we bobbed about and paddled our hands
in the water?"
"Yes, I remember," and Molly laughed at the recollection. "Let's dabble
our hands now. May we, King?"
"Sure! I guess I can keep this boat right side up if you girls do trail
your hands in the water."
And so the two merry maidens dabbled their hands in the water, and
growing frolicsome, shook a spray over each other, and even flirted drops
into King's face. The boy laughed good-naturedly, and retaliated by
splashing a few drops on them with the tip end of his oar.
King was fond of rowing, and was clever at it, and being a large,
strong boy, it tired him not at all. Moreover, the boat was a light,
round-bottomed affair that rowed easily, and was not at all hard to
manage.
King's foolery roused the spirit of mischief in the two girls, and faster
and faster flew the drops of water from one to another of the
merrymakers.
"No fair splashing!" cried King. "Just a spray of drops goes."
"All right," agreed Marjorie, who was also a stickler for fair play, and
though she dashed the water rapidly, she sent merely a flying spray, and
not a drenching handful. But Molly was not so punctilious. She hadn't the
same instinct of fairness that the Maynards had, and half intentionally,
half by accident, she flung a handful of water straight in King's face.
This almost blinded the boy, and for a moment he lost control of his oar.
An involuntary move on his part, due to the shock of the water in his
face, sent the blade of one oar down deep, and as he tried to retrieve
it, it splashed a whole wave all over Molly.
But Molly thought King intended to do this, and that it was merely part
of the game, so with one of her lightning-like movements, she grasped
the blade of the oar in retaliation. The oar being farther away than she
thought, and rapidly receding, caused her to lean far over the boat, and
in his effort to get his oar again in position, King, too, leaned over
the side.
The result was exactly what might have been expected. The narrow,
clinker-built boat capsized, and in a moment the four children were
struggling in the water.
Even as the boat went over, King realized what had happened, and
realized, too, that he was responsible for the safety of the three girls.
With fine presence of mind he threw his arm over the keel of the upturned
boat and shouted, "It's all right, girls! Just hang on to the boat this
way, and you won't go down."
Marjorie and Molly understood at once, and did exactly as King told them.
They were terribly frightened, and were almost strangled, but they
realized the emergency, and struggled to get their arms up over the boat
in the manner King showed them.
But Kitty did not so quickly respond to orders. She had not been paying
any attention to the merry war going on in the stern of the boat, and
when she was suddenly thrown out into the water, she could not at first
collect her scattered senses. King's words seemed to convey no meaning to
her, and to his horror, the boy saw his sister sink down under the water.
"Hang on like fury, you two girls!" he shouted to Marjorie and Molly, and
then he made a dive for Kitty.
King was a good swimmer, but, hampered by his clothing, and frightened
terribly by Kitty's disappearance, he could not do himself justice. But
he caught hold of Kitty's dress, and by good fortune both rose to the
surface. King grabbed for the boat, but it slipped away from him, and
the pair went down again.
At this Marjorie screamed. She had been trying to be brave, yet the sight
of her brother and sister being, as she feared, drowned, was too much
for her.
"Hush up, Marjorie!" cried Molly. "You just keep still and hang on! I can
swim!"
With an eel-like agility Molly let go of the boat, and darted through the
water. She was really a good swimmer, and her thin, muscular little limbs
struck out frantically in all directions. Diving swiftly, she bumped
against Kitty, and grasping her arm firmly, she began to tread water
rapidly. As King was doing this on the other side of Kitty, the three
shot up to the surface, and King and Molly grasped the boat with firm
hands, holding Kitty between them.
Kitty was limp, but conscious; and though King was exhausted, he held on
to Kitty, and held on to the boat, with a desperate grip.
"Wait a minute, girls," he gasped, sputtering and stammering; "I'll be
all right in a minute. Now as long as you hold fast to the boat, you
know you can't drown! How are you getting along, Mops?"
"All right," called Marjorie from the other side of the boat; "but I want
to come over there by you."
"Don't you do it! You stay there and balance the boat. It's lucky you're
a heavyweight! Now you girls do exactly as I tell you to."
King did not mean to be dictatorial, but he was getting his breath back,
and he knew that although their heads were above water, still strenuous
measures were necessary.
"What shall we do?" shouted Marjorie.
"Well, we must try to get this boat to shore. And as we're much nearer
the other shore than our own side, we'll try to get it over there, for we
don't want to cross the river. Now hang on tight, and wiggle your feet
like paddles. If you kick out hard enough, I think we can get the old
thing ashore."
It wasn't an easy task, nor a quick one, but after a while, by vigorous
kicking, in accordance with King's continued directions, they did succeed
in reaching shallow water.
"Now we can walk," said King, "but we may as well hang on to the boat and
not let her drift away."
So half scrambling, half crawling, the children pushed through the
shallow water and up on to the shore, dragging the upturned boat with
them. The shore just here was shelving and sandy, otherwise it is
doubtful if they could have reached it at all. But at last four
shivering, dripping children stood on solid ground, and looked at each
other.
"You're an old trump, King," cried Marjorie, flinging her arms around
her brother's neck, and kissing his wet cheeks; "you're a hero, and a
life-saver, and a Victoria Cross, and everything!"
"There, there, Midget, come off! I didn't do anything much; Molly here
did the most, but, thank goodness, we all got out alive! Now what shall
we do next?"
Kitty had recovered entirely from her dazed and stunned feeling, and was
again her practical and helpful self.
"We must run," she said, "we must run like sixty! That's the only way to
keep from catching cold in these wet clothes!"
"Can't we build a fire, and dry ourselves?" asked Molly, who was
shivering with cold.
"No, of course not," said Kitty, "for we haven't any matches, and if we
had they'd be soaked. No, we must run as hard as we can tear along this
bank until we get opposite Grandma's house, and then they'll have to come
over and get us somehow."
"How'll they know we're there?" asked Molly.
"I'll yell," said Marjorie, quite confident of her powers in this
direction. "I'll yell,--and I just _know_ I can make Carter hear me!"
"I'll bet you can!" said King. "Come on then, let's run. Take hold of
hands."
With King and Midget at either end of the line, and the other two
between, they ran!
CHAPTER IX
ANCIENT FINERY
When the children reached the big open field that was just across the
river from Grandma Sherwood's, although their clothes had ceased
dripping, they were far from dry, and they all shivered in the keen
morning air.
"Yell away, Mopsy," cried King. "You can make Carter hear if anybody
can."
So Marjorie yelled her very best ear-splitting shrieks.
"Car-ter! Car-ter!" she screamed, and the others gazed at her in
admiration.
"Well, you _can_ yell!" said Molly. "I expect my people will hear that!"
After two or three more screams, they saw Carter come running down toward
the boathouse. Looking across the river, he saw the four children
frantically waving their hands and beckoning to him.
"For the land's sake! What is going on now?" he muttered, hurrying down
to the bank as fast as his rheumatic old legs would carry him.
"And the boat's gone!" he exclaimed; "now, however did them children get
over there without no boat? By the looks of their wet clothes they must
have swum over, but I don't believe they could do that. Hey, there!" he
shouted, making a megaphone of his hands.
"Come over and get us," Marjorie yelled back, and beginning to realize
the situation, Carter went into the boathouse and began to take out the
other boat. This was an old flat-bottomed affair, which had been unused
since Uncle Steve bought the new boat.
"Most prob'ly she leaks like a sieve," he muttered, as he untied the boat
and pushed it out; "but I've nothing else to bring the young rascals home
in. So they'll have to bail while I row."
Carter was soon in the old boat, and pulling it across the river. As he
had expected, it leaked badly, but he was sure he could get the children
home in it.
"Come on now!" he cried, as he beached the boat, and jumped out. "For the
land's sake, how did you get so wet? But don't stop to tell me now! Just
pile in the boat, and let me get you home to a fire and some dry clothes.
You'll all have to bail, for she leaks something awful."
Not waiting for a second invitation, the damp quartet scrambled into the
boat, and Carter pulled off. The old man had provided tin cans, and the
children bailed all the way over, for it was necessary to do so to keep
the boat afloat.
As they went, Marjorie told Carter the whole story, "and you see," she
concluded, "we didn't do anything wrong, for we're always allowed to go
in a boat if King is with us."
"Oh, no, Miss Mischief, you didn't do anything wrong! Of course it wasn't
wrong to jump about in the boat and carry on until you upset it! It's a
marvel you weren't all drowned."
"It is so!" said King, who realized more fully than the others the danger
they had been in. "Why, there's Uncle Steve on the dock, and Father, too;
I wonder if they heard Midget scream."
"If they were within a mile and not stone deaf they couldn't help hearing
her," declared Carter. He rowed as fast as he could, and he made the
children keep hard at work bailing, not only to get the water out of the
boat, but because he feared if they sat still they'd take cold.
At last they reached the dock, and Uncle Steve and Mr. Maynard assisted
them out of the boat.
It was no time then for questions or comments, and Uncle Steve simply
issued commands.
"Molly," he said, "you scamper home as fast as you can fly! We have
enough to attend to with our own brood. Scoot, now, and don't stop until
you reach your own kitchen fire, and tell your mother what has happened.
As for you Maynards, you fly to Grandma's kitchen, and see what Eliza can
do for you."
Molly flew off across the lawns to her own house, running so swiftly that
she was out of sight in a moment. Then the Maynards, obeying Uncle
Steve's command, ran to the kitchen door, and burst in upon Eliza as she
was just finishing the breakfast preparations.
"Howly saints!" she cried. "If it wasn't that I always ixpict yees to
come in drownded, I'd be sheared to death! But if yees weren't in this
mess, ye'd be in some other. Such childher I niver saw!"
Eliza's tirade probably would have been longer, but just then Grandma and
Mrs. Maynard came into the kitchen.
"Been for a swim?" asked Mrs. Maynard, pleasantly.
"Almost been drowned," said Kitty, rushing into her mother's arm, greatly
to the detriment of her pretty, fresh morning dress.
As soon as Mrs. Maynard realized that her brood had really been in
danger, she gathered all three forlorn, wet little figures into her arms
at once, thankful that they were restored to her alive.
Then breakfast was delayed while Grandma and Mother Maynard provided dry
clothing, and helped the children to transform themselves once more into
respectable citizens.
"Now tell us all about it, but one at a time," said Uncle Steve, as at
last breakfast was served, and they all sat round the table. "King, your
version first."
"Well, we all went out for an early morning row, and somehow we got to
carrying on, and that round-bottomed boat tipped so easily, that somehow
we upset it."
"It's a wonder you weren't drowned!" exclaimed Grandma.
"I just guess it is!" agreed Marjorie; "and we would have been, only King
saved us! Kitty _was_ 'most drowned, and King went down in the water and
fished her up, and Molly helped a good deal, and I stayed on the other
side and balanced the boat."
"The girls were all plucky," declared King, "and the whole thing was an
accident. It wasn't wrong for us to go out rowing early in the morning,
was it, Father?"
"I don't think it was the hour of the day that made the trouble, my son.
But are you sure you did nothing else that was wrong?"
"I did," confessed Marjorie, frankly. "I splashed water, and then the
others splashed water, and that's how we came to upset."
"Yes, that was the trouble," said Mr. Maynard; "you children are quite
old enough to know that you must sit still in a boat. Especially a
round-bottomed boat, and a narrow one at that."
"It was Molly's fault more than Midget's," put in Kitty, who didn't want
her adored sister to be blamed more than she deserved.
"Well, never mind that," said Marjorie, generously ignoring Molly's part
in the disaster. "There's one thing sure, Kitty wasn't a bit to blame."
"No," said King, "Kit sat quiet as a mouse. She wouldn't upset an
airship. Mopsy and I were the bad ones, as usual, and I think we ought to
be punished."
"I think so, too," said Mr. Maynard, "but as this is a vacation holiday I
hate to spoil it with punishments, so I'm going to wait until you cut
up your next naughty trick, and then punish you for both at once. Is that
a good plan, Mother?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Maynard, looking fondly at the culprits, "but I want to
stipulate that the children shall not go out in the boat again without
some grown person with them."
"I'm glad of that," said Marjorie, "for no matter how hard I try I don't
believe I could sit perfectly still in a boat, so I'll be glad to have
some grownup go along."
"That's my chance," exclaimed Uncle Steve, "I'll take you any time you
want to go, Midget, and I'll guarantee to bring you back without a
ducking."
"Thank you, Uncle Steve," said Marjorie; "shall we go right after
breakfast?"
"Not quite so soon as that, but perhaps to-morrow. By the way, kiddies,
what do you think of having a little party while you're here? That would
keep you out of mischief for half a day."
"Oh, lovely!" exclaimed Marjorie. "Uncle Steve, you do have the
beautifullest ideas! What kind of a party?"
"Any kind that isn't a ducking party."
"But we don't know anybody much to invite," said Kitty.
"Yes, I know quite a few," said Marjorie, "and King knows several boys;
and anyway, Molly and Stella will help us make out a list. How many
shall we have, Uncle Steve?"
"About twenty, I think, and I'll have a hand at that list myself. I know
most of the children around here. This afternoon get Molly and Stella to
come in after school, and we'll make the list. We can send the
invitations to-night, and have the party day after to-morrow. That's
warning enough for such young, young people."
"It seems to be your party, Steve," said Mrs. Maynard, smiling; "can't I
help you with the arrangements?"
"Yes, indeed; you and Mother can look after the feast part of it, but the
rest I'll attend to myself."
After breakfast the children were advised to stay indoors for a while,
lest they get into more mischief, and also until their elders felt that
there was no danger of their taking cold.
"Lucky we didn't have Rosy Posy with us," said King, picking up his
smallest sister, and tossing her up in the air.
"Don't speak of it," said his mother, turning pale at the thought; "and
don't ever take the baby on your escapades. She's too little to go
through the dangers that you older ones persist in getting into."
"Oh, we don't persist," said Marjorie, "the dangers just seem to come to
us without our looking for them."
"They do seem to, Midget," agreed Uncle Steve. "But you all seem to have
a happy-go-lucky way of getting out of them, and I think you're a pretty
good bunch of children after all."
"Listen to that!" exclaimed King, proudly, strutting about the room,
elated with the compliment. "It's worth while having an uncle who says
things like that to you," and the others willingly agreed with him.
Kept in the house, the children wandered about in search of amusement.
Kitty curled herself up on a sofa, with a book, saying she was determined
to keep out of mischief for once.
"Let's go up in the attic," said Midget to King, "and hunt over our old
toys that are put away up there. We might find some nice game."
"All right, come on," and in a minute the two were scrambling up the
attic stairs.
"Gracious! look at that big chest. I never saw that before. Wonder what's
in it," said Marjorie, pausing before a big cedar chest.
"Is it locked?" said King, and lifting the lid he discovered it wasn't.
But it was filled to the brim with old-fashioned garments of queer old
Quaker cut.
"Wouldn't it be fun to dress up in these," cried King.
"Yes," assented Marjorie, "but I'm not going to do it, until we ask
Grandma. I've had enough mischief for one day."
So King ran downstairs and asked Grandma, and soon came running back.
"She says we may," he announced briefly, "so let's choose our rigs."
They lifted out the quaint, old-fashioned clothes, and found there were
both men's and women's garments among them.
"Where do you suppose they came from?" asked Marjorie.
"Grandma said some old relative in Philadelphia sent her the chest, some
time ago, but she's never opened it."
They tried on various costumes, and pranced around the attic, pretending
they were ladies and gentlemen of bygone days.
Finally King tried on a woman's dress. It just fitted him, and when he
added a silk Shaker bonnet and a little shoulder shawl, the effect was so
funny that Marjorie screamed with laughter.
"All you want," she said, "is some false hair in the front of that
bonnet, and you'll be a perfect little old lady."
Then Marjorie ran down to Grandma, and asked her for some of her false
puffs, and getting them, flew back to the attic again, and deftly pinned
them inside of King's bonnet, transforming him into a sweet-faced Quaker
lady.
Then Marjorie arrayed herself as another Quaker lady, drawing her hair
down in smooth bands over her ears, which greatly changed the expression
of her face, and made her look much older. Each carried an old-fashioned
silk reticule, and together they went downstairs. After parading before
their admiring relatives, they decided to play a joke on Eliza. She had
not yet seen them, so they slipped downstairs and out the front door,
and then closing it softly behind them, they rang the bell.
Eliza came to the door, and utterly failed to recognize the children.
"Does Mrs. Sherwood live here?" asked King, in a thin, disguised voice.
"Yes, ma'am," said Eliza, not knowing the children, "but--" gazing in
surprise at the quaint, old-fashioned dresses and bobbing bonnets.
"Please tell her her two aunts from Philadelphia are here," said
Marjorie, but she could not disguise her voice as well as King, and Eliza
suddenly recognized it.
"Two aunts from Phillydelphy, is it?" she said. "More likes it's too
loonytics from Crazyland! What will ye mischiefs be cuttin' up next!
But, faith, ye're the bonny ould ladies, and if ye'll come in and take a
seat, I'll tell the missus ye're here."
But, having fooled Eliza, the fun was over in that direction, and the
Quaker ladies trotted away to make a call on Carter.
Just at first he didn't know them, and thought the two ladies were coming
to see him. But in a moment he saw who they were, and the good-natured
man entered at once into the game.
CHAPTER X
CALLING AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE
"Good-morning, ladies," he said, bowing gravely, "I'm very pleased to see
you. May I ask your names?"
"Mrs. William Penn and Mrs. Benjamin Franklin," said Marjorie, "and we
have come to look at your flowers."
"Yes, ma'am; they do be fine this year, ma'am. Happen you raise flowers
yourself?"
"No, not much," said King, "we don't raise anything."
"Except when you raise the mischief," declared Carter, laughing at
the prim faces before him. "I'm thinkin' if you'd always wear those
sober-colored dresses you mightn't lead such a rambunctious life."
"That's so," said King, kicking at his skirts. "But they're not easy to
get around in."
"I think they are," said Marjorie, gracefully swishing the long folds of
her silk skirt. "Come on, King, let's go over and see Stella; we haven't
seen her yet."
"Miss Stella's gone to school," Carter informed them. "I saw her go by
with her books just before nine o'clock. And if you ladies can excuse me
now, I'll be going back to my work. If so be ye fall in the river or
anything, just you scream, Miss Marjorie, and I'll come and fish you
out."
"We don't fall in twice in one day," said Marjorie, with dignity, and the
two Quaker ladies trailed away across the lawn.
They went down into the orchard, to pay a visit to Breezy Inn. This was
Marjorie's tree-house which Uncle Steve had had built for her the year
before.
But the rope ladder was not there, so they could not go up, and they
wandered on, half hoping they might meet somebody who would really think
they were Quaker ladies. Crossing the orchard, they came out on one of
the main streets of the town, and saw not far away, the school which
Stella and Molly attended.
Marjorie had a sudden inspiration. "Let's go to the school," she said,
"and ask for Stella and Molly!"
"Only one of them," amended King; "which one?"
"Stella, then. We'll go to the front door, and we'll probably see the
janitor, and we'll ask him to call Stella Martin down."
"I think we'd better send for Molly."
"No, Molly would make such a racket. Stella's so much quieter, and I
don't want to make any trouble."
They reached the schoolhouse, which was a large brick building of three
or four stories. The front door was a rather impressive portal, and the
children went up the steps and rang the bell.
"You do the talking, King," said Marjorie. "You can make your voice sound
just like an old lady."
The janitor appeared in answer to their ring, and looked greatly amazed
to see two old Quaker ladies on the doorstep. The children kept their
heads down, and the large bonnets shaded their faces.
"We want to see Miss Stella Martin," said King, politely, and the clever
boy made his voice sound like that of an elderly lady.
"Yes'm," said the janitor, a little bewildered. "Will you come in?"
"No," said King, "we won't come in, thank you. Please ask Miss Stella
Martin to come down here. Her two aunts from Philadelphia want to see
her."
The janitor partly closed the door, and went upstairs to Stella's
classroom.
"We fooled him all right!" chuckled King, "but what do you suppose Stella
will say?"
"I don't know," said Midget, thoughtfully; "you never can tell what
Stella will do. She may think it's a great joke, and she may burst out
crying. She's such a funny girl."
In a moment Stella came down. The janitor was with her, and opened the
door for her. As she saw the two Quaker figures her face expressed only
blank bewilderment.
"Who are you?" she asked, bluntly. "I haven't any aunts in Philadelphia."
"Oh, yes, you have," said King, in his falsetto voice, "Don't you
remember your dear Aunt Effie and Aunt Lizzie?"
"No, I don't," declared Stella, and then as she showed signs of being
frightened, and perhaps crying, Marjorie came to the rescue.
She hated to explain the joke before the janitor, but he looked
good-natured, and after all it was only a joke. So she threw back her
head, and smiled at Stella, saying, "Then do you remember your Aunt
Marjorie Maynard?"
"Marjorie!" exclaimed Stella. "What are you doing in such funny clothes?
And who is this with you,--Kitty?"
"No," said King, "it's Kingdon. I'm Marjorie's brother, and we're out on
a little lark."
"How did you ever dare come here?" and Stella's startled gaze rested on
them, and then on the janitor.
The janitor was a good-natured man, but he felt that this performance was
not in keeping with school discipline, and he felt he ought to send the
children away at once. But Marjorie smiled at him so winningly that he
could not speak sternly to her.
"I guess you'd better run along now," he said; "the principal wouldn't
like it if he saw you."
"Yes, we're going now," said Marjorie, "but I just wanted to speak to
Stella a minute. We're going to have a party, Stella, and I want you to
come over this afternoon and tell us who to invite."
"All right," said Stella; "I'll come right after school. And now do go
away. If my teacher should see you she'd scold me."
"She'd have no right to," said King. "You couldn't help our coming."
"No, but I can help staying here and talking to you. Now I must go back
to my classroom."
"Skip along, then," said Marjorie, and then turning to the janitor, she
added, "and will you please ask Miss Molly Moss to come down."
"That I will not!" declared the man. "I've been pretty good to you two
kids, and now you'd better make a getaway, or I'll have to report to the
principal."
"Oh, we're going," said Marjorie, hastily; "and don't mention our call to
the principal, because it might make trouble for Stella, though I don't
see why it should."
"Well, I won't say anything about it," and the janitor smiled at them
kindly as he closed the door.
The pair went home chuckling, and when they reached the house it was
nearly lunch time. So they came to the table in their Quaker garb, and
created much merriment by pretending to be guests of the family.
Stella and Molly both came after school, and the list for the party
invitations was soon made out. Uncle Steve wrote the invitations, and
sent them to the mail, but he would not divulge any of his plans for the
party, and though Midget was impatient to know, she could get no idea of
what the plays or games were to be.
But it was not long to wait for the day of the party itself. The guests
were invited from three to six in the afternoon, and though the Maynards
knew some of them, there were a number of strangers among the company.
However, Stella and Molly knew them all, and it did not take long for the
Maynards to feel acquainted with them.
The first game was very amusing. Uncle Steve presented each child with a
Noah's Ark. These were of the toy variety usually seen, but they were all
empty.
"You must find animals for yourselves," said Uncle Steve, who was never
happier than when entertaining children. "They are hidden all about, in
the drawing-room, library, dining-room, and hall. You may not go
upstairs, or in the kitchen, but anywhere else in the house you may
search for animals to fill your arks. Now scamper and see who can get the
most."
The children scampered, and all agreed that hunting wild animals was a
great game. It was lots more fun than a peanut hunt, and they found
elephants, lions, and tigers tucked away behind window curtains and sofa
pillows, under tables and chairs, and even behind the pictures on the
walls.
There were so many animals that each one succeeded in filling his or her
ark, and after they had declared they could find no more, each child
was told to take the ark home as a souvenir of Marjorie's party.
"The next game," said Uncle Steve, as they all sat round, awaiting his
directions, "is out of doors, so perhaps you had better put on your
coats and hats."
"Oh, Uncle Steve," said Marjorie, "the air is so soft and warm, I'm sure
we don't need wraps."
"Yes, you do," said Uncle Steve; "this is a peculiar game, and you must
have your coats on."
So the children trooped upstairs, and soon returned garbed for outdoors,
and two by two they followed Uncle Steve in a long procession. Mr.
Maynard was with them, too, but Uncle Steve was general manager, and told
everybody what to do.
He led them across the lawns, down through the orchard, and then they
came to a large plot of soft, newly-dug earth. It was a sandy soil and
not at all muddy, and the children wondered what kind of a game could
take place in a ploughed field.
"It has just been discovered," Uncle Steve began, "that this field you
see before you is the place where Captain Kidd buried his treasures! For
many years the site was undiscovered, but documents have been found
recently, proving beyond all doubt that the greater part of his vast
treasure was concealed in this particular piece of ground. Of course, if
this were generally known, all sorts of companies and syndicates would be
formed to dig for it. But I have carefully kept it secret from the world
at large, because I wanted you children to be the first ones to dig for
it. Bring the spades, please, Carter, and let us set to work at once."
So Carter brought twenty small spades, and gave one to each child
present.
"Now," said Uncle Steve, "dig wherever you like, all over the field, and
when you find any buried treasure, dig it up, but if it is tied up in
a parcel, do not open it. Every one finding any treasure must bring it,
and put it in this wheelbarrow, and then, if you choose, you may go back
and dig for more."
This was indeed a novel game, and girls and boys alike began to dig with
enthusiasm.
Marjorie worked like mad. The dirt flew right and left, and she dug so
hard and fast that she almost blistered her palms.
"Slow and sure is a better rule, Midget," said her uncle, who was
watching her. "Look at Kitty, she has dug quite as much as you without
making any fuss about it."
"Oh, I _have_ to work fast, Uncle Steve, 'cause I'm having such a good
time! If I didn't fling this spade around hard, I couldn't express my
enjoyment; and oh, Uncle, I've struck a treasure!"
Sure enough, Marjorie's spade had come in contact with what seemed to be
a tin box. It was quite a large box and was strongly tied with lots of
cord, and on it was pasted a paper with the legend, "This treasure was
buried by Captain Kidd. It is of great value."
"It is a treasure, it is!" cried Marjorie, and eagerly she wielded her
spade to get the box free. At last she succeeded, and picking it up from
the dirt, carried it to the wheelbarrow.
Two or three other children also brought treasures they had found, and
this encouraged the others so that they dug deeper.
Shouts of glee rang out from one or another as more and more boxes of
treasure were unearthed, and the pile of boxes in the wheelbarrow grew
higher every moment. The boxes were of all shapes and sizes. They were
all carefully tied up with lots of string and paper, and they all bore
testimony in large printed letters that they had been buried by Captain
Kidd and his band of pirates. King unearthed a large box two or three
feet square, but very flat and shallow. He could not imagine what it
might contain, but he piled it on the wheelbarrow with the others.
After twenty pieces of treasure had been dug up, Uncle Steve declared
that they had emptied the field, and he led the children back to the
house. Carter followed with the wheelbarrow, and they all gathered in the
little enclosed porch that had been furnished especially for Marjorie the
summer before. With a whiskbroom, Carter brushed off any dirt still
clinging to the treasures, and piled them up on a table.
Then calling the children by name. Uncle Steve invited each one to select
a box of treasure for his or her very own. As it was impossible to judge
by the shape of the box what it contained, great merriment was caused by
the surprises which ensued.
The treasures were all dainty and pretty gifts; there were books, games,
toys, fancy boxes, and pretty souvenirs of many sorts. If a boy received
a gift appropriate for a girl, or _vice versa_, they made a happy
exchange, and everybody was more than satisfied.
After this, they were summoned to the dining-room for the feast, and a
merry feast it was. Eliza had used her best skill in the making of dainty
sandwiches and little cakes with pink and white icing. Then there were
jellies and fruits, and, best of all, in Kitty's eyes, most delightful
ice cream. It was in individual shapes, and each child had a duck, or a
chicken, or a flower, or a fruit beautifully modelled and daintily
colored.
The guests went away with a box of treasure under one arm and a Noah's
ark under the other, and they all declared, as they said good-bye, that
it was the nicest party they had ever seen, and they wished the Maynard
children lived at their Grandmother's all the year around.
CHAPTER XI
A CHANCE ACQUAINTANCE
All of the Maynards were sorry when the time came to leave Grandma
Sherwood's. But they had still three weeks of their trip before them, and
many places yet to be visited. Kitty was almost tempted to stay, since
she was coming back in June anyway, and she wasn't quite so fond of
travelling about as King and Midget were. But they would not hear of
this, and persuaded Kitty to go on the trip, and return to Grandma
Sherwood's later.
So on a fair, sunshiny May morning, the big car started once more on its
travels, with half a dozen Maynards packed in it. They were waving
good-byes, and calling back messages of farewell, and the car rolled
away, leaving Grandma and Uncle Steve watching them out of sight.
Their next destination was New York City, where they were to make a short
visit at Grandma Maynard's.
"Isn't it funny," Marjorie said, voicing the sentiment of many older
travellers, "that when you leave one place you sort of forget it,--and
your thoughts fly ahead to the next place you're going."
"It's so long since I've been at Grandma Maynard's," said Kitty, "and I
was so little when I was there, that I hardly remember it at all."
"It isn't half as much fun as Grandma Sherwood's," declared King, and
then Marjorie, afraid lest her father should feel hurt, added quickly,
"But it's very nice indeed, and Grandma and Grandpa Maynard are lovely.
The only reason we have more fun at Grandma Sherwood's is because we
don't have to be quite so careful of our manners and customs."
"Well, it won't hurt you, Midget," said her mother, "to have a little
experience in that line; and I do hope, children, you will behave
yourselves, and not go to cutting up any of your mischief or jinks."
"Kit will be our star exhibit," said King, "she'll have to do the manners
for the family."
"I'll do my share," said Kitty, taking him literally, "but unless you two
behave, I can't do it all. If you go to pulling hair-ribbons and neckties
off each other, Grandma Maynard will think you're Hottentots!"
"I will be good, dear Mother," said King, with such an angelic expression
on his face that Mrs. Maynard felt sure he was in a specially roguish
mood; and though she thought her children were the dearest in the world,
yet she knew they had a propensity for getting into mischief just when
she wanted them to act most decorously.
But she said no more, for very often special admonitions resulted in
special misbehavior.
They were spinning along a lovely country road, which ran across that
portion of New Jersey, and the children found much to interest them in
the scenes they passed. Mr. Maynard liked to travel rather slowly, and as
it neared noon they stopped at a hotel for luncheon. Here they stayed
for some time, and the children were delighted to find that there were
several other children living at the hotel, and they soon became
acquainted.
One girl, about Marjorie's age, named Ethel Sinclair, seemed an
especially nice child, and Mrs. Maynard was glad to have Marjorie play
with her.
She was sitting on the veranda embroidering, and this interested
Marjorie, for all the girls she knew of her own age liked to run and play
better than to sit and sew.
But when Ethel showed them her work, Kitty and Marjorie, and even King,
took an interest in looking at it. It was a large piece of white linen,
about a yard square, neatly hemstitched, and all over it were names of
people.
Ethel explained that she asked any one whom she chose to write an
autograph on the cloth in pencil, and then afterward she worked them very
carefully with red cotton, taking very small stitches that the names
might be clear and legible.
"But what's it for?" asked King, with a boy's ignorance of such matters.
"It's a teacloth," said Ethel, "to cover a tea table, you know."
"But you don't have afternoon tea, do you?" asked Marjorie, for Ethel,
like herself, was only twelve.
"No, but I'm going to use it for a tablecover in my bedroom, and perhaps
when I grow older I can use it for a teacloth."
Ethel was a prim-mannered child, and had apparently been brought up in a
conventional manner, but Marjorie liked her, and stayed talking with her,
while King and Kitty went off to explore the gardens.
"I wish I could make one," went on Marjorie to Ethel, "where did you get
the linen?"
"There's a little shop just down the road, and they have the squares
already hemstitched. It would be nice for you to make one, for you could
get so many names as you go on your trip."
"So I could; I'm going to ask mother if I may buy one. Will you go with
me, Ethel?"
Ethel went gladly, and when the girls showed the teacloth to Mrs.
Maynard, she approved of the whole plan, for she wanted Marjorie to
become more fond of her needle, and this work would be an incentive to
do so.
So she gave Marjorie the money for the purchase, and the two girls
trotted away to the little shop which was not far from the hotel.
Marjorie found a square just like Ethel's, and bought it with a decidedly
grownup feeling.
"I don't like to sew much," she confessed to Ethel, as they walked back.
"I've tried it a little, but I'd rather read or play."
"But this isn't like regular sewing, and it's such fun to see the names
grow right under your eyes. They're so much prettier after they're
worked in red than when they're just written in pencil."
"Wouldn't they be prettier still worked in white?" asked Marjorie.
"No; I saw one that way once, and the names don't show at all,--you can
hardly read them. Red is the best, and it doesn't fade when it's washed."
Marjorie had bought red cotton at the shop, and she showed her purchases
to her mother with great delight.
"They're fine," said Mrs. Maynard, approvingly. "Now why don't you ask
Ethel to write her name, and then you can always remember that hers was
the first one on the cloth."
"Oh, that will be lovely!" cried Marjorie. "Will you, Ethel?"
"Yes, indeed," and getting a pencil, Ethel wrote her name in a large,
plain, childish hand.
"You must always ask people to write rather large," she advised, "because
it's awfully hard to work the letters if they're too small."
Then Ethel lent Marjorie her needle and thimble so that she might do a
few stitches by way of practice.
But it was not so easy for Marjorie as for Ethel, and her stitches did
not look nearly so nice and neat. However, Mrs. Maynard said that she
felt sure Marjorie's work would improve after she had done more of it,
and she thanked Ethel for her assistance in the matter.
Then Ethel's mother appeared, and the two ladies were made acquainted,
and then it was luncheon time, and the Maynards all went to the
dining-room.
"I think the most fun of the whole trip is eating in restaurants," said
Kitty. "I just love to look around, and see different tables and
different people at them."
"It is fun," agreed King; "but I wouldn't want to live in a hotel all the
time. I think it's more fun to be at home."
"So do I," said Marjorie. "Somehow, in a hotel, you feel sort of stiff
and queer, and you never do at home."
"You needn't feel stiff and queer, Marjorie," said her father; "but
of course there is a certain conventional restraint about a public
dining-room that isn't necessary at home. I want you children to become
accustomed to restaurants, and learn how to act polite and reserved,
without being what Marjorie calls stiff and queer."
"Don't we act right, Father?" inquired Kitty, anxiously.
"Yes, you do very nicely, indeed. Your table manners are all right, and
the less you think about the subject the better. This trip will give you
a certain amount of experience, and anyway you have all your life to
learn in. But I will ask you, children, to be on your good behavior at
Grandma Maynard's. She is more difficult to please than Grandma Sherwood,
but I want her to think my children are the best and the best-behaved in
the whole world."
"How long shall we stay there, Father?" asked Marjorie.
"About three days. I'm sure you can exist that long without falling in
the water or cutting up any pranks in the house."
"Is there any water to fall in?" asked King.
"No, there isn't. I used that as a figure of speech. But I'm sure if you
try to be quiet and well-behaved children you can easily succeed."
"I'm sure we can," said Marjorie, heartily, and deep in her heart she
registered a vow that she would succeed this time.
After luncheon was over, Pompton brought the car around, and they started
off again. Marjorie bade Ethel good-bye with a feeling of regret that she
did not live nearer, so she might have her for a friend. But she had her
autograph as a souvenir, and she intended to work her tablecloth very
neatly, so it would look as good as Ethel's.
The afternoon ride was not a long one, and before four o'clock they came
in sight of the tall towers of the New York buildings.
The children had never approached the city in a motor car before, and
were enthusiastic over the view of it. Mr. Maynard pointed out the
different business buildings, some of which they already recognized. They
had to cross a downtown ferry, and soon they were speeding north through
the streets of crowded traffic.
As they neared Grandma Maynard's house in Fifth Avenue, Mrs. Maynard
looked over her brood carefully to see if they were in proper order for
presentation.
Except for slight evidences of travel, they all looked neat and tidy, and
the girls' pretty motor garb was becoming and correct. Rosy Posy as
usual, looked the pink of perfection, for the child had a knack of
keeping herself dainty and fresh even in difficult circumstances.
Satisfied with her inspection, Mrs. Maynard gave them final injunctions
to behave correctly, and then they reached the house.
The children had been there before, but they did not go often, and for
the last two years the elder Maynards had been travelling abroad. So they
felt almost like strangers as they entered the lofty and dimly lighted
hall, to which they were admitted by an imposing-looking footman in
livery.
Ushered into the reception room, the visitors found themselves in the
presence of their host and hostess.
Grandma and Grandpa Maynard were most worthy and estimable people; but
they were not very young, and they had lived all their lives in an
atmosphere of convention and formality. They did not realize that this
was different from the mode of living preferred by their son's family,
and indeed they were so accustomed to their own ways that it never
occurred to them that there were any others.
Mr. and Mrs. Maynard appreciated and understood all this, and accepted
the situation as it stood.
But the children, impressed by the admonitions of their parents, and
oppressed by the severe and rigid effects of the house, turned into quiet
little puppets, quite different from their usual merry selves.
Although the elder Maynards' greetings were formal, Mr. and Mrs. Maynard,
Jr., were cordial in their manner. Mr. Maynard shook his father heartily
by the hand, and kissed his mother tenderly, and Mrs. Maynard did the
same.
Marjorie endeavored to do exactly as her parents did, but as she began to
chatter to her grandfather, Grandma Maynard told her that children should
be seen and not heard, and bade her sit down on a sofa. The old lady had
no intention of hurting Marjorie's feelings, but she meant exactly what
she said, and it irritated her to hear a child chatter.
"And now," said Grandma Maynard, after the greetings were all over, "you
would like to go to your rooms, I'm sure, and make ready for tea."
Decorously the children filed upstairs and were put in charge of maids
who assisted them with their toilets.
Marjorie and Kitty were in the same room, but owing to the maids'
presence, they could make no comments.
As the trunks had been sent ahead, they had fresh frocks in plenty, and
soon, attired in stiff white kilted piqué, they went downstairs again.
Grandma Maynard nodded approval, and told them to sit down on the divan.
"Of course, you little girls don't drink tea," she said, as she seated
herself behind the elaborately appointed tea-tray which the butler had
brought in. "So I have milk for you."
This was entirely satisfactory, and as there were plenty of lovely little
cakes and dainty sandwiches, the children felt there was no fault to be
found with Grandma's hospitality, even though they were not allowed to
talk.
King adapted himself rather more easily than the girls to this order of
things, and he sat quietly in his chair, speaking only when he was spoken
to; and though Marjorie knew he was fairly aching to shout and race
around, yet he looked so demure that he almost made her laugh.
Not that she did! No, indeed, she knew better than that; but though she
tried very hard to appear at her ease, her nature was so sensitive to
mental atmosphere, that her cakes almost choked her.
Rosy Posy was perfectly at ease. The midget sat quietly, and accepted
with benign grace the milk and crackers fed to her by one of the maids.
But at last the tea hour was over and the Maynards discovered that virtue
is sometimes rewarded.
"You are most pleasant and amiable children," said Grandma Maynard,
looking judicially at the quartet, "and you certainly have very good
manners. I'm glad to see, Ed, that you have brought them up to be quiet
and sedate. I detest noisy children."
"Yes, you are sensible, and not annoying to have around," agreed Grandpa
Maynard, and the three older children smiled respectfully at the
compliment, but offered no reply.
"And now," went on Grandpa Maynard, "I think that you should be amused
for an hour. They don't sit up to dinner, of course, my dear?" he added,
turning to his wife.
"Yes, we do!" was on the tip of Marjorie's tongue, but she checked the
speech just in time, and said nothing.
"No, of course not," replied Grandma Maynard; "our dinner hour is eight,
and that is too late for children. Besides, I have invited some guests to
meet Ed and Helen. So the children will have supper in the small
breakfast-room at half-past six, and meantime, as you say, we must give
them some amusement."
King greatly wondered what these grandparents' idea of amusement would
be, but Marjorie and Kitty had so little hope that it would be anything
very enjoyable that they took little interest in it.
However, when it proved that the amusement was to be a ride in the park,
it sounded rather attractive.
CHAPTER XII
AT GRANDMA MAYNARD'S
The ride in the park, though conducted under rather formal conditions,
proved very enjoyable to the four young Maynards.
Grandpa Maynard's equipage was a Victoria with a span of fine horses. On
the high front seat sat the coachman and footman in livery, who looked
sufficiently dignified and responsible to take care of a merry flock of
children.
But, impressed by their surroundings, the children were not very merry,
and Marjorie sat decorously on the back seat with Rosy Posy beside her,
while King and Kitty sat facing them.
It was a lovely afternoon, and the park drives were crowded with vehicles
of all sorts. Marjorie secretly thought carriage driving rather tame
after motoring, but there was so much to look at that it was really
desirable to go rather slowly.
As they passed the lake, Parker, the footman, turned around, and asked
them if they would like to get out and see the swans.
They welcomed this opportunity, and the footman gravely assisted them
from the carriage. He selected a bench for them, and the four sat down
upon it without a word.
At last the funny side of the situation struck King, and as he looked at
his three demure sisters, he couldn't stand it another minute. "I'll race
you down to that big tree," he whispered to Marjorie, and like a flash
the two were off, with their; heels flying out behind them.
Parker was scandalized at this performance, but he said nothing, and only
looked at Kitty and Rosamond, still sitting demurely on the bench.
"They'll come back in a minute," said Kitty, and the footman answered
respectfully, "Yes, Miss."
"Did you ever see anything like it?" said King to Marjorie, as they
reached the big tree almost at the same time.
"It's awful funny," Midget returned, "but just for a day or two, I don't
mind it. It's such a new experience that it's rather fun. Only it's such
a temptation to shock Grandpa and Grandma Maynard. I feel like doing
something crazy just to see what they would do. But we promised not
to get into any mischief. Shall we go back now?"
"Might as well; if we stay much longer it will be mischief. I'll race you
back to the carriage."
Back they flew as fast as they had come, and when they reached the
others, their cheeks were glowing and their eyes sparkling with the
exercise.
The impassive footman made no comments, and in fact, he said nothing at
all, but stood like a statue with the carriage robe over his arm.
So Marjorie assumed command, and said quietly, "We will go back now,
Parker," and the man said, "Yes, ma'am," and touched his hat, quite as if
she had been Grandma Maynard herself.
But the very fact of being in a position of responsibility made Marjorie
more audacious, and as the man put them into the carriage, she said, "On
the way home, we will stop somewhere for soda water."
"Yes, ma'am," replied Parker, and he took his place on the box.
The others looked at Marjorie a little doubtfully, but greatly pleased at
the suggestion. And after all it certainly was not mischievous to get
soda water, a treat which they were often allowed at home.
They left the park, and drove down Fifth Avenue, and after a while the
carriage stopped in front of a large drug shop.
Parker assisted them from the carriage, and ushered them into the shop,
which had a well-appointed soda fountain. Then Parker proceeded to select
four seats for his charges, and after he had lifted Rosamond up on to her
stool, and the rest were seated, he said to Marjorie, "Will you give the
order, Miss Maynard?"
Feeling very grownup, Marjorie asked the others what flavors they would
like, and then she gave the order to the clerk. The footman stood behind
them, grave and impassive, and as there was a large mirror directly in
front of them, Marjorie could see him all the time. It struck her very
funny to see the four Maynards eating their ice cream soda, without
laughing or chatting, and with a statuesque footman in charge of them!
However, the Maynards' enjoyment of their favorite dainty was not
seriously marred by the conditions, and when at last they laid down their
spoons, Marjorie suddenly realized that she had no money with her to pay
for their treat.
"Have you any money, King?" she asked.
"Not a cent; I never dreamed of having any occasion to use it, and I
didn't bring any with me."
"What shall we do?" said Kitty, who foresaw an embarrassing situation.
"If you have finished, I will pay the check," said Parker, "and then, are
you ready to go home, Miss Maynard?"
"Yes, thank you," said Marjorie, delighted to be relieved from her
anxiety about the money.
So Parker paid the cashier, and then marshalled his charges out of the
shop, and in a moment they were once again on their way home.
"Pretty good soda water," said Marjorie.
"Yes; but you might as well drink it in church," said King, who was
beginning to tire of the atmosphere of restraint.
"I wish they did serve soda water in church," said Kitty; "it would be
very refreshing."
And then they were back again at Grandpa Maynard's, and were admitted
with more footmen and formality.
But Marjorie, with her adaptable nature, was beginning to get used to
conventional observances, and, followed by the other three, she entered
the drawing-room, and went straight to her Grandmother. "We had a very
pleasant drive, thank you," she said, and her pretty, graceful manner
brought a smile of approbation to her grandmother's face.
"I'm glad you did, my dear. Where did you go?"
"We drove in the park, and along the avenue," said King, uncertain
whether to mention the soda water episode or not.
But Marjorie's frankness impelled her to tell the story, "We stopped at a
drug shop, Grandma, on our way home, and had soda water," she said; "I
hope you don't mind."
"You stopped at a drug shop!" exclaimed Grandma Maynard. "You four
children alone!"
"We weren't alone," explained Marjorie "Parker went in with us, and he
paid for it. Wasn't it all right, Grandma?"
"No; children ought not to go in a shop without older people with them."
"But Parker is older than we are," said Kitty, who was of a literal
nature.
"Don't be impertinent, Kitty," said her grandmother. "I do not refer to
servants."
Now Kitty had not had the slightest intention of being impertinent, and
so the reproof seemed a little unfair.
Unable to control her indignation, when she saw Kitty's feelings were
hurt, Marjorie tried to justify her sister.
"Kitty didn't mean that for impertinence, Grandma Maynard," she said. "We
didn't know it wasn't right to go for soda water alone, for we always do
it at home. The only thing that bothered me was because I didn't have the
money to pay for it."
"The money is of no consequence, child; and I suppose you do not know
that in the city, children cannot do quite the same as where you live.
However, we will say no more about the matter."
This was a satisfactory termination of the subject, but Grandma's manner
was not pleasant, and the children felt decidedly uncomfortable.
Their own parents had listened to the discussion in silence, but now
their father said, "Don't be too hard on them, Mother; they didn't mean
to do anything wrong. And they are good children, if not very
conventional ones."
But Grandma Maynard only said, "We need not refer to the matter again,"
and then she told the children to go to their supper, which was ready
for them.
As the four sat down to a prettily-appointed table, they were not a happy
looking crowd. Rosamond was too young to understand what it was all
about, but she knew that the other three were depressed and that was a
very unusual state of things.
"I don't want any supper," began Kitty, but this speech was too much for
King. Kitty was very fond of good things to eat, and for her to lose her
appetite was comical indeed!
A pleasant-faced maid waited on them, and when Kitty saw the creamed
sweet-breads and fresh peas and asparagus, with delightful little tea
biscuits, her drooping spirits revived, and she quite forgot that Grandma
had spoken sharply to her.
"You're all right, Kit," said King, approvingly. "I was frightened when
you said you had lost your appetite, but I guess it was a false alarm."
"It was," said Kitty. "I do love sweet-breads."
"And there's custard pudding to come, Miss Kitty," said the maid, who
smiled kindly on the children. In fact, she smiled so kindly that they
all began to feel more cheerful, and soon were laughing and chatting
quite in their usual way.
"What is your name, please?" inquired Marjorie, and the maid answered,
"Perkins."
"Well, Perkins, do you know what we are to do to-morrow? Has Grandma made
any plans for us?"
"Oh, yes, Miss Marjorie; she made the plans some weeks ago, as soon as
she heard you were coming. She is giving a children's party for you
to-morrow afternoon."
"A children's party! How kind of her!" And Marjorie quite forgot
Grandma's disapproving remarks about the soda water escapade.
"Oh, I don't know," said King. "I expect a children's party here will be
rather grownuppish."
"Oh, no, Master King," said Perkins; "there are only children invited.
Young boys and girls of your own age. I'm sure it will be a very nice
party."
"I'm sure of it, too," said Marjorie, "and I think it was awfully good of
her, as we're to be here such a short time."
"Well, she needn't have said I was impertinent, when I wasn't," said
Kitty, who still felt aggrieved at the recollection.
"Oh, never mind that, Kit," said good-natured Marjorie. "As long as you
didn't mean to be, it doesn't really matter."
When the supper was over, Rosamond was sent to bed, and the other three
were allowed to sit in the library for an hour. The ladies were dressing
for dinner, but Grandpa Maynard came in and talked to them for a while.
At first they were all very grave and formal, but by a lucky chance, King
hit upon a subject that recalled Grandpa's boyish days, and the old
gentleman chuckled at the recollection.
"Tell us something about when you were a boy," said Marjorie. "I do
believe, Grandpa, you were fond of mischief!"
"I was!" and Grandpa Maynard smiled genially. "I believe I got into more
scrapes than any boy in school!"
"Then that's where we inherited it," said Marjorie. "I've often wondered
why we were so full of capers. Was Father mischievous when he was a boy?"
"Yes, he was. He used to drive his mother nearly crazy by the antics he
cut up. And he was always getting into danger. He would climb the highest
trees, and swim in the deepest pools; he was never satisfied to let any
other boy get ahead of him."
"That accounts for his being such a successful man," said King.
"Yes, perhaps it does, my boy. He was energetic and persistent and
ambitious, and those qualities have stood by him all his life."
"But, Grandpa," said Marjorie, who had suddenly begun to feel more
confidential with her grandfather, "why, then, do you and Grandma want us
children to be so sedate and poky and quiet and good? At home we're
awfully noisy, and here if we make a breath of noise we get reprimanded!"
"Well, you see, Marjorie, Grandma and I are not as young as we were, and
we're so unused now to having children about us, that I dare say we do
expect them to act like grown people. And, too, your grandmother is of a
very formal nature, and she requires correct behavior from everybody.
So I hope you will try your best while you're here not to annoy her."
"Indeed, we will try, Grandpa," said Marjorie. "I think she's very kind
to make a party for us to-morrow, and I'm sure we ought to behave
ourselves. But, Grandpa, you don't know what it is to have to sit so
stiff and still when you're accustomed to racing around and yelling."
"Yes, I suppose that is so; though I didn't know that you were noisy
children. Now I'll tell you what you can do. You can go up in the big
billiard room on the top floor of the house, and there you can make all
the noise you like. You can play games or tell stories or do whatever you
choose."
"Oh! that's lovely, Grandpa," and Marjorie threw her arms around his
neck. "And won't anybody hear us if we make an awful racket?"
"No, the room is too far distant. Now run along up there, and you can
have a pillow-fight if you want to. I believe that's what children
enjoy."
"Well, you come with us, Grandpa, and show us the way," said Kitty,
slipping her hand in his.
And with Marjorie on the other side, and King close behind, they all
went upstairs. The billiard room, though not now used for its original
purpose, was large and pleasant. There was not much furniture in it, but
a cushioned seat ran nearly all round the room with many pillows on it.
As soon as they were fairly in the room, Marjorie picked up a soft and
fluffy pillow, and tossed it at her grandfather, hitting him squarely in
the back of the neck.
The others were a little frightened at Marjorie's audacity, and Grandpa
Maynard himself was startled as the pillow hit him. But as he turned
and saw Marjorie's laughing face, he entered into the spirit of the game,
and in a moment pillows were flying among the four, and shouts of
merriment accompanied the fun.
Grandpa Maynard took off his glasses, and put them in his pocket for
safekeeping, and soon he was the merriest one of all.
But suddenly he recollected that it was time for him to attend to his own
duties as host.
"You young rascals," he said, "I don't know how you inveigled me into
this disgraceful performance! Here I am all dishevelled, and in a
few moments I must preside at dinner!"
"Oh, you're all right," said Marjorie, patting his necktie; "just brush
your hair over again, and put your glasses on, and you'll look fine. And
we're much obliged to you, Grandpa, for playing so jolly with us."
"Well, well; I'm surprised at myself! But remember this kind of play is
only to be indulged in when you're up here. When you're downstairs, you
must be polite and quiet-mannered, or else Grandma won't be pleased."
"All right," said Marjorie. "We promise we will," and all the others
agreed.
CHAPTER XIII
A CHILDREN'S PARTY
The next day the children tried very hard to be good. It was not easy,
for Grandma seemed especially punctilious, and reprimanded them for every
little thing. She told them of the party in the afternoon, and taught
them how to make curtseys to greet the guests.
"I know how to curtsey," said Marjorie. "I always do it at home, when
mother has callers. But I don't curtsey to children."
"Yes, you must," said Grandma. "I don't want my grandchildren behaving
like a lot of rustics."
This speech greatly offended Marjorie, and it was with difficulty that
she refrained from answering that they were not rustics. But she
controlled herself, and said that of course she would curtsey to the
young guests if Grandma wished her to.
"Now that's a little lady," said Grandma, approvingly, and Marjorie felt
glad that she hadn't given way to her irritation.
"What time is the party, Grandma?" asked Kitty.
"From four to six, Kitty; but you children must be dressed, and in the
drawing-room at quarter before four."
The day dragged along, as there was nothing especial to do and no way to
have any fun. Grandpa Maynard had gone out with their father, and though
the children went up in the billiard room they didn't feel just like
romping.
"I hate this house!" said King, unable to repress the truth any longer.
"So do I!" said Kitty. "If we stay here much longer, I'll run away."
This surprised the other two, for Kitty was usually mild and gentle, and
rarely gave way to such speech as this.
"It's Grandma Maynard that makes the trouble," said King. "She's so
pernickety and fussy about us. I'd behave a great deal better if she'd
let me alone. And Grandpa wouldn't bother about us if Grandma didn't make
him."
"I don't think you ought to talk like that, King," said Marjorie.
"Somehow, it doesn't seem right. It isn't respectful, and all that, and
it doesn't seem a nice thing to do."
"That's so, Mops; you're just right!" said King, taking the reproof in
good part, for he knew it was merited. "It's a whole lot worse to be
disrespectful about your grandpeople than to carry on and make a racket,
_I_ think."
"Yes, it is," said Marjorie, "and I say the rest of the time we're here,
let's try to do just right. Because it's only two or three days anyway.
I think we're going on day after to-morrow."
So they all agreed to try afresh to behave correctly, and on the whole
succeeded pretty well.
Promptly at quarter of four that afternoon they presented themselves in
the drawing-room for Grandma's inspection.
"You look very well," Grandma said, nodding her head approvingly at the
girls' frilly white dresses and King's correct clothes. "Now I trust
you'll behave as well as you look."
"What do you want us to do, Grandma?" asked Marjorie. "I mean to
entertain the boys and girls."
"Oh, nothing of that sort, child; the entertainment will be provided by a
professional entertainer. You have only to greet the guests properly,
and that is all you need do."
Marjorie did not know quite what a professional entertainer was, but it
sounded interesting, and she was quite sure she could manage to greet the
guests politely.
Although Marjorie's mother was in the room, she had little to say,
for Grandma Maynard was accustomed to dominate everything in her own
house. And as her ideas were not entirely in accord with those of her
daughter-in-law, the younger Mrs. Maynard thought it wise not to obtrude
her own opinions.
Promptly at four o'clock the children began to come. The Maynards stood
in a group at one end of the long room, and as each guest arrived, a
footman stationed at the doorway announced the name in a loud voice. Then
each little guest came and curtsied to the receiving party, and after a
few polite remarks, passed on, and was ushered to a seat by another
footman.
The seats were small, gilt chairs with red cushions, arranged all round
the wall, and there were about forty.
In a short time the guests were all in their places, and then the
Maynards were shown to their seats.
Then the professional entertainer arrived. She proved to be a pretty and
pleasant young lady, and she wore a light blue satin gown and a pink
rose in her hair.
First, she sang a song for them, and then she told a story, and then she
recited a poem.
Then she asked the children what they would like to have next. At first
no one responded, and then a little girl said, "Won't you sing us another
song, please. You sing so delightfully."
Marjorie looked in amazement at the child who talked in such grownup
fashion. But the entertaining lady did not seem to think it strange, and
she replied, "Yes, I will sing for you with pleasure."
So she sang another song, but though it was pretty music, Marjorie could
not understand the words, and she began to think that the programme
was rather tiresome.
The lady kept on telling stories and reciting poems, and singing, until
Marjorie almost had the fidgets. It seemed so unlike her notion of a
children's party, to sit still and listen to a programme all the
afternoon, and she grew cramped and tired, and longed for it to be over.
But the city children did not seem to feel that way at all. They sat very
demurely with their hands clasped, and their slippered feet crossed, and
applauded politely at the proper times. Marjorie glanced at King and
Kitty, and their answering glances proved that they felt exactly as she
did herself. However, all three were determined to do the right thing,
and so they sat still, and tried to look as if they were enjoying
themselves.
At half-past five the programme came to an end, and the children were
invited to go out into the dining-room for the feast.
The dining-room was transformed into a place of beauty. Small tables
accommodated six guests each, and at each place was a lovely basket of
flowers with a big bow of gauze ribbon on the handle. Each table had a
different color, and the flowers in the basket matched the ribbon bow.
Marjorie's basket was filled with pink sweet peas, while at another table
Kitty had lavender pansies, and King found himself in front of a basket
of yellow daisies.
The feast, as might have been expected at Grandma Maynard's, was
delicious, but the Maynard children could not enjoy it very much because
of their environment. They were not together, and each one being with
several strangers, felt it necessary to make polite conversation.
King tried to talk on some interesting subject to the little girl who sat
next him.
"Have you a flower garden?" he said.
"Oh, no, indeed; we live in the city, so we can't very well have a flower
garden."
"No, of course not," agreed King. "You see, we live in the country, so we
have lots of flowers."
"It must be dreadful to live in the country," commented the little girl,
with a look of scorn.
"It isn't dreadful at all," returned King; "and just now, in springtime,
it's lovely. The flowers are all coming out, and the birds are hopping
around, and the grass is getting green. What makes you say it's
dreadful?"
"Oh, I don't like the country," said the child, with a shrug of her
little shoulders. "The grass is wet, and there aren't any pavements, and
everything is so disagreeable."
"You're thinking of a farm; I don't mean that kind of country," and then
King remembered that he ought not to argue the question, but agree with
the little lady, so he said, "But of course if you don't like the
country, why you don't, that's all"
"Yes, that's all," said the little girl, and then the conversation
languished, for the children seemed to have no subjects in common.
At her table, Marjorie was having an equally difficult time. There was a
good-looking and pleasant-faced boy sitting next to her, so she said,
"Do you have a club?"
"Oh, no," returned the boy; "my father belongs to clubs, but I'm too
young."
"But I don't mean that kind," explained Marjorie; "I mean a club just for
fun. We have a Jinks Club,--we cut up jinks, you know."
"How curious!" said the boy. "What are jinks?"
Marjorie thought the boy rather silly not to know what jinks were, for
she thought any one with common sense ought to know that, but she said,
"Why, jinks are capers,--mischief,--any kind of cutting up."
"And you have a club for that?" exclaimed the boy, politely surprised.
"Yes, we do," said Marjorie, determined to stand up for her own club.
"And we have lovely times. We do cut up jinks, but we try to make them
good jinks, and we play all over the house, and out of doors, and
everywhere."
"It must be great fun," said the boy, but he said it in such an
uninterested tone that Marjorie gave up talking to him, and turned her
attention to the neighbor on her other side.
When the supper was over, the young guests all took their leave. Again
the Maynards stood in a group to receive the good-byes, and every child
expressed thanks for the afternoon's pleasure in a formal phrase, and
curtsied, and went away.
When they had all gone, the Maynard children looked at each other,
wondering what to do next.
"You may go up to the billiard room and play, if you like," said Grandma,
benignly. "You will not want any other supper to-night, I'm sure; so you
may play up there until bedtime."
Rosy Posy was carried away by the nurse, but the three other children
started for the billiard room. Marjorie, however, turned back to say,
"We all thank you, Grandma Maynard, for the party you gave us."
Kitty and King murmured some sort of phrase that meant about the same
thing, but as they had not enjoyed the party at all they didn't make
their thanks very effusive, and then the three walked decorously
upstairs. But once inside the billiard room, with the door shut, they
expressed their opinions.
"That was a high old party, wasn't it?" said King.
"The very worst ever!" declared Kitty. "I never got so tired of anything
in my life, as I did listening to that entertaining person, or whatever
they call her."
"It _was_ an awful poky party," said Marjorie, "but I think we ought to
give Grandma credit for meaning to give us pleasure. Of course she's
used to children who act like that, and she couldn't even imagine the
kind of parties we have at home, where we frolic around and have a good
time. So I say don't let's jump on her party, but remember that she did
it for us, and she did it the best she knew how."
"You're a good sort, Mopsy," said King, looking at his sister
affectionately. "What you say is all right, and it goes. Now let's cut
out that party and try to forget it."
There were some quiet games provided for the children, and so they played
parcheesi and authors until bedtime, for though the billiard room was
hardly within hearing of their grandparents, yet they did not feel like
playing romping games.
"I don't think I shall ever holler again," said King. "I'm getting so
accustomed to holding my breath for fear I'll make too much noise that
I'll probably always do so after this."
"No, you won't," said practical Kitty. "As soon as you get away from
Grandma Maynard's house you'll yell like a wild Indian."
"I expect I will," agreed King. "Come on, let's play Indians now."
"Nope," said Marjorie; "we'd get too noisy, and make mischief. I'm going
to bed; I'm awfully tired."
"So'm I," said Kitty. "Parties like that are enough to wear anybody out!"
They all went downstairs to their bedrooms, but as Marjorie passed the
door of her grandmother's room, she paused and looked in.
"May I come in, Grandma?" she said. "I do love to see you in your
beautiful clothes. You look just lovely."
Marjorie's compliment was very sincere, for she greatly admired her
grandmother, and in spite of her formality, and even severity, Marjorie
had a good deal of affection for her.
The maid was just putting the finishing touches to Mrs. Maynard's
costume, and as she stood; robed in mauve satin, with sparkling diamond
ornaments, she made a handsome picture. Mrs. Maynard was a beautiful
woman, and exceedingly young-looking for her age. There was scarcely a
thread of gray in her dark brown hair, and the natural roses still
bloomed on her soft cheeks.
Marjorie had not seen her grandmother before in full evening attire, and
she walked round, gazing at her admiringly.
"I don't wonder my father is such a handsome man," she said. "He looks
ever so much like you."
Grandma Maynard was pleased at this naïve compliment, for she knew
Marjorie was straightforward and sincere. She smiled at her little
granddaughter, saying, "I'm glad you're pleased with your family's
personal appearance, and I think some day you will grow up to be a pretty
young lady yourself; but you must try to remember that handsome is as
handsome does."
Marjorie's adaptable nature quickly took color from her surroundings and
influences, and gazing at her refined and dignified grandmother, she said
earnestly, "When I grow up, Grandma, I hope I'll look just like you, and
I hope I'll behave just like you. I _am_ rather a naughty little girl;
but you see I was born just chock-full of mischief, and I can't seem to
get over it."
"You are full of mischief, Marjorie, but I think you will outgrow it.
Why, if you lived with me, I believe you'd turn my hair white in a single
night."
"That would be a pity, Grandma," and Marjorie smiled at the carefully
waved brown locks which crowned her grandma's forehead.
"Now I'm going down to dinner, Marjorie,--we have guests coming. But if
you like, you may amuse yourself for a little while looking round this
room. In that treasure cabinet are many pretty curios, and I know I can
trust you to be careful of my things."
"Thank you, Grandma; I will look about here for a little while, and
indeed I will be careful not to harm anything."
So Grandma's satin gown rustled daintily down the stairs, and Marjorie
was left alone in her beautifully appointed bedroom.
She opened the treasure cabinet, and spent a pleasant half hour looking
over the pretty things it contained. She was a careful child, and touched
the things daintily, putting each back in its right place after she
examined it.
Then she locked the glass doors of the cabinet, and walked leisurely
about the room, looking at the pretty furnishings. The dainty toilet
table interested her especialty, and she admired its various
appointments, some of which she did not even know the use of. One
beautiful carved silver affair she investigated curiously, when she
discovered it was a powder box, which shook out scented powder from a
perforated top. Marjorie amused herself, shaking some powder on her hand,
and flicking it on her rosy cheeks. It was a fascinating little affair,
for it worked by an unusual sort of a spring, and Marjorie liked to play
with it.
She wandered about the room with the powder-box still in her hand, and as
she paused a moment at Grandma's bedside, a brilliant idea came to her.
The bed had been arranged for the night. The maid had laid aside the
elaborate lace coverlet and pillow covers, had deftly turned back the bed
clothing in correct fashion, and had put Grandma's night pillow in place.
For some reason, as Marjorie looked at the pillow, there flashed across
her mind what Grandma had said about her hair turning white in a single
night, and acting on a sudden impulse, Marjorie shook powder from the
silver box all over Grandma's pillow. Then chuckling to herself, she
replaced the powder-box on the dressing table, and went to her own room.
CHAPTER XIV
A MERRY JOKE
The next morning, while Marjorie was dressing, she heard a great
commotion in the halls. Peeping out her door she saw maids running hither
and thither with anxious, worried faces. She heard her grandmother's
voice in troubled accents, and Grandfather seemed to be trying to soothe
her.
Naughty Marjorie well knew what it was all about, and chuckled with glee
as she finished dressing, and went down to breakfast.
She found the family assembled in the breakfast room, and Grandma Maynard
telling the story. "Yes," she said, "I knew perfectly well that to have
these children in the house, with their noise and racket, would so get on
my nerves that it would turn my hair white, and it has done so!"
Marjorie looked at Grandma Maynard's hair, and though not entirely
white, it was evenly gray all over. As she had laid her head on her
plentifully-powdered pillow, and perhaps restlessly moved it about, the
powder had distributed itself pretty evenly, and the result was a head of
gray hair instead of the rich brown tresses of the night before.
Her son and daughter-in-law could not believe that this effect was caused
by the disturbance made by their own children; but far less did they
suspect the truth of the matter. Whatever opinions the various members of
the family held as to the cause of the phenomenon, not one of them
suspected Marjorie's hand in the matter.
As for Midget herself, she was convulsed with glee, although she did not
show it. Never had she played a joke which had turned out so amazingly
well, and the very fact that neither Kitty nor King knew anything about
it lessened the danger of detection.
"It seems incredible," Grandma went on, "that this thing should really
happen to me, for I've so often feared it might; and then to think it
should come because the visit of my own grandchildren was so upsetting to
my nerves!"
"Nonsense, Mother," said her son, "it couldn't have been that! It isn't
possible that the children, no matter how much they carried on, would
have any such effect as that!"
"You may say so, Ed; but look at the effect, and then judge for yourself;
what is your explanation of this disaster that has come to me?"
"I don't know, I'm sure, Mother,--but it couldn't be what you suggest.
I've heard of such an accident happening to people, but I never believed
it before. Now I'm forced to admit it must be true. What do you think,
Helen?"
Mrs. Maynard looked thoughtful. "I don't know," she said slowly, "but it
must be the symptom of some disease or illness that has suddenly attacked
Mother Maynard."
"But I'm perfectly well," declared the older lady; "and a thing like this
doesn't happen without some reason; and there's no reason for it, except
some great mental disturbance, and I've had nothing of that sort except
the visit of these children! Ed, you'll have to take them away."
"I think I shall have to," said Mr. Maynard, gravely. It was a great
trial to him that his parents could not look more leniently upon his
children. He had rarely brought them to visit their grandparents, because
it always made his mother nervous and irritable. But it was too absurd to
think that such nervousness and irritation could cause her brown hair to
turn almost white, a proceeding which he had always thought was a mere
figure of speech anyway.
Breakfast proceeded in an uncomfortable silence. It was useless to try to
console Grandma Maynard, or to make her think that the gray hair was
becoming to her. Indeed, everything that was said only made her more
disconsolate about the fate which had overtaken her, and more annoyed at
the children, whom she considered to blame.
At last, sharp-eyed, practical Kitty volunteered the solution. She had
sat for some time watching her grandmother, and at last she felt sure
that she saw grains of powder fall from the gray hair to the shoulder of
Grandma's gown. When she was fully convinced that this was the case, she
looked straight at the victim of misfortune and said, "Grandma, I think
you are playing a trick on us. I think you have powdered your hair, and
you are only pretending it has turned gray."
"What do you mean, Kitty, child?" said her father, in amazement, for it
almost seemed as if Kitty were rebuking her grandmother.
"Why, just look, Father! There is powder shaking down on Grandma's
shoulder."
"Nonsense!" cried Grandma, angrily. "I'd be likely to do a thing like
that, wouldn't I, Miss Kitty? And indeed, if it _were_ powder, and could
be brushed out, and leave my hair its natural color, I should be only too
grateful!"
This was Marjorie's chance. She loved to make a sensation, and laying
down her knife and fork, she said, quietly, "Kitty is right, Grandma; it
_is_ nothing but powder, and I put it there myself."
"What!" exclaimed Grandma. "Do you mean to say, Marjorie, that you
powdered my hair? How did you do it? Oh, child, if you are telling me the
truth, if it is really only powder, I shall be so relieved that I will
make you a handsome present!"
This was a new turn of affairs, indeed! Marjorie had had misgivings as to
the results of her practical joke, but it had seemed to her merely a
harmless jest, and she had hoped that it might be taken lightly. But when
Grandma expressed such consternation at her whitened hair, Marjorie had
been shaking in her shoes, lest she should be punished, rather than
laughed at for her trick. And now to be offered a beautiful present was
astonishing, truly! The ways of grownups were surely not to be counted
upon!
With lightened spirits, then, and with sparkling eyes, Marjorie completed
her confession. "Yes," she went on, "after you said last night that you
b'lieved us children could turn your hair white in a single night, I
thought I'd make believe we did. So,--and you know, Grandma, you told me
I could stay around in your room for a while, and look at your pretty
things,--so, when I saw that queer sort of a powder-shaker I couldn't
help playing with it. And then when I saw your bed all fixed so nice for
the night, I thought it would be fun to powder your pillow. I've heard
of people doing it before. I didn't make it up myself. So I shook the
powder all over your pillow, and then of course you put your head on it,
and of course it made your hair white."
Marjorie's parents looked aghast, for to them it seemed as if she had
simply played a practical joke on her grandmother, and one not easily
forgiven, but Grandpa Maynard expressed himself in a series of chuckles.
"Chip of the old block," he said. "Chip of the old block! Just what you
would have done, Ed, when you were a boy, if you had thought of it!
Marjorie, practical jokes run in the family, and you can't help your
propensity for them! I don't approve of them, mind you, I don't approve
of them, but once in a while when one works out so perfectly, I can't
help enjoying it. What do you say, Mother?"
He turned to his wife, and to the surprise of all, she was beaming with
joy. It was not so much her enjoyment of the joke as her relief at
finding that her hair had not turned gray, and could easily be restored
to its beautiful brown.
"I'm quite sure I ought to be annoyed," she said, smiling at Marjorie.
"I'm almost certain I ought to be very angry, and I know you ought to be
punished. But none of these things are going to happen. I'm so glad that
it is only a joke that I forgive the little jokemaker, and as I promised,
I will give you a present as an expression of my gratitude."
And so the breakfast ended amid general hilarity, and afterward Grandma
took Marjorie up to her own room, and they had a little quiet talk.
"I don't want you to misunderstand me, dear," she said, "for practical
jokes are not liked by most people, and they're not a nice amusement for
a little girl. But, I'm afraid, Marjorie, that I have been too harsh and
stern with you, and so I think we can even things up this way. I will
pass over the rudeness and impertinence of your deed, if you will promise
me not to make a practice of such jokes throughout your life. Or at
least, we will say, on older people. I suppose a good-natured joke on
your schoolfellows now and then does no real harm; but I want you to
promise me never again to play such a trick on your elders."
"I do promise, Grandma; and I want to tell you that your kindness to me
makes me feel more ashamed of my naughty trick than if you had punished
me. You see, Grandma, I do these things without thinking,--I mean without
thinking hard enough. When the notion flies into my head it seems so
funny that I just _have_ to go on and do it! But I _am_ trying to
improve, and I don't cut up as many jinks as I used to."
"That's a good girl. Marjorie, I believe you'll make a fine woman, and I
wish I could have the training of you. How would you like to come and
live with me?"
"That's funny, Grandma," said Midget, laughing, "after all you've said
about your not wanting us children in the house."
"I know it; and I can't stand the whole lot of you at once, but I really
do believe, Marjorie, that I'll take you and bring you up. I shall
speak to your father and mother about it at once."
"Oh, Grandma, don't!" And Marjorie clasped her hands, with a look of
horror on her face. "_Don't_ ask me to leave Mother and Father! And
King, and Kitty, and the baby! Why, Grandma, I _couldn't_ do it, any more
than I could fly!"
"Why not? You don't realize all I could do for you. We live much more
handsomely than you do at home, and I would give you everything you
wanted."
"But, Grandma, all those things wouldn't make any difference if I had to
leave my dear people! Why, do you really s'pose I'd even _think_ of such
a thing! Why, I couldn't _live_ without my own father and mother! I love
you and Grandpa, and since you've been so kind and forgiving this
morning, I love you a lot more than I did; but, my goodness, gracious,
sakes, I'd never live with anybody but my own special particular bunch of
Maynards!"
"It's a question you can't decide for yourself, child. I shall speak to
your parents about it, and they will appreciate better than you do the
advantages it would mean for you to follow out my plan. Now I will give
you the present I promised you, and I think it will be this very same
silver powder-box. You probably do not use powder, but it is a pretty
ornament to set on your dressing table, and I want you to let it remind
you of your promise not to play practical jokes."
"Oh, thank you, Grandma," said Marjorie, as she took the pretty trinket;
"I'm glad to have it, because it is so pretty. And I will remember my
promise, and somehow I feel sure I'm going to keep it."
"I think you will, dear, and now you may run away for the present, as I
am going to be busy."
Marjorie found King and Kitty in the billiard room, waiting for her.
"Well, you are the limit!" exclaimed King. "How did you ever dare cut up
that trick, Mops? You got out of it pretty lucky, but I trembled in my
boots at first. I don't see how you dared play a joke on Grandma Maynard
of all people!"
"Why didn't you tell us about it?" asked Kitty. "Oh, did she give you
that lovely powder-box?"
"Yes," laughed Marjorie, "as a reward for being naughty! And she's going
to reward me further. What do you think? She's going to take me to live
with her!"
"What!" cried King and Kitty, in the same breath. And then King grasped
Marjorie by the arm. "You shan't go!" he cried. "I won't let you!"
"I won't either!" cried Kitty, grasping her other arm. "Why, Mops, we
simply couldn't live without you!"
"I know it, you old goosey! And I couldn't live without you! The idea! As
if any of us four Maynards could get along without any of each other!"
"I just guess we couldn't!" exclaimed King, and then as far as the
children were concerned, the subject was dropped.
CHAPTER XV
A RIDE IN MAY
At the breakfast table, the next morning, Grandma Maynard announced her
intention of keeping her oldest grandchild with her as her own.
Marjorie's mother looked up with a frightened glance at this declaration,
and she turned her face appealingly toward her husband. But when she
saw the twinkle in his eye, she knew at once there was not the slightest
danger of her losing her oldest daughter in this way.
But, apparently by way of a joke, Mr. Maynard saw fit to pretend to
approve of his mother's plan.
"Why, Mother," he said, "wouldn't that be fine! This big house needs a
young person in it, and as we have four, we ought to be able to spare
one. You'll have grand times, Midget, living here, won't you?"
If Marjorie had not been so overcome at the very thought of leaving her
own family, she would have realized that her father was only joking; but
she had been so truly afraid that her grandmother's wishes might possibly
be granted that she couldn't realize her father's intent.
"Oh, Father!" she cried, with a perfect wail of woe; and then, jumping
from her seat at the table, she ran to her mother's side, and flung
herself into her arms, where she gave way to one of her tumultuous crying
spells.
Poor little Marjorie was not greatly to blame. She had lain awake the
night before, fearing that this thing might happen, and so was in no mood
to appreciate a jest on the subject.
Unwilling to have such a commotion at the breakfast table, Mrs. Maynard
rose, and with her arm round the sobbing child, drew her away to an
adjoining room, where she reassured her fears, and told her that her
father did not at all mean what he had said.
"Now, you see, Mother," Mr. Maynard went on, "how Midget feels about the
matter. Well, my feelings are exactly the same, only I choose a different
mode of expression. I'm sorry the child is so upset because I jokingly
agreed to the plan, but she'll get over it in a few minutes, with her
mother's help. And as you must know, Mother, we appreciate how fine it
would be for Marjorie to live here, and be the petted darling of you two
dear people, but you must also know that it is just as much out of the
question for us to give you one of our children as it would be to give
you the whole four!"
"That's a gift I wouldn't care for," said Grandma Maynard, smiling at the
other three; "but I have taken a great fancy to Marjorie, and I know I
could make her love me."
At this moment Marjorie and her mother returned, both with smiling, happy
faces. Marjorie heard her grandmother's last words, and running to her,
she threw her arms around the old lady's neck.
"I do love you, Grandma," she cried, "but of course you must know that I
couldn't leave my own Maynards. Why, we're the 'votedest family you ever
did see! We couldn't spare any one of each other! And, Grandma, when you
were a little girl twelve years old, you wouldn't have gone away from
your father and mother to live, would you?"
"No, Marjorie, I don't suppose I would," admitted Grandma Maynard,
patting the little girl's cheek; "but perhaps when you're older, dear,
you may change your mind about this."
Marjorie looked thoughtful a moment, and then she said, "Grandma, I don't
truly think I will, but if I _should_ I'll let you know."
"I hadn't an idea the child would come to live with us," said Grandpa
Maynard, "but how's this for a suggestion? Let her come to visit us for a
time every year. I believe she makes long visits to her other
grandmother."
Marjorie smiled involuntarily at the thought of the difference between
the homes of the two grandmothers, but she said nothing, knowing from
what her mother had told her that she would not be sent away from home
unless she chose.
"Oh, Midget doesn't visit Grandma Sherwood every year," said Marjorie's
father. "She only goes there once in four years. So to even matters up,
suppose we let Marjorie come here and make a little visit next winter,
with the understanding that if she gets homesick, she's to be sent home
at once."
Everybody agreed to this, and though Marjorie felt a positive conviction
that she would get homesick about the second day, yet Grandma Maynard
made a silent resolve that she would make everything so attractive to
Marjorie that the visit would be a long one.
So the matter was settled for the present, and if King and Kitty felt a
little chagrined at Grandma Maynard's preference for Marjorie's company
over their own, they said nothing about it.
* * * * *
That same afternoon, directly after luncheon, the Maynard family started
once more on their automobile trip.
As the big car drew up in front of the house, the children saw it with
joy, but they did not express their feelings, as that would not be polite
to their grandparents.
But they were secretly delighted to see the big car again, with Pompton,
whom they had not seen since they had been in New York, in his seat
waiting for them.
Then good-byes were said, and Grandma affectionately reminded Marjorie
that she was to visit her in the winter, and then in a few moments the
motor party was speeding away.
They were scarcely a block from the house before the children began to
express their relief at being released from the uncongenial atmosphere of
their grandparents' home.
"I do declare," said King. "It was just like being in jail!"
"Have you ever been in jail?" asked Kitty, who was nothing if not
literal.
"Well, no," returned her brother, "and I hope I never shall be after this
experience. Grandpa and Grandma Maynard are the limit! If I had stayed
there another day, I should have run away!"
Mr. Maynard, who was sitting in front with Pompton, turned round to the
children.
"My dear little Maynards," he said, "unless you want to hurt your
father's feelings very badly indeed, you will stop this severe criticism
of your grandparents. You must remember that they are my father and
mother, and that I love them very dearly, and I want you to do the same.
If their ways don't suit you, remember that children should not criticise
their elders, and say nothing about them. If there is anything about
them that you do like, comment on that, but remain silent as to the
things that displeased you."
The Maynard children well knew that when their father talked seriously
like this, it was intended as a grave reproof, and they always took it
so.
"Father," said King, manfully, "I was wrong to speak as I did, and I'm
sorry, and I won't do it again. We didn't any of us like to be at Grandma
Maynard's, but I was the only one who spoke so disrespectfully. Midge and
Kitty were awfully nice about it."
"No, we weren't," confessed Kitty. "At least, I wasn't. Midget said lots
of times that we oughtn't to be disrespectful, but I guess I was. But,
you see, Father, it was awfully hard to please those people."
"We didn't understand them," said Marjorie, thoughtfully. "When I tried
to be good I got scolded, and when I cut up jinks they gave me a present
for it! Who could know what to do in a house like that?"
Mr. Maynard smiled in spite of himself.
"I think you've struck it. Midget," he said. "Grandma and Grandpa Maynard
_are_ a little inconsistent, and don't always know exactly what they do
want. But that is largely because they are not very young, and they live
alone, and are all unused to the vagaries of children. But these facts
are to be accepted, not criticised, and I want you to remember, once for
all, that you're not to say anything further disrespectful or unkind
about your grandparents. And I think I know you well enough to know that
you'll understand and obey these instructions without any more scolding
on my part."
"We will, Fathery," said Midget, pounding on his arm with her little
fists, by way of affectionate emphasis.
"Yes, we will!" agreed King, heartily. "And so now let's cut it out and
have a good time."
And have a good time they did. Swiftly traversing the upper part of New
York City, they continued along delightful roads; sometimes passing
through towns, sometimes getting views of the shining waters of Long
Island Sound, and sometimes travelling through the green, open country.
Partly because of the repression of the past few days, and partly because
of the exhilaration of the fresh spring air and the fast speeding motor,
the four young Maynards were in a state of hilarity. They sang and they
shouted and they laughed, and often they would grab each other with
affectionate squeezes from sheer joy of living.
"I guess we couldn't let old Mopsy go out of this bunch!" exclaimed King,
as with a clever agility he pulled off both Midget's hair-ribbons at
once.
This called for retaliation, and in a flash, Marjorie tweaked off his
necktie.
Nobody knew exactly the particular fun in this performance, for it only
meant an immediate readjustment of the same ribbons, but it was a
frequent occurrence, and usually passed unnoticed.
"And old Mopsy couldn't stay away from this bunch, either," returned
Marjorie, in response to her brother's remark. "Why, if I just tried it,
I'm sure it would kill me!"
"I'm sure so, too," agreed Kitty. "We just have to have each other all
the time, _we_ do! Oh, Mops, there are some marshmallows; mayn't we get
some, Mother?"
Sure enough, the big pink blooms showed on the marshmallow bushes, and in
a minute the children had scrambled out to get some.
It was a muddy performance, for marshmallows have a way of growing in
very swampy places, but the little Maynards didn't mind that, or at
least, they didn't stop to think whether they did or not. Splash and
paddle they went into the mud, but they succeeded in getting several of
the beautiful flowers, and returned with them in triumph.
"Those are fine specimens," said Mr. Maynard, "but I can't possibly let
those six muddy shoes get into this car that Pompton keeps so beautifully
clean! Would you mind walking on to New Haven?"
The three looked at their shoes, and discovered that they were simply
loaded with mud. Even when wiped of
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