"All day upon the hillsWe've chased the chamois far,But deeper joy now thrillsBeneath the evening star."
The youth sang gaily, and several of his friends joined him in singing the old song.
Arrived at the summit they rested, enjoyed the view, laughed and joked about their weariness, and made many wild guesses as to how long it would take them to make the descent and drive back to the hotel.
"It will be three o'clock before we reach the Cleverton," said one.
"Nonsense!" cried another, "this is really called a mountain by courtesy. It'sonly a big hill. I say we shall be on the piazza, and wondering what we can do next, as early as half-past two."
"It's more likely to be half-pastthree!" declared another, and when all felt sufficiently rested, they commenced the descent.
Floretta refused to keep closely beside her mother, insisting upon clinging to another member of the party, to whom she had taken a fancy.
The party was a large one, much larger, indeed, than had at first been planned, and while half of the number were guests at the Cleverton, the others were from the Merlington, a hotel situated nearer the village, and from several large farmhouses that entertained summer boarders.
The guests from the Cleverton had kept closely together during the trip, while those from the Merlington had done the same.
They had reached the foot of the mountain, and were tramping along a path that ran nearly parallel to that on which the hermit's house stood.
Floretta saw the boys, near the house, and also saw that Jack Tiverton was with them.
Without a word, she left the lady to whose arm she had been clinging, and making her way along behind bushes and underbrush, she managed to sneak in at the door of the hut, without having been seen by the party of boys.
The lady, with whom she had been walking, supposed that she had run back to join her mother, while Mrs. Paxton felt quite undisturbed, because she believed that her little girl was still clinging to the arm of the lady with whom she had chosen to walk.
It had required two barges to convey the party, and now they found them waiting, the horses a bit impatient to be off.
The guests from the Merlington clambered into the first barge, and they with a few of the farmhouse party filled it to overflowing, some of the men being obliged to ride homeward, seated upon the steps. Meanwhile the Cleverton people were forced to wait until the barge for their party drove up.
The first barge had started, and was rolling along, and a chorus of college songs was wafted back on the breeze, while handkerchiefs fluttered as the gay passengers laughed at the crowd that had not yet started.
Mrs. Paxton paused with her foot on the step, and looked back.
"Why, where's Floretta?" she asked.
"In the first barge," cried a voice in reply.
"Are yousure?" she asked.
"Why, certainly," said the other, "she's with that tall, fine-looking lady from the Merlington. She'll be home before you are."
The second barge was soon filled and on its way. The horses were less fresh than those of the first barge, and seemed determined to lag. Indeed, they required constant urging to keep them from dropping into a slow walk.
"Those other fellows ahead of us started some lively college songs," said a disgusted passenger, "and they're actually out of sight now; but the way these nags are poking I couldn't think of anything to sing that would be slow enough to be appropriate."
And while one barge was going over the road at a lively rate of speed, and the other jogging along at a snail's pace, Floretta, at the hut, was having a most exciting time.
Once inside the place, she had crouched beneath a window to learn, if possible, what the boys were talking about.
She had wanted to remain there when the party had started for the mountain path, and she had been very impatient during the long tramp. She cared nothing for the view, and determined, on the return, to stop, if only for a few moments, at the hut.
FLORETTA had intended to hunt for treasure, hoping to get something more valuable than the brass button that her mother had found.
She was not at all afraid of Jack Tiverton, but of those larger boys she was not quite sure.
As she knelt beneath the window she could hear only the voices of the boys that were nearest to the hut, and hearing only parts of their conversation, she could not understand what the first speaker expected to find.
"If I find it, I'll put it where it will be safe," he said.
There was a pause, and then a voice more distant replied.
She did not hear what it said, but she did hear the answer made by the boy who had first spoken.
"If the ghost of the old hermit was in the hut, it might hear you."
"Yes, and what would he say about your hunting for things that may have belonged to him?" said another, with a teasing laugh.
"Oh, I'm not afraid," was the careless answer.
"You're not?" jeered a laughing voice.
"I think we've poked around out here long enough without finding anything," said Jack Tiverton, "let's hunt inside the house."
"Wait a minute," called a boy who hadnot yet spoken, "just till I've looked into this hollow tree trunk."
"Andthenwhat?" asked a merry voice.
"Thenhunt in the house, of course!" was the curt reply.
Floretta thought she saw a chance for fun.
Softly, yet quickly, she crept up the rickety little stairway, built close against the wall, and leading to the tiny loft.
The loft was really little more than a space beneath the roof where the old hermit might have stored a few provisions. She could not stand, or even sit, erect, and she crouched upon the bit of dusty flooring.
She was none too soon, for in a few seconds the boys rushed in, and then began a discussion as to whether it would be safe to take a plank up from the floor to look beneath it for hidden treasure.
"You oughtn't to do that," said Jack Tiverton, "somebody might arrest you, or all of us, if folks found out we did it."
"Arrest us for spoiling a floor in this old hut!" cried an older boy. "I wonder you don't think the old hermit might holler if he heard us pull up a plank!"
"Well," said Jack stoutly, "you'd be as scared as I would if he did holler!"
"You're a small boy, Jack, and easily scared," was the taunting reply.
"Well, pull up a plank, and see what happens. I dare you to!" cried Jack.
"Here goes then!" said the older boy, and catching hold of a plank that had rotted at one end, he pulled it up.
"Oh, let it alone!" groaned a boy in a farther corner of the room, in an attempt to imitate an old voice.
"Oh, let it alone!" came in exactly the same voice from the loft.
Sidney Cumston, the big boy, who had laughed at little Jack Tiverton, dropped the plank, and turned pale, while not a boy spoke or moved.
"Come, come!" said Sidney, when he caught his breath, "we're a precious pack of sillies! Help me lift this big board, will you?"
"Will you?" came from the loft, in the very manner in which he had said it.
Again he dropped the plank.
"What does it mean?" cried Sidney.
"Mean?" came his last word repeated.
The boys were now thoroughly frightened.
"Come!" cried Sidney, "let's leave here!"
"Here!" came a repetition of his last word, and big as he was, he had turned to run, when a faint ripple of smothered laughter came down from the loft.
Immediately Sidney's pale face flushed red. It flashed through his mind that these younger boys had seen that he was frightened.
He had been laughed at by the owner of the voice that had mocked him, and the boys wouldneverstop laughing.
Quickly he mounted the steps, and roughly he dragged little Floretta from her hiding place, half carrying her down the stairway, because it was too narrow for two to descend.
"So you thought it was funny, justfunnyto mock us, did you?" he asked, when they reached the floor.
Floretta was not laughing now.
She was sullen, and at the same time frightened.
What would they do to her?
They crowded around her, frowning and making all sorts of wild suggestions as to what should be done with her.
"Keep her mocking till she's got enough of it!" cried one.
"Put her back in the loft, and leave her there! She seemed to like there," said another.
The big boy, whose hand was still on her shoulder, was more angry than either of the others.
He was a bully, always ready to torment some one smaller than himself.
He had reason to be provoked with Floretta, and the fact that she was only a little girl, made no impression upon him.
He would as willingly punish a girl, as aboy, and the fact that his captive was smaller than he, only proved that the task would be an easy one.
"You think it's smart to imitate, and it is. P'raps you think you're the echo that's over in the mountain!" he sneered.
She made no answer. She was crying now.
"Say! Let her off!" cried Jack Tiverton. "She's only a girl!"
The smallest boy in the crowd, he saw Sidney's cowardice.
"Oh, are you sweet on Floretta?" jeered Sidney.
Jack drew back abashed. He did not like Floretta at all, but he did think it mean for a big boy to frighten so small a girl.
"I ain't going to hurt you," said Sidney, "but I'm going to give you a chance toplay echo, till you're tired of it. I guess you'll get enough of it before you get through!
"Come, fellows! Get some good long pieces of wild grape-vine! I'll fasten Miss Echo where she can shout all day, and nobody'll stop her!"
"I won't go with you!" screamed Floretta, who had found her voice, "You sha'n't tie me!"
"Oh, is that so?" said Sidney, in a teasing tone. "We'll tie you so you can't get away!"
She pulled back.
"No, you don't!" said Sidney, grasping her arm with a firmer hold.
"Now, walk right along, or these other fellows will help me carry you!" he added, and Floretta thought best to walk.
"Where'll you take her?" asked one.
"Right there," said Sidney. "That rock is just covered with vines that cling fast to it. Hurry, now! Pull down some long, strong pieces! Here, you scratch like a cat! Stop that!"
Floretta, half wild to get away, was attacking his hand in the manner of a little wild animal.
"Let me go, then!" she screamed.
"Not much!" cried Sidney, and with the help of another boy, he dragged her, screaming and kicking, all the way, until they reached the rocky ledge.
"There, now! Hold on! You're showing too much temper!" cried a stout lad who was helping to bind her.
"I won't stay! You sha'n't tie me!" she screamed, but without replying, they drew the tough vines closer about her, lashing her into such a network of stems and stoutvines that it would be impossible for her to escape.
"There!" cried Sidney, when he felt sure that she was securely made a little prisoner, "You can shout till you're tired, and if you want to mock any one, you can mock yourself! Good-afternoon, Miss Echo!"
He lifted his cap, with elaborate courtesy, and marched off whistling:
"The Girl I Left Behind Me."
They did not look back. Sidney marched boldly away, believing that he had done a very smart thing, but the other boys felt less comfortable.
They had been angry with her, and they had wished to see her punished, but they could not help thinking that she was a little girl, and they were leaving her alone in the woods!
Jack Tiverton was, by far, the most uneasy.
He was the smallest of the party, and, while he had asked Sidney to let Floretta go, he had known it was useless to do more.
The eight other boys were stronger than he, and any attempt upon his part to free her would be worse than useless. They would not listen, but instead, would pounce upon him.
The other boys talked, laughed, and whistled, to imply that they were not thinking of what they had done, but all the way back to the Cleverton, little Jack was wondering what he could do.
He dared not go straight to Floretta's mother, and tell her of her little girl's plight.
He knew if he did that, the boys wouldsoon learn who had played "tell-tale," and then,—what would they do tohim?
And yet, he was determined, in some way, to help Floretta.
How could he let a little girl stay out there in the woods all night?
Of course some one, walking through the woods might find her, but if no one happened to?
Jack knew that the risk was too great. It was just before he reached the Cleverton, that he thought of the best way that he could do it.
He would write a note to Mrs. Paxton. He would drop that note into the mail box that hung at the side door. The letters were always distributed at four, and Sidney Cumston, who had a fine watch, had just said that it was three. He left the boys at the entrance to the Merlington, and hurried onthat he might have plenty of time for his note.
Mrs. Tiverton was out driving with a friend, and Jack had quite a hunt before he could find pencil or paper for his note.
At last he found a blank book, and with a pencil he wrote this note.
"Deer Mrs. Paxton:—"Yor litle girl is tied up in the woods opsite the hermits hut. You better go get her real quick or somethin may happen too her."Yors trooly."
"Deer Mrs. Paxton:—
"Yor litle girl is tied up in the woods opsite the hermits hut. You better go get her real quick or somethin may happen too her.
"Yors trooly."
He folded it, and, in place of the envelope that he could not find, he tied around it a bit of string that he found in his pocket.
Boldly he addressed it, in very large letters, and sneaking down the stairway, andaround on the piazza toward the side door, watched his chance, and slipped it into the mail box.
There was much excitement on the front piazza, because the guests had arrived in the barge but a few moments before, and Mrs. Paxton had given a maid a generous "tip" to go over to the Merlington, and bring Floretta back with her.
"She returned with the party that came from the Merlington, and I don't wish her to remain there. I want her to come right back to me," said Mrs. Paxton.
"Very well, ma'am," the maid had replied, and with the coins in her hand, had started off at once toward the other hotel.
When little Jack Tiverton ran around to the front piazza, the maid had just returned.
"If you please, Mrs. Paxton, your little girl isn't over to the Merlington, and hasn'tbeen there, and a lady that was with the party that came home from the mountain trip, says the child wasn't in their barge at all. I asked her if she wassure, and she said, she couldn't help being sure, because there wasn'tanychild in their barge."
Of course excitement reigned supreme. Mrs. Paxton seemed half wild, and every one shared her anxiety.
The fact that Floretta was not a favorite made no difference. No one liked to think of a little girl out there alone on the mountain path, or in the woods, especially as it was already late afternoon.
"What a dreadful thing!" cried Mrs. Paxton, wringing her hands, and walking up and down the piazza.
"Who will go with me? I cannot go alone, and where,whereshall we look first? Who saw her last?"
At this moment a man-servant came out from the hall with a tray of letters that he began to distribute.
"One for you, Mrs. Paxton," said the man, as he touched her arm gently.
"Oh, I can't think of letters now," she said, but something about the note seemed so unusual that she looked at it.
She drew off the string that had been loosely tied, and read the hastily scrawled lines.
She screamed, and Aunt Charlotte, who was standing near her, put her arm around her and supported her, or she would have fallen.
Many of those who gathered around Mrs. Paxton were inclined to think the note a hoax, but Mrs. Dainty, coming forward, lifted her handsome head, and looking at the men who were lounging comfortablyin the large rockers, or sitting upon the piazza railing, spoke the word that spurred them to action.
"Is it safe toguessthat this is a joke? True, it is written in a boyish hand, and while itmaybe a boy's joke, may it not be a boy's means of telling us what has actually happened? I would not, were I a man, take the responsibility or chance, of leaving Floretta out there, because I would go to the place, and thus learn, not guess, if this information be true."
She had scarcely finished speaking when a number of men rose, and one, who chose to lead the party, lifted his hat to Mrs. Dainty, saying:
"We are off, madam. We only needed an inspiration to move us to endeavor."
She bowed and smiled, as she said:
"One thing I ask of you. Go as quicklyas possible, for the sake of the frightened child, and the anxious mother."
"In all possible haste," was the quick reply, and she turned to offer what comfort she might to the woman who seemed nearly distracted.
And all this time, what had been happening in the wood? For a long time Floretta had cried, screamed, and shouted, hoping that the boys would come back and release her.
Then, when she knew that they must be too far away to hear her, she tore at the clasping bonds, trying in every way to free herself. With feet and hands she strove to loosen the tough, wiry vines, kicking and trampling with her restless feet, beating and bending with her little hands, until they were torn and bleeding, and the tormentingvines seemed only to hold her with a firmer grasp, as if to prove how useless was her struggle.
With feet and hands she strove to loosen the tough, wiry vines.—Page 119.With feet and hands she strove to loosen the tough, wiry vines.—Page 119.
She had cried until she could cry no more, and the sturdy vines had cut and bruised her.
So firmly was she bound that she could not sink to the grass to rest, and she had only the hard, rocky ledge to lean against.
How still the woodland seemed! Sometimes a twig would snap, or a buzzing insect would pause, as if to look at her, but no one came to set her free.
She waited for a moment to regain her breath, and then again she fought and struggled with those tough, sturdy vines.
She tried to wrench them apart, to break, to tear them from her, but they only yielded enough to bend, and then snap back intothe very place that she had pushed them from.
Not a vine broke, not a stem gave way, and she set her lips tightly for yet greater effort!
AT a far corner of the piazza sat Dorothy, her eyes terrified, and her cheeks pale. Nancy, close beside her, wound her arms about her, and sought, in every way, to comfort her.
"They'll find her soon, Dorothy, so don't you be frightened," she whispered. "They'llsurelyfind her soon."
Dear little Nancy knew, better than any of Dorothy's other friends could have known, how ready was her sympathy, how kind and loving was her heart.
She had not loved Floretta, but with Dorothy, that did not count. It was thedreadful fear that something had happened to a little girl, who, so recently had been at play with them,—ah, that was what grieved sweet Dorothy.
She was thinking of what Mrs. Dainty had said to Aunt Charlotte when the mountain trip was first talked of.
"I think the long tramp is a rougher form of amusement than I can well endure. I should be so weary long before it was time to return, that I should derive but little pleasure from the trip. There is another thought in connection with the picnic," she continued, "and that is an element of danger. Not great danger perhaps, but such that I would not join the party, nor would I permit Dorothy, or Nancy to do so. One gentleman who was talking of the mountain path that they have chosen, spoke of the great danger to the climbers from small,rolling stones, and from places where the earth seems to crumble near the edge of the narrow foot-path. A careless step might lead to a fall that would mean, I hardly dare to say what!"
Dorothy and Nancy had been wishing to join the party, but upon hearing this, they lost all interest in it, and had cheerfully taken the drive behind gentle Romeo, instead. Now, as Dorothy sat with Nancy's arms about her, she was glad that they had not been permitted to go, and she heartily wished that Floretta had remained at the Cleverton.
"Had she rolled from the path, and fallen, fallen,—"
Dorothy covered her eyes with her hands, as if she almost saw the little girl falling, down, down to the ravine so far below the path, and was trying to shut out the picture.Nancy, still striving to quiet her fear, heard some one telling what the scribbled note had said.
"Oh, Dorothy!" she whispered, eagerly, "Floretta is just where they know how to find her, and they've promised to hurry, and bring her back."
"Are yousure?" Dorothy asked.
"Yes,sure!" said Nancy.
Then Nancy climbed into the big chair beside her, and the two little girls sat, each tightly clasping the other's hands, while they waited and watched for the first glimpse of the men who should return, bringing Floretta with them.
Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte remained with Mrs. Paxton, who seemed to have lost all control of herself.
One moment she would cry as if her heart would break, and then she wouldspring up, threatening to follow the direction that the men had taken, and try to reach the woods, thus to sooner see her little girl.
At last, after what seemed endless waiting, but was actually only an hour, some one espied the men in the distance, and cried out:
"They're coming! They're coming!"
"Have they got Floretta? Oh,havethey found her?" shrieked Mrs. Paxton.
"We can't see from here," said the one who had spoken, and the mother rushed forward, shading her eyes with her hand, and straining to catch the first glimpse of her child.
She would have rushed down the road to meet them, but Mrs. Dainty held her back. She had seen that they were carrying Floretta,and she thought, in case the child were injured, the mother would far better save her strength.
Two of the men had clasped their hands to form an "arm-chair," and thus they brought to the piazza, a very limp, tired Floretta, whose vivacity was all gone, and whose face bore the trace of desperate weeping, while her arms and hands were covered with cuts and bruises, and her little frock was torn and tattered by her struggle with the tough and tightly knotted vines.
She lay back against the shoulder of one man who supported her, and looked as if her strength were spent.
She changed on the instant that they set her on her feet.
Rushing to her mother, she permitted her to clasp her for a moment to her breast, thenturning to the group that gathered around her, she cried fiercely:
"Look! See my hands! See my arms! See the scratches, where I tried to get away, and it was Sidney Cumston who tied me! Hedidit, but the other boyslethim. Not one tried to hinder him except Jack Tiverton, the littlest one of them all. He tried to make them let me go, but they wouldn't. Oh, somebody punish all but Jack! Hetried, but he couldn't help me."
She was hysterical, and sank to the floor of the piazza, sobbing, and crying, before her mother could catch her.
She scrambled to her feet, and was clasped in her mother's arms.
Old Mr. Cunningham surprised every one by speaking most kindly to her. She had so often tormented him that it seemed generous that he should offer a bit of comfort.
"I don't think we shall let those young rascals escape without a sharp reprimand, and if I was to venture a guess about it, I should say that little Jack, after all, managed to help you, Floretta," he said.
She turned in surprise to look at the old face, that now looked so kindly at her.
"Come out here, Jack," said the old gentleman, "didn't you write the note that sent us searching for this little girl?"
"Yes, sir," said Jack, "and I wrote it 'cause I thought the other big fellows were mean, but if they find out I told, they'll—"
"No, they won't," said Mr. Cunningham. "You're no 'tell-tale.' You did just right, and the men here will stand by you. Those big boys were the cowards to torment a little girl. You're the best boy up here in the mountains."
"Three cheers for young Tiverton!"shouted some one, and in the midst of the excitement, Mrs. Paxton, with her little daughter, slipped away to their room, after having thanked little Jack for his valuable assistance.
Meanwhile old Mr. Cunningham had been searching in this pocket and that for something which he seemed most anxious to find.
"Ah, I knew I had it! Come here, Jack!"
Blushing and diffident, Jack walked over to the big rocker.
"'Tisn't much, boy, but I think you ought to have a medal. Here's a silver dollar I've been keeping for a pocket piece. I'll give it to you for a medal, for being brave enough to tell what you knewoughtto be told. That's not tale-bearing, and as you were afraid to tell, for fear of those bigbullies, it was a brave act. You're a lad that knowswhatto do,whento do, and thendoesit!"
"Hurrah for Jack Tiverton!" some one cried again, and this time they were given with a will.
Mrs. Tiverton, returning from a long drive, wondered what all the excitement meant, and why they were cheering her little son.
Jack, with his silver dollar tightly clasped, hung his head, and looked as if overpowered by his conspicuous position.
Dorothy, now bright and happy, since Floretta was safe, saw that Jack hesitated.
"Oh, Mrs. Tiverton," she said, "Jack has been truly thebestboy in the world, but he can't speak just now. When he tells you what he's done, you won't wonder why they cheered him!"
Mrs. Barnet and Flossie, with Uncle Harry and his wife, now arrived in their big automobile from a three-days' trip that they had been enjoying.
Of course Dorothy and Nancy tried to tell Flossie all about Floretta and Jack, and they were both so excited that Flossie got a very twisted idea of the affair.
Uncle Harry, not dreaming that the matter was at all serious, turned, after greeting the children, to enter the house.
"Oh, Uncle Harry!" cried Flossie, "you ought to hear about it. There were ever so many big boys, and only one little girl, and they tied her so she couldn't get away, and Jack wrote a note, and when they found her,—"
"Now, Flossie, dear, I'm perfectly willing to be scared half out of my wits, but Imustknow what I'm being scared about.You're getting me so mixed up that I've not the least idea what this is all about. Have you?" he asked.
"Oh, no," said Flossie, "I don'thalfunderstand it, but it does sound so frightful, that I'm so scared, I need to have you be scared, too."
"Well, then," Uncle Harry replied, "if it will help you to know it, I'll admit that my teeth are chattering, and shivers are running up and down my spine!
"I thought at first that it was the draft across this piazza, but perhaps, after all, it was caused by what you were telling me."
When, at last, he had heard the story, he was full of disgust that any boy, and his friends, should have been guilty of such a contemptible act, and his sympathy for the little girl was deep and sincere.
"She will need rest and quiet to-morrow,"he said, "and you three little friends will be kind, I think, if you stay rather closely here, and help, in some quiet way, to amuse her."
"We will," said Dorothy, "I'll let her read my new fairy book if she'd like to. She could lie in the hammock, and do that."
"I'll keep the hammock swinging," said Nancy.
"And I'll give her my new box of candy I just brought home," said Flossie.
"That's right," said Uncle Harry, "and for your sweet promises of kindness toward the child who has suffered so much to-day I'll remind you that on day after to-morrow I shall give myself the pleasure of taking you all to the fair. I promise you afinetime."
He turned to look over his shoulder, and laugh at their wild little cries of delight.
He was anticipating the pleasure quite as much as they.
Dorothy, Nancy, and Flossie kept the promise that they had made, and Floretta fully enjoyed their kindness. She seemed unusually gentle, and Mrs. Paxton thanked them for so sweetly helping to amuse her, and thus make her willing to spend the day quietly.
The day set for the visit to the village fair dawned bright and sunny, a light breeze making it just cool enough to be delightful.
The barge was waiting for its gay little passengers.
The children stood with impatient feet on the piazza, waiting for their host, merry, handsome Uncle Harry.
At last a firm tread caused them to turn, and there he was, looking gayer than ever,a picture of health, strength, and kindliness, and clad in a most becoming outing suit of light gray serge.
The blue of his tie was not bluer than his fine eyes, and no one could have glanced at him without knowing that he possessed a generous, loving nature, a kind and merry heart.
"Come, little friends!" he cried. "Is every young lady that I invited here?" he added, looking anxiously lest some child be late, and thus by chance, be left behind.
"Every one is here!" said Flossie. "I know because I've counted."
"Then we'll start at once, unless some one would rather wait 'til to-morrow?" he said, his eyes twinkling.
"Oh, no! No!" they cried. "We justcouldn'twait!"
"In that case we'll go now!" he said,with a droll expression, as if he started at once, merely as an accommodation.
"Why, Uncle Harry! You're only joking," cried Flossie. "You wouldn't be willing to wait until to-morrow. I heard you tell Aunt Vera to hurry and find your tie, because you were in such a rush to start!"
"To think that my own little niece would tell tales like that, and thus let out the secret. What chance have I now, of making them think that I was really very shy about riding with such a large party of girls?"
Shouts of laughter greeted this speech, and Uncle Harry waited until it had subsided, then he said:
"Oh, well, if no onebelievesthat I am shy or diffident, it's waste of time to try to appear so, so I shall not try. Instead, Ishall be very bold. Come, dears, let me help you in!"
And amid shouts of laughter from the children, he lifted each high in air, and placed her in the barge, thus saving her the trouble of mounting the steps.
Then taking his seat in the middle of the laughing, chattering little party, he called to the driver to start.
The long whip cracked, Jack Tiverton, from the piazza, blew loudly on a tin trumpet, and they were off over the road, the happiest party that ever filled a barge.
Uncle Harry told some amusing stories, then, led by his fine voice, they sang some gay little songs, and before they dreamed that they had arrived at the fair, the driver shouted:
"Here we are!" and sure enough, they had reached the fair grounds.
"Why, I didn't suppose we were more than half-way here," said Dorothy, "and the reason is that the ride has been so jolly."
"That's just it," agreed Nancy.
"The reasonIenjoyed the ride," said Uncle Harry, "is because I was so charmed with my little guests."
"And the reason why we had such a fine ride," said Flossie, "is because we had thebestman in the world taking care of us."
Uncle Harry bowed low.
"This must be a wedding party, if I'm the 'best man,'" he said with a laugh, "so we'll not fuss because there's no musician to play a march for us, but we'll play you are all bridesmaids, and we'll hurry right along. The entrance is this way, I think, and under that evergreen arch."
A large tent had been pitched for the displayof the various wares and numerous attractions; a smaller tent near it serving as fortune teller's booth.
"We'll coax Uncle Harry to have his fortune told," whispered Flossie to Dorothy, when, to their great surprise, he said:
"Oh, Flossie, you little witch! Uncle Harry heard what you said, and not only is he going to have his fortune told, but he's going to make every one of you little girls have yours told, also!"
THE fair proved a great delight to the children. They had all been to fine fairs patronized by fashionable matrons, whose names were quite enough to insure success, but the country fair was an absolute novelty.
At the large city fairs, merry débutantes graced the booths, and sold flowers, or tickets for the various games of chance.
Here in the mountain village all was different, and the novelty gave greater interest.
Farmers' daughters were in the booths, and sold huge bouquets of old-fashioned garden flowers, homemade candy, andhoney, while one rosy-cheeked lass dispensed sweet cider, or sweet apples, according to the preference of her customer.
Uncle Harry purchased a huge stalk of hollyhocks for each of his guests, but for himself he chose an enormous sunflower which he insisted lookedfinein his buttonhole.
There was music, if it could be called music, furnished by the local band.
Uncle Harry said he had never seen such independent people as those musicians were. He declared that the music sounded, to him, as if each man commenced to play when he chose, and stopped when he got ready, regardless of what the other players were doing.
"Oh, I do believe that is the way they play!" cried Dorothy, laughing.
"Of course it is," cried Uncle Harry, "and a great deal of bother it saves, for no one has to direct them; they do not know that they are making discord, and thus they play and play with all their might, and are absolutely care-free and happy."
There were heaps of giant pumpkins, and more red and yellow ears of corn than they had ever seen before, while everywhere was laughter, and friendly gossip, and chatter, that made the fair a jolly place in which to roam about.
The children were determined to see every object in the big tent, and while some were interested in one thing, others wished to see something else, so they decided to divide into two groups.
One half of the little party turned to the right intent upon seeing some gaudy patchwork quilts, while the others turned to theleft declaring their intention of investing all their pennies in the "fish-pond."
There were so many things to see on the way, that it was a long time before they met, as they had agreed, at the entrance.
Somewhere on the way they had missed Uncle Harry, and they could not imagine where he had gone.
It happened that Uncle Harry had seen a very small girl crying, and his first thought was to help her, and thus dry her tears.
Upon questioning her, he found that the wee little maid had, by accident, knocked a small doll from one of the tables, and had been roundly scolded.
"That pretty girl with the black eyes says I did it a-purpose, but I didn't," she cried, "I wanted to see it, and I just touched it, and it tumbled off the table."
Her tears fell afresh, and in place of a handkerchief, she drew up her blue-checked apron, and hid her face in it.
"Look up, little girl," Uncle Harry said, and his voice sounded so kindly, that she at once peeped at him through her tears.
"Which is the table where all this happened?"
"That one," said the child, "and the big girl is looking at me now."
"Then give me your hand, and, just for fun,we'llgo and look ather."
A moment she hesitated.
"Come," he said, and with a sunny smile, the little girl placed her hand in his, and the big, handsome man with the wee country lass approached the table together.
"I'll lift you up so you can see nicely," he said. "Now, which was the doll that fell from the table?"
Before the child could reply, the girl spoke sharply.
"'Twas that one, sir, and her meddlesome fingers,—"
"Never mind about that," said Uncle Harry, then turning to the child he said:
"Did you like that one best, or is that larger one finer?"
"That large one is the loveliest. I didn'teversee one so fine as that."
"We'll have that one, then," he said, offering a bill to the astonished salesgirl.
"There, little girl, she's yours," he said, as he placed the big doll in her arms.
"I can hold her a little while?" she asked, eagerly.
"You can hold heralways, if you want to," he said gently, "I bought her for you."
Rapturously she clasped the gift in her arms.
"Oh, I love you, because you are good," she cried.
"Then tell me your name," he said.
"I'm Lois Ann Ferguson," chirped the little girl, "and father is Sandy Ferguson. Oh, there he is now. He's to play the pipes."
She ran toward a sturdy man dressed in Highland costume, and carrying the bagpipes under his arm.
Mr. Ferguson glanced at her flushed cheeks, saw the gorgeous doll that she flourished before his astonished eyes, and finally understood that the tall, handsome stranger had bestowed it upon his wee daughter, as a gift.
He took her little hand, and hurried forward, saying:
"I dinna ken why he should dae it for my wee lassie.
"I wad gladly thank ye, sir," he said, "but I'm lost in wonder that ye made wee Lois sae blithe an' gay wi' the braw gift."
"She's a dear little lass," said Uncle Harry, "and when I found her crying, I knew that a fine new doll would dry her tears. Don't bother to thank me. I made myself happy, when I comforted her."
"I wish there were mair like ye," said Sandy Ferguson, "an' some day when ye're older, an' ha' a wee daughter of yer ain,—"
"I have a wife and baby girl now," was the quick reply, "and they are my dearest possessions."
"An' I thought ye a braw, bonny laddie, wi' yer fair hair an' blue een! Weel, weel, ye dinna hae tae live 'til ye're auld before ye ken tae dae a kindly act," Sandy Ferguson replied, "an' later when I play thepipes, an' Lois dances, she shall make her first bow tae her new friend."
"Oh, Uncle Harry,didyou buy the new doll for the little girl?"
It was little Flossie, who, after having searched every corner of the tent, had found him talking to the Scotchman and his little girl.
"Is he your own uncle?" little Lois asked, looking up into Flossie's lovely face.
"Oh, yes," said Flossie, "and he's the best uncle in the world."
"I know he must be," said the little girl. "See how good he was to me."
They turned to join the rest of their party, and little Lois looked over her shoulder, with one hand held fast in her father's, while with the other she tightly clasped the precious doll.
"I saw the notice near the entrance whenwe came in, that a Scotch farmer would play, and his little daughter would dance," said Uncle Harry, "but that child is not much more than a baby. She cannot be more than four. It will be amusing to see her dance, and Nancy Ferris will enjoy it most of all."
They found the others reading the notice of which they had been talking, and they were delighted when they heard what a very little girl it was who was to dance.
They had a lunch served by girls dressed as dairy maids, and it was just such a lunch as might have been enjoyed at a farmhouse.
The long table spread with its white cloth, and set with blue and white dishes, was decorated by a garland of small sunflowers that lay upon the cloth, down the centre, and the entire length of the table.
There were plates heaped with biscuit, there were dishes of both wild and cultivated strawberries, and delicious cream to be eaten with them, there were sandwiches and little cakes, honey enough to tempt the bees to the feast, and the children thought it finer than a hotel dinner. How they laughed, and chattered, as they enjoyed the spread!
Uncle Harry was in his sunniest mood, and told stories and jokes that kept them amused, and seemed to be the gayest member of the party.
"Tell us a story about when you were alittleboy," said Flossie.
"My small niece thinks I'm nothing but abigboy now!" he said.
"Well, the big Scotchman thought you were only a lad. I heard him say so," said Flossie.
"When you were a boy were you ever naughty,realnaughty?" Floretta asked.
She had been very quiet, and all were surprised at her question.
"Once upon a time, when I was little," said Uncle Harry, "I was very,veryfond of good things, but the one thing that I liked better than anything else was strawberry jam.
"I was always allowed to have it, but I felt sure that it would taste even nicer if I had more of it at a time, and still finer if I could have a long handled spoon, and eat it right from the jar.
"I used often to think how fine it would be if I, some day, could have the chance to eat it that way, but I never could get evenverynear the jar.
"One day the opportunity came. My sister and I were in the nursery, and themaid had been down-stairs for a long time.
"The rest of the family were away, and we were to have our tea in the nursery, as usual, only, as we had had to remain at home, we were to have an extra treat.
"Among other good things, we were to have strawberry jam.
"My sister, that is Flossie's mamma, was a little older than I, and she was always trying to give me lessons in good behavior.
"'Now, Harry,' she said, 'while nurse is down-stairs, we might commence to set our table.'
"'There isn't anything here to set it with but the tablecloth and the jam,' I said, 'but you're a girl, so you know how to put the cloth on, and I'll bring the jam.'"
"I guess Uncle Harry was so fond of thejam, that he liked even to carry the jar," said Flossie.
"We wondered why the nurse stayed so long down-stairs," continued Uncle Harry, "and I told my sister that I was tired of waiting for tea, and I said I'd taste of the jam, if only I had a long handled spoon.
"'Why, Harry,' she answered in disgust, 'I wouldn't think you'd be so naughty, but,—if you reallywantto taste it, here's the spoon beside the jar.'"
"Anddidyou?" questioned Dorothy.
"Well, yes, I have to admit that I did. In truth, I tasted and tasted until my sister cried:
"'Why, Harry, you naughty boy! When you get done tasting, there won't be any left!'
"'You won't care, becauseyouwouldn't be so naughty as to taste it!' I said.
"'Oh, wouldn't I?' she cried. 'Well, you just let me take that spoon, and you'll see!'
"Well, a funny mix-up followed, in which we each tried to get possession of the spoon and the jam. We were laughing while we struggled for it, but at last, one of us slipped, and fell, dragging the other down; the jar of jam tipped over, and her white frock, my gray jacket and trousers, and even my long, yellow curls became smeared with the jam.
"Nurse opened the door, and screamed with terror, for the red jam looked as if we had been terribly hurt, and it was some time before we could convince her that we were not cut or bruised, but onlyvery sticky!
"Then came the scolding, and my sister tried to screen me.
"'Harry couldn't help tasting it, he's so fond of jam,' she said.
"'Well, he's got a good share of it, inside and out,' said nurse, grimly.
"'She's got as much as I have,' I said, 'just look at her frock!'
"Of course our clothes were changed, and the jam cleaned from the polished floor, but we had our tea without jam.
"Nurse said we could eat our biscuits with thememoryof the jam we had already enjoyed."
"Oh, Uncle Harry," cried Flossie, "I wish, even though you were naughty, she'd let you have more jam. She didn't know how good you'd be when you grew up."
"I still am fond of jam!" he said, and the children laughed to see him pour honey over his berries that already were covered with sugar.
"You likeanythingthat's sweet!" said Dorothy, "whether it's jam, or sugar, or honey,—"
"Or little girls," said Uncle Harry. "You notice, I made this party all little girls, and I'm having alovelytime."
"So are we," laughed Dorothy.
"And he says 'lovely' just as we do," said Nancy, "he does it to make us laugh."
"Then why don't you laugh?" said Uncle Harry, and theydidlaugh, every member of the party, and laughed because they could not help it.
And when the merry feast was over, they hastened to the small tent where the old gypsy was telling fortunes.
Each had intended to have her fortune told, and thus learn what the future held for her.
To their great surprise, she flatly refusedto tell any child's fortune, saying that she would only foretell events for "grown ups." The little girls were rather afraid of her, but Uncle Harry boldly offered his hand, saying:
"Am I big enough to hear my fortune?"
"No nonsense, young lad," she said, while the children dared not laugh. She bent over his palm for a moment, then she solemnly said:
"You're a brave lad, and you need to be for you will fall in love with a girl who'll have red hair, and the temper that usually goes with it."
"O dear!" sighed Uncle Harry.
"Don't worry, young man," said the old gypsy, "because it will be some months before you marry."
"Indeed," said Uncle Harry, "and what shall I do if the girl proves to have the temperyou prophesy? Shall I try to calm her by holding her under a pump, or would you advise tying her until she feels less fiery?"
"Young man, this is no laughing matter," was the sharp reply.
"Guess it isn't!" said Uncle Harry. "I've seldom been so discouraged. Here am I, a man who has a lovely wife and baby girl, and yet I've got to marry a red-haired girl, with a temper like chain lightning! Who was ever in a worse fix?"
The old gypsy flew into a rage. "You're poking fun at me!" she cried.
"There! There! The fun was worth that!" he cried, laying a handful of small coins on the table before her.
In her eagerness to count the money, she forgot her wrath, and they hastened from the tent, where, safely outside, they were free to laugh as much as they chose.
As they re-entered the large tent, they saw that near the centre, a space had been cleared, and there was a crowd of people waiting, as if expecting some attraction to be exhibited.
They had not long to wait, for almost immediately the Scotch piper appeared, and tightly clasping her precious new doll in her arms was wee Lois, dressed in Highland costume.
Placing her doll on a table, and making sure that it was safe, she ran forward, courtesied first to Uncle Harry, as she had promised, and then, to the music of the pipes, the wee lassie did the "Highland Fling."
She was such a round, dimpled little girl, one would never have dreamed that she could dance with such infantile grace.
And when she had finished, with anothercourtesy, they crowded around her, and it was Nancy who most generously praised her. Dear little Nancy, who danced like a fairy, never had a jealous thought in her loving heart!
It was Uncle Harry who caught little Lois, and lifted her so that he could look into her eyes.
"I want my dolly, now," she cried, anxious lest it be lost or stolen. Dorothy brought the doll, and the child clasped it to her breast.
"My wee lassie said she wisht she had a gift tae gi' ye," said Sandy.
"I have a dear little girl of my own, and I prize her baby kisses," said Uncle Harry. "Willyougive me one, little Lois?"
She clasped her arms around his neck, and kissed him softly.
"Best man next to father," she said.