"Mary, will you see what is keeping the little folks? Perhaps Aunt Mandy does not find it an easy matter to get both Berta and Beth ready in time for breakfast."
"Yes, Father; but the twinnies ran past my room and down the stairs some time ago. Maybe they are in the yard."
"I think that is where you will find them, Mary," said Mrs. Marvin. "Dick spied them from the window and could hardly wait until I had finished brushing his hair. He said Jack was needed, too."
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin with Wilhelmina and their eight boys had arrived in New York a few days before the landing of the steamer on which the Selwyns returned from Europe. They had come all the way from Georgia to welcome these old friends whom they had never expected to see again in this world; and there had been great rejoicing at the dock when the steamer landed. Mr. Marvin had planned to start for home with his six eldest boys that same evening, leaving his wife with four-year-old Dick and baby Jack as company for Wilhelmina until school should reopen at Maryvale. But Mr. Selwyn and Doctor Carlton would not listen to such a plan; and at last Mr. Marvin had to promise that his whole family should be their guests until it was time for his two eldest boys to return to college. But when he learned of the purchase of Bird-a-Lea, he declared that he could not be held to his promise, because it would be out of the question for the Selwyns to begin moving with so many children in the house. So on Sunday evening he left with Phil, Harry, Joe, Frank, Bob and Freddie for Sunnymead, their beautiful plantation home.
And now, Monday morning, the four little ones were missing from the breakfast table.
"'Making a s'prise,' I'll be bound," laughed the Doctor. "I hope it will turn out more happily than most of those that the twins plan."
As Mary neared the door leading to the side porch, she heard the little ones giggling; but at her call that breakfast was ready, there was a chorus of, "Oh! oh! don't come, Mary!" "Jes' a minute!" "No fair peeking!" "We's making a most beauty, grand s'prise for ev'ybody, and it's 'most ready!"
Mary, laughing, returned to the dining-room, and a few minutes later, the screen door banged. All at the table paused, smiling at the loud whispers and smothered giggles coming from the hall. Then they heard Dick say, "But Father always says, 'Ladies first.'"
"But we isn't ladies, Dick," gurgled Beth. "We's jes' little folkses." To which Berta agreed, "Yes, nennybody didn't ever call us ladies, Dick, not ever, ever at all."
"Not ever, ever at all," echoed her sister.
"But we can be-tend we's ladies, Beth, if Dick likes us to be. Mother says it isn't p'lite if we doesn't play same as our comp'ny likes us to. So I'll go first." And into the dining-room, single file, marched the four. Just inside the door they lined up, Berta proudly announcing, "We's going to help ev'ybody in the whole house."
"Indeed!" Mr. Selwyn was forced to laugh in spite of himself. "Don't you think you might have waited until after breakfast to don your working clothes? and where did you find the overalls for your guests, eh?"
"Oh, Dick finded them in Willy-mean's shootcase, Daddy; and Beth and I lended Aunt Mandy's apins. I'se quite sure she won't mind, 'cause we's going to help her 'mensely, too."
Wilhelmina stopped laughing long enough to explain: "Yes, Mother, Dick came to me at the last minute with his overalls and Jack's. I couldn't see why he wanted to bring them; but they didn't take up much room in my little suitcase."
Dick wriggled uneasily under his mother's surprised look.
"But you do not expect to sit at table in your working clothes, do you, son? Jack, being only two years old, does not know any better; but a big boy of nearly four and a half——"
"That's jes' 'zactly what Dick said, Aunt Etta." Though not related, the children of each family always called the grown folks of the other, uncle and aunt. "He told us you doesn't like over-halls so very well for breakfus; but——but——oh, dear,me! they's such a drefful many things to do, you see, that we thinked we ought to be ready afore breakfus. Doesn't you think you could possiglee 'scuse us jes' this once—you and Daddy and Mother and Uncle Frank? I'se quite sure Willy-mean and Mary doesn't mind over-halls and gingham apins."
"Perhaps we can do so, Berta, since this is the first moving-day that we have ever had in any of our lives." Mrs. Marvin looked very grave. "What do you think about it, Elizabeth?"
"I quite agree with you, Etta, if these little folks will remember to lay aside their working clothes at meal time in future." Mrs. Selwyn was just as serious as Mrs. Marvin.
"And the very first one we is going to help is Daddy."
"I fear you can not do anything to assist me until later in the day, Beth, thank you. I am going to take the library in hand, and the books that I shall pack this morning will be too large and heavy for such little people to handle. However, I am very sure that you can make yourselves useful by carrying messages for every one."
"Oh, goody! I hope they's going to be great, big, heavy ones. Dick has strong mushes in his arms, and he's going to show Beth and me how to get some, too, so we can lift big things like——like trunks!"
"Better begin with your doll trunks, then. It will take many years for even Dick's muscles to grow strong enough to lift a steamer trunk, for instance."
"Oh, but I'se quite sure you never did see Dick's mushes, Uncle Frank."
The morning was a very exciting one for the four little folks. Up the front stairs, through the halls, down the back stairs, they raced, Berta always leading, and baby Jack, carefully watched by Beth, bringing up the rear. At the door of every room where packing was being done, they stopped while their leader asked, "Does you s'pects you would like us to help you?" until the oft-repeated answer, "Not just at present," at last caused the twins to sink on the stairs and sob out their disappointment.
Knowing that his mother was with Mrs. Selwyn in the storeroom on the third floor, Dick ran for his sister and Mary, who were busy carrying piles of sheets, pillowcases, towels, and table linen from a closet in the hall to a big trunk in one of the bedrooms.
"Come quick, Willie! The girls are crying their eyes out, 'cause they can't help."
"I suppose they could carry some of these things, Mary. Then I can climb the ladder and hand you the ones on the high shelves."
The twins were soon comforted, and for a time the four trotted back and forth with small piles of linen. It was not long before Berta thought of a "s'prise;" and when Mary went to the bedroom to see what was delaying them, she was just in time to see the procession starting down the back stairs, each member of it carefully bearing a piece of drawn work or embroidery. Her cry of dismay halted them.
"Oh, we's jes' going to wrap them in the nice w'ite disher paper what's on the table in the dining-room, and then we's going to pack them in one of those big boxes in the liberry, same as Daddy is doing with the books."
Mary, remembering the storm of a quarter of an hour before, thought a moment before speaking. "It's this way, Berta. When we get to Bird-a-Lea, it will be much easier for Mother to find these center pieces and things if they are packed in the trunk with the table cloths and napkins. She is not very strong yet, you know, and Uncle Frank has asked us to help her in every way we can; don't you remember?"
"Ye——es, Mary, but——but——"
"Why don't you go out in the yard to play for a little while? You need a rest, I think."
"Rest!rest! The very idea!Restwhen ev'ybody is working so hard as they can, and they's such a drefful many things to do? Why, Mary, I'se on the shock at you! I s'pects you think we's lazy. We'll jes' go right down and help Liza, so we will!"
Liza in the pantry on the top step of a ladder heard them coming. "'Clah to goodness! Ef'n dem chilluns am gwine to come in heah pesterin' dis heah niggah, I reckon dey won't be no moah workdismawnin'. Why fo' Aunt Mandy doan' keep dem upstairs wif her, I lak to know."
The four stood in the doorway.
"Does you s'pects we can help you, Liza?"
"Wal, now, Missy Berta, dey might be sumpin yo' alls kin do aftah while, but not jes' dis instinct, honey; 'kase yo' see, dis yeah chile got to git all dese t'ings down off'n de top shelf fust t'ing. Dey's milk an' cookies on de li'l table out on de back porch fo' yo' alls, an' aftah yo's done wif dat, Aunt Mandy wants yo' to help her, I reckon. She am powahful busy packin' up all yo' clothes and t'ings."
"We's going to help her the very 'zact instinct when we eat the milk and cookies, Liza."
"Dat's right, Missy Bef. I jes' knowed yo' would ef'n I told yo' how plumb tiahed out she am." And Liza chuckled as the little ones ran off.
They found the old nurse packing dainty white dresses in a trunk.
"We's going to help you, Aunt Mandy. We'll carry ev'ything right over by side you, and you can put them in the trunk, so you can."
"Bress yo' li'l heart, Missy Berta! Yo' sho'ly kin help yo' ole mammy a right smart. Ma ole laigs gits powahful tiahed walkin' round disaway. Dats' right, Missy Bef. Bring dem li'l pettiskirts right obah heah; an' Massa Dick kin fotch dem li'l shoes, an' Massa Jack dat stockin' pile."
All went well until Aunt Mandy caught Berta carefully wrapping a pair of slippers in a hand embroidered white dress, and Beth stuffing dainty little handkerchiefs into her rubbers.
"Laws a massy! Go 'long out'n heah wif yo'! Yo's nuffin but babies, nohow. Git yo' dollies an' play lak nice li'l chilluns." And she drove them before her into the playroom and closed the door on them.
But Dick Marvin had no more use for dolls than his elder brothers had; so the twins brought out their picture books and games, which he had already seen. At last a bright idea struck him.
"What's that big box for, Beth?"
"That's Mary's toy box when she was a little girl. She said we can have it now for our dollies and ev'ything."
"Then why don't you pack your dolls and things in it? Come on, I'll help you."
"That's zactly what we'll do, and then we'll be the same as big folkses, won't we, Dick?"
The little fellow was not quite sure of that and wisely said nothing, but began to examine the hinges and clasp of the strong oak box. Berta and Beth took their dolls and let Jack carry their other toys to him, and Dick stowed them away with more speed than care. Soon the box was filled to over-flowing.
"The cover doesn't close tight, so we'll have to jump on it, girls."
"Oh, goody, Dick! We jes' love to jump on trunks and things."
They scrambled up on the box and jumped, jumped,jumped! Snap! Crack!
"Oh, my dear! What's that, Beth?"
"It's just the things settling down, Berta," explained Dick, jumping off the box to fasten the clasp.
"Oh! oh! there's my big rubber ball under the table. That must go in the box, too, Dick."
"All right, Beth. I'll open it again." Dick threw back the cover; and with a cry of dismay, Beth snatched up a doll from the box.
"My Lucy doll! My mos' beauty chile! Oh, oh, oh!" And she sank to the floor, hugging the doll to her and rocking back and forth in her grief. "My chile, my mos' beauty chile!" she moaned. "Your face is all in seven, five,ten pieces, and your eyes——Berta! my Lucy's eyes are allgone!" Great sobs shook her frail, little form.
Berta flung her arms about her sister, doll and all, while Dick shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.
"Don't——don't cry, Beth. I'll ask Mother to get you another doll 'zactly like that one. It's all my fault, 'cause I told you to jump on the box. Mother'll get you a doll'zactlylike that one. I'll go with her to show her the kind."
"Oh, d——dear——m——m——me!" the little mother sobbed. "But she'll b——b——be some other d——dollie, n——not my Lucy d——doll what I love most of all. A——and 'sides——it isn't your fault——'c——'cause I jumped right——on t——top of her, so I d——did,——and——now she's d——deaded, so sh——she is! Oh, my poor little chile! M——my most beauty chile!"
"Oh, I say, Beth, don't cry like that! I'll tell you what we'll do. Let's have a fun'ral. You and Berta dress Lucy in her best white dress and put her in a nice white box with lace and shiny soft stuff and flowers all around her, and I'll dig a grave under that big rose bush in the garden, and we'll bury her. That's what they did with my little cousin when she died. My, she looked mighty pretty, only she was too white. And you two ought to wear black dresses and black veils hanging down behind, and——and——"
The little girls listened, eyes and mouths wide open.
"But whatisa grave what you said you is going to dig, Dick?"
"It's a big hole in the ground, Berta, and——"
With a frightened scream, Beth sprang to her feet, and holding the doll close, ran from the room just as Aunt Mandy appeared at one door and Mary and Wilhelmina at the other.
"Don't let him! don't let him, Mary! Oh, my poor little chile, my Lucy doll is deaded, Mary!" Beth clung sobbing to her sister.
Wilhelmina's eyes flashed. "Dick, you ought to be ashamed of yourself——"
"Wait a minute, Wilhelmina. I'm sure Dick wouldn't break Beth's doll on purpose."
"Course I wouldn't, Mary."
"No, Willy-mean, it was a ac'cent; and Mother says ac'centswillhappen in the verybestfamblies, and Aunt Mandy says we is theverybest fambly in the land—and so is you, Willy-mean, I'se quite sure." And Berta gave an account of what had happened. "But Beth doesn't like to play fun'ral with Lucy, 'cause we has to put her in a hole in the ground——"
"But perhaps Lucy isn't quite dead, Bethy, and Uncle Frank may be able to cure her, you know. Let me look at her a minute."
At sight of the broken face, Mary's heart sank. She saw that no amount of glue would restore poor Lucy to health; but she did not tell Beth so, for another thought had entered her head. "I am afraid she is a very sick child. Let us put her to bed in my room until Uncle comes home. I think it will take a long, long time to cure her, Beth; so don't you think you had better have one of my dolls instead? Come, let us look in my little trunk where they are all packed away."
She led the sobbing child into her own room, Wilhelmina and three very sober little folks following; but though Mary gave Beth her choice, even placing the lovely Amelia Anabelle in her arms, the little girl could find no doll to take the place of her "most beauty chile."
Then another thought came to Mary. "Why, I do believe Lucy looks a little better. Don't you think so, Wilhelmina? We shall pull down the shades and let her take a long nap, and I am sure Uncle will be able to make her well very soon, Beth. Now, children, you mustn't come into this room again until Uncle has seen Lucy. She must be kept very quiet, you know. I shall take good care of her, Beth, so don't worry any more about her, precious."
Mary followed the little ones out into the hall and watched them as they went slowly down the stairs; then she returned to her own room, where Wilhelmina was trying to fit the pieces of the doll's face together.
"I don't blame Beth one bit for making a fuss over this doll, Mary. You know I have never had any use for dolls, but this one must have been dear with her brown eyes and fair, bobbed hair. I fished her eyes up out of her neck."
"She was a darling doll, Wilhelmina. The only thing that we can do is to go to the same store and try to get another exactly like her."
"Let me take another look at those dolls in the trunk, Mary." Wilhelmina had just succeeded in piecing Lucy's face together and stood with it between her hands. "There—that one with the long brown curls. Hold her beside this one and cover her hair."
"Wilhelmina! She is the image of Lucy! Oh, I'm so glad! We shall put Lucy's wig and clothes on her, and Beth will never know the difference."
Meanwhile, Berta had led the way to the door of the parlor, where the packers were at work. For some minutes the children watched them; then Berta asked her usual question: "Does you s'pects you would like us to help you?"
The men stopped work and straightened up to get a better view of the four. Some of them turned away to hide a smile; but one man pushed back his cap and thoughtfully scratched his head.
"Seems to me the boss did say something about needing more help; but you'll have to settle it with him. Wait, I'll ask him." With a chuckle, he went to the door of the next room.
"More help? I should say we do need it. But how did Gus get them here so soon? It's not ten minutes since I 'phoned to him to send me four more men."
The boss entered the parlor.
"There's your four to a man." And the packer, shaking with laughter, turned again to the chair he had been wrapping.
"Very happy to make your 'quaintance, Mr. Boss." Berta stepped forward and offered her hand.
"Eh? What's this? Oh, to be sure! And I'm delighted to make yours." The boss made up his mind that the other men should find him equal to the occasion. "So you're looking for a job, eh? Well, now, what kind of a one would you prefer?"
"We prefer ev'y kind they is, Mr. Boss, 'cept ones that's too big and heavy for us. But Dick's very strong. He has mushes in his arms, so he has. Show them to Mr. Boss, Dick."
The little fellow promptly rolled up his sleeve and proudly doubled up his arm.
"Well, well, who'd ever believe it! But you see how things are in here. The pictures have to come down next. Do you think you are equal to that job?"
"I guess I've got muscle enough; but you girls haven't any, and Jack's only a baby; and maybe Uncle Rob and Aunt 'Lisbeth won't like it so very well if you drop the pictures when I hand them down to you."
"No, Dick, I s'pects they won't. What does you think about it, Beth?"
"I'se quite sure they won't, Berta. But——but, Mr. Boss, isn't they anything else that won't break when we drop it? rugs or all things same as that?"
"Well, now, I'm sorry, but the rugs are all rolled up ready to put in the van when it comes. But hold on! Let me take another look at those muscles of yours, young man. Hm! There's a box on the front porch that has to come in here, and it doesn't matter how many times you drop it on the way——"
"We'll bring it! We'll bring it!" was the joyful shout; and the four raced for the front door. Just outside it they came to a sudden halt and looked in dismay at the box meant for the grand piano. Then Berta's sharp eyes turned toward the parlor window, and she drew the others around behind the box. "They's peeking out the windows and laughing at us, so they is! They's not nice gemmans at all to s'pect little folkses like us to carry such a drefful 'mense, 'normous, big box same as this. Let's go into the liberry and see if Daddy hasn't nenny of those things he said we could carry."
They scrambled through one of the long windows opening into the library, where they found Mr. Selwyn on the top of a ladder.
"Has you nenny of those things for us to carry yet, Daddy?"
"What things, pet?"
"Those things you said at breakfus. Doesn't you 'member?"
"Oh, messages. No, I have no messages to send to anyone just now. How about your own books and games? You may pack them in that nice low box if you like."
With a squeal of delight, the four scampered from the room and up the stairs.
"Lock that door, Mary! Quick! It will never do to let Beth see what we are up to. There, now, if she can tell that this is not her Lucy doll, she has better eyes than most people."
"We can't let her see it, though, until after Uncle has taken a look at it; so I shall lock the door after us, Wilhelmina, when we go out——Mercy on us! Whatarethey up to!" For from the staircase came screams and wails and sounds of falling things which brought every one in the house to the banisters.
Wilhelmina caught Jack at the head of the stairs and bundled him into the playroom, closing the door on him; and then she hurried after Mary, who, picking her way over the books and games scattered on the stairs, was hurrying down to the three in a heap at the foot.
"We's deaded! Oh, we's all deaded; so we is!" wailed Berta as her father lifted her to her feet.
"No, no, pet, it is not so bad as that, I am sure."
Dick managed to pull himself together and sat on the lowest step, winking very hard; but Beth lay so still that Mr. Selwyn was frightened. He lifted her carefully and carried her into the library, feeling the frail little limbs to make sure that no bones were broken. Presently, she opened her eyes and looked at him in a dazed way. He passed his hand over her little yellow head and felt a great lump at the back of it.
Berta was awed at the grave look on his face and whispered, "Is——is little sister——drefful much hurt, Daddy?"
"She certainly got the worst of this tumble, dear. I cannot tell how serious this bump on her head may be."
"Oh, dear, me! Poor Beth is all the time getting the worse of ev'ything, so she is! First her Lucy doll's head, and now her own!" And great tears rolled down Berta's chubby cheeks.
"My——my Lucy doll——did Uncle——make her well?"
"He hasn't come home yet, Bethy; but she is ever so much better, and I am sure she will soon be as well as ever," soothed Mary, who was kneeling beside her father.
"Jack——I was——taking care of him, Willy-mean——"
"He didn't fall, honey. He is up in the playroom."
"My——my head——Daddy——it hurts——drefful much."
"You bumped it, dear; but here are Mother and Aunt Etta and Aunt Mandy, who all know the very best thing to do for bumps. Mary will get some ice, and we shall go upstairs where you can be quiet and rest for a little while."
"But——but I want to help pack, Daddy."
"We won't pack nennything at all till your poor little head is all well, honey. You see, Mother, our new, little kitty was all the time jumping round our feets ev'y whichy way." Berta thought that someone should explain matters. "And she falled Beth down, and Beth bumped Dick and falled him down, and he bumped me and falled me down, and——and ev'ything falled all down ev'y place, and——"
"But you and Dick are not hurt, dear, are you?"
"I thinked we is deaded, Mother, but I guess we isn't."
After luncheon, Wilhelmina and Mary tiptoed into the twins' room, where Beth lay in a heavy sleep, an icebag at the back of her head and Aunt Mandy sitting beside her. They placed the new Lucy at the foot of the bed where the little one would see her the moment she opened her eyes. Then Mary insisted that the old nurse should go to her luncheon, and promised that she and Wilhelmina would stay with Beth. Presently, the child stirred, and the two slipped behind a screen to watch her when she woke. They heard a low gurgle of delight and saw her creep to the foot of the bed and clasp the doll in her arms, kissing her over and over again and crooning, "My most beauty chile, my most beauty chile!" And they almost laughed aloud when she began to examine the doll's sweet little face for the cracks which she knew should be there, feeling the rosy cheeks with her frail little finger, and rubbing her eyes for a better look. And when she had made sure that Lucy's face was as smooth as it had been before the accident, she began hugging and kissing her again, while she murmured, "Isn't Uncle good!Isn'the good to make you all well, my most beauty chile! I must go find him this very 'zact instinct and love him tight as I can. But——but my head feels very queer, so it does."
Mary stole from behind the screen, ready to catch her if she should show any sign of falling as she climbed unsteadily over the side of her crib; but Beth, dazed from the pain in her head, took no notice of anyone. Her sister followed her down to the library, where Mr. Selwyn and the Doctor stood talking.
"I——I jes' want to give Uncle a big love for making my Lucy doll all well again, and——and then I'se going back to bed, 'cause——'cause I can't see so very well, and the bump hurts."
"No wonder, pet." The Doctor held her close. "But after you have taken another little nap, you will feel much better. I think Lucy should be kept in bed for the rest of the day, and I am sure she would like you to stay with her. She had a very narrow escape, you know. Come, we shall go upstairs again."
Berta and Dick begged off from their nap and began the afternoon by stripping pin-cushions and emptying trays of pins and hairpins which they scattered among the straw in a basket meant for china and glassware. This was too much for the real workers, who felt that they could breathe easily only when the four were sound asleep; and the little ones, worn out after their busy morning, did not open their eyes until time to dress for dinner.
Beth, a little paler than usual, but quite ready for work, was the first at the breakfast table next morning. The evening before, when Berta and Dick had gone to see her for a few minutes, the three had planned what they would do the very first thing in the morning; and the glances and smiles which passed between them during the meal, did not escape the Doctor's eye. Before leaving the table, he whispered to his sister that mischief was brewing. Mrs. Marvin took Jack upstairs with her for safe keeping; and Mrs. Selwyn, with an eye on the other three, busied herself at the china closet while they brought in a bushel basket, filled it with straw from a barrel in the corner of the dining-room, carried it into the front hall and put it under the staircase. She waited until she saw them go into the library and begin to pack their books and games, when, knowing that her husband would look after them there, she hurried to the work waiting upstairs.
After packing and unpacking the box many times, the children decided that it was ready for the cover. Mr. Selwyn came down from his ladder to nail it on for them; but in order to please them, he had to drive so many nails into it that the heads of them made a very neat border around the edge. Then the telephone rang; and when he returned to the library, the little ones had gone. A half hour later, he needed the hammer and nails; but they were not to be seen. After a long search, he thought he must have carried them to the telephone with him; but no, not a nail could he find. Suddenly, he remembered that he had promised to call up his lawyer that morning, and not being sure of the number, he turned to look it up in the directory. The book was not in its usual place, nor could he find it anywhere else in the room. He asked the packers if they had seen it, but they had not. Then he called to Mary to see whether anyone upstairs had it or his hammer and nails. In a few moments, she came down empty-handed.
"Have you asked the twinnies, Father?"
"I thought they were upstairs with you. I have not seen them for a half hour."
"They are up to something then. I wouldn't be surprised if they were out in the yard driving nails into the fence and benches."
As she ran through the hall, she heard a muffledmeowcoming from under the staircase and saw there what looked like a heap of carpet with a hassock on top of it. Again came themeow. "Surely, Fluff can't be under there. The poor little thing would be smothered." She lifted the hassock and a thick rug and found a bushel basket carefully covered with a barrel head which began to move. She raised it, and out sprang the pretty Angora kitten which the Doctor had brought to her little sisters a few evenings before. Down the hall toward the kitchen it fled, and Mary hurried out the side door to the yard. No sign of the children there, and Tom in the barn had not seen them that morning. She searched the basement and then returned through the kitchen and dining-room to the front hall, where she decided that they must have gone up the back stairs while she was coming down the front ones. Just outside the dining-room door she paused. Surely, that was a whisper. There it was again. "Yes, she's gone. Goody!" The table cloth, which had not been taken off after breakfast, hung nearly to the floor. Mary lifted one corner of it, and three pairs of eyes, dancing with mischief, met hers.
"Sh! sh! we's making Daddy a s'prise—a most beauty, grand s'prise." Berta pointed to the box of nails before them and to the box cover in which lay a number of them carefully wrapped in white tissue paper. The hammer, also well wrapped, was near by.
"But how is Father going to fasten the covers on his boxes of books if you pack all his nails?"
"Oh, I'se quite sure Tom has plenty of nails and hammers and all things same as that in his big box in the barn——plenty!"
"Then why did Father go to the store last evening to buy these, Beth? He has looked everywhere for them and can't imagine what has become of them. Surely, when he has nailed your box up so nicely for you, you won't be so stingy as to take his hammer and all his nails from him."
"But——but you don't misstand, Mary. We's making as'prisefor Daddy."
"But Father would rather have his hammer and nails, Berta. It is too bad to spoil the surprise; but I know what we can do. Put all the nails that you have wrapped so nicely into the box cover, and I shall ask Father to try to get along with those in the box. If there are any left, you can pack them later; and it won't be very much trouble to wrap the hammer again."
The three looked rather mournful as they crept out from under the table.
"Oh, I almost forgot about it. Do you know anything about the telephone book?"
From the way they looked at one another, Mary felt sure that they knew a great deal about it. Just then, Fluff ran across the room.
"Why, Fluff, wheredidyou come from? We thinked you was all packed nice and comfy in the basket we fixed for you. Go right straight back there this instinct and don't be jumping around our feets and falling us down same as you did yesterday morning-time."
"O Berta! you don't want to kill poor Fluff, do you? She was almost smothered in the basket with that thick rug tucked in all around it; and I'm sure I wouldn't think that stiff straw very comfortable."
"Mary, I think you is jes' drefful! You is spoiling all our nice s'prises ev'y single time, so you is! And we's not going to tell you 'bout the telefome book, so now!"
"Ye——es," big tears filled Beth's eyes, "we thinked we is making beauty s'prises for Daddy when we wrapped ev'y single nail so nice and smooth and packed the telefome book 'way, 'way down in the bottom of our box; and now you come and say they isn't nice s'prises at all, and——and——"
"Why, Bethy, I know you meant to make the loveliest surprises in the whole world, but you just made a little mistake, don't you see? Wilhelmina and I have made ever so many mistakes, and we didn't mind when Mother or Aunt Etta told us to unpack a great big trunk and pack it all over again a better way. But I know something that would be a beautiful surprise for everybody in the whole house, and I am sure that no one else would think of doing it. There are things in the yard that we shall need at Bird-a-Lea, and if you three would go around and mark them with some lovely colored chalk that I shall give you, it will save poor Father ever so much time and trouble. Wait for me on the side porch while I run upstairs for the chalk. Berta shall have a red stick, because red is her color; and Beth must have blue; and what color would you like, Dick?"
"Yellow's a pretty good color, Mary, and it shows, too."
In a very short time, Mary returned with the chalk, and to Beth's question, "Must we make ev'ything all red and blue and yellow all over?" she hastened to reply, "Indeed, no. Just a little criss-cross on the things you think we should take."
"But what kind of things, Mary?"
"I'll show you, Berta. I see one right now." And Dick bounded down the steps to put a yellow mark on a rake leaning against a tree.
"Oh, I know where they's whole lots of things. I saw them this morning-time when we went to get the basket. Come on, chilluns!" Berta led the way around to the back steps. A hoe and a spade stood between them and the fence and were promptly marked. Beth next spied a broom on the porch; and Dick, a basket of clothes pins.
"'M, 'm, 'm, it's going to take a puffeckly drefful long time to mark ev'y single one of these."
"Just mark the basket, Berta," said Dick.
But the little girl thought each pin should be plainly marked, and the three were very busy for some time.
"Does you think we ought to mark the steps, Beth?"
"Why, Berta, they's plenty of steps at Bird-a-Lea,plenty! Doesn't you 'member? They's some in front and some in back and some at both sides all going up to the porch."
"W——ell, what else is they to take? Oh, I know! The wheely-ba'l, so we can have nice rides in our own garden same as Danny gives us in his wheely-ba'l in the garden at Aunt Mary's."
"If you'll come home with us, I'll let you ride in my billy goat cart."
"Whatisthat, Dick?"
"Why——why, it's a dandy, little, red cart that we harness a billy goat to, 'stead of a pony or horse."
"But whatisa billy goat?"
"A billy goat? Didn't you girls ever see a billy goat? He's just an animal for pulling carts and——and——"
"What kind of a amanal, Dick?"
"How big is he?"
"What color is he?"
"He's about as big as Thor—that's our dog—and he's a sort of a white color 'cept when he rolls in the dust, and he's got horns, and when he gets mad you've got to look out or he'll stick them into you——"
"Oh, oh! I guess I like a wheely-ba'l best of all."
"But, Beth, somebody has to push you in that, and you can drive our Billy 'zactly the same as a horse. He doesn't get mad very often; and when he does, we run behind trees so he can't get at us. Ask your father and mother to let you come home with us. We'll have no end of fun."
"But——but I 'splained to you, Dick, the why we can't go home with you. We has to live in our own house with Father and Mother and Uncle Frank and Mary. It would be ever so much better if you would bring your billy cart and come to live at Bird-a-Lea. They's so many chilluns in your fambly, and they's only three in ours, and we hasn't nenny little brothers 'cept two in heaven."
"But, you see, Berta, it doesn't make any diff'runce how many children we have in our family. A fellow's s'posed to live with his own father and mother."
"Maybe Daddy and Mother will take us to see Dick and Jack sometime, Berta; and then you will ride us in your billy cart, won't you, Dick? And when you come to see us at Bird-a-Lea, you can have a nice ride in our wheely-ba'l, so you can."
They next marked the garden benches and porch chairs.
"And I'se quite sure Daddy will say we must take this nice white walk. They's only all little stones on the walks at Bird-a-Lea."
"That's gravel. We have that on all our walks and on the driveway. Everybody in the country has that 'stead of walks like this."
They went around and around the old-fashioned yard, putting colored marks on everything they thought should be taken to the new home, until there was very little left of their sticks of chalk.
"I know what ought to be marked. Ourselves. We're not going to be left behind."
"Oh, yes, Dick, let's mark our own selfs," cried the twins; and when poor old Aunt Mandy came to call them to get washed before luncheon, she threw up her hands in horror at sight of their faces streaked with red, blue, and yellow, in real Indian style.
After luncheon, Mr. Selwyn was taken out to see the "s'prise," and he had to turn aside and cough many times when he saw even the leaves of certain plants in the garden plainly marked.
"In course, Daddy, we know they's a big,biggarden of most beauty flowers at Bird-a-Lea; but p'raps they isn't nenny jes' 'zactly like these. And Beth and I can't 'member if they's nenny Kismus trees out there; so we thinked it would be better to take this nice little one so Sandy Claws will find it when he comes, you know."
"Oho! trust him to find dozens of Christmas trees ever so much larger and finer than this one in the country around our new home, pet. Santa Claus does not depend on city yards and parks for his Christmas trees. No, indeed!"
The afternoon nap that day was very much shorter, for the three were bent on helping indoors. They were not very well pleased, therefore, when they were dressed for the afternoon and sent out to play in the yard. The Doctor, coming home early, saw them walking about in a listless way and went out to see what the trouble was.
"Well, what is wrong now, little folks?"
"O Uncle! ev'ybody is all the time saying, 'Not jes' now,' and 'After while,' and 'Not at present, thank you,' and all things same as that when we want to help, so they is," pouted Beth.
"Yes, and we didn't ask nennybody for presents, Uncle, not ever, ever at all."
"Not ever, ever at all. We jes' want to help."
"And whenis'after while,' anyway, Uncle Frank. Seems to me big folks are always saying that, and it never comes," added Dick.
"Dear, dear, it is too bad to have your feelings hurt in this way. I must see what can be done about it. Surely there must be something for such willing hands to do."
"Oh, we did whole lots of things this morning-time. See all those red and blue and yellow marks we made on ev'ything?" Beth lowered her voice. "All 'cept Jack. He's too little, you know; but he's so cute."
"Yes, I saw the marks as soon as I came out here. May I ask what they mean?"
"The why we made them is 'cause we want ev'ybody to know jes' 'zactly the things we must take to Bird-a-Lea with us."
"A very fine idea indeed, Berta. And now I have one that I am sure you will all like. It will never do, you know, for us to leave our old home looking untidy. I was thinking of hiring a man to put the yard in order after we go; but perhaps you would like to do it for me. There are a great many dead leaves on the grass, and the rain has washed the earth out on the walks in several places, and I saw some cobwebs on the porch——"
"Ugh! ugh! maybe they's spiders in them!"
"Never mind, Beth, I'se going to dead them for you. Beth doesn't like spiders and crawly things so very well, Uncle, you know."
"Then we shall leave the cobwebs to you and Dick, and let Beth and Jack rake leaves. But you will need the proper things to work with. Tom's rake and broom are too large and clumsy for you. Suppose you run up, Berta, to tell Mother and Aunt Etta that I am going to take you shopping with me."
The little girl soon returned, her face beaming. "Ev'ybody says they's puffeckly 'lighted to have you take us, Uncle."
Some time later, the neighbors were surprised at the strange procession coming up the street. It was led by Dick, proudly pushing a little red wheelbarrow filled with garden tools and big sun hats. Berta came next with a small broom over each shoulder. Beth followed in the same manner, and baby Jack strutted after her with a little hoe. The Doctor brought up the rear, carrying anything that the children could not manage.
"But where is we going to put all these things so ev'ybody won't see them, Uncle?"
"We shall go in at the side gate, Beth, and Tom will find a hiding place for them in the barn. We are a little late for dinner, so no one will see us on our way back there."
Flushed and happy, the four took their places at the table.
"Nennybody can't guess what Uncle buyed us, and nennybody doesn't know the beauty grand s'prise we's going to make to-morrow morning-time. Oh, I wish it was then now!" And Berta beamed on all present.
"But they's jes' one thing Uncle couldn't buy for us, 'cause they wasn't any room in the wheely-bal for it. But you'll take us for a nice walk this evening-time and buy it for us, won't you, Daddy?"
"There is some very important business which I must see your father about this evening, Beth," said the Doctor with a warning look which Mr. Selwyn did not catch. He had been so long separated from his family that he was anxious to do everything he could to make them happy. "Making up for lost time," he called it; and he would have spoiled the twins if it had not been for his wife, who would not let him buy everything they asked for.
"Perhaps I can go with you some other evening, pet. What is it you wish me to get for you?"
"O Daddy, it's the most beauty little bed for our dollies. Outside is all soft, white velvet, and inside is all white, shiny stuff and lace, and——and oh! it's jesbeauty! And it has a cover to keep the flies and skeeties off when our chilluns go to sleep."
Mary and Wilhelmina left the table very quickly, and the Doctor chuckled. "We passed the undertaker's on the avenue, and it was all I could do to get them home."
The two mothers looked at each other.
"I shall see that Rob takes no more evening walks until we are safe in the country," Mrs. Selwyn declared, and then listened to her husband's answer to the twins' coaxing.
"We already have so many things to pack that I really do not see where we shall find room for anything else. Better wait until Christmas when I shall tell Santa Claus to bring each of you a pretty brass bed for your dollies, with soft, warm blankets and everything just as you have for your own cribs. Velvet and satin and lace soil so easily, you know."
Mrs. Selwyn breathed a sigh of relief, and Mary and Wilhelmina returned to the table.