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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Children of the Top Floor, by Nina Rhoades
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Children of the Top Floor
+
+Author: Nina Rhoades
+
+Illustrator: Bertha G. Davidson
+
+Release Date: May 7, 2010 [EBook #32279]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHILDREN OF THE TOP FLOOR ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Verity White and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE CHILDREN ON THE TOP FLOOR
+
+
+
+
+    BOOKS BY NINA RHOADES
+
+    "The Brick House Series"
+
+    ONLY DOLLIE
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+        New cover design. Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    THE LITTLE GIRL NEXT DOOR
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+                          Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    WINIFRED'S NEIGHBORS
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+                          Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    THE CHILDREN ON THE TOP FLOOR
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+                          Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    HOW BARBARA KEPT HER PROMISE
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+                          Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    LITTLE MISS ROSAMOND
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+                          Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    PRISCILLA OF THE DOLL SHOP
+      Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson
+                          Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+    LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
+
+    BOSTON
+
+    [Illustration: The next hour passed very pleasantly.--_Page 144._]
+
+
+
+
+    THE
+
+    CHILDREN ON THE TOP FLOOR
+
+    BY
+
+    NINA RHOADES
+
+    Author of "Only Dollie," "The Little Girl Next Door," and
+    "Winifred's Neighbors"
+
+    _ILLUSTRATED BY BERTHA G. DAVIDSON_
+
+    BOSTON
+
+    LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
+
+
+    Copyright, 1904, by Lee and Shepard
+
+    _All rights reserved_
+
+    The Children on the Top Floor
+
+    Published August, 1904.
+
+    Norwood Press
+
+    Berwick & Smith Co.
+
+    Norwood, Mass.
+
+    U. S. A.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+    CHAPTER                                    PAGE
+
+    I.    A Mishap and Its Consequences           7
+
+    II.   Betty's Temptation                     20
+
+    III.  Winifred's Thank Offering              34
+
+    IV.   Gathering Clouds                       48
+
+    V.    Winifred to the Rescue                 65
+
+    VI.   Friends in Need                        80
+
+    VII.  A Chance for Jack                      93
+
+    VIII. The Doctor's Verdict                  105
+
+    IX.   Suspense                              115
+
+    X.    A Letter and a Surprise               124
+
+    XI.   At Navesink                           140
+
+    XII.  Drifting                              153
+
+    XIII. "His Lordship"                        171
+
+    XIV.  Jack's New Friend                     180
+
+    XV.   Something Happens                     196
+
+    XVI.  Uncle Jack                            211
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+                                               PAGE
+    The next hour passed very pleasantly.
+    _(Frontispiece)_.                           144
+
+    Little Betty Randall gazing disconsolately
+    down on the debris of her three cream cakes, 10
+
+    Betty found them all laughing heartily over
+    "My Grandmother's Cat"                       94
+
+    What a delightful afternoon that was!       111
+
+    That sail down the bay was a new and very
+    delightful experience                       136
+
+    "There aren't any oars, and we're drifting" 159
+
+    "It is very good," said Lord Carresford     189
+
+    "I'm the happiest boy in the world," said
+    Jack                                        219
+
+
+
+
+THE CHILDREN ON THE TOP FLOOR
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+A MISHAP AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
+
+
+"Will you please let me have two cream cakes?"
+
+The young woman behind the counter of the small bakery glanced kindly at
+the maker of this request, a little girl in a rather neat-looking dress,
+with a dark, earnest face and a pair of big, solemn brown eyes.
+
+"They're nice and fresh to-day," she remarked pleasantly; "they came out
+of the oven only an hour ago."
+
+The customer smiled.
+
+"I'm glad," she said; "my little brother is very fond of cream cakes."
+
+"And how is your little brother to-day?" the woman questioned, at the
+same time selecting three large, fat cream cakes from the heaped up
+dish on the counter.
+
+"He's pretty well, thank you. Oh, excuse me, but you're giving me three;
+I only asked for two."
+
+"Never mind about that, it's all right. Too bad your little brother
+can't get out these fine spring days, isn't it?"
+
+A troubled, wistful look came into the child's face.
+
+"He would like to get out," she said sadly; "I wish he could."
+
+"Yes, indeed, I don't wonder; it's just grand in the park these warm
+afternoons. My two little boys about live there. If you could take him
+out for a drive sometimes, it would do him a lot of good, I'm sure."
+
+Before the child could answer, the door of the bakery opened, and two
+more customers, a lady and a little girl of nine or ten, came in.
+
+"Well, Winnie," said the lady smiling, as they approached the counter,
+"have you decided which it is to be to-day, macaroons or chocolate
+eclairs?"
+
+"I think it had better be eclairs to-day, we had macaroons three times
+last week," the little girl said, laughing, and glancing with an
+expression of interest at the first customer, who had now received her
+package, and was turning to leave the store. "Oh, mother," she added
+eagerly, as the door closed, "did you see? that's the little girl who
+lives in our house."
+
+"Was it really?" the lady inquired, looking interested in her turn; "I
+didn't notice her."
+
+"Oh, yes, I'm quite sure; I've seen her several times on the stairs, you
+know. I wish she hadn't gone so quick; I should have liked to speak to
+her. It seems so queer not to know a person who lives in the same house
+that you do, doesn't it?"
+
+"And a very nice little girl she is too," put in the young woman behind
+the counter, glad of an opportunity to say a good word for one of her
+favorite customers. "She often comes in here, and we serve the family
+with bread. They live in the apartment house on the corner."
+
+"That's where we live," said Winifred; "do you know what the little
+girl's name is?"
+
+"Yes; it's Randall, Betty Randall; she told me so herself the other day.
+Her mother's a very handsome lady, quite stylish-looking, though I
+believe she gives lessons of some kind. She's a widow, with two
+children, this one and a little boy, who is a cripple. It's my opinion
+they've seen better days. Shall I send these things, ma'am, or will you
+take them with you?"
+
+"I will take them, thank you. Come, Winifred."
+
+"Mother," said Winifred, as they left the bakery, "I really do wish I
+knew that little girl. She has a very nice face, and if her brother is a
+cripple, I might go and read to him sometimes. You know I'm very fond of
+cripples."
+
+The lady laughed.
+
+"Well, you may speak to the child, if you like," she said kindly. "I
+scarcely know whether it would do for you to call on the family. You
+see, dear, a great many people live in that big apartment house, and
+they may not all be desirable friends for you. But look, isn't that the
+very child you are talking about? Yes, to be sure it is, and she seems
+to be in trouble. She must have had a fall."
+
+A moment later little Betty Randall, standing in the middle of the
+sidewalk, gazing disconsolately down on the debris of her three cream
+cakes, which lay crushed and shapeless at her feet, was startled to hear
+a sweet, sympathetic voice saying close to her side:
+
+"I'm sorry; how did it happen?"
+
+"I slipped on a piece of orange peel," explained little Betty, at
+once recognizing the lady and little girl she had seen at the baker's,
+"and fell right on my bag of cream cakes. They're all spoiled."
+
+[Illustration: Little Betty Randall gazing disconsolately down on the
+debris of her three cream cakes.--_Page 10._]
+
+"It's too bad, but hadn't you better go back for some more?" the lady
+suggested pleasantly.
+
+Betty hesitated, and her color rose.
+
+"I think not to-day," she said a little primly; "mother might not like
+it. I don't mind about myself," she added quickly, "but I'm sorry for
+Jack; he's very fond of cream cakes."
+
+"Is Jack your little brother?" Winifred asked.
+
+"Yes; how did you know I had a little brother?"
+
+"The woman at the baker's said so, and she said he was a cripple."
+
+Betty's face softened wonderfully. By this time they had abandoned the
+cream cakes to their fate, and were all three walking on together
+towards the big apartment house on the next corner.
+
+"Yes, he is a cripple," she said; "he can't walk at all. He had a fall
+when he was a baby, and it hurt his spine."
+
+"How very sad," said Winifred sympathetically; "how did it happen?"
+
+"His nurse dropped him one day when mother and father were out. She
+didn't tell at first, and nobody knew what was the matter with Jack,
+and what made him cry whenever any one touched him. At last the doctor
+found out that his spine was injured, and then she confessed."
+
+"How old is he now?" Winifred inquired.
+
+"He will be nine the day after to-morrow, but he seems older than that.
+He's a very clever little boy; he reads a great deal, and he can draw
+beautiful pictures. Mother thinks it's because he is so much by himself
+that he gets to be so old-fashioned. I'm eleven, but I'm not nearly so
+clever as Jack."
+
+"I suppose you are very fond of him," said Winifred. "A person would
+naturally be very fond of a brother who is a cripple."
+
+"I love him better than anything else in the world," said Betty simply.
+
+At that moment the apartment house was reached.
+
+"Isn't it strange that we live in the same house and never spoke to each
+other before?" remarked Winifred, as they mounted the first flight of
+stairs together. "We haven't lived here very long, though; only since
+January."
+
+"We have lived here for two years," said Betty, "and we don't know any
+of the people in the house."
+
+Winifred's eyes opened wide in surprise, but they were already on the
+first landing, and her mother had rung the bell of their own apartment.
+
+"Good-bye," she said, "this is where we live. I hope I shall see you
+again soon."
+
+Betty stood for a moment gazing at the closed door, behind which her new
+acquaintances had disappeared, and then she toiled on, up three more
+long steep flights of stairs, until, on the very top landing of all, she
+paused, and taking a key from her pocket, proceeded to open a door on
+her right.
+
+"Is that you, Betty?" called an eager little voice, as the door swung
+open, and Betty passed into the small, narrow hall of the "top floor
+rear apartment."
+
+"Yes, dear; but, oh, Jack, I'm so sorry; I slipped on a horrid piece of
+orange peel and spilled all the cream cakes. It'll have to be cold meat
+and bread and butter to-day."
+
+"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" the anxious little voice inquired.
+
+"Oh, no, not a bit, and quite an interesting thing happened. Just wait
+till I take off my hat, and get your lunch ready, and I'll tell you all
+about it."
+
+Five minutes later, Betty, her little dark face somewhat flushed from
+recent exertions, but looking, on the whole, very bright and happy,
+entered the small front room, bearing a tray containing milk, cold
+meat, and a pile of thin bread-and-butter sandwiches.
+
+"I'll put it on the little table, and we can have lunch together," she
+said cheerfully. "See what a lot of sandwiches mother's made for us."
+
+As she spoke, Betty drew a small table close to the sofa on which lay
+the little cripple. Jack watched her every movement with loving eyes.
+Such a pale, wan face as it was; such a poor, shrunken little body! But
+it was not a dull face, and the large, beautiful blue eyes had a bright,
+glad light in them, despite the fact that their owner spent all his poor
+life confined to a sofa.
+
+"Now tell me about the interesting thing," Jack said, when Betty, having
+completed her arrangements, had seated herself by his side, prepared to
+enjoy the cold meat and bread and butter.
+
+"Yes, I will. It isn't very much, though, only when I was at the baker's
+who should happen to come in but the lady and the little girl who live
+down on the second floor. You know, I told you about that little girl,
+how pretty she was, and how she and her mother were always together.
+I've seen her mother taking her to school ever so many mornings, and I
+think she was on her way home from school now, for she carried books.
+Well, I got my cream cakes--they were lovely ones too, and the woman
+gave me three, though I only asked for two--and I was hurrying home as
+fast as I could, when all of a sudden I slipped on that old orange peel,
+and fell flat. My bag burst open, and of course the cream cakes were all
+squashed. I got up, and was standing looking at my poor cream cakes, and
+feeling so dreadfully sorry, when the lady and the little girl stopped
+to speak to me. They were ever so kind. The lady said I had better go
+back to the store for more, but I didn't have money enough for that, you
+know."
+
+"You didn't say so, did you?" Jack questioned anxiously.
+
+"Of course I didn't. I just said I thought I wouldn't go back to-day,
+and then we all walked home together, and the little girl asked me about
+you."
+
+"What did you tell her?"
+
+"Oh, I said you were a very clever boy, and--why, there's the door bell;
+I wonder who it can be?"
+
+"Perhaps it's mother come home early," Jack suggested, his pale little
+face brightening; "perhaps one of her pupils didn't take a lesson,
+or----"
+
+But Betty did not hear. She was already halfway across the little hall,
+and in another moment was standing with the open door in her hand,
+gazing in surprise at the neat, pleasant-faced servant girl who
+confronted her. The girl held in her hand a plate covered with a napkin.
+
+"Is this Miss Betty Randall?" the stranger inquired, smiling.
+
+"Yes," said Betty, in growing bewilderment. She was sure she had never
+seen the girl before.
+
+"Well, here are some eclairs for you. Miss Winifred Hamilton sends them
+to you and your little brother, and hopes you'll both enjoy them."
+
+And before Betty could recover sufficiently from her surprise to utter a
+word of either thanks or protest, the plate was in her hands, and the
+servant girl was hurrying away downstairs.
+
+It was with a very bright face, however, that the little girl came
+running back into the sitting room, in answer to Jack's eager "What is
+it, Betty?"
+
+"It's eclairs, four beautiful chocolate eclairs," she explained
+joyfully, "and the nice little girl downstairs has sent them to us.
+
+"She just bought them too, for I heard her mother asking her at the
+baker's whether it was to be eclairs or macaroons, and she said eclairs.
+Wasn't it kind of her to send them? You do like chocolate eclairs very
+much, don't you, Jack, dear?"
+
+"I love them," said Jack heartily, "but, Betty, do you suppose mother
+would like it?"
+
+Betty's bright face clouded, but only for a moment.
+
+"I don't believe she'd mind," she said with decision. "You see, things
+to eat aren't like money, and I think it would be rude not to take them
+when the little girl was so kind."
+
+Jack acquiesced in this view of the matter, and the two children were
+soon in the full enjoyment of their unexpected treat.
+
+"Her name is Hamilton, Winifred Hamilton," remarked Betty, poising a
+delicious morsel on her fork as she spoke, "and she knows my name too.
+The maid asked if I wasn't Miss Betty Randall. She is such a pretty
+little girl, Jack; her hair is all fluffy and crimpy round her face, and
+she's got beautiful eyes."
+
+"I wish I could see her," said Jack wistfully; "do you suppose she would
+come up here if you asked her?"
+
+"I shouldn't wonder," said Betty hopefully; "she said she was very much
+interested in cripples."
+
+Jack made an impatient movement, and a look of pain crossed his face.
+
+"I wish I wasn't a cripple," he said, his lip beginning to tremble; "I
+wish I could get up and walk like other people. I want to see things."
+
+Betty laid down her fork, and a look of sympathy and almost womanly
+tenderness came into her eyes.
+
+"What kind of things do you want to see, Jack?" she asked gently.
+
+"Oh, I don't know; all kinds of things. I get so tired looking out of
+the window at roofs and chimneys. I should like to see a park with deer
+in it, and swans and a peacock, like the one mother tells about."
+
+"But you couldn't see that park, you know, dear, because that was in
+England, away across the Atlantic Ocean."
+
+"Well, but there is a park here, too, isn't there? I heard Mrs. Flynn
+talking about it the other day. She said it was beautiful in the park
+now, with all the flowers coming out."
+
+"Oh, yes, there's Central Park, and it is very pretty, but not so pretty
+as the one mother tells about."
+
+Jack's face brightened again.
+
+"Couldn't I go there some time?" he asked eagerly; "is it too far for
+any one to carry me?"
+
+Betty shook her head sadly.
+
+"I'm afraid it's too far for that," she admitted, "but if we only had a
+carriage you could go. The janitor would carry you downstairs, I know,
+and it wouldn't be a long drive. I don't believe it would hurt your back
+one bit. I'll tell you what, Jack. Day after to-morrow will be your
+birthday; let's ask mother to hire a carriage, and take us both."
+
+Betty's eyes were sparkling with the sudden inspiration, but now it was
+Jack's turn to shake his head and look dubious.
+
+"I'm afraid it would cost too much," he said mournfully; "I should love
+it, but I'm really afraid it would."
+
+"I don't believe it would be so very expensive," said hopeful Betty.
+"There's a livery stable right across the street, and I'll go over this
+afternoon and find out how much it costs. I've got a dollar and five
+cents in my bank; I counted it last night, and mother says it's all
+mine, to do just what I please with. Oh, Jack, dear, I'm sure it can't
+cost more than a dollar, and I should just love to get it for your
+birthday present. I wonder why we were all so stupid as never to have
+thought of doing it before."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+BETTY'S TEMPTATION
+
+
+It was about an hour later when Betty, having washed and put away the
+luncheon dishes, and settled Jack with his story book and drawing
+materials, ran lightly down the three long flights of stairs to the
+Hamiltons' apartment. In one hand she carried Mrs. Hamilton's plate and
+napkin, and in the other a small tin money box, which jingled at every
+step. At the Hamiltons' front door she paused, and rather timidly rang
+the bell. The door was opened by the same girl who had brought the
+eclairs.
+
+"I came to bring back the plate," Betty explained, "and will you please
+tell Miss Winifred Hamilton that my little brother and I enjoyed the
+cakes very much."
+
+"Wouldn't you like to come in and speak to her yourself?" the girl asked
+pleasantly; "she's right here."
+
+She moved aside as she spoke, and there, sure enough, was Winifred
+standing smiling in the parlor door.
+
+"Yes, do come in," said the little girl hospitably. "Mother's out, but I
+stayed at home to make a dress for one of my children. They're really my
+_dolls_, you know," she added, smiling at Betty's look of bewilderment,
+"but I always call them my children. I'm so very fond of them, you see,
+and they do seem something like real children. Come in and I'll show
+them to you."
+
+There was no declining this tempting invitation, and Betty was soon
+making the acquaintance of Winifred's family, and being introduced
+respectively to Lord Fauntleroy, Rose-Florence, Violet-May, Lily-Bell,
+and Miss Mollie.
+
+"You see, when my father and mother were away in California I used to be
+alone a good deal," Winifred explained, "and so if it hadn't been for
+the children I should have been rather lonely. I lived with Uncle Will
+and Aunt Estelle then, and Aunt Estelle is a very busy lady and has to
+go out a good deal. My mother hardly ever goes out without me, and I
+don't have nearly so much time to devote to the children as I used, but
+I shouldn't like to have them feel neglected, so sometimes I stay at
+home on purpose to look after them a little."
+
+"How old are you?" Betty inquired. To her this conversation seemed
+extremely childish. She had never had much time in her busy little life
+to care for dolls, Jack having claimed all her thought and attention.
+
+"I shall be ten next July, so as it's April now, father says I'm nine
+and three-quarters. Father's very fond of joking, and so is Uncle Will."
+
+"You go to school, don't you?" Betty asked.
+
+"Yes, I go to Miss Lothrop's. I was coming from school when I met you
+to-day. Mother almost always takes me and comes for me herself, because
+we have only Lizzie, and she has a great deal to do."
+
+"We don't keep any girl at all now," said Betty, "and so I can't go to
+school, because there would be nobody to take care of Jack. We did keep
+a girl last year, but some of mother's pupils gave up, and she couldn't
+get any new ones, so we had to let her go. Mother gives us our lessons
+every afternoon when she comes home, and we study in the mornings by
+ourselves."
+
+"Is your mother a teacher?" Winifred inquired with interest.
+
+"Yes, she gives music lessons, and she plays beautifully too. We have a
+piano, because Jack loves music so, and mother plays to him almost
+every evening."
+
+"I guess cripples always like music," said Winifred reflectively. "Mr.
+Bradford had a lovely music box; it played twelve tunes."
+
+"Who is Mr. Bradford?"
+
+"He was a crippled gentleman I used to know. He was very kind, and I
+loved him very much. I used to read to him, and he liked it. He died
+last winter."
+
+"Some cripples are quite strong in other ways, you know," Betty hastened
+to explain. Winifred's remark about dying had made her vaguely
+uncomfortable. "Jack isn't nearly so delicate as he used to be. I think
+if he could only get out in the fresh air sometimes he would be ever so
+much better."
+
+"Doesn't he ever go out?"
+
+"No. You see, he can't walk at all, and he's too heavy to carry far.
+It's awfully hard for him never to see anything but chimneys. Our
+apartment is in the rear, so he can't even see the trolley cars."
+
+"Why don't you take him for a drive sometimes?" Winifred asked
+sympathetically.
+
+Betty's eyes sparkled.
+
+"That's just what I'm going to do," she said triumphantly. "I never
+thought of it till to-day, but first the woman at the baker's spoke of
+it, and then Jack said he wished he could see Central Park. The day
+after to-morrow will be his birthday, and I'm going to hire a carriage
+and take him for a nice drive. I'm going to pay for it out of my own
+money too; it's to be my birthday present."
+
+"That will be nice," said Winifred in a tone of satisfaction. "Does he
+know about it?"
+
+"Yes, and he's so pleased. I'm going right over to the livery stable now
+to ask how much it will cost. It couldn't be more than a dollar, do you
+think it could?"
+
+Winifred, whose ideas on the subject were quite as vague as Betty's own,
+and to whom a dollar appeared a rather large sum, replied that she was
+sure it couldn't, and after a little more conversation Betty departed on
+her errand.
+
+With a beating heart the little girl crossed the street and entered the
+office of the livery stable on the opposite corner. A man was writing at
+a desk, but he looked up at her entrance, and laid down his pen.
+
+"Well, miss, what can I do for you?" he inquired politely, as Betty
+paused, uncertain in just what words to put her request. "Do you want a
+cab?"
+
+"No, thank you," said Betty, "at least not to-day, but I think I shall
+want one the day after to-morrow. Would you please tell me how much it
+would cost to hire a carriage to take us to Central Park?"
+
+The man glanced at a big book which lay open on the desk before him.
+
+"Central Park," he repeated, beginning to turn over the pages, "that
+would mean an afternoon drive, of course. Our regular charge for an
+afternoon drive is five dollars."
+
+"Five dollars!" Betty gave a little gasp. "I didn't know it would be so
+expensive," she said, and without another word she turned and walked
+quickly out of the office.
+
+But once outside she did not hurry. Very slowly she recrossed the
+street, entered at the familiar door, and began climbing the long
+flights of stairs. At the top of the first flight she was stopped by her
+new friend Winifred.
+
+"I was watching for you," Winifred explained; "I wanted to know if it
+was all right about the carriage. Oh, what's the matter? Didn't you get
+it, after all?"
+
+Betty shook her head; she could not speak just then, but all the bright
+look of pride and happiness had gone out of her face.
+
+"Oh, I'm so sorry," said Winifred sympathetically. "Were the carriages
+all engaged for the day after to-morrow? Perhaps you could get one at
+some other stable."
+
+"It isn't that," said Betty, trying hard to steady the quiver in her
+voice, "but--but they were very expensive--much more expensive than I
+thought. We couldn't possibly have one."
+
+"How much are they?" Winifred inquired with interest.
+
+"Five dollars, the man said."
+
+"Oh!" and Winifred's eyes opened wide in astonishment; "that is a great
+deal of money. Uncle Will gave me a five-dollar gold-piece for Easter,
+and we thought it was very good of him. But if your little brother wants
+to go so very much, and if it's his birthday, don't you think your
+mother might possibly let you have the money?"
+
+But Betty shook her head decidedly. "She couldn't possibly," she said,
+"I know she couldn't." And then all at once her forced composure gave
+way, and she burst into tears.
+
+"Oh, he'll be so disappointed, so dreadfully disappointed," she sobbed.
+"Oh, I wish I had never said anything about it to him, but I was so
+sure a dollar would be enough, and I promised him--I promised him."
+
+It was some few minutes later when Betty, still with red eyes, but
+otherwise looking much as usual, reached the top landing and paused for
+a moment outside their own door. Jack was so happy; how could she tell
+him that their cherished plan must be given up? She gave a long sigh,
+and drawing the door-key from her pocket, was in the act of fitting it
+in the lock when she heard the sound of footsteps and rustling skirts
+just behind her, and, turning in surprise, caught sight of a rather
+stout, florid lady coming up the stairs.
+
+"This is the top floor, isn't it?" the stranger inquired rather
+breathlessly, as she reached the landing. She was not accustomed to
+climbing stairs, and did not enjoy it.
+
+"Yes," said Betty politely.
+
+"Well, I'm thankful to hear it, I'm sure. I never had such a climb in my
+life. It's an outrage not to have elevators in these high buildings. Can
+you tell me which is Mrs. Randall's apartment?"
+
+"It's this one," said Betty, looking very much surprised, for she was
+sure she had never seen the lady before, "but Mrs. Randall is out. I'm
+her little girl; I could take any message."
+
+The lady drew a step back, and stood regarding Betty with keen, though
+kindly scrutiny.
+
+"So you are Mrs. Randall's little girl," she said; "I remember she told
+me she had children. Well, I suppose I shall have to leave my message
+with you, though I am sorry not to see her myself, if only to say
+good-bye."
+
+"Won't you come in?" said Betty. "Mother will be at home pretty soon, I
+think; she generally gets back by four."
+
+"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly spare the time; my carriage is waiting, and
+I have no end of things to attend to this afternoon. Will you tell your
+mother that Mrs. Martin called? Mrs. Henry Martin. Perhaps you may have
+heard her speak of me."
+
+"Oh, yes," said Betty eagerly; "mother gives music lessons to your two
+little boys."
+
+"Yes, to be sure she does, and that is the very thing I wanted to see
+her about. My husband has suddenly decided to go to Europe on business,
+and we are all going with him. It was arranged only last evening, and we
+sail next Saturday. I hate to take the children off like this right in
+the middle of the quarter, and that is why I wanted to come and see your
+mother about it rather than write her a note. It really can't be helped,
+and I know she will understand. Ask her, please, to let me have her
+bill, and she needn't trouble to come again; the children will be too
+busy to take any more lessons before we sail."
+
+"I'll tell mother," said Betty; "she'll be sorry not to have seen you
+herself."
+
+Mrs. Martin was turning away, but she glanced once more at Betty's pale
+little face, and then, as if with a sudden thought, she paused and drew
+out her purse.
+
+"My little boys are very fond of your mother," she said kindly. "They
+mind her better than they ever minded any other teacher they had, and
+their father and I are both much pleased with her methods. I hope that
+another winter--but one never knows what may happen. Here's a little
+present for you, dear; buy something nice for yourself with it."
+
+As she spoke, Mrs. Martin held out her hand, and in it there was a bill.
+Betty saw it distinctly; a crisp, new five-dollar bill.
+
+For one breathless, delicious moment, the little girl wavered, while her
+heart beat so fast that she could scarcely breathe, and all the blood in
+her body seemed to come surging up into her face and neck. Impulsively,
+she held out her hand. Another second and her fingers would have closed
+upon the tempting gift. Suddenly her hand dropped to her side, and all
+the color died out of her face again, leaving it even paler than before.
+
+"You are very kind," she said in a low, unsteady voice; "thank you very
+much, but--but mother doesn't like to have us take money."
+
+Mrs. Martin looked surprised, even a little annoyed. For a moment she
+seemed inclined to dispute the point, but seeing the child's evident
+embarrassment and distress, changed her mind.
+
+"Very well, dear," she said good-naturedly. "I am sorry you won't take
+my present, but you are right not to do anything of which your mother
+would disapprove. When we come back next autumn you must get your mother
+to bring you to see us some time. Now good-bye. You won't forget my
+message, will you?"
+
+Jack was watching anxiously for his sister's return. At the familiar
+sound of the latch-key he raised himself on his elbow, straining his
+eyes for the first glimpse of Betty's face.
+
+"Well, is it all right?" he cried eagerly; "are we going to have the
+carriage? Oh, Betty, it isn't; I see it in your eyes."
+
+Betty said nothing, but going over to the sofa, sat down beside her
+little brother, slipping her arm lovingly about him. Jack winked hard
+and bit his lip, but he, too, was silent after that first exclamation.
+Perhaps even Betty herself did not realize how keen this disappointment
+was to the little cripple. In a few moments Betty spoke.
+
+"It was five dollars," she said.
+
+"Five dollars!" repeated Jack incredulously. "Oh, Betty, what a lot of
+money! Mother could never spare all that at once."
+
+"I could have had it, though," said Betty, speaking fast and nervously.
+"I could have had every bit of it. A lady was coming to see mother; I
+met her on the stairs. Mother gives her little boys music lessons, and
+she came to say they are all going to Europe next week. She was very
+kind; she said she wanted to give me a present, and she offered me a
+five-dollar bill."
+
+Jack gasped, and two red spots glowed in his cheeks.
+
+"You didn't take it, did you?"
+
+"I wanted to," said Betty slowly; "I wanted to very much. I was just
+going to take it in my hand, and then I remembered how mother would
+feel, and I didn't."
+
+Jack heaved a deep sigh.
+
+"I'm glad you didn't," he said rather tremulously.
+
+Again there was silence. Both children were trying hard to keep back
+the coming tears. Again Betty was the first to speak.
+
+"I suppose some mothers wouldn't mind their children taking presents,"
+she said. "I wonder why mother is so very particular?"
+
+"Why, don't you know?" Jack's blue eyes opened wide in surprise. "It's
+because we're English, and mother once lived in that beautiful place
+with the park and the deer. She can't forget about it, even if she is
+poor now. She has to remember she's a lady, and ladies never do take
+money from strangers."
+
+Betty sighed impatiently.
+
+"I suppose it's wrong," she said, "but sometimes I can't help wishing
+mother hadn't been quite such a grand person when she lived in England.
+What's the use of it now when we have to live in a flat, and mother has
+to give music lessons and do all the housework herself? If she hadn't
+had all those beautiful things once, she wouldn't mind so much about
+being poor now."
+
+"Well, but it's nice to have the other things to think about," said
+Jack. "Aren't you glad you've got ancestors?"
+
+"I don't think I care very much," said practical Betty; "I'd rather have
+relations that are alive now. Winifred Hamilton said her uncle gave her
+a five-dollar gold-piece for Easter. I wish we had an uncle, don't you?"
+
+"We have got Uncle Jack," said Jack thoughtfully, "but we don't know
+where he is, and mother doesn't like to have us ask her about him.
+There's the door bell, and it's mother's ring. Wait one minute, Betty,
+please. Don't say anything to her about the carriage; she'd be so sorry
+to think we were disappointed, you know."
+
+"No, I won't," said Betty emphatically.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+WINIFRED'S THANK OFFERING
+
+
+"Mother, dear, I want to talk to you about something very important."
+
+"Well, my pet, what is it?" And Mrs. Hamilton laid aside her book, and
+took her little daughter into her lap.
+
+It was the hour before dinner; the time of day that Winifred always
+liked best, because then her mother was never busy, and was quite ready
+to tell her stories, play games, or discuss any subject under the sun.
+
+"It's about a story I've been reading," said Winifred, nestling her head
+comfortably on her mother's shoulder. "It's a lovely story, all about a
+little boy who was stolen and had to act in a circus and live in a
+caravan. He had a very hard time, but in the end his father and mother
+found him, and they were so happy that his father built a hospital for
+poor children just to show how grateful he was. He called it a Thank
+Offering."
+
+Winifred paused to give a long, contented glance about the pretty,
+comfortable room. Her mother softly stroked the fluffy little head
+resting against her shoulder. She knew there was more to come.
+
+"Well," Winifred went on after a moment, "I've been thinking a great
+deal about that story. You see, I think I feel very much the way those
+people did. Since you and father came home from California, and we came
+here to live, I've been so very, very happy. I say a little prayer to
+God about it sometimes, but I think I should like to do something for a
+Thank Offering too."
+
+"What would you like to do?" Mrs. Hamilton asked, stooping to kiss the
+sweet, earnest little face.
+
+"Well, I've been thinking about that, and it seems as if the best thing
+would be to make some one else very happy. You know the five-dollar
+gold-piece that Uncle Will gave me for Easter?"
+
+"Yes, dear."
+
+"Well, do you think he would mind very much if I spent it all on giving
+somebody else a good time?"
+
+"He would not mind in the least, I am sure, but I thought you had
+decided to buy a bracelet just like Lulu Bell's."
+
+"Yes, I had; but, you see, that was before I began to think about the
+Thank Offering."
+
+"Well, and when did you first begin to think of the Thank Offering?"
+Mrs. Hamilton asked, smiling.
+
+"It was yesterday afternoon, when Betty Randall was so disappointed
+because the man at the livery stable told her it would cost five dollars
+for a carriage to take her little brother for a drive. I've been
+thinking about it ever since, and to-day at recess I told Lulu, and she
+thinks just the same as I do."
+
+"You mean that you would like to spend your five dollars in hiring a
+carriage to take that little cripple boy and his sister for a drive?"
+
+"Yes, mother; do you think I might? I don't know the little boy yet, but
+I like Betty very much, and she was so disappointed."
+
+Mrs. Hamilton was looking both pleased and interested.
+
+"I do think you might," she said heartily, "and, Winnie, dear, I like
+your idea of a Thank Offering very much indeed. I have been thinking a
+good deal about that poor child myself ever since what you told me
+yesterday. Didn't you say to-morrow would be the little boy's birthday?"
+
+"Yes, to-morrow; and to-morrow will be Saturday too. Oh, mother, dear,
+do you really think we could?"
+
+"I will go up and call on Mrs. Randall this evening," said Mrs. Hamilton
+with decision. "I have never met her, but I like her little girl's
+appearance very much. I don't believe she will have any objection to
+letting the children go with us. There's father's key. Run and open the
+door for him and give him a nice kiss."
+
+It was about half-past eight that evening when Mrs. Hamilton left her
+own apartment and climbed the three flights of stairs to the top floor.
+On the last landing she paused to get her breath before ringing the
+Randalls' bell, and at that moment her ear caught the sound of music.
+Some one was playing on the piano, and playing in a way that at once
+attracted Mrs. Hamilton's attention. This was not the kind of music she
+was accustomed to hearing through open windows or thin walls. Mrs.
+Hamilton had studied music herself under some of the best teachers the
+city could produce, and she knew at once that this was no ordinary
+musician. She had heard that Mrs. Randall gave music lessons, but she
+had never expected anything like this.
+
+She stood quite still, listening until the piece came to an end, and
+then as the last notes of the beautiful nocturne died away, she raised
+her head and lightly touched the electric bell. The door was opened by
+the same little girl she had seen the day before.
+
+"Good-evening," said the visitor, smiling pleasantly, "is your mother at
+home?"
+
+"Yes," said Betty, looking very much surprised, but standing aside to
+let the lady pass; "she's in the parlor playing to Jack."
+
+Mrs. Hamilton crossed the narrow hall, and entered the small but very
+neat-looking parlor. She noticed at a glance the plants in the window;
+the canary in his gilt cage, and the little crippled boy lying on the
+sofa. Jack's face was flushed with pleasure, and his blue eyes, full of
+sweet content, rested lovingly on the figure of the lady at the piano.
+At the sight of the unexpected visitor the lady rose.
+
+"Mother," said Betty eagerly, "it's Mrs. Hamilton--Winifred Hamilton's
+mother."
+
+A slight flush rose in Mrs. Randall's cheeks, but her greeting, though
+perhaps a little formal, was perfectly courteous. Mrs. Hamilton saw at a
+glance that the woman at the baker's had not exaggerated when she had
+described Betty's mother as "a very handsome lady." She was very tall
+and stately, and she spoke in a low, refined voice. Her eyes were large
+and dark, and there was a look in them that seemed to tell of
+suffering--a look that went straight to Mrs. Hamilton's kind heart.
+
+It was impossible for any one to remain long ill at ease in the society
+of sweet, genial Mrs. Hamilton, and in five minutes the two ladies were
+chatting pleasantly together, and Mrs. Randall had almost ceased to
+wonder why her neighbor should have intruded upon her at this
+unseasonable hour. Mrs. Hamilton made friends with Jack in a way that
+won his heart at once, and Betty sat watching her with frank admiration.
+At last the visitor said:
+
+"And now I must really explain my reason for troubling you at this time
+of the evening, Mrs. Randall. My little Winifred has taken a great fancy
+to your Betty, and is most anxious to make the acquaintance of Jack as
+well. She and I are going for a drive in the park to-morrow afternoon,
+and I have come to ask you if you will allow Betty and Jack to go with
+us."
+
+The color deepened in Mrs. Randall's face, and she began to be a little
+formal again.
+
+"You are very kind," she began politely, "but I am afraid----"
+
+A low exclamation from both children checked the words on her lips, and
+she glanced anxiously from one eager little face to the other. Betty was
+actually pale with suppressed excitement, and Jack's blue eyes said
+unutterable things.
+
+"You needn't be afraid to trust Jack to us," Mrs. Hamilton went on, just
+as if she had not heard her hostess's courteous words; "the janitor can
+carry him up and down stairs, and I promise to take the very best care
+of him."
+
+"You are very kind," Mrs. Randall said again, and this time there was
+more warmth in her tone. "The children would enjoy it immensely, I know.
+You would like to go, wouldn't you, Jack, darling?"
+
+"Like it! Oh, mother, I should love it better than anything in the
+world."
+
+Of course there was no more hesitation after that, and when Mrs.
+Hamilton went downstairs ten minutes later, it was to tell Winifred the
+good news that Mrs. Randall had given her consent, and that the carriage
+was to be ordered for three o'clock the following afternoon.
+
+"I rather like Mrs. Randall," Mrs. Hamilton said to her husband when
+Winifred had slipped away to her room, to tell her children all about
+her Thank Offering; "she is a lady, one can see that at once, and, oh,
+Phil, she was playing the piano when I went upstairs. I haven't heard
+such music in years. I think she has seen better days, and is inclined
+to resent anything that seems like patronage. There is a look in her
+eyes that somehow made my heart ache."
+
+Mrs. Randall was very silent for some time after her visitor had left.
+She closed the piano, and went away to sit by herself in her dark little
+bedroom, leaving the children to chatter over the delightful prospect
+for the morrow, and when she came back to put Jack to bed, her eyes
+looked as if she had been crying.
+
+"Mother," whispered the little boy, laying his cheek softly against his
+mother's as she bent to give him a last good-night kiss, "you aren't
+sorry you said yes, are you?"
+
+"No, darling," she answered tenderly; "I can never be sorry about
+anything that gives my little boy pleasure, but, oh, Jack dear, I wish I
+had the money to take you myself."
+
+Betty's first action on waking the next morning was to rush to the
+window to ascertain the state of the weather.
+
+"It's perfectly lovely, Jack," she announced joyfully, running from the
+room she shared with her mother into the tiny one Jack occupied. "The
+sun is shining as bright as can be, there isn't a cloud in the sky.
+Here's your birthday present; it's only a box of drawing pencils, but I
+couldn't go far enough to buy anything else yesterday, and I thought
+you'd like it."
+
+Jack, who was already sitting up in bed, hugging a new story book,
+assured his sister that drawing pencils were the very things he most
+wanted.
+
+"And see what mother gave me," he added, holding up the new book for
+Betty's inspection, "'The Boys of Seventy-six.' Oh, Betty, I do think
+birthdays are lovely things, don't you?"
+
+That was a busy morning for the Randalls. Being Saturday, there were no
+lessons for Mrs. Randall to give, but there was all the weekly
+house-cleaning to be done, and Betty and her mother worked steadily
+until luncheon time. If Mrs. Randall had ancestors, she had also plenty
+of good common sense. She was not too proud to work for her little ones,
+however unwilling she might be to accept favors for them from others,
+and she plied broom and mop to such good purpose that by twelve o'clock
+the little home was the very picture of neatness and order. Jack lay on
+the sofa as usual, too happy in eager anticipations for the afternoon to
+forget them even in the interest of his new story book.
+
+Mrs. Randall went out for a little while after luncheon, returning with
+a pretty blue sailor cap for Jack. The thought had suddenly occurred to
+Betty that her brother possessed no outdoor garments, and for a moment
+she was filled with dismay, but her mother assured her that, with the
+aid of her own long cape and the new sailor cap, the little boy would do
+very well indeed.
+
+"I wish I had time to finish your new dress though, dear," she said,
+glancing regretfully at the darn in Betty's skirt. "I tried to do it
+last night, but my eyes hurt me, and I was afraid to work any longer."
+
+"I don't mind one bit," declared Betty, remembering to have wakened in
+the night just as the clock was striking twelve, and found her mother's
+place in bed still empty. "I think this dress is nice enough, and I'm
+sure Mrs. Hamilton and Winifred are too kind to care about what people
+wear."
+
+"I care though," said Mrs. Randall with a sigh; "I should like to have
+people think that my little girl was a lady."
+
+"Well, if I behave nicely and am ladylike, won't they think so any way?"
+inquired Betty innocently. At which her mother smiled in spite of
+herself, and gave her a kiss.
+
+At three o'clock precisely there was a ring at the door bell, and Mrs.
+Hamilton appeared. She was closely followed by Mr. Jones, the
+good-natured janitor, who lifted Jack in his strong arms and carried him
+downstairs as easily as if he had been a baby. Mrs. Randall accompanied
+the party to the sidewalk, and stood by, watching anxiously while the
+little cripple was placed carefully and tenderly on the seat of the
+comfortable carriage Mrs. Hamilton had procured. She looked so sad and
+wistful that kind Mrs. Hamilton longed to ask her to take her place in
+the carriage, but dared not, lest in doing so she might arouse her
+neighbor's sensitive pride.
+
+At last all was ready, Mrs. Hamilton and the two little girls were in
+their places, and the carriage moved slowly away from the door.
+
+"Good-bye, mother, dear," cried Jack, waving his thin little hand as he
+leaned comfortably back among his pillows; "I'm having such a lovely,
+lovely time."
+
+There were tears in Mrs. Randall's dark eyes as she turned away, and
+when she had gone back to her own rooms, instead of at once settling
+down to her afternoon's sewing, she threw herself wearily upon Jack's
+sofa and buried her face in the pillows with a sob.
+
+What a drive that was! I don't think any one of those four people will
+ever forget it.
+
+"It was one of the loveliest experiences I ever had in my life, Phil,"
+Mrs. Hamilton told her husband that evening with tears in her eyes. "To
+see that dear little fellow's wonder and delight over the very simplest
+things was enough to make one ashamed of ever having been dissatisfied
+with one's lot or discontented about anything. I never before in my life
+saw any one so perfectly happy."
+
+It was pretty to see the devotion of the two little girls to the poor
+crippled boy.
+
+"Are you quite sure you're comfortable, Jack?" Winifred kept asking over
+and over again, while Betty looked anxiously into her brother's radiant
+face to make sure he was not getting tired.
+
+It was a glorious spring afternoon, and the park had never looked more
+lovely. How Jack enjoyed it no words could describe.
+
+"I don't believe mother's park was any more beautiful than this one," he
+said to Betty, as, in answer to a direction from Mrs. Hamilton the
+coachman turned the horses to go round a second time. "I haven't seen
+any deer, but there are sheep and swans."
+
+"Where's your mother's park?" Winifred inquired, with pardonable
+curiosity.
+
+Betty blushed and gave her brother a warning glance. Jack looked as if
+he had said something he was sorry for.
+
+"It's a story mother tells us," he explained, "about a park she used to
+see when she lived in England. It was a beautiful park, and we love to
+hear about it."
+
+"My friend Lulu Bell's father and mother used to live in England," said
+Winifred, "and she went there with them once for a visit. Did you ever
+live there?"
+
+"No," answered Betty, Jack's attention having been called off for the
+moment by the sight of some new wonder, "father and mother came to this
+country before we were born."
+
+"Has your father been long dead, dear?" Mrs. Hamilton asked kindly.
+
+"He died six years ago, when I was only five. I don't remember him very
+well, and Jack doesn't remember him at all. Oh, Jack, look at that
+carriage without any horses. That's an automobile."
+
+It was nearly five o'clock before the carriage again drew up before the
+door of the big apartment house, and Mr. Jones came out and once more
+lifted Jack in his arms to carry him upstairs.
+
+There was a tinge of bright color on the little boy's usually pale
+cheeks and his eyes were shining.
+
+"I've had the most beautiful time I ever had in my life," he said,
+turning to Mrs. Hamilton with a radiant smile. "You've been so very
+kind, and so has Winifred, and--and, please, I'd like to kiss you
+both."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+GATHERING CLOUDS
+
+
+"Oh, dear! I do wish it would stop raining," sighed Betty, glancing out
+of the window one wet afternoon a few days later. "It's rained just as
+hard as it can for two whole days, and it doesn't look a bit more like
+clearing now than it did yesterday morning."
+
+"I hope mother won't take any more cold," said Jack, rather anxiously,
+pausing in his task of endeavoring to draw a sketch from memory of an
+automobile. "She coughed dreadfully last night; it woke me up. I wish
+she didn't have to go out on rainy days."
+
+"So do I," said Betty decidedly. "Don't you hate being poor, Jack?"
+
+"If you were only grown up," Jack went on, ignoring his sister's
+question, "you could go out and give the lessons on wet days or when
+mother didn't feel well, and she could stay at home and rest."
+
+"No, I couldn't," said Betty, dolefully. "You know I'm not a bit
+musical; I couldn't play like mother if I tried all my life. I don't see
+how I'm ever going to be any kind of a teacher if I can't go to school
+and get a diploma. People can't teach without diplomas; Mrs. Flynn says
+so. Her daughter's trying for one this year."
+
+"Well, you would be able to do something any way," Jack maintained, "and
+mother wouldn't have to work so dreadfully hard. I wish you were grown
+up, Betty, only then I should have to be grown up too, and I shouldn't
+like that."
+
+"Why not?" inquired Betty in some surprise.
+
+Jack flushed, and turned his face towards the wall.
+
+"I don't know exactly," he stammered, "but I think--I'm sure it must be
+much worse to be a grown up cripple, than to be a little boy one."
+
+Betty left her seat by the window, and coming over to her brother's
+side, sat down on the end of the sofa by Jack's feet.
+
+"You wouldn't mind so much if you could be a great artist and paint
+beautiful pictures, would you, Jack?" she asked gently.
+
+"N--no, I don't suppose I should, not quite so much, because then I
+could sell my pictures, and make lots of money for you and mother. Then
+we could live in a lovely place in the country, and keep a carriage."
+
+"And you could go to drive every day," added Betty, falling in at once
+with Jack's fancy, "and mother could have a fine piano, and go to hear
+all the concerts and operas. Then we could give money to poor people
+instead of having people want to give it to us, and I could be very
+accomplished, and go to parties sometimes."
+
+"Yes," said Jack eagerly, "and some time we could all go to England, and
+see the place where mother used to live."
+
+Betty looked a little doubtful.
+
+"I don't know whether mother would like that or not," she said. "You
+see, when mother lived there she knew father, and now he's dead. It
+might make her feel badly to go back."
+
+"So it might; I never thought about that, but she might like to see
+Uncle Jack. I should like to see him, shouldn't you, Betty?"
+
+"Yes; I wonder if we ever shall. Mother doesn't like to have us talk
+much about him, but I know she loves him very much; her eyes always look
+that way when she tells us how handsome and splendid he used to be when
+he was a boy."
+
+"Wouldn't it be nice if Winifred Hamilton came to see us this
+afternoon," Jack remarked rather irrelevantly; "I do like her very much,
+don't you?"
+
+"Yes, she's lovely; she said she'd come to see you some day."
+
+"We haven't seen her since the day we went for the drive. Perhaps she's
+waiting for you to call on her first."
+
+"Mother won't let me go," said Betty regretfully; "she says she's afraid
+Mrs. Hamilton might not want Winifred to know us."
+
+"But if she hadn't wanted to know us she wouldn't have taken us to
+drive, would she?"
+
+"I shouldn't think so, but, any way, mother won't let me go there till
+Winifred has been here."
+
+"There's the clock striking four," exclaimed Jack joyfully; "mother'll
+be in in a few minutes now. Why don't you light the gas stove, Betty,
+and get her slippers nice and warm? She'll be so tired and wet."
+
+"I will," said Betty, springing up with alacrity; "and I'll make her a
+cup of tea, too; she'll like that." And away bustled the little
+housewife, disappointment and vexation alike forgotten in the pleasant
+prospect of making mother comfortable.
+
+She had scarcely finished her preparations, and the kettle was just
+beginning to boil, when the familiar ring was heard, and she flew to
+open the door.
+
+Jack was quite correct in his predictions; Mrs. Randall was both wet and
+tired. Indeed, she came in looking so much more tired than usual that
+Betty noticed it, and inquired anxiously as she hung up the dripping
+umbrella, and helped her mother off with her waterproof, "Have you got a
+headache, mother, dear?"
+
+"Yes, dear, I have a bad headache. My cold is rather bad, too; I have
+been coughing a great deal to-day. Is Jack all right?"
+
+"Oh, yes; he ate a good lunch, and was reading all the morning, and
+drawing pictures all the afternoon."
+
+"How chilly it feels here," Mrs. Randall said, shivering and coughing as
+she spoke.
+
+"I've lighted the stove, and your slippers are nice and warm," said
+Betty proudly. "The kettle's boiling too, and I'll have a nice cup of
+tea for you in five minutes."
+
+Mrs. Randall's tired face brightened, and she looked rather relieved.
+
+"That is good," she said. "Hurry as quickly as you can with the tea,
+dear, for I believe I am really chilled through."
+
+Betty, nothing loath, flew about like a small whirlwind; had her
+mother's wet shoes off and the warm slippers in their place; drew the
+comfortable armchair as near as possible to the steam radiator, and
+darted away to the kitchen, from whence she returned in a twinkling,
+with a cup of steaming tea.
+
+Mrs. Randall drank the tea, but though she pronounced it delicious, and
+declared herself ever so much better, she still shivered, and cowered
+over the radiator for warmth. Jack watched her anxiously, with a
+troubled look on his pale little face.
+
+In a little while Mrs. Randall rose.
+
+"I think I will go and lie down," she said, and the children noticed
+that her voice was very hoarse. "My head is bad, and if I could sleep
+for half an hour I might be all right. Be sure and call me in time to
+get dinner, Betty."
+
+"I hope mother isn't going to be ill," said Jack anxiously, when they
+were once more alone together.
+
+"Oh, I guess not," said cheerful Betty; "she's only got a cold and a
+headache. She'll be better after she's rested. Let's play a game of
+lotto."
+
+Jack assented, but though they played several games, and Betty did her
+best to be entertaining, the troubled expression did not leave his face.
+Suddenly he stopped short in the middle of a game.
+
+"Hear mother coughing, Betty; she can't be asleep. I wish you'd go and
+see if she wants anything."
+
+Betty rose promptly, and hurried into the little bedroom. Her mother was
+lying on her bed, with flushed cheeks and wide-open eyes. At sight of
+her little girl she smiled faintly.
+
+"I'm getting nice and warm now, dear," she said; "that tea did me so
+much good. I'm going to get up very soon."
+
+"You look ever so much better," said Betty in a tone of decided relief.
+"You've got a lovely color in your cheeks."
+
+Mrs. Randall pressed her hand to her forehead, but said nothing, and
+next moment a violent spasm of coughing shook her from head to foot.
+
+The evening that followed was a decidedly uncomfortable one. Mrs.
+Randall's cough was very painful, and although she went about as usual,
+and tried to appear like herself, it was easy to see that every movement
+cost her an effort. Betty noticed that she scarcely tasted any dinner,
+and Jack's eyes never left her face. Almost as soon as dinner was over
+Jack said he was tired, and would like to go to bed. The others soon
+followed, and by nine o'clock the lights were out, and the little family
+settled for the night.
+
+But there was little sleep for at least two members of the household.
+Mrs. Randall coughed incessantly, and tossed from side to side in
+feverish restlessness. Betty lay with wide-open eyes, and a heavier
+heart than she had ever known before. It was all very well to assure
+Jack that there was not much the matter with mother, and that she would
+surely be all right in the morning. She knew nothing about illness, but
+she could not help thinking that that dreadful cough and those burning
+hands meant something more than an every-day cold.
+
+"I am afraid I am disturbing you very much, dear," Mrs. Randall said at
+last, when the clock struck ten, and a restless movement on Betty's part
+assured her that the child was still wide awake. "I wish I could be
+quieter, but this cough----"
+
+"Never mind, mother, I'm not one bit sleepy. I'm really not. Wouldn't
+you like to have me get you some water or something?"
+
+"No, thank you, darling; I'm afraid it wouldn't do any good, but if you
+are not asleep I should like to talk to you a little."
+
+Betty took one of the hot hands in both her little cool ones, and patted
+it gently. After another fit of coughing, her mother went on.
+
+"You are only a little girl, Betty, but you are very sensible, and in
+many ways seem older than you really are. There are some things that I
+think you ought to know about, in case anything should ever happen to
+me."
+
+"But nothing is going to happen, is it, mother?" Betty asked in a rather
+frightened whisper. They both spoke in whispers, so as not to disturb
+Jack in the next room.
+
+"No, no, dear, of course not; I only said 'in case.' I am sure I shall
+be all right in the morning, but if at any time I should be ill,
+Betty--if anything serious were to happen to me--you and Jack would be
+all alone."
+
+Betty nestled closer to her mother's side, and softly kissed the hot
+fingers.
+
+"I sometimes fear, dear, that I have done wrong in not making more
+friends," Mrs. Randall said, after another fit of coughing. "People
+would have been kind I dare say, but I have always been so proud and
+reserved. Some of the families where I teach would have been friendly
+if I had let them. I almost wish now that I had."
+
+"Mrs. Hamilton is very kind," said Betty eagerly; "and she came to see
+you."
+
+"Yes, dear, and I liked her too, but I have always so dreaded being
+patronized. You know, dear, that I haven't always been poor."
+
+"Yes, mother, I know; you were not poor in England."
+
+"I have often told you about my English home, and about your Uncle Jack,
+and how happy we were together when we were children. I have been
+thinking a great deal of those times this evening, and all last night I
+dreamed of Jack."
+
+"He was your twin brother, wasn't he, mother?"
+
+"Yes; and we were everything to each other. Our mother died when we were
+babies, and our two sisters were much older, almost grown up in fact,
+while we were still little children. I suppose my father loved us in his
+way, but he was very stern, and we were all rather afraid of him. Our
+older sisters were very good to us little ones, but they had their own
+affairs to think of, and so Jack and I were left a good deal to
+ourselves. Such merry times as we had--such pranks as we played."
+
+"You mean the time when Uncle Jack rode the wild colt, and the day you
+climbed the plum tree, and fell and broke your arm," said Betty, glad to
+have her mother's thoughts turn in this direction, and hopeful of new
+stories.
+
+"Yes, those and many others, but, Betty dear, I want to talk to you
+about something else to-night. You have never heard very much about your
+father, have you, darling?"
+
+"No, mother," said Betty softly; "I know you don't like to talk about
+him."
+
+"I ought to like it, but I loved him so dearly that for a long time
+after his death I could not bring myself to mention his name to any one,
+even my own children."
+
+"Did Uncle Jack love him too?" Betty asked rather timidly; "you said you
+always liked the same things."
+
+"They never met. Jack was at college when your father first came into
+our neighborhood. He came to visit at the vicarage; Mr. Marvyn, our
+vicar, had known his father. By that time both my sisters were married,
+and as I was often lonely at home when Jack was away, I got into the
+habit of spending a good many days with the Marvyn girls, who were
+about my own age. Your father was only a poor artist, but he was very
+clever, and people said he would make his mark in the world some day.
+Jack was very fond of sketching himself, and I think that was one reason
+why I first began to be interested in your father. We used to go off on
+sketching expeditions together that spring, and we grew to know each
+other very well. Jack was invited to spend his summer vacation in
+Switzerland with a party of friends, and he decided to go. It was the
+first vacation he had not spent with me, and I think I was more hurt and
+jealous than I had any right to be under the circumstances. I wrote him
+how I felt, and he, as was only natural, thought me silly, and told me
+so. That made me angry, and we quarreled for the first time in our
+lives. It was only a foolish little quarrel, but it kept me from telling
+him, as I should otherwise have done, how much I was going about with
+Archie Randall.
+
+"At first my father did not seem to notice how things were going, but I
+think some one must have warned him, for one day when I came back from a
+long walk with your father, he called me into his study, and told me he
+did not wish me to have anything more to do with young Randall, who was
+only a penniless artist, and not a proper companion for one of his
+daughters.
+
+"I am not going to tell you about that time, Betty. I was very angry,
+and I am afraid I did not behave very well towards my father, who was an
+old man, and who I think really loved me. When he found that I would not
+obey him, he sent for Archie, and forbade him to see me again. Then all
+at once your father and I found out how much we cared for each other. He
+was very honorable. He wanted me to wait for him while he went away and
+made a name for himself, but I was young and headstrong, and I loved him
+better than anything else in the world. The end of it was that we ran
+away, and were married in London by special license."
+
+Betty gasped. This was the most interesting, romantic story she had ever
+heard.
+
+"And didn't your father ever forgive you?" she questioned breathlessly.
+
+"No, never. He wrote me one letter after my marriage, and only one. He
+said that I had disgraced my family, and he never wished to see my face
+again. He said he had changed his will, and that neither I nor my
+husband should ever inherit a penny of his money."
+
+"And Uncle Jack, was he angry too?"
+
+"He wrote me only once. He was very much grieved, and could not
+understand how I could have acted as I had done. That was twelve years
+ago and I have never heard a word from him since.
+
+"We came to America, and after a time your father obtained employment as
+an illustrator for a publishing firm here in New York. Then you and Jack
+were born. We were very happy in those days, and if it had not been for
+my longing to see Jack and know that he forgave me, I should have been
+quite content. I was too proud to write to him, but kept hoping that
+something would happen to bring us together again, and that he and my
+husband might become good friends. Then, six years ago, just as we were
+beginning to feel that we were really making our way in the world, your
+father died."
+
+Mrs. Randall paused, and Betty felt the hand she held quiver
+convulsively, but after a moment's pause she went on again.
+
+"It was a terrible struggle at first. I had never been brought up to
+support myself, and now I was left alone in the world with two little
+helpless children to care for. Little Jack was frightfully delicate. The
+doctors told me that it was only by the very tenderest care that I could
+hope to save him. Twice I decided to write to my brother Jack. He would
+help me, I knew. I even wrote the letters, but I tore them up again. I
+was too proud. I could not ask for help even from him.
+
+"My music was my only talent, and in time I succeeded in procuring
+pupils. It has been hard work ever since, but I have managed somehow,
+and you and Jack have never suffered."
+
+"No, indeed, we haven't, mother; we've had lots of good times, and Jack
+is ever so much stronger than he used to be."
+
+"I know that, and I am very thankful. If I can only keep my health--I
+have always been very strong. Why, I don't think I have ever been really
+ill in my life."
+
+A spasm of coughing interrupted Mrs. Randall's words, and it was several
+minutes before she was able to speak again.
+
+"I don't know why I am telling you all this to-night, Betty, unless it
+is that I feel so restless and wakeful. If I keep well everything will
+be all right, but if anything should ever happen--things do happen
+sometimes you know, darling--if you and Jack are ever left alone in the
+world, then you must try to find your Uncle Jack. He will be good to
+you and love you for my sake, I know."
+
+"Where does he live, mother?"
+
+"I don't know where he is now, but a letter sent to the old home would
+probably reach him. My father has been dead for nearly two years--I saw
+the notice of his death in an English newspaper--and Jack, as his only
+son, would naturally inherit everything. My father was a general, you
+know--General Stanhope. In my desk you will find a letter addressed to
+John Stanhope, Esq., Stonybrook Grange, Devonshire, England. That is the
+address of my old home. You must see that it is stamped and posted. I
+wrote it shortly after my father's death. I thought that I ought to make
+some provision in case of anything happening to me. In it I have told
+him everything, and asked him to care for you and Jack. Why, my darling,
+what are you crying for? I didn't say anything was going to happen.
+Hush, I hear Jack stirring; I am afraid our talk is disturbing him. Now
+turn over like a good little girl, and go to sleep. I feel better than I
+did, and I shall try to go to sleep too."
+
+Betty, much reassured by her mother's words, obeyed as far as turning
+over was concerned, and soon the only sounds to be heard were the
+ticking of the clock and Mrs. Randall's heavy breathing. Betty lay
+awake for some time, thinking over the story she had heard, but she was
+only a little girl, after all, and before very long her thoughts grew
+dim and confused; she fell into a doze, and in a few moments more was
+fast asleep.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+WINIFRED TO THE RESCUE
+
+
+When Betty next opened her eyes it was broad daylight, and the morning
+sunshine was peeping through the chinks of the shutters. Her first
+thought was of her mother, and she was glad to find that Mrs. Randall
+was still asleep. She was breathing heavily, but her eyes were closed,
+and she did not cough. Even when Betty rose softly, and crept round to
+the other side of the bed to look at her more closely, she did not move,
+although she was as a rule a very light sleeper.
+
+"It's after seven," said Betty to herself, glancing rather uneasily at
+the clock; "I don't think mother ever slept so late before."
+
+Just then she heard Jack stirring in his bed, and she hurried into the
+next room to tell him to be very quiet, as mother was still asleep.
+
+"Is she better?" Jack inquired in an anxious whisper, as Betty bent over
+him in motherly fashion, to arrange his pillows more comfortably.
+
+"Yes, I think so; her eyes are shut, and she's lying very still. I only
+just woke up myself."
+
+"I've been awake for ever so long," said Jack; "I've been listening to
+mother. She doesn't cough so much any more, but she breathes so hard,
+and sometimes she moans. Oh, Betty, I'm frightened; I don't know why,
+but I am." And the poor little fellow buried his face in the pillow, and
+began to cry.
+
+Betty dropped on her knees by the bedside, striving to comfort her
+little brother by every means in her power.
+
+"There isn't anything to be frightened about, Jack, there really isn't,"
+she whispered soothingly. "Mother's all right; she told me she was
+better last night before she went to sleep, and, oh, Jack dear, she told
+me something else; such an interesting story, all about father and our
+grandfather and Uncle Jack. I'll tell you all of it by and by. There's
+mother calling me; don't let her see you've been crying."
+
+Mrs. Randall's eyes were open when Betty returned to her bedside.
+Indeed, the little girl's first impression was that they were unusually
+bright. There was a bright color in her cheeks too, but Mrs. Randall's
+first words quickly dispelled Betty's hope that she was better.
+
+"I'm afraid I shall not be able to get up this morning, Betty," she
+said, and her voice had sunk to a hoarse whisper now; "I seem to have
+lost all my strength, and there is such a terrible pain in my chest that
+I can scarcely breathe."
+
+"Oh, mother, what shall we do?" cried Betty in sudden consternation.
+"Oughtn't you to have a doctor come to see you?"
+
+Mrs. Randall shook her head decidedly.
+
+"No, no," she said impatiently, "I can't afford to have a doctor; I will
+lie here for a while, and perhaps I shall feel better. What day is it?"
+
+"Thursday," said Betty, trying to control the sudden trembling of her
+knees.
+
+"That's too bad; Mrs. Flynn is always engaged on Thursdays, I know. I
+thought she might be able to come in and help. Well, you'll have to
+manage about breakfast as well as you can. I don't want anything myself,
+but you must prepare some oatmeal, and boil some eggs for Jack and
+yourself. Tell Jack he must stay in bed a little while longer, but that
+just as soon as I can I will come and dress him."
+
+That was the strangest morning Betty and Jack had ever spent. Never
+before in their remembrance had their mother failed to be up and about
+by seven o'clock. Even in those sad days, which Betty could just
+remember, after their father's death, her own grief had never prevented
+her from fulfilling the little household duties. Now she lay still, with
+closed eyes, scarcely noticing what went on about her. Betty brought her
+some tea, and she drank it thirstily, but refused to touch any food.
+Once she roused herself sufficiently to say that she thought a mustard
+plaster on her chest might ease the pain, but when Betty inquired
+anxiously how to make one, she did not answer, and seemed to have
+forgotten all about the matter.
+
+Jack was very good and patient, but he was, if anything, more frightened
+than Betty, and his white, drawn little face was pitiful to see. Betty
+made him as tidy as she could, gave him his breakfast, and brought him
+his new story book to read, but he shook his head mournfully.
+
+"I don't want to read this morning," he said; "I'd rather just lie
+still."
+
+"Oh, Jack, you're not going to be ill too, are you?" cried Betty, the
+tears starting to her eyes.
+
+"No, I'm not ill, only I can't read; I wish I could see how mother
+looks."
+
+"She looks all right," said Betty encouragingly; "she's got a lovely
+color in her cheeks, only I wish she'd wake up and talk about things. I
+don't know what to do about going to market, and I suppose we ought to
+tell her pupils she can't give them any lessons to-day."
+
+"She's talking now, I hear her," said Jack in a tone of relief. "Oh,
+Betty, she's calling me. Yes, mother, dear, I'm all right; I'm so glad
+you're better."
+
+Betty flew to her mother's side.
+
+"Are you better, mother?" she asked eagerly. "I'm so glad you're awake,
+because I want to ask----" She paused abruptly, terrified by the strange
+look in those bright, feverish eyes. Her mother was looking straight
+into her face, but did not seem to see her.
+
+"Jack, Jack," she kept repeating in her low, hoarse whisper, "Jack, I
+want you. I did wrong, I know, but you will forgive me. You will be good
+to the children, and love them for my sake, won't you, Jack?"
+
+Betty's face was very white, her eyes big with terror.
+
+"Jack," she gasped, running back to her brother's room, and flinging
+herself down beside him in an abandonment of grief and despair,
+"mother's talking in her sleep; she doesn't know what she's saying. She
+thinks Uncle Jack is here. Oh, what shall we do--what shall we do?"
+
+"We'll have to get some one to come and see her," said Jack with
+decision. "Run down and ask Mrs. Hamilton to come; I know she will,
+she's so kind."
+
+Betty sprang to her feet.
+
+"I'll go right away," she said, "perhaps she'll know what to do. Mother
+says she can't afford to have a doctor. Oh, there's the door bell; I'm
+so glad somebody's come."
+
+She ran to the door, threw it open, and then drew back a step in
+surprise. The visitor was Winifred Hamilton.
+
+"Good-morning," said Winifred pleasantly. "Mother's gone out shopping
+with Aunt Estelle, and she said I might come and see you and Jack. I was
+coming before, but I've had a bad cold ever since Saturday, and mother
+was afraid of the draughts on the stairs. I haven't been to school all
+the week. Why, what's the matter--is Jack ill?"
+
+"No," said Betty; "Jack's all right, but oh, I'm so sorry your mother's
+gone out. I was just going to ask her if she wouldn't please come up
+here to see mother."
+
+"Is there something the matter with your mother?" Winifred inquired
+sympathetically.
+
+"She had a bad cold yesterday, and this morning she's worse. She keeps
+her eyes shut most of the time, and doesn't understand the things I say
+to her. I'm afraid she is very ill--oh, I'm afraid she is." And Betty
+burst into tears.
+
+Winifred's tender little heart was filled with compassion.
+
+"Don't cry, don't," she whispered, throwing her arms impulsively around
+Betty's neck; "maybe she'll be all right soon. I'll tell mother about it
+the minute she comes in, and she'll come right up. Do you think Jack
+would like to have me stay with him for a while? I might read to him
+while you're doing things for your mother."
+
+Betty said she was sure Jack would like it very much, and having dried
+her eyes on Winifred's handkerchief, she led the way to her brother's
+bedside.
+
+"Jack," said Betty softly, "here's Winifred Hamilton. Her mother's out,
+but she's going to tell her about mother just as soon as she comes
+home."
+
+Jack looked pleased.
+
+"I'm glad to see you," he said politely, holding out his thin little
+hand. "I'm usually up on the sofa by this time, but mother wasn't able
+to dress me this morning."
+
+"That's all right," said Winifred, giving the outstretched hand a
+hearty squeeze. "When people aren't very strong they often stay in bed
+quite late, you know. Your mother's awake now, isn't she, Betty? I hear
+her talking."
+
+Betty stole on tiptoe to her mother's door, but returned in a moment.
+
+"She's only talking in her sleep," she said anxiously. "I spoke to her,
+but she didn't answer. Did you ever see any one who was very ill,
+Winifred?"
+
+"I saw Mr. Bradford have an attack once," said Winifred; "his eyes were
+shut, and he looked very white. Mrs. Bradford sent for the doctor. Why
+don't you have a doctor come to see your mother?"
+
+"She doesn't want one," said Betty, coloring. "I asked her this morning,
+and she said she didn't. Would you mind coming to look at her, Winifred?
+Perhaps you can tell what the matter is."
+
+Winifred said she would not mind, and, hand in hand, the two little
+girls stole into the dark little bedroom, and stood looking down at the
+flushed face on the pillow. Mrs. Randall was tossing restlessly from
+side to side, and talking in a low, incoherent way.
+
+"Mother," said Betty in a voice that she tried hard to make steady and
+cheerful, "here's Winifred Hamilton. She came up to see us, and she's
+going to read to Jack."
+
+Mrs. Randall muttered something unintelligible, and her eyes wandered
+past the two children, and fixed themselves vacantly on the opposite
+wall.
+
+"I'm not going to be ill," she said, apparently addressing some unseen
+person; "I can't be ill, you know. I must take care of the children;
+there's no one else to do it."
+
+"She's delirious," whispered Winifred, looking frightened. "I never saw
+any one like that before, but I've read about it in books. I'm sure a
+doctor ought to see her."
+
+Betty's cheeks were scarlet, and her eyes drooped, but she said nothing,
+and in silence they went back to Jack. The little boy looked imploringly
+at Winifred, as if with some faint hope that she might be able to set
+matters right.
+
+"Do you think she's very ill?" he asked tremulously.
+
+"I think a doctor ought to see her," said Winifred decidedly. "My friend
+Lulu Bell's papa is a doctor, and he's very kind. Would you like to have
+me ask him to come and see your mother?"
+
+"No," said Betty sharply; "mother doesn't want a doctor; I told you so
+before."
+
+"But, Betty," persisted Winifred, "she ought to have some medicine or
+something, and we don't know what to do for her. I know mother would
+send for a doctor right away if she were at home."
+
+To Winifred's surprise, Betty suddenly put up both hands before her
+face, and burst into a passion of crying.
+
+"Oh, what shall we do--what shall we do?" she sobbed, rocking herself
+backward and forward in her distress; "we can't have a doctor, mother
+said we couldn't; she said we couldn't afford it."
+
+For a moment Winifred stood motionless, uncertain what to do or say.
+Jack hid his face in the bedclothes, shaking from head to foot with
+sobs. Next instant both Winifred's arms were around Betty's neck.
+
+"I'll tell you what I'll do, Betty," she whispered eagerly. "I'll go and
+see Dr. Bell myself, and tell him all about it. He's very kind indeed.
+Lulu says he often goes to see poor--I mean people who can't afford to
+pay him, and when Lulu's kitty got run over by a trolley-car and had her
+leg broken, he set the leg himself, and took such good care of the kitty
+that she got all well again. I'll go right away; he's always at home in
+the morning, and I know he won't mind coming one single bit. Oh, Betty,
+please, please do let me."
+
+Betty wavered, but Jack, lifting his tear-stained face from the pillow,
+cried imploringly:
+
+"Yes, do go, Winifred, and, oh, please ask him to come right away.
+Mother must have a doctor, Betty, and it doesn't matter whether she can
+afford it or not."
+
+Winifred waited to hear no more. Three minutes later she was ringing
+violently at her own front door bell.
+
+"Oh, Lizzie," she cried breathlessly, as the maid opened the door, "I
+want you to put on your hat right away, and come with me to Dr. Bell's!
+Mrs. Randall is very, very ill, and Betty and Jack don't know what to do
+for her."
+
+At first Lizzie seemed inclined to hesitate, but when the state of the
+case had been more fully explained to her, she willingly consented to
+leave her ironing, and she and Winifred were soon in the street hurrying
+towards the home of Winifred's friends.
+
+As they approached their destination, Winifred's courage began to fail.
+After all, she thought, she might be doing a very bold and unheard-of
+thing in asking a doctor to go to see a person who had frankly stated
+that she could not afford to employ him. What if Dr. Bell were
+angry--what if he refused to go? Winifred's heart sank at the thought.
+Her friend Lulu would be at school she knew, but possibly her mother or
+aunt might be at home. Winifred decided that in that case she would tell
+her story to them. It would be much less formidable than appealing
+directly to the doctor himself. Her heart was beating very fast as they
+mounted Dr. Bell's front steps and when the door was opened by a small
+boy in brass buttons, who greeted her with a broad smile of recognition,
+she could scarcely summon voice enough to inquire:
+
+"Are Mrs. Bell or Miss Warren at home, Jimmie?"
+
+"No, Miss, they've both of 'em gone out," returned the boy, regarding
+her somewhat curiously. "Miss Lulu's out too; she's gone to school."
+
+"Yes, I knew Lulu would be at school," said Winifred, "but I thought
+Mrs. Bell or Miss Warren might be in. I--I want to see the doctor."
+
+"Oh, the doctor's in all right. He's got a patient just now, but you
+can wait in the front office."
+
+There was no help for it then, and, with a little frightened gasp,
+Winifred followed the boy to the doctor's comfortable office, where she
+sat down on a sofa to wait until he should be disengaged. She did not
+have long to wait. In a few moments she heard the front door open and
+close. Then the door of the waiting room opened and the doctor came in.
+
+He was a tall gentleman with a kind, pleasant face, and at sight of
+Winifred he came quickly forward, smiling and holding out his hand.
+
+"Good-morning, little Miss Winnie," he said pleasantly, "and what can I
+do for you to-day? Nothing wrong at home, I hope."
+
+"Oh, no, sir," said Winifred, half her fears vanishing at the sound of
+the doctor's kind voice; "father and mother are very well. I've had a
+cold, but I'm all right again now. I come--that is, I want--oh, Dr.
+Bell, will you please do me a very great favor?"
+
+"Do you a favor?" the doctor repeated, still smiling, and sitting down
+beside her on the sofa. "Yes indeed, I will--that is, if I can. What is
+it?"
+
+"It's to go and see Mrs. Randall, who lives in our apartment house,"
+Winifred explained timidly. "She's a very nice lady, but she hasn't any
+money to pay a doctor with. She's very ill indeed, but she told
+Betty--that's her little girl, you know--not to send for a doctor,
+because she couldn't afford it."
+
+The doctor looked a little puzzled.
+
+"Perhaps she wouldn't care to see me then," he said, "if she objected to
+having a doctor sent for."
+
+"Oh, yes, she would," said Winifred earnestly, "at least she wouldn't
+know anything about it, and Betty and Jack would be so very glad. Jack
+is a cripple, he can't walk at all; and, oh, it's dreadful to see him so
+unhappy. Mrs. Randall is really very ill. She doesn't know Betty and she
+keeps talking to herself the way people in books do when they're
+delirious.
+
+"I said I'd come and tell you about it, and I was sure you'd come,
+because Lulu says you're so very kind."
+
+The doctor smiled, but he was beginning to look really interested.
+
+"Did your mother send you for me?" he asked.
+
+Winifred's eyes sank.
+
+"N--no, sir," she faltered, "mother's out shopping, and doesn't know
+anything about it. Perhaps I oughtn't to have come, but I didn't know
+what else to do, and I was so very sorry for Betty and Jack."
+
+Winifred's lip quivered, and two big tears rolled slowly down her
+cheeks. The doctor patted her shoulder kindly.
+
+"You did quite right to come," he said, "and I will go to see your
+friend to-day."
+
+"Will you please go just as soon as you can?" Winifred asked eagerly.
+
+The doctor rose and looked at his watch.
+
+"It is half-past ten now," he said. "I have to stay in my office till
+eleven, and then I have one or two serious cases to see, but I will be
+at Mrs. Randall's as early as I possibly can."
+
+"Now run along home, and if your mother makes any objections, tell her I
+said you did quite right to come, and that I am very glad you did."
+
+"Oh, thank you, sir, thank you very much indeed," said Winifred
+gratefully, and the look she gave the doctor said more than any words
+could have done. With a sudden impulse, he bent and kissed her.
+
+"You dear little girl," he said. And then another patient was announced,
+and Winifred hurried away.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+FRIENDS IN NEED
+
+
+By the time Dr. Bell arrived at the apartment house Betty and Jack were
+no longer alone with their mother. Mrs. Hamilton had returned from her
+shopping expedition, and as soon as she heard the story from Winifred,
+had hastened upstairs to see what could be done. One glance at the
+flushed face and bright burning eyes, had been enough to convince her
+that Winifred had not exaggerated matters and that Mrs. Randall was
+indeed very ill. As for Betty, at the first glimpse of Mrs. Hamilton's
+kind, sweet face it had seemed to the little girl as though a great load
+had been suddenly lifted from her shoulders.
+
+Mrs. Hamilton did not waste much time in words, but at once set about
+the task of making everybody more comfortable. In an incredibly short
+time Mrs. Randall's face and hands were bathed, and her bed smoothed;
+Jack was dressed in his wrapper, and carried to his usual place on the
+sitting-room sofa, and a substantial meal was in preparation in the
+kitchen. When the doctor came, Mrs. Hamilton sent Betty to stay with
+Jack, and the two children sat silently, hand in hand, listening for any
+sounds that might come from their mother's room.
+
+"Do you think the doctor will make her well right away, Betty?" Jack
+whispered at last.
+
+"I guess he will if he can. He's got a very kind face, and he smiled at
+me when I opened the door. Hark, they're coming out now."
+
+Next moment Mrs. Hamilton and the doctor came into the room together.
+They both looked grave and anxious.
+
+"She must have a nurse," Betty heard the doctor say in a low voice. "I
+will send one as soon as I can, and be in again myself this evening. You
+will stay with her till the nurse arrives?"
+
+"Oh, yes, certainly; and the children, what of them?"
+
+The doctor glanced for the first time towards the sofa where the two
+children sat, Jack propped up with pillows, and Betty close beside him,
+holding his hand. He remembered what Winifred had said about the little
+crippled boy, and his face softened.
+
+"We must see about them by and by," he said, "and in the meantime I
+think we can count on their keeping quiet."
+
+"Oh, yes, sir," said Betty eagerly; "Jack is always very quiet indeed,
+and I won't make any noise."
+
+"That's right. You are both going to be brave little people, I know, and
+perhaps by and by you may like to go and make a little visit to some of
+your friends, just until your mother gets stronger."
+
+"We haven't any friends," said Betty; "we don't know any one at all,
+except Mrs. Hamilton and Winifred."
+
+The doctor looked surprised, and a little troubled.
+
+"No friends?" he repeated; "no aunts or cousins?"
+
+Betty shook her head.
+
+"We have an uncle in England," she said, "but we've never seen him. We
+haven't any relations in this country. Mother has her pupils, but we
+don't know any of them."
+
+The doctor said no more, and was turning to leave the room, when Jack
+spoke for the first time since his entrance.
+
+"Please, sir," he said tremulously, "would you mind telling us--is
+mother going to be well again pretty soon?"
+
+"Pretty soon I hope, my boy," said the doctor kindly, and coming over to
+the sofa, he took the thin little hand in his and looked long and
+earnestly into Jack's troubled face. "I shall do all I can to make her
+well soon, you may be sure of that."
+
+"Thank you, sir," said Jack gratefully. "I think you are a very kind
+gentleman," he added in his quaint, old-fashioned little way.
+
+The doctor smiled, gave the small hand a friendly shake and hurried
+away, followed by Mrs. Hamilton.
+
+That was about the longest afternoon Betty and Jack had ever known. Mrs.
+Hamilton was very kind, but she was too busy to pay much attention to
+them, and they were left pretty much to themselves. There was no use in
+trying to read or to play games. They tried lotto, but it proved a
+miserable failure. Then Betty tried reading aloud, but a big lump kept
+rising in her throat and choking her, and they soon gave that up as
+well. After all, the most comforting thing seemed to sit hand in hand,
+talking in whispers, and listening to every sound from the sick-room.
+
+At about four o'clock there was a ring at the bell, and Betty, hurrying
+to admit the visitor, encountered in the hall a tall young woman, with a
+bright, sensible face, who carried a traveling bag, and who Mrs.
+Hamilton told her was the nurse Dr. Bell had promised to send. After
+that there was a good deal of whispering and moving about, but no one
+came near the children, and the time seemed very long indeed.
+
+It was nearly dark when the doctor came again. The children heard his
+voice in the hall, and after a little while he and Mrs. Hamilton came
+into the sitting room together, and Mrs. Hamilton lighted the gas.
+
+"You poor little things," she said cheerfully, "what a long, lonely
+afternoon you have had. They've been as quiet as little mice, doctor,
+and I feel sure Betty is going to be a great help to Miss Clark. As for
+Jack, he is going to be a good, brave little boy, and let Winifred and
+me take care of him till his mother gets well again."
+
+She bent over the sofa as she spoke, and softly kissed Jack's forehead.
+He looked up in her face rather apprehensively, and his lip trembled.
+
+"You're very kind indeed," he said politely, "but if you please, I'd
+rather stay with mother. I'll be very good."
+
+"I know you will be good, dear; but, you see, there isn't very much
+room here. Betty will have to sleep in your bed, and then there is Miss
+Clark, you know. So I want you to be a very good boy, and come home with
+me. Betty shall come down to see you the first thing in the morning, and
+you and Winifred will have such good times together."
+
+Jack began to cry.
+
+"I'd rather not, indeed, I would much rather not," he sobbed; "I've
+never been away from mother and Betty at night. Mother always puts me to
+bed."
+
+Mrs. Hamilton looked distressed and rather helpless, but the doctor came
+to the rescue.
+
+"Jack," he said pleasantly, sitting down beside the little boy, "what
+would you like to be when you grow up?"
+
+"An artist," said Jack promptly, and in his surprise at the question he
+forgot to cry. "My father was an artist, and I want to be one too. My
+grandfather was a general, and I'd like to be a soldier, but I couldn't,
+you know, on account of not being able to walk."
+
+"I don't know about that," said the doctor, smiling; "fighting isn't the
+only part of a soldier's duty, you know. Wouldn't you like to begin by
+being a brave little soldier boy now?"
+
+"How could I?" Jack inquired wonderingly.
+
+"Well, one very important part of a soldier's duty is to obey orders.
+Now we know that you want to stay here with your mother and Betty, but
+we feel that it will be much better for you to go home with Mrs.
+Hamilton, who has very kindly offered to take you with her. Betty can be
+a great help to Miss Clark, the nurse, if she stays here. You would like
+to do something to help your mother get well, wouldn't you?"
+
+"Yes, of course I would," said Jack, with a brightening face.
+
+"Well, the very best thing you can possibly do for her at this moment is
+to obey Mrs. Hamilton, and let me carry you downstairs to her rooms."
+
+Jack was silent for a moment; his face was twitching, and he clasped and
+unclasped his hands nervously. Then he looked up into the doctor's face.
+
+"All right," he said bravely, "I'll go, only--only, may I kiss mother
+good-night first?"
+
+"Your mother is asleep now, but you may look at her if you like. She is
+more comfortable than she was this morning. Shall I take you in to have
+a peep at her?"
+
+Jack nodded--he was finding it rather hard work to speak just then--and
+the doctor lifted him in his arms and carried him into the bedroom.
+
+Mrs. Randall was lying with closed eyes, still breathing heavily, but no
+longer talking in that strange, incoherent way that had frightened Betty
+so much in the morning. Miss Clark, in her nurse's uniform, sat at the
+foot of the bed.
+
+"Good-night, mother," Jack whispered very softly, and he kissed his hand
+to the motionless figure on the bed. "I'll be a good boy. Good-night and
+pleasant dreams."
+
+The nurse rose, and, at a sign from Dr. Bell, followed them out of the
+room.
+
+"This is Miss Clark, Jack," the doctor said; "she is taking splendid
+care of your mother."
+
+"Thank you very much," said Jack, trying to smile. "Won't you please be
+a little kind to Betty too? I think she'll miss me."
+
+"That I will, dear," said the nurse heartily; and then she turned away
+hurriedly with a suspicious moisture in her eyes.
+
+It cost Betty a great effort to see her little brother carried away from
+her, and she clung to him passionately for a moment, feeling half
+inclined to protest against such a strange state of affairs. But she was
+a sensible little woman, and realizing the necessity in this case, she
+forced a smile, and the last words that Jack heard as the doctor
+carried him downstairs were Betty's cheerful assurances that she should
+take good care of mother, and come to see him the very first thing in
+the morning.
+
+It was no easy task for Jack to keep back the tears, but he did keep
+them back, though he had to bite his lip and to wink very hard indeed in
+order to do it. Dr. Bell did not fail to notice the effort, and he found
+himself beginning to like this small boy immensely.
+
+Winifred was watching for them at the open door, and she gave Jack such
+a rapturous greeting that it would have been impossible not to feel
+gratified by it. Almost before he realized what had happened, Jack found
+himself settled on a comfortable sofa, with Winifred hovering over him,
+and Mrs. Hamilton and Lizzie bustling about completing the arrangements
+for his comfort.
+
+"And now I must say good-night, my little soldier," Dr. Bell said,
+taking Jack's hand as he spoke. "I shall come to see your mother again
+in the morning, and I have an idea that you and I are going to be great
+friends. By the way, how long is it that you have been laid up like
+this?"
+
+"Ever since I was a baby," said Jack. "My nurse let me fall, and it hurt
+my back."
+
+The doctor said nothing, but looked interested, and when he followed
+Mrs. Hamilton out of the room a few moments later he asked her how long
+she had known the Randall family.
+
+"I never spoke to them until last week," said Mrs. Hamilton, and in a
+few words she told the story of Winifred's Thank Offering. The doctor
+looked considerably surprised.
+
+"Do you mean to tell me that they are almost total strangers to you, and
+yet that you are willing to take all this trouble for them?"
+
+Mrs. Hamilton smiled.
+
+"People learn to help each other where I have lived," she said simply;
+"and besides, I am so happy myself now that I think I feel a little as
+Winifred does, and should like to make a Thank Offering too."
+
+"I wish there were more people in the world like you and Winifred," said
+the doctor heartily. "I am sure it would be a better place than it is if
+there were."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+An hour later Jack was lying in a soft bed in the little room opening
+out of Winifred's. Mrs. Hamilton had undressed him almost as tenderly as
+his mother could have done; had heard him say his prayers, and when at
+last she had bent down to give him a good-night kiss, Jack's warm
+little heart had overflowed, and he had suddenly thrown his arms around
+her neck.
+
+"I love you," he whispered softly; "oh, I do love you very much."
+
+But when Mrs. Hamilton had turned down the gas and gone away, and Jack
+found himself alone in this strange room, away from his mother and
+Betty, he began to feel very lonely. There was no one to see the tears
+now, and he let them have their own way at last. He tried to cry very
+softly, so as not to disturb Winifred in the next room, but in spite of
+all his efforts the choking sobs would come. Suddenly the door creaked
+slightly, there was a patter of bare feet on the carpet, and a sweet
+little voice whispered close at his side:
+
+"Are you asleep, Jack?"
+
+"No," said Jack, speaking in a rather muffled voice, for he had been
+trying to stifle his sobs by burying his head in the pillow, "I haven't
+gone to sleep yet, but I guess I shall pretty soon."
+
+"I just came to ask if you would like to have one of the children for
+company. I know boys don't care much about dolls generally, but they are
+very comforting sometimes, especially when people don't feel quite
+happy, and I thought you might possibly like Lord Fauntleroy, because
+he's a boy too, you know."
+
+"You are very kind," said Jack gratefully; "I should like it. I never do
+play with dolls--boys don't, you know, but a boy doll--well, that seems
+a little different, doesn't it?"
+
+"Of course it does," said Winifred confidently. "Just wait a minute, and
+I'll bring him."
+
+She darted away into her own room, returning in a moment with Lord
+Fauntleroy in her arms.
+
+"I'll put him right here on the pillow beside you," she said, "and if
+you should feel lonely, you can just put out your hand and touch him.
+There isn't anything to be lonely for really, you know, because father
+and mother are in the parlor, and I'm right here in the next room, but
+people do sometimes feel a little queer in the dark, especially if
+they're not used to it. Lulu Bell doesn't like the dark a bit, and she
+was ten last December. Now I guess we'd better not talk any more,
+because mother said we were to go right to sleep."
+
+Whether it was the presence of Lord Fauntleroy or the thought of the
+kind little girl who had brought him I do not know, but, whatever the
+cause may have been, Jack did not cry any more that night. He lay awake
+for a little while thinking about how kind every one was, and then his
+eyes closed, and he fell into a sound sleep from which he did not wake
+till morning.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+A CHANCE FOR JACK
+
+
+For several days Mrs. Randall was very ill, much worse than Jack ever
+knew, for no one had the heart to tell him of the anxiety that was
+filling their minds to the exclusion of almost every other thought. Even
+Betty had always a bright smile and a cheerful assurance for her little
+brother that mother would soon be better, no matter how heavy her poor
+little heart might be. It was impossible to help loving the
+sweet-tempered, gentle little cripple, and Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton soon
+found themselves growing very fond of their guest, while Dr. Bell seldom
+failed to stop for a word or two with his little soldier boy, as he
+called him, after each of his visits to the invalid upstairs. As for
+Winifred, she constituted herself Jack's willing slave, and the two soon
+became firm friends. They read together, played games together, and
+finally, as a mark of especial favor, Jack undertook to teach her to
+draw, an honor which was highly appreciated by the little girl.
+
+Lulu Bell, hearing the story from her father, came at once to see the
+interesting addition to the Hamilton household, and the three children
+spent a delightful afternoon together, the little girls teaching Jack
+several new games, and being taught several themselves in return. Betty,
+coming in for a few moments to see how her brother was getting on, found
+them all laughing heartily over "My Grandmother's Cat." Jack's eyes were
+fairly dancing, and there was a brighter tinge of color in his cheeks
+than she had seen there in many a day. Poor Betty's heart was very heavy
+that day, and, somehow, the sight of Jack's happiness--a happiness in
+which she had no share--caused her to feel almost angry, although she
+could not have told why. It was the first time in his life that Jack had
+ever enjoyed anything in which his sister had not an equal share.
+
+Winifred greeted Betty very kindly, and Jack begged her to stay and join
+in the fun, but the little girl only shook her head sadly, saying she
+must go back to her mother, as Miss Clark might need her.
+
+"But you'll come back very soon, won't you, Betty?" Jack said a little
+wistfully, lifting his face for a kiss. "Oh, Betty dear, I am having
+such a good time; I wish you could stay."
+
+[Illustration: Betty found them all laughing heartily over "My
+Grandmother's Cat."--_Page 94._]
+
+"I can't," said Betty shortly, and having kissed her little brother she
+hurried away, winking hard to keep back the tears.
+
+On the stairs she encountered Miss Clark, dressed for her daily walk.
+
+"Your mother is asleep," the nurse explained, "and Mrs. Hamilton is
+going to sit with her till I come back. Don't look so worried, dear, she
+isn't any worse to-day; indeed, we think she is a little better."
+
+Betty tried to smile, but the effort was rather a failure, and when she
+had reached their own apartment, sat down on Jack's sofa, laying her
+head down on the cushion on which her little brother's head had so often
+rested.
+
+A few moments later, Mrs. Hamilton, going into the kitchen for something
+she wanted, was startled by the sound of low, subdued crying. Glancing
+in at the door of the sitting room she saw Betty lying face downwards on
+the sofa, her whole frame shaking with sobs. Next instant she was
+bending over the little figure, softly stroking Betty's tumbled hair.
+
+"Betty," she said tenderly, "poor little Betty, what is it?"
+
+With a start Betty lifted her face, and somewhat to Mrs. Hamilton's
+surprise, grew suddenly very red.
+
+"It isn't anything," she said, beginning a hasty search for her
+handkerchief, "only--only, I'm a horrid, wicked girl."
+
+"Betty, dear, what do you mean?" Mrs. Hamilton sat down on the sofa and
+put an arm affectionately around the trembling child. "Don't you know
+what a great help you have been to Miss Clark and me? Why, I have never
+seen a more thoughtful, sensible little girl."
+
+"I am wicked, though," Betty maintained stoutly; "I'm jealous. I don't
+like to have Jack so happy without me."
+
+Mrs. Hamilton with some difficulty repressed a smile.
+
+"Jealousy is a very common fault in all of us, Betty," she said, "but I
+am sure you wouldn't like it if Jack were unhappy and fretting."
+
+"No, oh, no, I shouldn't like that!--but"--with a stifled sob--"he did
+seem to be having such a good time, and I'm so unhappy and so worried
+about mother."
+
+"I know you are worried about your mother, dear, but we all think her a
+little better to-day, and Dr. Bell says that if she continues to
+improve for the next twenty-four hours he hopes she will be out of all
+danger. And now, Betty, I am going to tell you something that I know you
+will be glad to hear. It is about Jack."
+
+"About Jack?" repeated Betty, beginning to look interested.
+
+"Yes, dear. I know how dearly you love your little brother, and how
+happy it would make you if anything could be done for him--anything to
+help his illness, I mean."
+
+"Oh, Mrs. Hamilton, could anything really----" Betty could say no more,
+but her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes were more expressive than
+words.
+
+"Dr. Bell was talking to me about Jack last evening," Mrs. Hamilton went
+on. "He is very much interested in the case, and as soon as your mother
+is well enough he is going to ask her consent to bring a famous surgeon
+here to see Jack."
+
+Betty was actually trembling with excitement.
+
+"And he thinks--he thinks that something might be done, so that Jack
+would be able to walk like other people?" she gasped.
+
+"He thinks something might be tried."
+
+"I remember I once heard mother say that when Jack was a baby a doctor
+told father that if he ever grew strong enough to bear it an operation
+might be performed. Jack was so delicate for a long time that mother
+never dared to think of it, but he is much stronger now."
+
+"Well," said Mrs. Hamilton, rising, "we won't talk to any one about it
+just yet, least of all to Jack himself, because, you know, it might
+amount to nothing, and then think how terribly disappointed he would be.
+But you and I can talk about it sometimes, and it will be our little
+secret."
+
+"Yes," said Betty eagerly, "and as soon as mother is well enough she
+shall know too. Oh, Mrs. Hamilton, you have made me so very, very happy
+I don't know what to do."
+
+There was no more jealousy for Betty that day. She went about with a
+look of such radiant happiness on her face that, when she came to kiss
+Jack good-night, his first words were an eager exclamation. "Oh, Betty,
+mother's better; I know she is, or you wouldn't look like that!"
+
+The next morning Mrs. Randall really was better, and Dr. Bell came in
+after his early visit to tell Jack the good news.
+
+"You have been a good, brave little soldier," he said kindly, "and in a
+few more days you will be able to go back to your mother and Betty."
+
+"Betty has been much braver, though," said Jack, always eager to sound
+his sister's praises. "Mrs. Hamilton says she doesn't know what they
+would have done without Betty."
+
+"Yes, indeed, Betty has been a famous little helper. I shall tell your
+mother she has two little people to be proud of."
+
+It was still some days, however, before Jack could go home, or before
+Mrs. Randall was able fully to understand the state of affairs. At first
+she was too weak to care much about what went on around her. She would
+lie with half-closed eyes, only smiling faintly when spoken to, and
+silently accepting all that was done for her without appearing to think
+very much about it. But as her strength began to return, cares and
+anxieties returned too, and one morning, when Mrs. Hamilton went up to
+relieve Miss Clark for an hour, she found the invalid looking so flushed
+and distressed that she hastened to inquire, as she took the hand Mrs.
+Randall held out to her, "Is anything wrong? Are you not feeling as well
+this morning?"
+
+"Oh, yes, I am gaining strength every day," said Mrs. Randall with a
+sigh, "but, Mrs. Hamilton, how can I ever repay you for all you have
+done for us? I have been questioning Betty, and she has told me
+everything."
+
+"Now, my dear Mrs. Randall, please don't let us talk about repaying
+anything," said Mrs. Hamilton cheerfully. "You haven't the least idea of
+the pleasure your dear little boy has given my Winifred, and as for any
+little things that I may have been able to do, why, they have given me
+real pleasure too."
+
+"You are very good, very good indeed," Mrs. Randall murmured, "but I
+can't help worrying a little when I think of all that this illness of
+mine involves. There are so many expenses to think of; the doctor and
+the nurse, and other things besides. Miss Clark tells me that it will be
+several weeks yet before I am able to go back to my work, and it is so
+near the end of the season."
+
+"I told Betty to write to your pupils, telling them of your illness,"
+said Mrs. Hamilton. "We found a list of addresses in your desk. Several
+notes have come for you, but I was afraid you were not strong enough to
+see them before. Would you like to read some of them now?"
+
+Mrs. Randall said she would, and when she had opened and glanced over
+the half-dozen notes Mrs. Hamilton brought her, she looked up with tears
+in her eyes.
+
+"People are very good," she said a little unsteadily. "I don't think I
+ever realized it before, but I have a great deal for which to be
+thankful."
+
+"I don't think we ever do realize what true friendship means until
+trouble comes," said Mrs. Hamilton gently. "I know I did not until a
+great sorrow came to me. I now feel that there is no greater happiness
+in the world than being able to show my friends how much I care for
+them."
+
+The two ladies had a long talk that morning, and grew to know and like
+each other better than either would have believed possible before. When
+Mrs. Hamilton had gone back to her own apartment Mrs. Randall called
+Betty to her side.
+
+"Betty, darling," she said, and though there were tears in her eyes,
+there was a more peaceful expression on her face than the little girl
+had ever seen there before. "I am afraid I have been a very foolish,
+selfish mother to you and Jack, but we all make mistakes sometimes, and
+I am going to try and undo mine as soon as I can. Everybody has been so
+good it makes me ashamed of my old foolish pride. Mrs. Hamilton has
+taught me a lesson this morning that I shall never forget. I think she
+is the best woman I have ever known."
+
+That same afternoon Jack came home. Dr. Bell carried him upstairs and
+laid him on the bed beside his mother. How delightful it was to the
+little cripple to nestle in his mother's arms once more, and to feel her
+tender kisses on his face. Neither of them said very much; but their
+happy faces told the story plainly enough, and the doctor's kind eyes
+glistened as he turned away rather hurriedly to give some direction to
+Miss Clark. But after the first few rapturous moments, Jack found his
+tongue and chattered away, telling of all the pleasant times he had had,
+and the kind friends he had made, while Mrs. Randall listened; and Betty
+hovered over them both with such a radiant face that her mother asked
+her smilingly if she had not something delightful to tell as well as
+Jack. But Betty only blushed a little and shook her head. She had no
+intention of disclosing her secret just yet.
+
+"Oh, Betty, it is nice to be at home again," said Jack, stretching
+himself comfortably on the familiar sofa, when Miss Clark had carried
+him away to the sitting room, leaving Mrs. Randall to rest for a while.
+"I've had a perfectly lovely time, but I do like home."
+
+"You don't love Winifred better than me, do you?" said Betty, with a
+little twinge of the old jealousy.
+
+"Why, Betty, how could I possibly do such a thing as that?" Jack's eyes
+opened wide in astonishment.
+
+"I didn't know," said Betty, hanging her head. "I'm awfully glad you
+don't."
+
+"I love Winifred very much," said Jack slowly, "but then you're my own
+sister, and of course a person couldn't love another person as much as
+his own sister. Oh, Betty, you didn't really think I could, did you?"
+
+Jack was beginning to look troubled, and Betty, very much ashamed of
+herself, hastened to reassure him.
+
+"No, no, of course I didn't, not really, you know," she said, giving her
+brother a hearty kiss. "I was silly, that's all, but it's all right now.
+Isn't it lovely having mother so much better? Miss Clark says she can
+begin to sit up in a few days, and such nice things have happened.
+Nearly all mother's pupils have written kind notes, and most of them
+have sent checks paying up to the end of the term. I don't think mother
+wanted to take the checks at first, but Mrs. Hamilton talked to her, and
+she says she's going to try not to mind so much about accepting favors
+any more. I think there is only just one other thing in the world that
+could make me happier than I am to-day."
+
+"What's that?" Jack inquired.
+
+"To have you able to walk," said Betty softly. She turned her head away
+as she spoke, so that her brother should not see the expression in her
+eyes.
+
+Jack gave a little start, and drew a long, deep breath.
+
+"But, Betty," he said almost in a whisper, "that's something that
+couldn't ever possibly happen, you know. Oh, Betty, dear, please don't
+talk about it, because you see it's impossible."
+
+Suddenly Betty laid her face down beside her brother's on the pillow,
+with a sob.
+
+"Very, very wonderful things do happen sometimes," she whispered,
+"things that are almost as wonderful as fairy stories. If you ever could
+be made to walk, Jack, wouldn't you be the very happiest boy in the
+whole world?"
+
+"Of course I should," said Jack with decision, "if it only could happen,
+but then you know, it couldn't."
+
+Betty said no more, but hugged Jack tight, and kissed him a great many
+times, and then she went away to the kitchen to help Miss Clark get
+dinner.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+THE DOCTOR'S VERDICT
+
+
+Miss Clark's prediction proved correct, and in a few days Mrs. Randall
+was able to sit up, and to be helped into the sunny little parlor, where
+she sat by Jack's sofa, looking happier and more at rest than the
+children had ever seen her look before. After that she improved so
+rapidly that even Dr. Bell was surprised, and declared he had never seen
+a woman with a finer constitution. At the end of another week Miss Clark
+went away to another case, and Mrs. Flynn, the good-natured Irishwoman
+who did the Randalls' washing, was engaged to come in by the day. So the
+bright spring days came and went, and when the sun was brightest and the
+air warmest, Jack's pale face would often look a little wistful, but
+nothing more was said about drives in the park, and Betty, still waiting
+patiently for leave to reveal her secret, began to wonder if after all
+Mrs. Hamilton had been mistaken, or Dr. Bell had changed his mind.
+
+One Saturday morning in May, Winifred appeared shortly after breakfast,
+looking pleased and excited, and bringing an invitation for Betty.
+
+"It's from Lulu Bell," she explained, when Betty, quite thrilled at the
+prospect, had brought the visitor into the parlor to tell the news to
+her mother and Jack. "Lulu asked Gertie Rossiter and me to lunch with
+her and go to the circus to-day, but Gertie has the measles, so Lulu
+telephoned, and asked me to bring Betty instead. Mother says she hopes
+you'll let Betty go, Mrs. Randall, because she's sure Mrs. Bell would
+like to have her very much."
+
+Mrs. Randall looked pleased.
+
+"I am sure Betty would enjoy it," she said; "you would like to go,
+wouldn't you, dear?"
+
+Betty hesitated, and glanced a little uneasily at Jack.
+
+"I should like it," she said. "I've never been to the circus and it must
+be lovely, but--but----"
+
+"Oh, Betty, you must go!" cried Jack eagerly. "It'll be so nice, and you
+can tell me all about it when you come home."
+
+The time had been, and not so long before either, when Mrs. Randall
+would have been inclined to regard this invitation as an attempt at
+patronage, but she had been learning more than one lesson in these days
+of her convalescence, and Mrs. Hamilton's kindly advice was beginning to
+bear fruit.
+
+"Lulu says her mother doesn't want us to wear anything especially nice,"
+Winifred went on, "because we shall go around to see the animals before
+the circus begins, and it may be dusty. I've got a lovely new book out
+of the library; it's called 'Dorothy Dainty,' and I'm going to bring it
+up for Jack to read this afternoon. I know he'll like it."
+
+Matters being thus happily arranged, Winifred hurried away to telephone
+her friend that Betty would be delighted to accept the invitation, and
+Betty made herself very useful, helping Mrs. Flynn with the Saturday
+cleaning, feeling all the time as if she were about to enter upon a new
+and very interesting experience.
+
+"You're sure you don't mind, Jack," she said, stooping to kiss him at
+the last moment before going downstairs to join Winifred.
+
+"Not a bit," said Jack heartily. "I hope you'll have a lovely time, and
+it'll be such fun to hear all about it."
+
+"You're not a single mite jealous, are you?" said Betty, with a sudden
+recollection of her own feelings on another occasion.
+
+"No, of course not. What does it feel like to be jealous?"
+
+"Well, you know, I never went away and left you for a whole afternoon,
+just to have fun before, and I'm going to have a good time, and you're
+not. You wouldn't like it if you were jealous."
+
+"But I am going to have a nice time," said Jack, looking rather puzzled;
+"I've got that nice book Winifred brought, and mother's going to play
+for me. I wonder what being jealous really does feel like."
+
+"It doesn't feel nice," said Betty, blushing, "but I don't believe
+you'll ever know anything about it, you're too dear."
+
+It was about twelve o'clock when the two little girls, accompanied by
+Mrs. Hamilton, left the apartment house, and started on their walk
+across the park, to the Bells' home on Madison Avenue. It was a
+beautiful day, and the park was full of children, all making the most of
+their Saturday holiday. They met several May parties, and Betty told
+them how her mother had once read them Tennyson's "May Queen," and how
+Jack had been so much interested in the poem that he had learned it by
+heart.
+
+"Jack is really a very clever boy," said Winifred admiringly. "I don't
+like boys very much generally, they're so rough, but I respect Jack very
+much indeed."
+
+"There isn't any other boy in the world like him," said Betty, with
+conviction. "Mrs. Hamilton," she added rather shyly, "do you suppose Dr.
+Bell has forgotten Jack, now that he doesn't come to see mother any
+more?"
+
+"I am very sure he has not," said Mrs. Hamilton decidedly.
+
+Betty said no more on the subject, but her heart beat high with renewed
+hope, and during the rest of the walk she felt as if she were treading
+upon air.
+
+Betty could not help feeling a little uncomfortable when she first
+caught sight of the handsome house where Winifred's friends lived. She
+had met Lulu only once, and although she looked upon the doctor as one
+of her best friends, she did not know any other members of the family,
+and the thought of being presented to entire strangers was a rather
+embarrassing one. Mrs. Hamilton, having another engagement, left them at
+the foot of the steps. Winifred rang the bell, and when the door was
+opened by the boy in brass buttons, she walked in with the air of a
+person very much at home. Betty followed more slowly, wondering rather
+uncomfortably what people who lived in such a grand-looking house would
+think of her faded brown dress and last year's straw hat. But all such
+speculations were speedily forgotten in the kind cordiality of the
+greeting she received. Lulu was a charming little hostess, and her
+mother and her blind aunt both greeted the little stranger so kindly,
+that they soon succeeded in making her feel almost as much at home as
+Winifred herself.
+
+At luncheon the ladies asked questions about Jack, and quite won Betty's
+heart by telling her of the many kind things the doctor had said about
+her little brother. Lulu had a great deal to say about the pretty
+seaside cottage her father had just hired for the summer.
+
+"You must come and make us a long visit, Winifred," she said decidedly,
+but Winifred shook her head.
+
+"I can't leave mother," she said, with equal decision on her part. "It's
+so perfectly beautiful to have her, I can't ever go away from her."
+
+"There is a good hotel very near us," said Mrs. Bell kindly. "Perhaps
+your father and mother will come there to board for a while."
+
+But Winifred still looked doubtful. She had an idea that money was not
+very plentiful with her family just then, and she had heard her
+mother say that a couple of weeks in the mountains, while father had his
+vacation, would probably be all they could afford that summer.
+
+[Illustration: What a delightful afternoon that was!--_Page 111._]
+
+As soon as they rose from the luncheon table Mrs. Bell and the three
+little girls started for the circus.
+
+What a delightful afternoon that was! Even Betty's wildest anticipations
+had scarcely prepared her for the blissful reality. She enjoyed every
+moment, and every incident, from the clown who made her laugh till she
+cried, to the "Battle of Santiago," which made her shiver and cling
+tightly to Winifred's hand.
+
+"It's been the loveliest afternoon I ever knew," she said gratefully to
+Mrs. Bell, when it was all over, and the little girls were saying
+good-bye at the door of the apartment house. "It was so kind of you to
+take me, and I shall have lots and lots to tell Jack."
+
+"I am very glad you could come with us, dear," said Mrs. Bell, smiling
+kindly, "and next year I hope we can take Jack with us too."
+
+"I suppose it isn't a very nice thing to say," Lulu whispered to
+Winifred, "but I can't help being a little glad Gertie has the measles.
+I do like Betty ever so much, and I know mamma likes her too."
+
+At the door of the Hamiltons' apartment the children separated, and
+Betty ran gayly upstairs, thinking of the delightful time she should
+have living the events of the afternoon all over again in describing
+them to Jack. She opened the front door with her key, and was just going
+to call out to her mother and Jack, when something in the unusual
+stillness of the place caused her to pause suddenly.
+
+"Perhaps mother's lying down," she said to herself, "and Jack doesn't
+like to make any noise for fear of disturbing her. I'll go in softly and
+see."
+
+She stole on tiptoe to the sitting room door, and peeped in. Her mother
+was not there, but Jack was lying on the sofa as usual. At sight of her
+the little fellow started up and held out his arms. One glance at his
+face was enough to convince Betty that something had happened.
+
+"What is it, Jack?" she whispered, running to his side, and beginning to
+tremble with a strange new sensation, but whether of joy or fear she did
+not know. "What makes you look so--so queer? Where's mother?"
+
+"Mother's in her room," said Jack; "she shut the door; she's gone to
+lie down, I guess." His voice trembled, and he hid his face on Betty's
+shoulder.
+
+"But something has happened, I know it has," persisted Betty, trembling
+more than ever. "Oh, Jack, what is it?"
+
+"Betty," said Jack softly, "do you remember what you said the other day,
+about--about the thing that would make you happier than anything else,
+even than mother's getting well?"
+
+"You mean the thing about you--oh, Jack, you mean about your being made
+to walk?"
+
+Jack nodded.
+
+"Tell me quick," gasped Betty breathlessly, the circus and everything
+else forgotten in the excitement of this wonderful news.
+
+"Well, Doctor Bell came this afternoon right after lunch, and there was
+another doctor with him. He was rather old, and not so nice as Dr. Bell,
+but I think he wanted to be very kind. First they went in the dining
+room, and talked to mother for a little while, and I think I heard
+mother crying. Then they came in here, and looked at me. What they did
+hurt a good deal, but I tried not to mind, because Dr. Bell called me a
+brave soldier boy. Then they went back to the dining room, and talked
+some more to mother, and the new doctor went away. After that mother
+and Dr. Bell came back here. Mother was crying a good deal, but she
+looked awfully glad too, and they told me what it all meant. Next week
+I'm to go to a hospital, and have an operation. It won't hurt, Dr. Bell
+says, because they'll give me something to make me go to sleep, and when
+I get better, they think--they're not quite sure--but they really do
+think, that I shall be able to walk."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+SUSPENSE
+
+
+It was very quiet in the Randalls' apartment one warm spring afternoon.
+For nearly two hours the only sounds to break the utter stillness had
+been the ticking of the clock and an occasional movement from the
+kitchen, where Mrs. Flynn tiptoed softly about, preparing dinner. Mrs.
+Randall sat in the armchair by the open window. Her face was white and
+set, and sometimes her lips moved, but no sound came from them. Betty
+felt sure that her mother was saying her prayers. It seemed to Betty as
+though a month must have passed since the morning. She had tried to
+read, to sew, to do anything to pass the terrible hours of suspense, but
+it was of no use, and now she sat on a stool at her mother's feet
+resting her head against Mrs. Randall's knee. She was trying very hard
+to be brave, but she knew that if she dared glance even for a moment at
+Jack's empty sofa, she would no longer be able to choke down the rising
+sobs, or keep back the tears which seemed so near the surface.
+
+Early that morning Jack had been taken away to the hospital, and even as
+they sat there in silence, Betty and her mother knew the work was being
+done which was to decide the fate of the little boy for life.
+
+The doctors had decided that it would be best to perform the operation
+before hot weather set in, and besides, as Dr. Bell wisely explained to
+Mrs. Randall, it would never do to keep the child in suspense any longer
+than necessary, now that he knew what was impending. Mrs. Randall was
+not yet strong enough to leave the house, but Dr. Bell had come himself
+for Jack, and Mrs. Hamilton had gone with them to the hospital,
+promising to remain until the operation was over. Jack had been very
+brave and cheerful, and the excitement had helped every one up to the
+last moment. Dr. Bell had told funny stories to make them all laugh, and
+Mrs. Hamilton had talked about the nice things they would bring Jack
+when they came to the hospital to see him. No one had cried, only, just
+as the last good-byes were being said, Jack had suddenly thrown his arms
+round his mother's neck and clung to her, and Mrs. Randall had clasped
+him close to her heart, and held him there in a silence that was far
+more expressive than any words. And now it was afternoon, and Betty and
+her mother were waiting, in silent, breathless suspense, for the news
+that they both knew must come before long. Mrs. Hamilton had promised to
+let them know the moment the operation was over.
+
+The door creaked softly and Mrs. Flynn came in with a cup of tea in her
+hand.
+
+"Take a drop of tea, dearie, do," she whispered soothingly, bending over
+Mrs. Randall's chair; "it'll put heart into ye."
+
+Mrs. Randall shook her head impatiently.
+
+"Not now, Mrs. Flynn; I couldn't touch anything now, it would choke me.
+Perhaps by and by----"
+
+Mrs. Flynn turned away with a sigh, and went back to the kitchen,
+beckoning to Betty to follow her.
+
+"Can't you do nothin' to cheer her up a bit, darlin'," she whispered,
+when Betty joined her in the kitchen. "Not a mouthful of anything has
+she touched this whole blessed day, and it's awful to see her sittin'
+lookin' like that, her that's just off a sick bed too."
+
+"She's thinking about Jack," said Betty sadly; "she can't eat till she
+knows; I couldn't eat either, Mrs. Flynn."
+
+Mrs. Flynn sighed again, and set down the teacup.
+
+"Well, you'll hear pretty soon now, I guess," she said, with an air of
+resignation, "and I've got some nice strong chicken soup on the stove. A
+cup of that'll do yez both good by and by."
+
+"Oh, Mrs. Flynn," whispered Betty, drawing close to the kind-hearted
+Irish-woman, "I'm so frightened. I don't know why, but I am. You don't
+think, do you, that anything dreadful is going to happen?"
+
+"Not a bit of it, darlin'," said Mrs. Flynn reassuringly. "Jack'll be
+all right, the little angel, and we'll have him back, and runnin' about
+like any one else in just no time at all. Why, I shouldn't wonder if
+we'd see him ridin' one of them bicycles on Fifth Avenue next month."
+
+"But people don't always get over operations, you know, Mrs. Flynn,"
+said Betty, with a choke in her voice.
+
+"Nonsense," retorted Mrs. Flynn, with an indignant toss of her head.
+"Sure, didn't me brother-in-law's first cousin have the two legs of him
+took off wid a trolley-car on Lexington Avenue, and ain't he walkin'
+around now 'most as good as ever on two cork stumps, as they give him
+at the hospital? There ain't nothin' them doctors can't do, barrin'
+raisin' the dead."
+
+A ring at the door bell at this moment put an end to the Irish-woman's
+hopeful predictions. Betty uttered a little half-frightened cry, and
+Mrs. Flynn flew to open the door. Mrs. Randall sprang from her chair,
+and was in the hall before Mrs. Flynn had left the kitchen. Next moment,
+however, there was a little sigh of disappointment from every one; the
+visitor was only Winifred.
+
+"I thought I'd come to see you for a little while," she explained to
+Betty, who was trying to smile, and not show the disappointment she
+felt. "It's lonely downstairs without mother, and I've done all my
+lessons. I've brought Miss Mollie; I thought you might like to have
+her."
+
+"I am very glad to have her," said Betty, taking the doll in her arms.
+She was not very fond of dolls, but she wanted to show Winifred that she
+appreciated her kindness. "Let's go into my room, where we can talk and
+not disturb mother."
+
+They were moving away, but Mrs. Randall called them back.
+
+"Stay here, children," she said, and her voice sounded sharp from
+anxiety. "I like to hear you talk, and you don't disturb me."
+
+So the two little girls went into the parlor, and sat down side by side
+on Jack's sofa, Betty still holding Miss Mollie in her arms. They were
+both very silent at first, and Winifred kept casting sympathetic glances
+towards Mrs. Randall, who had now left her seat, and was standing with
+her back to them, looking out of the window. But after a little while
+they began to talk in whispers.
+
+"I guess mother will be back pretty soon now," said Winifred, giving
+Betty's cold little hand an encouraging squeeze. "She'll be sure to come
+and tell you about Jack the very first thing."
+
+Betty said nothing, and after a little pause Winifred went on.
+
+"Won't it be lovely when Jack gets well? Just think, he may be a soldier
+after all when he grows up. You know Dr. Bell always calls him a little
+soldier boy."
+
+"He'd like to be one," said Betty, brightening at the thought; "our
+grandfather was a general, you know."
+
+"Yes, and even if he never goes to war, I think he is much braver now
+than a great many real soldiers are. Father says there are not many
+little boys only nine years old who would be willing to go away and
+stay all by themselves in a big, strange hospital."
+
+"Don't let's talk about that," said Betty, beginning to cry. "I can't
+bear to think of his being all by himself."
+
+"Oh, but he won't be, not really. Lulu has been to that hospital to see
+the children and take them things, and she says the nurses are very
+kind. One of them took care of Lulu's aunt when she broke her knee last
+year, and they all liked her very much. And then, you know, Dr. Bell
+goes there every day, and we shall go too, just as soon as Jack is well
+enough to see us. Oh, Betty, dear, I'm sure God is going to let Jack get
+well and be just like other people. I've been saying little prayers to
+Him all day about it."
+
+"So have I," said Betty, who was beginning to find Winifred's society
+very cheering. "He'll be so happy if he can walk, and mother says Dr.
+Bell wants us all to go to the country as soon as Jack is strong
+enough."
+
+Winifred heaved a little sigh.
+
+"I think almost every one is going to the country pretty soon," she
+said. "School closes the end of next week, and all the girls are going
+away the first part of June. I shall miss them all, especially Lulu."
+
+"Dr. Bell said they were going to the seashore the first of June."
+
+"Yes, they're going to Navesink; Lulu says it's a lovely place. There's
+the ocean, you know, and a river, where they can fish and catch crabs.
+I've never seen the ocean; Aunt Estelle doesn't like sea air, so we
+always went to the mountains."
+
+"Wouldn't you like to go to Navesink too?" Betty asked.
+
+"I should just love it. Lulu wants me to come and visit her, but of
+course I can't leave mother."
+
+"New York isn't so bad in summer," said Betty cheerfully. "We were here
+last year. It's nice in the park and on the Riverside, but of course the
+real country must be much nicer."
+
+"I think any place is nice where mother is," said Winifred, with simple
+conviction. "Oh, Betty, there's the door bell, and it's mother's ring."
+
+Betty sprang to her feet, and darted out into the hall. Mrs. Randall
+took a few quick steps towards the door, but then her strength failed
+her, and, with a low cry, she sank on her knees on the floor beside
+Jack's sofa, trembling from head to foot, and covering her face with her
+hands.
+
+Mrs. Hamilton came straight into the room. She passed the two little
+girls without a word, but there was a look on her sweet face that
+somehow kept them both silent, eager as they were for news. For one
+second she paused beside the sofa, and then dropping on her own knees,
+took the trembling, swaying figure right into her kind arms.
+
+"Oh, my dear, my dear," she sobbed, the happy tears streaming down her
+cheeks, "I don't know how to tell you, but it is all as we wished. The
+operation is over; it was a great success, the doctors say,
+and--and--don't tremble so, dear--there is nothing to grieve over, but,
+oh, so much to make you glad. I have just come from the hospital, and
+Dr. Bell has sent you this message. 'Tell Mrs. Randall,' he said, and
+there were tears in his eyes, 'tell Mrs. Randall that everything is
+going on splendidly,' and--and--oh, think of it, my dear,--'that her
+little boy will walk.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+A LETTER AND A SURPRISE
+
+
+"Here's a letter for you, Winnie," said Mr. Hamilton, coming into the
+dining room, just as his wife and little daughter were sitting down to
+breakfast one warm morning in the beginning of July.
+
+"It's from Lulu," exclaimed Winifred joyfully, glancing at the
+handwriting. "Oh, I'm so glad! I haven't had a letter from her since she
+went away."
+
+"This is a good fat one, at any rate," said Mr. Hamilton, smiling, and
+Mrs. Hamilton added:
+
+"Read it to us, dear."
+
+So Winifred opened her letter and began:
+
+"Navesink, N.J., July 6th.
+
+"Dearest Winifred:
+
+"I meant to write to you ever so long ago, but I have been so busy that
+I couldn't find the time. This is a lovely place, and we all like it
+very much. The ocean is right in front of the house, and in the big
+storm last week the waves came up all over the lawn. We go in bathing
+every day that the ocean is smooth enough, all but Aunt Daisy. She is
+afraid of the big waves, but papa says she wouldn't be if she would only
+make up her mind to go in once. On the other side of the house is the
+Shrewsbury River, and that is very nice too. All the Rossiters came up
+to spend the day last Saturday, and papa took us crabbing. I caught
+three, and we had them for luncheon. There is an old boat fastened to
+our dock. It hasn't any oars, or rudder, or anything, but it's splendid
+to play shipwreck in.
+
+"I see the Randalls almost every day. The house where they are boarding
+is only a little way from our cottage. Jack looks ever so much better
+than when he came, and papa says the sea air is making him stronger
+every day. He can stand all by himself now, and walk a little with his
+crutches. Papa thinks by the autumn he will be able to walk as well as
+anybody. Mamma has given him a go-cart, and Betty and I push him about
+in it. We all go down to the beach, and when we have made a nice seat in
+the sand for Jack, he gets out of the go-cart and sits there. I like
+Betty and Jack ever so much, and mamma likes to have me play with them.
+
+"Mrs. Randall has a good many pupils already, and mamma thinks she will
+have more by and by, when all the summer people get here. Aunt Daisy is
+taking music lessons from her, and says she is the best teacher she ever
+had. She plays beautifully too. Mamma had her come over and play for
+some people the other day, and they all enjoyed it very much.
+
+"I am having a lovely time, but I do miss you very much. Can't you
+really come and make me a visit? Mamma and Aunt Daisy would love to have
+you, and there are two beds in my room. I should be so very, very happy
+if you would only come.
+
+"My hand is getting tired, so I shall have to stop.
+
+"Betty and Jack send their love, and say they would love it if you would
+come. Please answer this letter right away, and believe me, with lots of
+love and kisses,
+
+    "Your true friend,
+    "Louise M. Bell."
+
+"That's a lovely letter," said Winifred in a tone of profound
+admiration. "Lulu writes beautifully, don't you think so, mother?"
+
+"She certainly expresses herself very well," said Mrs. Hamilton,
+smiling.
+
+"She writes stories too," Winifred went on, putting her letter carefully
+back into the envelope; "she intends to be an authoress when she grows
+up. She did think once that she would be a missionary, but now she has
+decided that she would rather be an authoress like her aunt."
+
+"Wouldn't you like to go to Navesink and make Lulu a visit?" Mr.
+Hamilton asked.
+
+Winifred looked a little wistful, but she shook her head decidedly.
+
+"Not without mother. If mother could go too, I should love it better
+than anything else in the world."
+
+Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton exchanged glances, but they were both silent, and
+nothing more was said on the subject.
+
+As soon as they rose from the breakfast table, Winifred went to put her
+letter away in the little box where she kept all her treasures, but
+before doing so she sat down on the edge of her bed, and read it all
+over again from beginning to end. When she had finished, her face looked
+even more wistful than before.
+
+"I should like to go, oh, I should like it very much," she said, with a
+long sigh, "but I couldn't go anywhere without mother. I suppose when
+people have only had mothers a little while like me, they feel
+differently about leaving them from the people who have had them all the
+time."
+
+The fact was, Winifred was feeling a little bit lonely. It was very warm
+in the city, and now that school was over, and all her friends had left
+town, she found time hang somewhat heavy on her hands. The children were
+a great comfort, of course, and her mother was everything to her, but
+she missed the work and the companionship of school, and there were
+times on those hot summer days when even story books seemed to have lost
+their charms.
+
+She and Betty had become great friends during the time when Jack was in
+the hospital, and when Dr. Bell had decided that the seashore was the
+place for Jack, and the Randalls had given up their flat, and gone for
+the summer to board at Navesink--the kind doctor having procured
+accommodation for them in a house not far from his own--Winifred,
+although rejoicing heartily in her friends' good fortune, could not help
+feeling very forlorn without them. It was two weeks now since the
+Randalls had gone away, and Lulu's letter was the first news Winifred
+had received from any of her friends.
+
+On this particular morning things were unusually dull. It was very hot,
+for one thing, and then her mother and Lizzie were both very busy in
+the kitchen, putting up strawberry preserves. Lulu's letter had
+suggested so many pleasant possibilities too. Certainly sea bathing and
+playing shipwreck in a real boat sounded much more attractive than
+reading story books in a hot little bedroom on the second floor of a New
+York apartment house. She did her duty faithfully by the children;
+dressed them all; set Lord Fauntleroy, Rose-Florence, and Lily-Bell at
+their lessons, arranged Miss Mollie's hair in the latest fashion, and
+gave Violet-May a dose of castor oil. Then when there was really nothing
+more to be done for her family, and she had learned from her mother that
+her services were not desired in the kitchen, she took up "Denise and
+Ned Toodles," and settling herself in the coolest spot she could find,
+tried to forget other things in the interest of a new story.
+
+"Well, mousie, here you are; deep in a story book as usual."
+
+At the sound of the familiar voice, Winifred dropped her book, and
+sprang up with an exclamation of pleasure.
+
+"Oh, Aunt Estelle, I am glad to see you!" she cried joyfully, running to
+greet the tall, bright-faced young lady who was standing in the
+doorway. "How did you get in? I never heard the bell."
+
+"I didn't ring, the door was open," said her aunt, laughing and kissing
+her. "I've been here for some time, talking to your mother in the
+kitchen, and now I've come to have a little talk with you."
+
+"Won't you sit down?" said Winifred, hospitably drawing forward the
+comfortable rocker in which she had been sitting. "You look awfully
+warm. You sit here, and I'll fan you; that'll be nice."
+
+"What have you been reading?" Mrs. Meredith asked, as her little niece
+perched herself on the arm of her chair, and began swaying a large
+palm-leaf fan back and forth.
+
+"'Denise and Ned Toodles.' It's a very nice story. Mother got it out of
+the library for me yesterday. It's all about a little girl who lived in
+the country and had a pony."
+
+"Do you think you would like to live in the country?" her aunt asked,
+smiling.
+
+"Yes, I think so; I should like it in the summer, at any rate. Oh, Aunt
+Estelle, I had such a lovely letter from Lulu this morning. Would you
+like to see it?"
+
+"Yes, very much, but not just now, for I am in a hurry. I am going
+downtown to do some errands, and then I am coming back here, and,
+Winnie, I want you to be ready to go home with me to spend the night."
+
+"To spend the night?" Winifred repeated, looking very much surprised.
+
+"Yes; Uncle Will was grumbling this morning, because he says he never
+sees anything of you nowadays. We are going to the country on Saturday,
+you know, and this will be our last chance of having you with us for
+ever so long."
+
+"I'd like to go if mother says so," said Winifred, rather pleased at the
+prospect of this little change.
+
+"Oh, that's all right; everything is arranged, and here comes your
+mother to speak for herself."
+
+Winifred turned eagerly to Mrs. Hamilton, who had just entered the room.
+
+"Mother, Aunt Estelle wants me to go home with her to spend the night.
+May I go?"
+
+"Yes, dear," said her mother, smiling, "I should like to have you go. I
+expect to be very busy this afternoon, and Aunt Estelle says Uncle Will
+wants to see you very much."
+
+"Norah is cleaning silver to-day," Mrs. Meredith said, as she rose to
+go. "You should have seen her face when I told her I was coming for
+you."
+
+Winifred looked flattered.
+
+"I always helped Norah clean silver," she said, "and sometimes I used to
+read to her. I'll take 'Denise and Ned Toodles' and read this
+afternoon."
+
+The matter having been thus arranged, Mrs. Meredith hurried away to do
+her errands, promising to return for Winifred in a couple of hours.
+
+"You're sure you won't miss me very much, mother," Winifred said
+anxiously, as she was bidding her mother good-bye. "It's only for one
+night, you know, and that is quite different from going away for a real
+visit."
+
+"Of course it is," said Mrs. Hamilton, laughing. "Now run along with
+Aunt Estelle, sweetheart, and have a good time. I will come for you
+early to-morrow morning."
+
+"Mother does seem very busy to-day," remarked Winifred, rather
+wonderingly, as she walked along by her aunt's side. "I wonder what
+she's going to do this afternoon. It can't be the preserves, because
+they're 'most done."
+
+Mrs. Meredith made no answer, and Winifred soon forgot her curiosity in
+the interest of other subjects. But she would have wondered a good deal
+more if she could have heard the words her mother was at that moment
+saying to Lizzie, for no sooner had the door closed behind Winifred and
+her aunt than Mrs. Hamilton hurried back to the kitchen.
+
+"We can begin right away now, Lizzie," she said, laughing; "the darling
+is safely out of the way for the rest of the day, and we shall have to
+work like beavers to accomplish all we have to do. In the first place, I
+want you to come with me to the storeroom, and help me to get out that
+big trunk."
+
+Winifred had a very pleasant afternoon. She helped Norah with the
+silver, and read aloud to her, and then there were Hannah, the German
+cook, and Josephine, the French maid, to be talked to, and they both
+seemed much pleased to see her. In the evening Uncle Will and Aunt
+Estelle made much of her, and when bedtime came, although she missed her
+mother's good-night kiss, still it seemed so natural to be going to bed
+in the old familiar nursery, where she had spent so many nights, that
+she could almost fancy the past happy months were all a dream, and that
+her mother had never come back from California at all.
+
+"Only no dream could possibly be so lovely as it really is," she said to
+herself, settling herself comfortably on her pillow when Aunt Estelle
+had put out the light and gone away. "Oh, I am glad it isn't a dream,
+but something really true. I was a wicked girl to wish I could go to the
+country and do something different, when I've got such lots and lots of
+things to be happy about."
+
+"This is the very perfection of a summer's day," Mr. Meredith remarked
+at the breakfast table next morning. "I wish I were not obliged to spend
+it cooped up in my office. A trip to the seaside now would be very much
+to my liking."
+
+"We're going to take excursions sometimes this summer," said Winifred
+brightly. "Father says perhaps we may go down to Manhattan Beach for a
+Sunday. Did you ever go to Manhattan Beach, Uncle Will?"
+
+"Yes, several times. I have been to Navesink too. Isn't that where your
+friends, the Bells, are spending the summer?"
+
+"Yes; Lulu says it's a beautiful place. She asked me to come for a
+visit, but I can't leave mother."
+
+"Too bad, isn't it?" observed Mr. Meredith, with his eyes on his plate.
+"Halloo, there's the door bell; I wonder who can be coming to see us so
+early in the morning."
+
+"Why, it's father and mother," exclaimed Winifred joyfully, springing
+down from her chair, and darting out into the hall as Norah opened the
+front door. "Oh, mother, dear, you are early. We've only just finished
+breakfast."
+
+"It is such a lovely morning," said Mrs. Hamilton, returning her little
+daughter's rapturous embrace, "that your father and I thought we would
+take a trip down the bay."
+
+"Oh, how nice," cried Winifred, clapping her hands. "And isn't it funny?
+Uncle Will and I have just been talking about trips. Are you sure you
+can really get away for a whole day, father?"
+
+"I think I can manage it," said Mr. Hamilton, laughing. "Now run and get
+ready, little one, for our boat leaves at ten, and it's after nine
+already."
+
+Winifred flew upstairs for her belongings, told the good news to
+Josephine, and was back again in less than five minutes. She found her
+father and mother in the dining room with Uncle Will and Aunt Estelle.
+They had evidently been talking about something which amused them, for
+every one was smiling, but as soon as Winifred came in Mr. and Mrs.
+Hamilton rose to go.
+
+"Good-bye, Winnie darling," said Mrs. Meredith, kissing her little niece
+affectionately, "it has been like a bit of old times having you back
+with us. You won't forget to write, Mollie?" she added in a lower tone
+to Mrs. Hamilton, as the two ladies went out into the hall together.
+
+"Good-bye, mousie, and don't forget us," said Uncle Will, as Winifred
+lifted her face for his good-bye kiss. "I don't know how we shall manage
+to get on without you all summer."
+
+"Why, mother," said Winifred, looking puzzled, as they hurried away
+towards the elevated railroad station, "Uncle Will and Aunt Estelle said
+good-bye just as if they weren't going to see us again, and they're not
+going to the country till Saturday."
+
+"Perhaps they were afraid something might prevent our meeting again
+before they leave," said Mrs. Hamilton, rather evasively.
+
+That sail down the bay was a new and very delightful experience to
+Winifred. She had never traveled much, and every new object of interest
+was a delight to her. The big, crowded steamboat, the beautiful bay, the
+Statue of Liberty, and the other interesting sights made the little girl
+feel as if she could not take in so many new wonders all at once, and
+she asked innumerable questions about everything, all of which her
+father and mother answered readily.
+
+[Illustration: That sail down the bay was a new and delightful
+experience.--_Page 136._]
+
+"What are we going to do when we get to the place where the boat stops?"
+she inquired anxiously, as they passed the Floating Hospital. "Must we
+go right back to New York again?"
+
+"Well, I think we will go a little way in a train first," said Mr.
+Hamilton, trying to look grave, although his eyes twinkled. "It would be
+rather a pity to go so far without seeing the ocean, don't you think
+so?"
+
+"Oh, are we really going to see the ocean?" cried Winifred joyfully. "I
+think this is one of the nicest things that ever happened."
+
+At the Atlantic Highlands they left the boat, and got into a train,
+which they found waiting at the pier. There were several trains, in
+fact, and a great many people seemed to be getting into them. Winifred
+wondered where they were all going, and if any of the other children she
+saw were having half as good a time as she was.
+
+"Look, Winnie, there is the ocean," her mother said eagerly, as the
+train rushed across a long bridge, and a whiff of sea air blew in their
+faces.
+
+"Where, where?" gasped Winifred, stretching her neck out of the car
+window. "Oh, I see. Why, how big it is. I never saw water like that
+before. Do you suppose it looks like this at Navesink?"
+
+"I should not be at all surprised if it looked very much like it," said
+Mrs. Hamilton, laughing.
+
+At that moment the train began to slacken speed.
+
+"Navesink, Navesink," shouted the brakeman, putting his head in at the
+car door.
+
+"Isn't it the very loveliest surprise you ever had?" demanded Lulu Bell,
+dancing up and down on the platform, and hugging Winifred tight. "I
+never knew a single thing about it till last night, but mamma has known
+for ever so long, and papa engaged the rooms at the hotel for you. Why,
+Winifred, don't look as if you were just waking up. It's the nicest
+thing in the world. You're all going to stay at the hotel for a month,
+and your father's going to town every day the same as papa does. They
+wanted it to be a surprise for you. See, here's Betty, and Jack's right
+over there in the go-cart. We all came down to the station to meet you,
+and it seemed as if the train would never come, we were so excited."
+
+"Oh," gasped Winifred, finding her voice at last, "it's the very most
+beautiful thing that could possibly have happened. Are you quite sure
+it's all true, and not a dream?"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+AT NAVESINK
+
+
+"I think the sea is the most beautiful thing in the world," said Jack,
+laying down his drawing pencil, and settling himself comfortably in the
+warm sand. "I could just sit and look at it all day long."
+
+"Is your sketch finished?" inquired Winifred, looking up from the sand
+fort she was building.
+
+"Yes, do you want to see it?" And Jack held out a sheet of foolscap for
+his friend's inspection. Jack was a very different-looking boy from the
+pale little cripple of two months before. There was a light in his eyes
+and a color in his cheeks that no one had ever seen there since the day
+of his babyhood. The healthy outdoor life in the bracing sea air was
+doing wonders for him. Winifred examined the sketch admiringly.
+
+"It's perfectly lovely," she announced. "That fishing boat with the man
+in it looks as natural as can be. I think you will be a splendid artist
+when you grow up, Jack."
+
+Jack flushed with pleasure at this frank praise.
+
+"I hope I shall," he said, "I want to be. You know my father was an
+artist."
+
+"You will be an artist and Lulu will be an authoress," said Winifred
+reflectively. "I wish Betty and I could both be something nice too."
+
+"I'm afraid I shall never be anything in particular, unless it's a
+housekeeper," remarked Betty from her seat on the bathing house steps.
+"I like to sweep and dust and cook better than anything else."
+
+"You'll be a greater sewer, I think," said Winifred, with an admiring
+glance at the stocking her friend was darning. "Mother says she never
+saw a little girl who could sew as well as you can."
+
+"Perhaps I shall be a trained nurse. I think I should like being a
+comfort to sick people. I heard Lulu's aunt say the nurse she had when
+she broke her knee was a great comfort to her."
+
+"Miss Clark was a great comfort to us when mother was ill," said Betty;
+"mother had a letter from her yesterday. What's the matter, Jack--are
+mosquitoes biting?"
+
+"No," said Jack, frowning, "it isn't the mosquitoes, it's only I don't
+like to have you talk about being things when you grow up."
+
+"Why not?" inquired Betty in astonishment.
+
+"Because if I'm an artist I can take care of you and mother. I want you
+just to be ladies."
+
+"Well, mother's a lady, isn't she? and she works; and Lulu's aunt writes
+books."
+
+Jack looked puzzled.
+
+"I don't know quite how to say it," he said slowly, "but I want you to
+be the kind of ladies that mother was when she lived in England; the
+kind that live in castles, and have parks and things. They never work,
+do they?"
+
+Both little girls laughed, and Betty said practically:
+
+"I guess even queens work sometimes, but I know what you mean, Jack,
+only I think I'd like to be a housekeeper better."
+
+"Here comes Lulu," exclaimed Winifred, rising to meet her friend, who
+came hurrying along the sand from the direction of her own home. "I've
+brought some ginger-snaps," announced Lulu, when she had greeted the
+others, and seated herself beside Betty on the bathing house steps. "I
+thought we might be hungry before luncheon time. I could have come
+before, but I was very busy writing my story. Is yours done yet,
+Winifred?"
+
+"No," said Winifred, blushing; "I don't think I can write stories very
+well. When I get the ink and paper, and everything ready, I never can
+think of anything to say."
+
+"Oh, but you must go on trying," urged Lulu. "It's the easiest thing in
+the world when you once get started. Does Betty know about what we're
+doing?"
+
+"No," said Betty, looking interested, "tell me about it."
+
+"Why, you see," Lulu explained, "Aunt Daisy is writing a book, and in it
+two little girls have to write compositions, and she thought it would be
+so nice to have original ones written by real little girls. So she asked
+Winifred and me to write some for her, and if she likes them well
+enough, she will put them in her book, and they will be published. Won't
+that be fun?"
+
+Betty and Jack were both much impressed, and Winifred, who did not find
+authorship come at all easy, was struck with a bright idea.
+
+"I don't suppose your aunt cares who writes the stories, so long as she
+gets them, does she, Lulu?"
+
+"Why, no, I don't suppose so," Lulu admitted, "but you really must try,
+Winnie. Think how grand it will be to have something published."
+
+"I was only thinking that perhaps Betty or Jack could do it better,"
+said Winifred, with an appealing glance at her two little friends, both
+of whom, however, declined to enter the compact, declaring that they
+couldn't write a story to save their lives.
+
+"I can't see why you all find it so hard," said Lulu a little
+patronizingly; "it seems very easy to me. I was only five when I made up
+my first story, and Aunt Daisy wrote it down on her typewriter. It
+wasn't very long, only 'Two little girls went to see two little boys.
+They played hide and seek and blindman's buff. Then they had ice cream,
+and went home again.' Aunt Daisy said it was a beginning, and I've been
+writing stories ever since. Oh, by the way, Aunt Daisy says if you'll
+come over this afternoon she'll tell us all stories on the piazza."
+
+The children looked pleased, and accepted the invitation with alacrity,
+for Lulu's blind aunt was a famous story-teller and a great favorite
+with them all.
+
+"Papa and mamma have gone to the city for the day," said Lulu, "and Aunt
+Daisy's very busy this morning, writing on her story, but she's promised
+to devote the whole afternoon to us."
+
+The conversation drifted to other things, and the next hour passed very
+pleasantly in building sand forts, making mud pies, and doing other
+delightful things only possible at the sea shore. The ocean was very
+calm, and the little girls took off their shoes and stockings, and let
+the little waves splash over their feet. Jack lay on the sand, watching
+them and making sketches by turns. Some of the people from the hotels
+and cottages came down to the beach to bathe, and almost every one had a
+pleasant word for the little boy.
+
+At last the ginger-snaps were produced, and they all sat down to enjoy
+them before going home.
+
+"I wonder what makes people so dreadfully hungry at the sea shore,"
+remarked Jack, helping himself to his third ginger-snap. "At home I
+never used to eat very much."
+
+"It's because you're so much better than you used to be," said Betty,
+regarding her brother with happy, loving eyes. "What's the matter, Lulu?
+you've dropped your cake."
+
+"My goodness," exclaimed Lulu, clasping her hands in dismay. "I declare
+I forgot all about telling you the most important thing. A lord is
+coming to stay with us."
+
+"A what?" inquired Betty and Winifred both together.
+
+"A lord," repeated Lulu impressively, "a real live English lord. He's
+coming on his yacht. Papa got a letter from him yesterday, and he's on
+his way now."
+
+"Where is he coming from?" Winifred asked.
+
+"I don't know, but he's traveling in his yacht. He has a castle in
+England, and he's awfully rich. Mamma thinks he will bring a valet with
+him."
+
+"How did your family happen to know him?" inquired Betty, much
+interested.
+
+"He and papa went to college together in England. He wasn't a lord then,
+though; he only got to be one about a year ago, papa says, because his
+uncle and his cousin, who were lords, both died, and he inherited the
+title."
+
+"Just like Little Lord Fauntleroy," said Winifred; "I wonder if he
+minded it the way Fauntleroy did at first."
+
+"Of course not," said Lulu, with superior wisdom. "Fauntleroy was only a
+silly little boy. I guess every man would like to be a lord if he had
+the chance. He and papa were great friends at college, and papa says he
+used to be very jolly and full of fun. I think he must really be rather
+nice, for when I asked papa whether I should say 'my lord' or 'your
+lordship' when I spoke to him, he only laughed, and said he didn't
+believe it would make much difference. I always thought a lord would be
+very angry if people didn't say 'my lord' or 'your lordship' whenever
+they spoke to him."
+
+"Perhaps it's because he's such a new one that he isn't so very
+particular," Winifred suggested. "What made him come over to this
+country?"
+
+"I don't know; I suppose because he wants to see it. He cruises about in
+his yacht, and mamma doesn't think he will stay very long with us,
+though she hopes he will on account of papa's being so fond of him. I
+hope he won't make a very long visit, for I suppose it can't help being
+rather solemn having a lord in the house."
+
+"Lords in books are just like other people," Betty remarked practically.
+"Perhaps you'll like him ever so much, and be sorry when he goes away."
+
+"I hope I shall see him," observed Jack, with unusual animation.
+
+"What for?" inquired Betty, with some scorn. "I don't believe he looks a
+bit different from any one else."
+
+"Well, we're English, you know," Jack explained, "and I should like to
+see a real English nobleman. It would be the next best thing to seeing
+the queen."
+
+"I don't think I should be so very anxious to see the queen," declared
+democratic Betty. "I don't believe she's any different looking from
+other old ladies."
+
+"Mother says we're subjects of the queen," Jack maintained, "and ought
+to love her, and you know if you have to love a person you would
+naturally like to see her. I don't know whether we have to love lords or
+not, but I should like to see one any way."
+
+"There's mother on the bluff," said Winifred. "She's beckoning to us; I
+guess it must be time to go in."
+
+The children scrambled hastily to their feet, Jack was helped into the
+go-cart, and the little party started in a homeward direction.
+
+"Oh, mother, dear, we've had a lovely time this morning," exclaimed
+Winifred enthusiastically, as they joined Mrs. Hamilton on the bluff,
+"and Lulu has asked us all over to her house this afternoon. Her aunt is
+going to tell us stories."
+
+"That will be very nice," said Mrs. Hamilton, smiling. "One of the
+ladies at the hotel has asked me to drive with her this afternoon, and I
+was rather doubtful about leaving you at home alone, but if Miss Warren
+wants you it will be all right."
+
+"Mamma has gone to New York," Lulu explained, "but Aunt Daisy wants them
+all. I must run home now, for it's nearly one. Be sure you all come by
+half-past three. I have to do my lessons right after lunch, but I shall
+be all through by then."
+
+"Jack and I have to do some lessons too," said Betty, "but we'll be at
+your house by half-past three. We'll stop for you, Winifred, as we pass
+the hotel."
+
+Mrs. Randall was standing on the piazza of the boarding-house as Betty
+and Jack approached, and her tired face brightened wonderfully at sight
+of the two children. Betty was pushing the go-cart, and Jack waved his
+hand joyfully to his mother. Both little faces were radiant.
+
+"Aren't you back earlier than usual, mother?" Betty asked, as they went
+into the house together, Jack moving slowly and cautiously on his
+crutches, but walking as neither his mother or Betty had ever expected
+to see him walk.
+
+"Yes, rather earlier. Miss Leroy was going to a luncheon, and didn't
+take her full time. I shall be busy all the afternoon until six o'clock,
+though, for I begin with two new pupils to-day."
+
+"Lulu Bell has asked us over to her house," said Betty; "her aunt is
+going to tell us stories. You don't mind our going, do you?"
+
+"Oh, no, indeed, only don't tire poor Miss Warren out telling you
+stories, and if you get home before six, you may take Jack down on the
+beach for a little while. Dr. Bell wants him to be in the open air as
+much as possible."
+
+"Mother," said Jack suddenly, as his mother was making him comfortable
+in the big wicker armchair by the window of their pleasant room on the
+ground floor, "did you ever see a lord when you were in England?"
+
+"I think I have seen several in my life," said Mrs. Randall, smiling;
+"why do you want to know?"
+
+"Because one is coming to stay at Lulu Bell's house, and I want to see
+him very much."
+
+"Lords don't look any different from other people, do they, mother?"
+questioned Betty.
+
+"Not in the least. I have an uncle who is a lord."
+
+Mrs. Randall spoke rather absently, as though she were thinking of
+something else, but the astonished exclamations from both children
+quickly recalled her thoughts.
+
+"You haven't really, have you, mother?" gasped Jack. Betty's eyes grew
+big and round with astonishment.
+
+"Yes, my father's older brother was a lord, or is one if he is still
+alive. We never knew him very well, for his place was in a different
+county, and he and your grandfather were not good friends. I don't want
+you to mention this to any one, though," she added, flushing; "it would
+sound like bragging, and you know it is never right to do that."
+
+"I always knew we had ancestors," said Betty thoughtfully, "but I never
+supposed any of them were lords. Is that the reason why you hate to
+accept things from people, mother?"
+
+"I scarcely think that has much to do with it," Mrs. Randall said,
+laughing in spite of herself.
+
+"Is your lord uncle in England now, mother?" Jack asked.
+
+"I suppose so if he is still alive. He must be a very old man now, for
+he was several years older than your grandfather."
+
+"And if he is dead, who is the lord now?"
+
+"The title would naturally descend to his only son, my cousin. I never
+saw him, but I remember hearing that he was a rather promising boy.
+There is the bell for luncheon. Remember, children, you are not to
+mention this subject to any one, not even to Winifred or Lulu. I shall
+be displeased with you if you do."
+
+Both children promised readily, but all through luncheon they were
+unusually silent, and when they had gone back to their room, and Mrs.
+Randall had started out on her afternoon rounds, Jack remarked suddenly,
+as he was turning over the pages in his English history:
+
+"Now, Betty, you know the kind of lady I want you to be. I don't believe
+lords' relations ever work; not the lady relations, I mean, of course
+the men do."
+
+"I don't see any use in being related to people if we don't even know
+them," said Betty, a little discontentedly. "Anyhow, I don't want to
+think about it, because if I do I shall forget and tell people, and then
+mother will be displeased. I don't care anything about lords, but if we
+could find Uncle Jack, that's what I should like."
+
+"Don't you think mother might write to him some time?" Jack inquired
+wistfully.
+
+"I know she won't, not unless she should be ill again, and I don't want
+that to happen. Now let's hurry and do our lessons, or we sha'n't be
+through in time to go to Lulu's house with Winifred."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+DRIFTING
+
+
+Lulu was standing on the piazza, as the three other children approached
+the Bells' cottage, Winifred pushing the go-cart this time, and Betty
+holding a parasol over Jack's head. Instead of calling out a cheerful
+greeting as usual, however, she ran hastily and silently down the steps,
+and met them halfway across the lawn.
+
+"We mustn't make any more noise than we can help," she said softly.
+"Poor Aunt Daisy has a dreadful headache. It came on all of a sudden,
+and she's gone to lie down. She says it may go away by and by if she can
+get a nap. Her room is right over the piazza, so we mustn't disturb
+her."
+
+The children all expressed their sympathy and regret.
+
+"Shall we go down on the beach and play?" Betty suggested.
+
+Lulu looked doubtful.
+
+"It's pretty hot down there," she objected, "and besides, we were there
+all the morning. We might go for a drive, only Thomas is so fussy, he
+never will harness the horses unless somebody grown up tells him to.
+Jane's ironing, so she can't take us anywhere. I'll tell you what we
+might do though"--with a sudden inspiration--"we might go down to the
+river and play shipwreck. That old boat that's fastened to the dock is
+just great to play shipwreck in. It's quite easy to get into it, even
+Jack could manage it all right, and I'd bring one of the cushions off
+the piazza to make him comfortable."
+
+"Are you sure it's quite safe?" inquired cautious Betty, looking
+doubtful.
+
+"Oh, yes, it's all right. We were in it the day the Rossiters were here,
+and papa saw us. It's fastened to the dock by a chain. Nothing could
+possibly happen. Come along; it's lovely and cool down there by the
+river, and if we stay here we shall be sure to forget and talk loud, and
+that will disturb Aunt Daisy."
+
+"Oughtn't we ask some one first?" Winifred suggested.
+
+"There isn't any one to ask. Papa and mamma are in New York, and Aunt
+Daisy's asleep. Jane wouldn't know, and she always makes a fuss about
+things she doesn't understand. If it hadn't been all right, papa would
+have said so when the Rossiters were here."
+
+This seemed a practical argument, and although Betty still felt a little
+uncomfortable about the wisdom of the proceeding, she made no further
+objections, and five minutes later the little party were standing on the
+dock. It was, as Lulu had said, very easy to step into the old rowboat,
+which, indeed, looked safe enough even to Betty, being fastened to the
+dock by a long chain. With a little help from the girls, Jack succeeded
+in crawling over the side, and was made comfortable in the stern, while
+the others settled themselves on the benches.
+
+"Isn't it perfectly lovely here?" cried the little boy enthusiastically,
+dabbling his hands in the cool water. "I was never in a boat like this
+before."
+
+"Of course it's lovely," said Lulu in a tone of unqualified
+satisfaction; "I told you it would be. It's much nicer than on that hot
+piazza, or on the beach either."
+
+"There are mosquitoes," Winifred remarked, flapping vigorously about her
+head with her handkerchief. "Mosquitoes always do bite me most
+dreadfully."
+
+"That's because you're so sweet," said Lulu. "Try not to think about
+them, and then you won't mind. Aunt Daisy says if only people wouldn't
+think about disagreeable things, they would be a great deal happier."
+
+"Look, look; I can make the boat rock," cried the excited Jack.
+
+"Oh, isn't it fun?"
+
+"Now," said Lulu, as usual taking the initiative; "we are a party of
+shipwrecked people, escaping in a lifeboat from a sinking ship. We are
+away out in the middle of the ocean. All the other people in the ship
+have been drowned, and we have escaped in the only boat there was. I am
+a widow lady traveling with my little boy. You are my little boy, Jack,
+and you are very ill. You must put your head in my lap, and keep your
+eyes shut as if you were suffering a great deal. Winifred is our
+faithful maid, who has been everywhere with us, and has divided her last
+ship biscuit with us."
+
+"And what am I?" inquired Betty, beginning to enter the spirit of the
+new game. "Don't make the boat rock quite so hard, Jack, dear, please."
+
+"You are the kind old sailor, who has saved us all. Some bad men on the
+ship wanted to take this lifeboat, and leave us to drown, but you shot
+them all down, and now you are taking us to an inhabited island you know
+about. We have been three days without food, and without seeing a sail,
+but I have promised that if you will bring us safely to land I will make
+you very rich."
+
+"Are you very rich yourself?" inquired Betty.
+
+"Of course, I'm a very great lady. No, I think I will be a princess;
+that will be nicer, and when people do brave things I make them my
+knights."
+
+"But there aren't any knights now," Winifred objected.
+
+"Well, then, it isn't now; it's a long time ago, about the time of Queen
+Elizabeth, I guess. Now come on, let's begin."
+
+The next half-hour was one of the most delightfully exciting periods the
+children had ever enjoyed. Lulu's vivid imagination carried them all
+along with it, and even practical Betty forgot everything else in the
+interest of the shipwreck. Jack played the suffering child to
+perfection; moaned pitiously, and implored his mother in feeble whispers
+for a crust of bread or a drop of water. The food was all gone, Lulu
+said, but Winifred endeavored to procure the desired water by dipping
+her hands in the river, and splashing salt water over Jack's face. Some
+of it ran into his eyes, which was not pleasant, but Jack was too polite
+to complain. Betty spoke words of encouragement and cheer, while she
+scanned the horizon through an imaginary telescope. Lulu hung over her
+suffering child, soothing his woes by the tenderest caresses and
+promising innumerable purses filled with gold to Betty and Winifred, as
+rewards for their faithful services, if ever they should reach the shore
+alive.
+
+"There's a dreadful storm coming up," announced Lulu, suddenly glancing
+up at the cloudless blue sky, and beginning to wave her arms
+frantically. "We shall be drowned, I know we shall. Make the boat rock
+as much as you can, Betty, so it will seem as if the sea was getting
+rough. Oh, what will become of us? Do you think we shall all perish,
+sailor?"
+
+"Can't say; hope not," said Betty, who had an idea that all sailors
+spoke in short, jerky sentences.
+
+"You'll save us if you possibly can, won't you?" said Winifred, who was
+playing so hard that she was almost frightened.
+
+"Will if I can," returned Betty in the deepest growl she could assume.
+
+"Oh, Lulu, please let us see a sail pretty soon," urged Jack. "I'm
+getting so tired of keeping my eyes shut, and it seems so dreadfully
+real."
+
+[Illustration: "There aren't any oars, and we're drifting."--_Page
+159_.]
+
+"Oh, yes, we shall see one before long," said Lulu reassuringly. "It'll
+come just at the last awful moment; it always does in books."
+
+At that moment a sudden burst of sunshine dazzled all their eyes.
+
+"Why, how funny," exclaimed Betty, forgetting her nautical manner, and
+speaking in her natural voice; "I wonder what makes it sunny all at
+once. It was nice and shady a minute ago."
+
+A shrill scream from Winifred brought Betty's wonder to an abrupt end.
+
+"Look, oh look!" shrieked the little girl, pointing with a shaking
+finger towards the shore; "the boat's moving, it's moving all by
+itself."
+
+Every one followed the direction of Winifred's terrified gaze. Sure
+enough; several feet of water already separated the boat from the shore.
+
+"The chain's broken," gasped Betty, growing very white. "It must have
+broken when we made the boat rock so hard. There aren't any oars, and
+we're drifting. Oh, what shall we do?"
+
+Winifred began to cry.
+
+"It's all your fault, Lulu," she wailed; "you said it was safe, and now
+we shall be drowned, and what will mother do. Oh, oh, oh!"
+
+Lulu was shaking from head to foot, but realizing the truth of her
+friend's accusation, she made an effort to think of some way of escape.
+
+"Couldn't we jump out and wade ashore?" she suggested desperately.
+
+"Of course not," said Betty, with prompt decision; "we don't know how
+deep the water is, and besides we couldn't leave Jack."
+
+Poor little Jack lifted his white face from his sister's shoulder, where
+he had hidden it in the first moment of terror. His eyes were big with
+fright, and his lips trembled pitifully.
+
+"Never mind about me," he faltered. "Maybe if you get ashore you can
+send some one after me. I'm a boy, you know; I ought to be able to take
+care of myself."
+
+"You're the bravest boy I ever knew," sobbed impulsive Lulu, throwing
+her arms around Jack's neck, "and we wouldn't leave you for the whole
+world, would we, girls?"
+
+"Of course we wouldn't," said Winifred emphatically. Betty said nothing,
+but hugged her brother tight in wordless love and admiration.
+
+"We sha'n't be drowned, any way, I know we sha'n't," said Lulu, her
+courage beginning to rise. "There are so many boats on the river that
+some one will be sure to see us pretty soon."
+
+"There's a man over there fishing on that dock," cried Winifred
+hopefully. "He isn't looking this way, but maybe if we shout very loud
+he'll hear us."
+
+The four little voices were accordingly raised, and shout succeeded
+shout till the opposite bank sent back the echoes, but the fisherman
+never turned his head. Perhaps he was deaf, or possibly he was
+accustomed to hear children shouting in that way, merely for the sake of
+amusement. Not another human being was in sight.
+
+"He won't see us, oh, he won't look," moaned Winifred, once more
+beginning to cry. "See how far away from the shore we are getting. Oh,
+we shall be drowned, I know we shall."
+
+Betty and Lulu had also noticed how fast the boat was drifting.
+
+"The tide's going out," whispered Betty, with white lips. "Where does
+this river go to, Lulu?"
+
+"Into the ocean, I think," said Lulu, shivering. "It has to go round
+Sandy Hook first, though," she added more hopefully, "and somebody will
+be sure to see us before we get there."
+
+"Are you very frightened, Jack, dear?" Betty whispered, nestling close
+to her little brother.
+
+"N--no, not so very," returned Jack tremulously; "only--only, if
+anything does happen think how unhappy mother will be, and--and, I did
+hope I should be able to walk just like other people."
+
+This was too much for Betty, and she promptly burst into tears.
+
+"Oh, we must do something, we must," cried Lulu, almost beside herself
+with anxiety. "It's all my fault, I know, but I really did think it was
+safe. I didn't mean to be naughty, I truly didn't, Winifred."
+
+"I know you didn't," sobbed Winifred, hugging her friend in a burst of
+remorse. "I didn't mean what I said, not a single word of it, only I was
+so dreadfully frightened."
+
+"Perhaps if we keep on shouting all the time, and waving our
+handkerchiefs, some one will notice us," Betty suggested.
+
+This seemed a good idea, and was promptly acted upon, but though they
+shouted till their throats were sore, and waved till their arms ached,
+no friendly face appeared, and faster and faster drifted the little boat
+away from home and friends.
+
+"I wonder what time it is," said Winifred, when they had at last left
+off shouting, in order to gain a little breath. "It seems as if we had
+been out on the river for hours and hours."
+
+"We can't have been as long as that," said Betty, "because the sun is
+just as bright as it was when we started. I guess the time seems longer
+than it really is."
+
+"I wonder where our mothers are now," remarked Lulu mournfully. "Mine
+must be on the boat coming home from the city."
+
+"And mine is driving with Mrs. Martin," said Winifred. "Oh, what will
+they all do when they get home and we're not there." The picture called
+up by this remark was too dreadful to be borne with fortitude, and all
+four children simultaneously burst into tears.
+
+Suddenly Jack's voice broke in upon the wails of the three little girls.
+
+"Look, oh, look! there's a steamboat; it's coming this way."
+
+Every eye was turned in the direction Jack pointed. Sure enough, a large
+steam yacht was coming rapidly down the river, her head pointed straight
+towards them.
+
+"Wave, keep waving as hard as you can," cried Betty excitedly. "Let's
+all shout together again, and perhaps they'll hear us."
+
+"Wait till they get a little nearer, they couldn't hear us yet,"
+advised Jack. "Oh, do you really think they'll save us?"
+
+"Of course they will," said Lulu confidently. "Oh, look, look, they see
+us already; there's a man waving back to us. Maybe they think we're only
+doing it for fun. How shall we let them know we want them to help us?"
+
+"We must shout," said Betty, and she set the example by raising her
+voice to its highest pitch.
+
+"Please, please help us! Our boat's drifting, and we haven't got any
+oars. Oh, please, do come and help us!"
+
+"They understand us!" cried Lulu joyfully. "See, the man's nodding his
+head. Why, they're stopping! Oh, don't you believe they're going to help
+us after all?"
+
+For the next few moments the children waited in breathless suspense,
+almost too excited to speak. Then Jack announced:
+
+"They're getting into a rowboat. See those two men? That's the one that
+nodded to us; I guess he's the captain. Let's shout again."
+
+So again the four little voices were raised in agonized appeal, and this
+time there came an answering shout from the other boat.
+
+"Don't be frightened, children, you're all right. We're coming to you as
+fast as we can."
+
+The wind brought the cheery, encouraging words straight across the water
+to the terrified children, and oh! the relief of that comforting
+assurance to each wildly beating little heart. The men in the boat rowed
+fast, and soon the splash of approaching oars was heard. Lulu and
+Winifred began to cry again, but it was for joy this time, not sorrow.
+Betty and Jack clung to each other in speechless relief. In a few
+moments the two boats were side by side; a rope was thrown securely
+around the oarless craft, and the children were safe.
+
+"And now, my little friends, you must let us take you on board the
+yacht," said the man whom Jack had concluded to be the captain.
+
+He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, with a rather handsome face, and it
+seemed to the children as though his cheery voice was the pleasantest
+sound they had ever heard in their lives. He and his companion--who
+appeared to be one of the sailors--began at once rowing back towards the
+yacht, keeping the children's boat in tow. A sudden fit of shyness had
+fallen upon the party, and nobody spoke until the stranger inquired,
+regarding the solemn little faces rather quizzically:
+
+"How did it happen?"
+
+"We were playing in the boat," Betty explained. "It was fastened to the
+dock, and we thought it was safe. The chain broke and we hadn't any
+oars."
+
+"Have you been drifting long? Were you very much frightened?"
+
+"It seemed like a long time," said Betty, "and we were pretty
+frightened. It was very kind of you to come and help us."
+
+The gentleman smiled. He was a gentleman, the children all felt sure of
+that, and Lulu afterwards remarked that he had the most beautiful smile
+she had ever seen.
+
+Nothing more was said until they reached the side of the yacht. Several
+men, evidently members of the crew, were standing on the deck, watching
+with interest the approach of the two boats.
+
+"Now," said the gentleman, rising, "do you think you can manage to climb
+this ladder? It's perfectly safe, and I will help you."
+
+Lulu and Winifred rose promptly, but Betty remained seated, her arm
+around her little brother.
+
+"Don't be afraid," said the gentleman encouragingly; "it's quite easy."
+
+"Oh, I'm not afraid," said Betty, her lip beginning to quiver, "but I
+can't leave my brother. He can't climb. He has always been a cripple
+until this summer, and he's only just beginning to walk now. We'll have
+to stay here till we get to the landing."
+
+While Betty was speaking the stranger's face had softened wonderfully,
+and he looked at Jack with an expression of increased interest. Without
+a word he stepped to the side of his own boat, and, leaning over, lifted
+the little boy in his arms.
+
+"Now I fancy we can manage it, my little man," he said kindly, and in
+another moment he had lifted Jack up to one of the men on the yacht, who
+in turn had placed the child in safety on the deck. The little girls
+were then carefully helped up the ladder, and in less than three minutes
+the whole party was standing, safe and dry, on the deck of what they
+afterwards learned to be one of the finest steam yachts in the world.
+
+"And now I shall have to take you all as far as the steamboat landing,"
+said the stranger, as he placed Jack comfortably in a steamer chair. "It
+will not take more than half an hour, and from there we can easily send
+word to your friends. Where do you live, by the way?"
+
+"We live at Navesink," said Lulu, suddenly recovering her speech and her
+manners now that the danger was over, and remembering all at once that
+she had always been considered a very polite little girl. "My papa has a
+cottage there, and the others all came over to spend the afternoon with
+me. It was my fault about the boat, but I thought it was safe. I think
+we must have made it rock too much when we were playing shipwreck."
+
+"Very possibly," said the gentleman, who looked considerably amused by
+this explanation. "It is never a very wise plan to make boats rock too
+much. But now let me see"--glancing at his watch--"it is only a little
+after five, and we shall be at the landing by half-past. Do you think
+your friends will be very much frightened about you?"
+
+"I don't think so," said Lulu. "My mother has gone to the city for the
+day; Winifred's mother is out driving, and Betty and Jack say their
+mother told them they needn't come home before six. My papa has a
+telephone, and we can let them know as soon as we get to the landing."
+
+"Not at all a bad idea, and in the meantime won't you make yourselves at
+home on board my yacht? By the way, I think shipwrecked people are apt
+to be hungry."
+
+"We are not very hungry, thank you," said Lulu politely; "you see, we
+didn't start until half-past three."
+
+The stranger smiled again, and said something in a low tone to the
+steward, who immediately disappeared.
+
+"We've none of us ever been on a yacht before," said Lulu, feeling that
+it was her duty to keep up the conversation, as none of the others
+seemed inclined to talk. "I think it's a very nice place."
+
+"I have crossed the Atlantic in this yacht," the gentleman said
+pleasantly.
+
+"Have you really?" exclaimed Lulu, looking very much surprised. "I
+didn't know people ever did that, except perhaps lords."
+
+"And why lords in particular?" the stranger inquired, smiling.
+
+"I don't know, only a lord is coming to stay with us, and papa says he
+has crossed the ocean in his yacht."
+
+"Indeed! and may I ask what your name is?"
+
+"Lulu Bell. My father is Dr. Bell, and we live in New York in winter."
+
+"Well, this is a coincidence, I declare," exclaimed the gentleman,
+looking really quite excited. "I had no idea that one of the children in
+that rowboat would prove to be the little daughter of my old friend.
+Have you ever heard your father speak of Lord Carresford?"
+
+"Why, yes," said Lulu, her eyes opening wide in astonishment; "he's the
+lord that's coming to stay with us to-morrow."
+
+"I am Lord Carresford," said the gentleman, laughing and holding out his
+hand.
+
+"Children," gasped Lulu, turning to her three companions, who had been
+whispering together at a little distance from their rescuer and herself,
+and who had not paid much attention to the conversation, "oh, children,
+the very most wonderful thing has happened. This really is a lord's
+yacht, and this gentleman is--'His Lordship.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+"HIS LORDSHIP"
+
+
+Before the children had fully recovered from the amazement caused by
+Lulu's announcement the steward reappeared bearing a tray containing
+lemonade and cake, and Lord Carresford requested them to take some
+refreshments. Although not in a starving condition, they were all
+blessed with healthy appetites, and the cake and lemonade disappeared
+very rapidly. While they ate their host talked to them, and he was so
+pleasant and merry, and, in fact, talked so much like any other
+gentleman, that Winifred whispered to Jack: "Betty was right, wasn't
+she? A lord isn't a bit different from anybody else," to which Jack
+replied, "No, only rather nicer than most people, don't you think so?"
+
+By the time the impromptu repast was finished the yacht had reached the
+steamboat landing, and Lord Carresford hurried away to the telephone
+office to inform Dr. and Mrs. Bell of their little daughter's
+whereabouts. During his absence the steward--who appeared to be a very
+agreeable person--showed the children over the yacht, carrying Jack in
+his arms almost as tenderly and carefully as his master had done.
+
+"I think a yacht is the most interesting place I have ever been in,"
+Lulu informed "his lordship" on his return from the telephone office. "I
+should like very much indeed to cross the ocean in one. We went to
+Europe once, and I liked the steamer very much, but mamma and Aunt Daisy
+were seasick."
+
+"If you please, sir," interrupted Betty--"I mean, your lordship--do you
+know whether our families have been very much worried about us?"
+
+"I think not," said "his lordship," smiling kindly at the earnest little
+face. "Dr. Bell himself came to the telephone, and seemed greatly
+surprised to learn of the state of affairs. He and his wife have just
+returned from the city, and had not yet discovered that their little
+girl was missing. He says he will drive over to the landing for you at
+once."
+
+Betty drew a long breath of relief.
+
+"I'm so glad," she said; "I was afraid mother might be frightened. She
+was very ill last spring, and we shouldn't like to have her worried
+about anything."
+
+After that Lord Carresford took them down into the cabin and showed them
+some interesting shells and other curious things which he had collected
+during his wanderings. He had been nearly all over the world, it seemed,
+and was certainly one of the most fascinating "grown-ups" the children
+had ever met. So the moments flew, and almost before any one could have
+believed such a thing possible, Dr. Bell arrived with the carriage. At
+sight of her father Lulu suddenly burst into tears again and flung
+herself impulsively into his arms.
+
+"I wasn't naughty, papa, I really wasn't," she sobbed. "I did think the
+boat was safe or I wouldn't have asked the others in. Oh, papa, dear,
+you won't be angry, will you?"
+
+"No, no, little woman," Dr. Bell said, kissing her. "I am only angry
+with myself for not having been more careful. If anything had
+happened--Jack, old fellow, how can I thank you?" And the doctor wrung
+Lord Carresford's hands in gratitude too deep for words.
+
+The greeting between the two old friends was a very hearty one, and Dr.
+Bell would have insisted on Lord Carresford's returning with them at
+once to Navesink, but the latter explained that he had promised to dine
+with some friends at the Highlands that evening, and would consequently
+be unable to arrive at the Bells' before the following day. It was
+getting late, and as Dr. Bell was anxious to get his party home as soon
+as possible, the good-byes and thanks were quickly said and the four
+children were packed into the Bells' comfortable depot wagon. Lord
+Carresford insisted on carrying Jack to the carriage.
+
+"Good-bye, my small friend," he said kindly, as he tucked the laprobe
+about the little boy's feet. "I shall see you again, I hope, when I come
+to Navesink."
+
+"Good-bye, sir, and thank you very much," said Jack, holding out his
+hand. "I am very glad I met you. I have wanted for a long time to meet a
+lord, but I didn't really believe I ever should."
+
+It was nearly eight o'clock before the party reached home, and Dr. Bell
+drove at once to the boarding-house to leave Betty and Jack. Mrs.
+Randall was standing on the piazza gazing anxiously out into the
+gathering dusk.
+
+"Here we are, mother," called Betty, as the carriage drew up before the
+door; "we're all right, and I'm sure Jack hasn't taken cold."
+
+Mrs. Randall hurried down the steps, and took Jack in her arms.
+
+"Let me carry him," she said almost sharply to the doctor, who would
+have lifted the child from the carriage. "Oh, my little boy, were you
+very, very much frightened?"
+
+"I was pretty frightened at first," Jack admitted, with his arms clasped
+tight around his mother's neck, "but afterwards, when the yacht came,
+and the lord was so kind, I liked it, and then it was a great comfort to
+know you weren't frightened about us."
+
+"Are you sure you were warm enough all the time?" Mrs. Randall
+questioned anxiously.
+
+"Oh, yes, as warm as toast," said Jack, laughing. "They wrapped me all
+up in the laprobe driving home--and see this pretty silk handkerchief.
+The lord tied it around my neck for fear I should be cold."
+
+"The lord?" repeated Mrs. Randall, looking very much puzzled.
+
+"Why, yes, the lord that owns the yacht--and isn't it funny, mother,
+he's the same lord that's coming to stay at Dr. Bell's. He said he hoped
+he should see me again, and I hope so too, for he is the nicest
+gentleman I ever met."
+
+"Mother," said Jack an hour later, when his mother was putting him to
+bed, "do you know, I'm more glad than I ever was before that I'm an
+English boy."
+
+"Why?" his mother asked, smiling.
+
+"Because when I grow up I shall be an Englishman, and I do think
+Englishmen are very splendid. I like Dr. Bell, and Mr. Hamilton, and a
+good many other American gentlemen, but I never saw any one quite so
+splendid as that lord."
+
+Mrs. Randall laughed.
+
+"You enthusiastic little hero worshiper," she said. "What was the lord's
+name, by the way?"
+
+"I don't know," said Jack; "Lulu just called him 'your lordship.' They
+might have names like other people, I suppose."
+
+"Yes, of course, and it isn't customary to address a lord as 'your
+lordship' either, at least not among people of our class."
+
+"That must be why he laughed when Lulu did it," said Betty reflectively,
+"but she only wanted to be very respectful. Dr. Bell called him Jack."
+
+"Betty," whispered Jack, when their mother had left the room, and the
+two children were alone together, "do you suppose we shall ever see
+Uncle Jack?"
+
+"I don't know," said Betty sadly. "I'm sure mother never will write to
+him, and of course he wouldn't be likely to come to America."
+
+"You don't know where he lives in England, do you?"
+
+"Mother told me once, but I forget the name of the place. Why do you
+want to know?"
+
+"Because," said Jack slowly, raising himself on his elbow as he spoke,
+"if I knew it, I think I would write him a letter myself."
+
+"Oh, Jack, you wouldn't dare?"
+
+"Yes, I think I would," said Jack, "and I think if he really came,
+mother would love it."
+
+"She would love to see him," Betty admitted, "but she doesn't like to
+write, for fear he might think she wanted money or something like that."
+
+"I want to see him too," said Jack; "I want it very much indeed."
+
+"Why? You never seemed to care so much before."
+
+"No, I didn't, not till to-day, but then you see I had never talked to
+an Englishman before."
+
+"And does that make a difference?" Betty asked, somewhat puzzled.
+
+"Of course it does. Uncle Jack is an Englishman too, and perhaps--I
+don't really suppose he is--but he might be just a little bit like the
+lord."
+
+"You are a funny boy," said Betty, laughing. "The lord was very kind,
+and ever so good to us, but then----"
+
+"He was the most splendid man I ever saw," interrupted Jack, "and I
+wish--I do wish--that when I grow up I might be just exactly like him."
+
+The Randalls was not the only household in which Lord Carresford was the
+subject of conversation that evening.
+
+"Your friend has certainly succeeded in captivating the children's
+affections, Charlie," said Mrs. Bell to her husband, as she joined him
+and her sister on the piazza after having seen Lulu safely tucked up in
+bed. "Lulu has talked of nothing else since she came home, and I have
+just been talking to Mrs. Hamilton at the telephone. She says her little
+girl is of the opinion that 'his lordship' is the most delightful person
+she has ever encountered."
+
+"That was always the way with old Jack," said the doctor, smiling.
+"There was never a man, woman, or child who had not something to say in
+his praise. He was the most popular man in his class."
+
+"I declare I can hardly wait till to-morrow to make his acquaintance,"
+laughed Miss Warren. "Did you ever know any of his people, Charlie?"
+
+"No, I never met any of them. I fancy his father was a rather eccentric
+old gentleman, who did not encourage visitors. There was a sister he
+used to talk about a good deal, but I never met her. I left college the
+year before he did, and I have a vague recollection of having heard that
+the sister made an unfortunate marriage, but I have forgotten the
+circumstances."
+
+"I hope that poor little Randall boy won't be any the worse for his
+adventure of this afternoon," Mrs. Bell said, a little anxiously.
+
+"Oh, no, I think not; we wrapped him up well coming home, and he seemed
+as happy as possible. Indeed, I have an idea that he rather enjoyed the
+whole adventure, for he is a true boy, after all."
+
+"I like Mrs. Randall very much," remarked Miss Warren. "She is an
+excellent teacher, and a thoroughly cultivated woman. I wish I knew more
+of her history, and could do something to help her, for I am sure she
+has had a hard time. Don't you know anything about her family, Charlie?"
+
+"Nothing whatever. Betty once told me that their only relative is an
+uncle in England, whom she has never seen."
+
+"Lulu says Jack's grandfather was a general," said Mrs. Bell. "They are
+certainly a most interesting family, and I wish we could manage to do
+something for that poor Mrs. Randall. There is a tragedy of some kind
+written plainly on her face."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+JACK'S NEW FRIEND
+
+
+"May I inquire what you are thinking of so intently, Miss Lulu?"
+
+Lulu gave a little start, and glanced up from her seat on the piazza
+steps, into Lord Carresford's kind, amused face. "His lordship,"
+stretched comfortably in the hammock, with book and cigar, had been
+regarding her in silence for several minutes.
+
+"I was thinking," said Lulu slowly, "how differently things generally
+happen from the way you expect them to."
+
+"I thought it must be something rather absorbing," said "his lordship"
+with a smile, "you looked so very serious. What has put that particular
+thought into your head just now, I wonder."
+
+"Why, it was you," said Lulu, flushing a little. "I began by thinking
+how different you were from what we thought you were going to be. When
+papa said a lord was coming to stay with us, I was really quite
+uncomfortable. I thought it would be such a dreadfully solemn thing to
+have one in the house."
+
+Lord Carresford laughed.
+
+"And you have since discovered that I am not such a very solemn person
+after all, is that it?"
+
+"Yes," said Lulu; "you're not the least bit solemn, you know, but much
+nicer than any other gentleman who ever came to stay with us. It's only
+two days since you came, but it seems as if we'd all known you a long
+time. Betty said she didn't believe lords were any different from other
+people, but the rest of us all thought they must be."
+
+"Good for Betty. How did she obtain her superior knowledge about lords?"
+
+"She said the lords in books were just like other people, and then I
+suppose being English made her know a little more about such things,
+though she's never been in England herself."
+
+"English," repeated Lord Carresford in surprise; "I did not know that
+the Hamiltons were English."
+
+"They're not, but Betty isn't Mrs. Hamilton's little girl. Did you think
+she was Winifred's sister?"
+
+"Yes, I did think so; and the little lame boy--isn't he a Hamilton
+either?"
+
+"Oh, no," said Lulu, laughing; "Winifred hasn't any brothers or sisters
+at all. She and I are great friends, but we haven't known Betty and Jack
+very long. They lived in the same apartment house with Winifred in New
+York, and she got acquainted with them in the spring. Their mother was
+very ill, and papa attended her. Jack couldn't walk at all then, but
+papa thought he might be cured, so he went to a hospital, and had an
+operation. They came down here, because papa thought the sea air would
+do Jack good. They're staying at Mrs. Wilson's boarding house, and their
+mother gives music lessons. We're growing very fond of Betty and Jack,
+and I mean to have them for my friends always."
+
+"I took quite a fancy to Jack myself," said Lord Carresford; "he struck
+me as a rather remarkable little fellow."
+
+Lulu's face brightened.
+
+"I'm very glad," she said, "because Jack is so anxious to know you.
+Betty says he thinks you are the loveliest gentleman he has ever seen.
+He talks about you all the time and when he and Betty came over here
+yesterday, and I told him you had gone driving with papa, he looked
+dreadfully disappointed."
+
+Lord Carresford seemed both pleased and amused.
+
+"I must make a point of looking up my young friend, and having a little
+talk with him then," he said. "Do you suppose he is to be found on the
+beach this afternoon?"
+
+"Yes, I know he is; I saw Betty wheeling him down a little while ago.
+I'm waiting for Winifred, and then we're going too. I suppose you
+wouldn't care to go with us? It's very nice and cool down there."
+
+"I think I should like it very much," said Lord Carresford, smiling.
+"Your father will not be at home before six, I believe."
+
+"No, and mamma and Aunt Daisy have gone to a tea. Don't you like teas,
+Lord Carresford?"
+
+"Not very much. I prefer sitting here and watching the ocean. Do you
+enjoy teas yourself?"
+
+"I think I should like them," said Lulu reflectively; "I like most
+grown-up things. Betty says she wants to be a housekeeper when she grows
+up, but I should much rather be an authoress. Aunt Daisy is an
+authoress, you know, and people always like to talk to her. Jack is
+going to be an artist when he grows up, and he doesn't want Betty to be
+a housekeeper, because he says English ladies never work. Jack is
+really a very unselfish little boy. That day in the boat he wanted us
+all to wade ashore and leave him alone. He said he was a boy, and ought
+to be able to take care of himself. We think him very brave, and papa
+calls him a little soldier. Oh, here comes Winifred." And Lulu sprang to
+her feet, and hurried across the lawn to greet her friend.
+
+Winifred was very much impressed when her friend informed her in a
+whisper that "his lordship" was actually going to the beach with them,
+and the three were soon on their way.
+
+"Lord Carresford," said Lulu rather timidly, as they passed out of the
+gate, and turned in the direction of the board walk, "would you mind
+very much if I asked you a question?"
+
+"Not in the least."
+
+"Do you like being a lord?"
+
+"Well, I can scarcely say that I dislike it," said "his lordship,"
+laughing. "The fact is, I don't think I have quite recovered from the
+surprise of the whole thing as yet."
+
+"Why were you surprised? Didn't you always expect to be one?"
+
+"I never even dreamed of such a thing until about a year ago. My uncle
+was Lord Carresford as long as he lived, and when he died the title
+naturally descended to his son, my cousin. He had always been very
+strong and well, but he died suddenly of pneumonia a year ago last
+spring, and as he was not married, and I was the nearest male relative,
+the title and estates came to me."
+
+"That's just the way it was with little Lord Fauntleroy," said Winifred,
+much struck by the coincidence, "and he didn't think he was going to
+like it at first, but afterwards he didn't mind so much. Have you got a
+beautiful castle in England, like the one Fauntleroy had?"
+
+"I have several rather nice places. If you ever come to England you must
+make me a visit at Carresford Towers. You would like that, I think; it
+is very pretty."
+
+"We should like it very much," said Winifred politely. "I wish Jack
+could go to England some time; he's so much interested in all English
+things. Have you got a park with deer in it?"
+
+"Yes, a very nice one."
+
+"And who will be Lord Carresford when you--after you get through?" Lulu
+inquired, finding some difficulty in framing her question in the most
+delicate manner.
+
+Lord Carresford laughed.
+
+"That depends upon circumstances," he said. "If I should happen to marry
+and have a son, he would naturally take my place. Otherwise the title
+would go to one of my nephews, if I had any."
+
+"Have you got any nephews now?" Lulu asked.
+
+"No, at least none that I know of. I have two married sisters in
+England, but their children all happen to be girls."
+
+"It's all very interesting," said Lulu; "it sounds just like a thing out
+of a book. There are Betty and Jack sitting on the bathing house steps.
+Won't they be surprised when they see who is with us?"
+
+"Well, my boy, and how have you been amusing yourself to-day?" Lord
+Carresford asked kindly, seating himself beside Jack on the steps, as
+the three little girls strolled away in search of other amusements.
+
+"I've been having a very pleasant time, sir," said Jack, whose heart was
+beating faster than was quite comfortable, and whose cheeks were
+flushing and paling by turns. To find himself actually alone with "the
+lord," engaged in familiar conversation with him, was an honor he had
+never even dreamed of. "Betty and I were on the beach all the morning. I
+like it better than any other place."
+
+"You are fond of the sea, then?"
+
+"Oh, yes, indeed, I love just to sit and look at it. It's very
+interesting to look at things, don't you think so?"
+
+"Well, yes, I suppose it is, though I can't say I have ever thought very
+much on the subject."
+
+"Well, you see, it's rather different with me," Jack explained in his
+odd, old-fashioned way, "because until this summer I never saw many
+things. I hardly ever went out, and you know one can't see very much
+from back windows, especially when one lives on the top floor."
+
+"I should not imagine the view could have been very interesting," said
+Lord Carresford, smiling; "but how did it happen that you so seldom went
+out?"
+
+"Why, you see, I was too heavy to carry, and of course we couldn't
+afford to have a carriage. I did go in a carriage once, though; I saw
+Central Park." And Jack launched forth into a description of Winifred's
+invitation, and his birthday treat. Lord Carresford began to look really
+interested.
+
+"And how did you amuse yourself all day in the house?" he inquired,
+rather curiously, when Jack had finished his story.
+
+"Oh, I got on very well. I read a good deal, and drew pictures, and then
+Betty was always there, and mother came home in the afternoons. You
+never heard my mother play on the piano, did you?"
+
+"No, I have never had the pleasure of meeting your mother."
+
+"I think she plays better than any one else in the world," said Jack
+simply. "She used to play for me every evening, because she knew I loved
+it, though sometimes she was dreadfully tired. Oh, I had very good
+times, though of course it is much nicer here."
+
+"Did you say you drew pictures?" Lord Carresford asked.
+
+"Yes, I like to draw better than almost anything else, but I don't
+suppose I do it at all right. I've been making a picture this
+afternoon."
+
+"May I look at it? I am very much interested in pictures."
+
+Jack produced a folded paper from his pocket, which he handed to Lord
+Carresford.
+
+"I was going to take it home to mother," he explained; "she likes to
+keep all my pictures."
+
+Lord Carresford unfolded the paper, and glanced, at first rather
+carelessly, at the rough little sketch. Then suddenly his expression
+changed, and when he again turned to the little boy there was a new
+interest in his manner.
+
+[Illustration: "It is very good," said Lord Carresford.--_Page 189_.]
+
+"Who taught you to draw?" he asked rather abruptly.
+
+"No one," said Jack; "I just did it. My father was an artist, and mother
+thinks that may be the reason why I can do it. Please, sir, would you
+mind telling me if it's very bad?"
+
+"It is very good," said Lord Carresford heartily; "remarkably good for a
+boy of your age. You will be an artist when you grow up, or I am much
+mistaken."
+
+Jack's face was radiant.
+
+"Do you really think so?" he asked breathlessly. "Oh, I'm so glad. I
+should like so very, very much to be an artist."
+
+"Why are you so anxious on the subject?" Lord Carresford asked, with a
+kindly glance at the flushed, eager little face.
+
+"I think it's partly because my father was one, but mostly because I
+want to make money," said Jack.
+
+"You want to make money, eh? and what will you do with the money when it
+is made?"
+
+"Why, take care of mother and Betty, of course," said Jack, surprised at
+the question. "Isn't that what men always do with the money they
+make?--take care of their families, I mean."
+
+"Well, I am afraid not always," said Lord Carresford, laughing; "don't
+you think that you may need a share for yourself?"
+
+"Oh, not much," said Jack confidently. "You see, I shall always live
+with mother and Betty, and if they have things, why, of course I shall
+have them too. I don't want mother to give music lessons when I grow up,
+and Betty mustn't be a housekeeper, though she says she would like to be
+one."
+
+"Have you a particular objection to housekeepers, then?"
+
+"Oh, no, it isn't that, only I don't think--Lord Carresford, would you
+mind telling me something?"
+
+"Not at all; what is it?"
+
+"It's about ladies," said Jack, flushing; "English ladies I mean. They
+never work, do they?"
+
+"Many of them do when it is necessary. There is nothing to be ashamed of
+in honest work, you know."
+
+"Oh, I know there isn't. Mother works, and Lulu's aunt writes books. But
+I mean the kind of ladies who have lords for their relations--do they
+ever work?"
+
+"Well, they are not very often obliged to, but I have known of cases
+where even ladies of title have supported themselves. I see your point,
+though; you don't want your sister to be obliged to work."
+
+"No," said Jack; "not if I can take care of her. I want her to live in a
+beautiful place, with a park, like mother--I mean like some people--and
+never have to do anything she doesn't want to."
+
+"Well," said Lord Carresford, smiling, "I am not certain about the park,
+but you ought to be able to make a comfortable home for your mother and
+sister. You have talent, my boy, and it should be cultivated. You must
+have lessons."
+
+Jack's bright face clouded.
+
+"Don't lessons cost a good deal, sir?" he asked anxiously.
+
+"Yes, but in a case like yours I don't think the expense of the thing
+should be taken into consideration. A boy who can draw as well as you
+can without ever taking a lesson, ought to have every advantage for
+improving his talent. Your mother should place you under one of the very
+best teachers in New York, and then when you are older you will be able
+to make good use of the advantages you have received."
+
+"But if it costs a good deal of money I'm afraid mother couldn't
+possibly afford it," said Jack mournfully. "I shouldn't like to speak to
+her about it either, because it might worry her. When mother's worried
+about things she doesn't sleep, and then her eyes look so tired."
+
+Lord Carresford was silent. There was something rather pathetic in the
+sight of the little patient face, that but a moment before had been so
+bright and hopeful. This small boy was interesting him very much. He
+thought of his own great wealth, and of how easy it would be to him to
+give the child the help he needed. And yet, as he told himself, it would
+not do to be too hasty. He really knew nothing whatever about this
+family. So when he spoke again, it was on a different subject.
+
+The little girls soon returned, and Lulu requested Lord Carresford to
+tell them a story. "His lordship's" powers in that direction had already
+been discovered by the little girl. He complied very willingly with the
+request, and soon had the whole party listening in breathless interest
+to an account of some of his experiences when hunting big game in India.
+So Dr. Bell, coming down to the beach on his return from town, found a
+very happy little group gathered about his friend, and it was not
+without considerable regret that the children bade good-bye to their
+fascinating entertainer, and watched him and the doctor walking away
+together.
+
+"That little boy interests me very much," Lord Carresford remarked,
+pausing to light a cigar, when they had reached the board walk, "and do
+you know that he has a great deal of talent?"
+
+"Talent for what?" the doctor inquired in surprise.
+
+"Have you never happened to see any of his sketches?"
+
+"No, never; are they worth anything?"
+
+"My dear fellow, the child is a genius. He tells me he has never had a
+drawing lesson in his life, and yet, I assure you, his drawings are
+better than many I have seen made by students who have been at work for
+years. He ought to have the best teaching that can be procured."
+
+Dr. Bell looked interested.
+
+"I am afraid there may be difficulties in the way," he said. "The mother
+is a music teacher, and I am sorry to say is far from strong. I fancy
+she has a rather uphill road to travel."
+
+"Well, she ought to be told of her boy's talent at any rate," said Lord
+Carresford, rather impatiently. "The raising of sufficient money for
+lessons ought not to be difficult. I am sure I should be very glad to
+contribute myself to so good a cause."
+
+"It might not be difficult in some cases," said the doctor, laughing,
+"but I am afraid that in that particular case there would be a good deal
+of trouble. The mother has the airs and manner of a queen. I should like
+to see her expression if any one were to propose to her that a fund
+should be raised in order to give her small boy drawing lessons. I have
+never yet been able to muster sufficient courage to explain to her that
+I do not intend sending in a bill for professional services. She was
+laid up with a sharp attack of pneumonia this spring. When she was taken
+ill she told her children she could not afford to have a doctor sent
+for. Fortunately Hamilton's little girl, who happened to be a friend of
+theirs, took matters into her own hands, in the absence of her mother,
+and came for me. The poor woman was delirious when I reached there, and
+we had a hard time to pull her through. I believe that if it were not
+for the children she would starve rather than accept a penny from any
+one. She adores them, though, especially the boy, and no wonder, for he
+is one of the finest little fellows I have ever seen."
+
+"Poor soul," said Lord Carresford, with a sigh. "Well, she must be told
+of her boy's prospects, and then she can do as she likes about accepting
+the necessary aid."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+SOMETHING HAPPENS
+
+
+"Is it finished, Winifred?"
+
+"Ye--yes," said Winifred slowly, laying down her pencil, and surveying
+rather ruefully the large sheet of foolscap in her lap. "It's finished,
+but it isn't any good; I know your aunt won't like it."
+
+"Oh, yes, she will," said Lulu encouragingly, coming over to her
+friend's side, and surveying the result of her labors with evident
+satisfaction. The two little girls were together in Lulu's room, and for
+the past half-hour Winifred had been making a desperate effort to finish
+her story.
+
+"It isn't as long as mine," Lulu went on, "But I think it's a very
+pretty story. 'The Indian' is a nice name, isn't it? I've called mine
+'The Discovery of New Haven.' Of course I don't mean the New Haven where
+the Boston trains stop. It's just an imaginary place, you know. We must
+go and read our stories to Aunt Daisy now. I'm just crazy to know how
+she will like them."
+
+Winifred hesitated.
+
+"I know she'll think mine dreadfully silly," she said. "Don't you think
+you could possibly read it to her after I go home?"
+
+"Of course not," said Lulu with decision; "you must read it to her
+yourself, the same as I do. Come along."
+
+Winifred rose rather reluctantly, and the two little girls went
+downstairs, and out on the piazza, where they found Lord Carresford and
+Miss Warren sitting together. "His lordship" was reading aloud to the
+blind lady, but at the children's approach he laid down his book.
+
+"Well, young ladies," he said pleasantly, "and what have you been doing
+all the morning?"
+
+"Winifred has been finishing her story," said Lulu, "and I've been
+making a bureau cover for the fair. We came down to read our stories to
+Aunt Daisy, but if you're reading to her now we can go away, and do it
+another time."
+
+"No, indeed," said Lord Carresford, "I am sure Miss Warren would much
+prefer your reading to mine, but may I not be permitted to hear the
+stories too?"
+
+Lulu hesitated, and glanced at Winifred.
+
+"We don't usually like to have grown-up people read our things," she
+said doubtfully, "but you've been so very kind to us--shall we do it,
+Winifred?"
+
+"I'd rather go home, and let you read them both," said Winifred, with a
+rather wistful glance in the direction of the distant hotel. "I guess
+I'd better go home, any way. Mother's very busy sewing for the fair, and
+she might want me to help her, you know."
+
+"No, she won't," said Lulu confidently; "mamma is with her, and grown-up
+ladies always like to be by themselves when they sew, don't they, Aunt
+Daisy?"
+
+"I don't know, I am sure," said Miss Warren, laughing, "but I really
+think Winifred had better stay here. You ought not to mind letting Lord
+Carresford hear your story, Winnie; think of all the stories he has told
+you himself."
+
+"Yes, and remember how kind he was that day on the yacht," put in Lulu.
+"If he hadn't come to help us we might have all been drowned. I think we
+each ought to do something to give him pleasure."
+
+"But it wouldn't give him pleasure to hear my silly old story," Winifred
+protested, blushing.
+
+Lord Carresford insisted, however, that nothing could possibly give him
+greater pleasure at that moment, and Winifred, being a very
+good-natured, obliging little girl, made no further objections, only
+begging that Lulu's story might be read first. So the two little girls
+settled themselves comfortably on the piazza steps, and their elders
+prepared to listen.
+
+"My story is called 'The Discovery of New Haven,'" remarked Lulu, with
+an air of pride, as she unfolded her manuscript. "Shall I begin now,
+Aunt Daisy?"
+
+Miss Warren nodded; Lord Carresford lighted a cigar, and Lulu began.
+
+    "THE DISCOVERY OF NEW HAVEN
+
+"Once there were two little girls, whose names were Lillie and Violet.
+Their home was in a beautiful country place called Haven. Lillie and
+Violet each had a pony of her own, besides a great many other wonderful
+things, including gardens, rabbits, and beautiful toys. Their father and
+mother were very good, religious people, and though they were rich
+themselves, they were not forgetful of the poor. They wished their
+little girls to grow up to be noble women.
+
+"One evening after Lillie and Violet had gone to bed, and their father
+and mother--whose names were Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette--were sitting
+together in their beautiful parlor all furnished in velvet and gold, Mr.
+Lafayette suddenly paused in the middle of a piece he was playing on the
+pianola, and said:
+
+"'My dear, I have thought of a most beautiful plan. Let us go to the
+city to-morrow, and look for two little poor children, and bring them
+home with us to be companions to our little girls. It is time they began
+to learn to make other people happy.'
+
+"Mrs. Lafayette was delighted with this suggestion, and the next morning
+they started for the city.
+
+"The scene now changes to a dirty, crowded city street----
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Don't you think that's a nice expression, Aunt Daisy, 'the scene now
+changes'? I got it out of 'Tales from Scott.'"
+
+"It sounds a little like Scott, I think," Miss Warren said, smiling, and
+Lulu went on.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"The scene now changes to a dirty, crowded city street, where Joe and
+Nannie, two poor little beggar children, were busily engaged in selling
+matches and shoe lacings. Joe and Nannie were very poor indeed. Their
+father and mother were dead, and ever since they were two and three
+years old they had been obliged to take care of themselves. They did not
+even sleep in a house, but generally passed their nights in areas with
+their heads pillowed on the cold stone steps. It was often very
+uncomfortable, especially in winter, but they were very brave, cheerful
+children, and no one had ever heard one word of complaint from their
+lips. They were also very clean, and would often go to the free baths
+without being told.
+
+"One very hot day in summer, when Joe and Nannie were standing on a
+corner, wishing most earnestly that some one would stop and buy their
+matches and shoe lacings a car suddenly stopped just in front of them
+and an elegantly dressed lady and gentleman got out."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Don't you think it was rather poor taste in the lady and gentleman to
+be so elegantly dressed under the circumstances?" Aunt Daisy asked, with
+difficulty restraining a desire to laugh.
+
+Lulu looked a little discomfited.
+
+"It sounds pretty," she said. "I really don't think it matters, Aunt
+Daisy, as it's only a story."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"The children went up to them and asked them to please buy some of their
+things, but the lady, with a most beautiful smile, said:
+
+"'Come with us, dear children, and we will take you to a much nicer
+place than you have ever seen in your poor, forsaken little lives.'
+
+"Joe and Nannie, wondering very much, followed the elegant lady and
+gentleman, for they trusted them at once. When they came to the station,
+Mr. Lafayette bought tickets, and then they all got into the train that
+was to take them to Haven. The children had never been in a train
+before, and at first they were very much frightened, but their kind new
+friends smiled reassuringly upon them, and their fears were soon calmed.
+
+"Lillie and Violet were very much surprised when they saw their father
+and mother returning from the city with two strange, ragged children,
+but matters were quickly explained to them, and then Mrs. Lafayette
+said:
+
+"'We will first take your new companions upstairs, and dress them in
+some of your clothes, and then you may take them for a walk, and show
+them some of the beauties of the country they have come to live in.'
+
+"So when Joe and Nannie had been neatly dressed, the children all went
+out together, each rich child holding the hand of a poor one. Everything
+was a joy and a wonder to Joe and Nannie, and they had never been so
+happy in their lives. They walked a long distance, much further than
+even Lillie or Violet had ever been before, and at last they came to a
+great forest. It was very beautiful, and so wild that the children loved
+it, and they all sat down to rest.
+
+"Suddenly they heard a strange sound; it was the distant roar of a lion.
+Lillie and Violet were frightened, and wanted to run home, but Joe and
+Nannie looked at each other with shining eyes, and Joe cried joyfully:
+
+"'That is the roar of a lion, so this must be an uncivilized country.
+Perhaps it has never before been discovered, and if so we have
+discovered it, and it will belong to us.'
+
+"Then Joe and Nannie embraced each other, and they all hurried home.
+
+"When Mr. Lafayette heard of the adventure, he told them that they had
+indeed made a great discovery, for no one had ever before taken
+possession of that wild tract of country.
+
+"After that they all went to Washington, and the President gave Joe a
+claim to the undiscovered country.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"I don't know just what a claim is, but I read about it in a book.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Then they came back again, and Joe and Nannie took possession of their
+vast domain, and because they wanted to show the Lafayettes how grateful
+they were for all their kindness, they christened their new kingdom,
+'New Haven.' In time they became very rich and powerful, and Joe married
+an Indian princess, and Nannie married a great duke."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"You ought to have had Joe marry one of the Lafayette girls," Lord
+Carresford said, laughing, as Lulu paused, and began folding up her
+manuscript. "It would have been another little proof of his gratitude,
+you know."
+
+"I thought of that," said Lulu, "but an Indian princess sounded so
+pretty. Now, Winifred, it's your turn."
+
+"My story isn't nearly as nice as yours," said Winifred modestly; "are
+you sure you really want me to read it?"
+
+"Quite sure," said Lord Carresford and Miss Warren both together.
+
+Winifred's cheeks were hot, and her heart was beating uncomfortably, but
+she made a mighty effort to steady her voice, and unfolding her paper,
+began to read very fast indeed.
+
+    "THE INDIAN
+
+"Once upon a time there was a little girl named Rosalie. She had an
+older brother named John, and she had a father but not a mother.
+
+"One day she was in the garden playing with her brother, when she
+suddenly saw a very curious-looking figure coming towards them through
+the trees. She paused for a moment in amazement, and then called,
+'Brother.'
+
+"'What is it, Rosalie?' said her brother.
+
+"'What is that, Brother? Look at that awful thing coming towards us
+across the field.'
+
+"'That is an Indian, Rosalie. Let us run to the house, and tell
+father.'
+
+"They ran to the house as fast as they could, and told their father.
+When their father came out he said in a stern tone. 'Where is that
+strange figure that you saw, Rosalie?'
+
+"Rosalie looked all around, and then said: 'There, father; he is up in
+that tree. I see his red blanket.'
+
+"'That is an Indian, Rosalie, coming here to camp. I will get rid of
+him. Go into the house, and do your lessons.'
+
+"So Rosalie went into the house and did her lessons. When her father
+came in she asked, 'How did you get rid of him, father?'
+
+"Then her father answered: 'I did not get rid of him, Rosalie. He was
+John, the coachman, coming home from the village with some red blankets.
+Neither was it an Indian you saw in the tree, but only a red heron, and
+remember, I do not want you ever again to tell me a thing until you are
+quite sure it is true. Now, run off and play.'--THE END."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"A very nice little story," said Miss Warren, smiling approvingly, as
+Winifred paused; "I shall certainly use it in my book."
+
+"I wanted her to make it longer," observed Lulu regretfully, "but she
+said she couldn't possibly think of another word to say."
+
+[Note.--The above stories were written word for word by two little girls
+eight and ten years of age.]
+
+"It has a good moral at any rate," laughed Lord Carresford, "and that is
+more than can be said for every story. Are you going in, Miss Warren?"
+
+"I have a little writing to do this morning," the blind lady explained,
+rising, and folding up her knitting as she spoke, "and Mrs. Randall is
+coming in half an hour for my music lesson. Are you going to the beach,
+Lulu?"
+
+"No; mamma thinks it too hot on the beach to-day, and Mrs. Hamilton
+doesn't want Winifred to go either. We've asked Betty and Jack over
+here, and mamma says we may have lemonade and cookies by and by."
+
+"Lulu," said Lord Carresford, as the screen door closed behind Miss
+Warren, "who is Mrs. Randall?"
+
+"Why, don't you know? She's Betty and Jack's mother, and she gives Aunt
+Daisy music lessons. She's a splendid music teacher, every one says so."
+
+"I did not know their name was Randall," said Lord Carresford, looking
+interested, though a little troubled as well. "They are English, are
+they not?"
+
+"Mrs. Randall is, but Betty and Jack were born in this country. Their
+father died when Jack was only two, and they were very poor. Mrs.
+Randall doesn't like to have them talk about it; she's a very proud
+lady."
+
+At that moment Winifred announced that the Randalls were approaching,
+and the two little girls ran off across the lawn to meet their friends.
+
+"Jack," said Lord Carresford, sitting down beside the little boy, when
+he had assisted in placing him comfortably in the big steamer chair,
+"did you say anything to your mother about what I told you yesterday
+afternoon?"
+
+Jack's eyes fell, and the color rose in his cheeks.
+
+"N--no, sir," he faltered; "I told Betty, and we decided it would be
+better not to say anything to mother about it. You see, she'd be so very
+sorry not to be able to let me have the lessons."
+
+"And have you no relations who could afford to help you--no uncles or
+aunts, for instance?"
+
+Jack shook his head.
+
+"We haven't any relations at all," he said mournfully, "only an uncle in
+England, and we don't know him."
+
+"Don't know him, eh; but your mother knows him, doesn't she?"
+
+"Oh, yes, at least she used to; he's her brother, you know, but we've
+never seen him, and mother doesn't like to have us talk much about him,
+because it makes her sad."
+
+"What is your uncle's name?" Lord Carresford spoke quickly, and there
+was a kind of suppressed excitement in his manner, which surprised Jack
+very much.
+
+"His name is Mr. John Stanhope," said Jack proudly; "I am named for him.
+My grandfather was General Stanhope, and we have another uncle, who is
+a--but, oh, I forgot; mother said we mustn't talk about him."
+
+Lord Carresford rose hurriedly. He had suddenly grown very pale.
+
+"Is your mother at home now?" he asked in a voice so odd and unsteady
+that Jack stared at him in growing bewilderment.
+
+"Yes, I think she is," he said slowly; "she's coming over here pretty
+soon to give Miss Warren her music lesson. Don't you feel very well,
+sir?"
+
+"Yes, yes, my boy, I am all right. I must see your mother, that is all.
+I--I think I used to know her long ago in England."
+
+"Did you really?" inquired Jack, his face brightening. "Oh, I'm very
+glad. Perhaps you knew our Uncle Jack too, and can tell us where he
+lives."
+
+At that moment Betty's voice was heard from the other end of the
+piazza. "Here comes mother, Jack."
+
+Lord Carresford turned his head; took a few hurried steps forward, and
+then stood still, gazing at the figure of the tall lady rapidly
+approaching across the lawn. He was very white, but there was a strange,
+glad light in his eyes. All unconscious of the stranger's eager scrutiny
+the lady had almost reached the piazza steps before the sound of Betty's
+voice caused her to raise her eyes. Then suddenly her glance met that of
+Lord Carresford, and, with a low cry, she started forward with both
+hands outstretched.
+
+"Jack," she gasped, "oh, Jack!" And then all at once her strength seemed
+to fail her, and she sank down on the lowest step, shaking from head to
+foot, while every particle of color went out of her face.
+
+Ten minutes later Mrs. Bell and Mrs. Hamilton, who were spending a
+pleasant morning together in the latter's room at the hotel, were
+startled by the sudden and violent opening of the door, and the
+precipitate entrance of Lulu and Winifred, both hatless, breathless, and
+almost beside themselves with excitement.
+
+"Oh, mamma, mamma," cried Lulu, flinging herself upon her astonished
+mother, "the most wonderful, exciting, extraordinary thing has
+happened! Lord Carresford is kissing Mrs. Randall on our piazza, and
+she's got her arms round his neck, and is laughing and crying both at
+the same time. We don't know what it all means, but we told Aunt Daisy,
+and she said we'd better come for you."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+UNCLE JACK
+
+
+"I think it's the most interesting thing that ever happened in all our
+lives," remarked Lulu in a tone of conviction. "To think of Lord
+Carresford's turning out to be Betty's own uncle, and we never knowing a
+thing about it."
+
+It was late in the afternoon, and the two little girls were sitting in
+their favorite spot on the bathing house steps, discussing the events of
+the day.
+
+"It is very interesting," said Winifred, with a little sigh of content.
+"It's really quite like a book thing; don't you think so?"
+
+"Just as interesting things happen really as they do in books," said
+Lulu with superior wisdom. "Aunt Daisy says truth is stranger than
+fiction, and she ought to know, because she writes books herself. Lots
+of interesting things have happened to us, but I don't think anything
+was ever quite so wonderful as this one."
+
+"I should think Betty and Jack would be just crazy. I know I should be
+if a lord turned out to be my uncle, especially if he were as nice as
+Lord Carresford."
+
+"Just think," said Winifred reflectively, "the Rossiters said their
+mother was surprised we were allowed to be so intimate with Betty,
+because we didn't know anything about her family. Won't they be
+surprised when they hear all about it. I don't suppose the Randalls will
+be any different now they know they've got a lord for a relation, though
+it would be enough to make some people rather stuck up; don't you think
+it would? You remember how stuck up Elsie Carleton was that time her
+uncle's sister-in-law married a duke's son."
+
+"Bother Elsie Carleton," retorted Lulu with scorn. "Betty isn't that
+kind of a person, or Jack either."
+
+"Do you suppose they'll go to England and live in a castle?" Winifred
+inquired in a rather awestruck tone.
+
+"I suppose so; Lord Carresford is dreadfully rich, you know, and if he
+shouldn't ever happen to get married, why, Jack would inherit his title,
+and be a lord too."
+
+"He'd rather be an artist, I think," said Winifred, "or a general, like
+his grandfather. Oh, here they come; now they'll tell us all about it."
+
+There was certainly no appearance of lofty superiority about the
+Randalls, as they came hurrying along the sand, Betty pushing Jack's
+go-cart as usual, and their greeting to their friends was very much as
+it had been that morning, before they had, as Lulu expressed it, "found
+out they had a lord for a relation."
+
+"We're so awfully glad you've come," said Lulu joyfully, helping Jack
+out of the go-cart, while Winifred hastily improvised a seat for him in
+the sand. "We wanted to go over to see you, but mamma and Mrs. Hamilton
+said we mustn't. They thought your mother and Lord Carresford might have
+a great many things to talk about, and wouldn't want us around."
+
+"They've been talking all the afternoon in mother's room," said Betty,
+"and Jack and I stayed out on the piazza, but a little while ago they
+called us in, and told us about everything. You can't think how pretty
+mother looks; her eyes are just shining, and she's got such a lovely
+color in her cheeks."
+
+"I should think she would be glad," said Lulu comprehendingly. "Does it
+feel funny to be so very rich, Betty?"
+
+Betty laughed and blushed.
+
+"We're not so very rich," she said modestly. "We shouldn't have been
+rich at all, only that our grandfather was sorry just before he died,
+and wanted to make another will, and leave some of his money to mother.
+He told Uncle Jack, and he was very glad, and sent right off for a
+lawyer, but our grandfather, who was very ill, didn't live till the
+lawyer came. But Uncle Jack promised he would try to find mother, and
+make it all right about the money. That's what he came to this country
+for, but, you see, the trouble was he didn't know what part of America
+father and mother had come to. He didn't even know that father was dead.
+Mother never heard Lord Carresford's name until she saw him, standing on
+your piazza, but even if she had she wouldn't have known he was Uncle
+Jack, because she had never heard of the other two Lord Carresfords
+being dead."
+
+"I think it's the loveliest thing I ever heard of," said Winifred, "just
+think, Jack, you'll live in a castle with a park, like little Lord
+Fauntleroy."
+
+"And mother won't have to work any more," said Jack, with sparkling
+eyes, "and Betty will be a lady when she grows up, the kind of lady I
+wanted her to be. Oh, I'm so happy, I feel as if I should like to fly."
+
+"When father and mother first came home from California I used to think
+it must be a dream," said Winifred, "but it was all true, and so is this
+lovely thing about your Uncle Jack." And Winifred slipped her kind
+little hand lovingly into that of her friend.
+
+Jack gave the small fingers an appreciative squeeze.
+
+"There's only one thing I'm sorry about," he whispered shyly, "and that
+is that when we go to England to live we won't see you any more, not
+unless you come over there to see us some time."
+
+"Perhaps we shall," said Winifred hopefully. "If we do will you ask us
+to stay at your castle?"
+
+"Of course, and--I say, Winnie, when I grow up--I shall be able to walk
+like other people then, you know--I'll come over here to see you,
+and--and I'll marry you if you want me to. I like you better than any
+other girl in the world except Betty."
+
+"There's mother beckoning to me; I must go right away," exclaimed
+Winifred, starting to her feet, and looking extremely red. "Good-night,
+Jack; good-night, Betty and Lulu." And away flew the little girl, never
+pausing or looking back until she was safely at her mother's side.
+
+"I wonder what made Winifred leave in such a hurry," remarked Lulu,
+looking after her friend in some surprise, but Jack did not offer any
+explanation.
+
+"Well, Jack, my boy," said Lord Carresford, joining his little nephew on
+the boarding house piazza that evening after dinner, and laying his hand
+affectionately on his shoulder, "what makes you look so serious? No more
+difficulties about drawing lessons, eh?"
+
+"Oh, Uncle Jack, I'm so very happy; I was just thinking how beautiful
+everything is, and I was wishing----"
+
+"Well, what were you wishing?" his uncle asked smiling, as Jack paused.
+
+"Only that everybody else in the world might be happy too."
+
+"Rather a big wish, isn't it, my boy? but your mother and I have been
+talking things over just now, and we have a plan, which I think may give
+some of your little friends pleasure. You know you are to leave this
+house the day after to-morrow; now where should you like best to go?"
+
+"On board the yacht," said Jack unhesitatingly.
+
+"Well, that is just where we are thinking of going. I want to take your
+mother for a short cruise to the coast of Maine, and I propose that we
+invite the Bells and Hamiltons to go with us. I believe Dr. Bell and Mr.
+Hamilton both talk of taking vacations next week."
+
+Jack's eyes danced with delight.
+
+"I think," he said, with a sigh of deep content, "that it would be the
+very nicest thing that could possibly happen."
+
+That evening Lord Carresford had a long talk with his friends Dr. and
+Mrs. Bell, the result of which was that three days later "his
+lordship's" yacht was gliding smoothly out of the harbor, bound for the
+coast of Maine, and carrying on board four very happy children.
+
+"When I said I wished I could go to sea in a yacht the day we were
+shipwrecked, I never dreamed it would really happen," remarked Lulu,
+surveying her new surroundings with an expression of intense
+satisfaction. "I think it's really quite remarkable the way things
+happen sometimes."
+
+"I wish your mother and aunt could have come too," said Winifred a
+little regretfully. "I don't believe anybody could really be seasick in
+this lovely place."
+
+"It isn't always as smooth as this," returned Lulu, remembering past
+experiences of Father Ocean. "You see it isn't very comfortable for
+people to go on yachts when they are apt to be seasick. Mamma and Aunt
+Daisy were both dreadfully seasick when we went to Europe."
+
+"I hope you won't be homesick," said Betty anxiously. "You haven't ever
+been away from your mother before, have you?"
+
+"No, but I sha'n't be, I know. It's only for a week, and I'm going to
+write her a letter every day, and one to Aunt Daisy too. Then I've got
+papa, you know, and Mrs. Hamilton is going to take care of me."
+
+"And no one could possibly be homesick with my mother," added Winifred,
+with an adoring glance at Mrs. Hamilton, who was sitting near by,
+chatting with Mrs. Randall.
+
+"Well, young people, are you having a good time?" Lord Carresford
+inquired, sauntering up to the group.
+
+"Yes, indeed we are," came in chorus from all four voices.
+
+"Come with me to the other side of the boat, and we'll have a last look
+at Sandy Hook. Do you want to come too, Jack?"
+
+"No, thank you," said the little boy, smiling happily; "I'd rather
+sit here; it's so comfortable."
+
+[Illustration: "I'm the happiest boy in the world," said Jack.--_Page
+219_.]
+
+Lord Carresford and the three little girls moved away to the other side
+of the yacht, and were soon joined by Dr. Bell and Mr. and Mrs.
+Hamilton.
+
+"Are you happy, Jack, darling?" Mrs. Randall whispered, bending down to
+kiss the radiant little face, when the two were left alone together.
+
+"Oh, mother, I'm the happiest boy in the world," said Jack, softly
+stroking his mother's hand, and laying his cheek against it. "All the
+beautiful things I've ever dreamed about have come true. I used to think
+that if I could only walk I would never wish for anything else, and now
+that's happened, and such lots and lots of other nice things too. We've
+found Uncle Jack, and I'm going to be an Englishman and an artist; and
+Betty's going to be a lady. Oh, mother, dear, doesn't it all seem just
+like a fairy story that's come true?"
+
+THE END
+
+
+
+
++Only Dollie+
+
+By Nina Rhoades Illustrated by Bertha Davidson Square 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+This is a brightly written story of a girl of twelve, who, when the
+mystery of her birth is solved, like Cinderella, passes from drudgery to
+better circumstances. There is nothing strained or unnatural at any
+point. All descriptions or portrayals of character are life-like, and
+the book has an indescribable appealing quality which wins sympathy and
+secures success.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+     "It is delightful reading at all times."--_Cedar Rapids (Ia.)
+     Republican_.
+
+     "It is well written, the story runs smoothly, the idea is good,
+     and it is handled with ability."--_Chicago Journal_.
+
+
++The Little Girl Next Door+
+
+By Nina Rhoades Large 12mo Cloth Illustrated by Bertha Davidson $1.00
+
+A delightful story of true and genuine friendship between an impulsive
+little girl in a fine New York home and a little blind girl in an
+apartment next door. The little girl's determination to cultivate the
+acquaintance, begun out of the window during a rainy day, triumphs over
+the barriers of caste, and the little blind girl proves to be in every
+way a worthy companion. Later a mystery of birth is cleared up, and the
+little blind girl proves to be of gentle birth as well as of gentle
+manners.
+
+
++Winifred's Neighbors+
+
+By Nina Rhoades Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Little Winifred's efforts to find some children of whom she reads in a
+book lead to the acquaintance of a neighbor of the same name, and this
+acquaintance proves of the greatest importance to Winifred's own family.
+Through it all she is just such a little girl as other girls ought to
+know, and the story will hold the interest of all ages.
+
+
++The Children on the Top Floor+
+
+By Nina Rhoades Large 12mo Cloth Illustrated by Bertha Davidson $1.00
+
+[Illustration]
+
+In this book little Winifred Hamilton, the child heroine of "Winifred's
+Neighbors," reappears, living in the second of the four stories of a New
+York apartment house. On the top floor are two very interesting
+children, Betty, a little older than Winifred, who is now ten, and Jack,
+a brave little cripple, who is a year younger. In the end comes a glad
+reunion, and also other good fortune for crippled Jack, and Winifred's
+kind little heart has once more indirectly caused great happiness to
+others.
+
+
++How Barbara Kept Her Promise+
+
+By Nina Rhoades Large 12mo Cloth Illustrated by Bertha Davidson $1.00
+
+Two orphan sisters, Barbara, aged twelve, and little Hazel, who is "only
+eight," are sent from their early home in London to their mother's
+family in New York. Faithful Barbara has promised her father that she
+will take care of pretty, petted, mischievous Hazel, and how she tries
+to do this, even in the face of great difficulties, forms the story
+which has the happy ending which Miss Rhoades wisely gives to all her
+stories.
+
+
++Little Miss Rosamond+
+
+By Nina Rhoades Illustrated by Bertha G. Davidson Large 12mo Cloth $1.00
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Rosamond lives in Richmond, Va., with her big brother, who cannot give
+her all the comfort that she needs in the trying hot weather, and she
+goes to the seaside cottage of an uncle whose home is in New York. Here
+she meets Gladys and Joy, so well known in a previous book, "The Little
+Girl Next Door," and after some complications are straightened out,
+bringing Rosamond's honesty and kindness of heart into prominence, all
+are made very happy.
+
+_For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
+publishers_
+
+LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The Children of the Top Floor, by Nina Rhoades
+
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+
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