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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3eccc62 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50198 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50198) diff --git a/old/50198-0.txt b/old/50198-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index babe7f4..0000000 --- a/old/50198-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4081 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Jane Down South, by Clara Ingram Judson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Mary Jane Down South - -Author: Clara Ingram Judson - -Illustrator: Frances White - -Release Date: October 13, 2015 [EBook #50198] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - -[Illustration: “They turned south, down the quiet, narrow street at the -right” (_Page 90_) _Frontispiece_] - - - - -MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH - - BY - CLARA INGRAM JUDSON - - AUTHOR OF - - “MARY JANE--HER BOOK,” “MARY JANE--HER VISIT,” “MARY - JANE’S KINDERGARTEN,” “MARY JANE’S CITY HOME,” - “MARY JANE IN NEW ENGLAND,” ETC. - - _ILLUSTRATED BY - FRANCES WHITE_ - - PUBLISHERS - BARSE & CO. - NEW YORK, N. Y. NEWARK, N. J. - - - - - Copyright, 1919, - by - BARSE & CO. - - - PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. - - - - -TO ALICE - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - “ALL ABOARD FOR FLORIDA!” 11 - - THE DAY IN BIRMINGHAM 24 - - AT THE OSTRICH FARM 39 - - “THE BOAT’S A-FIRE!” 53 - - A BIT OF SUNNY SPAIN 68 - - “WHOA! PLEASE WHOA!” 81 - - LUNCHEON BY THE OLD WELL 94 - - A DAY ON THE BEACH 108 - - AT SEA IN A STORM 122 - - WALKING THE PLANK 135 - - CATCHING THE BOAT 146 - - ON THE OCKLAWAHA 159 - - “HELP YOURSELVES, CHILDREN! HELP YOURSELVES!” 172 - - PIGS BY THE WAY 185 - - HOME AGAIN 198 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - “They turned south, down the quiet, narrow street - at the right” _Frontispiece_ - - PAGE - - “This is the living room and here’s the dining - room and here, where you can see the river - bed, is the porch” 58 - - “The owner of the orchard let the girls pick - fruit and take pictures” 80 - - “They went in wading after crawdads” 114 - - - - -MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH - -“ALL ABOARD FOR FLORIDA!” - - -The week between the time Mary Jane heard of the trip South and the -time for starting seemed unusually short. So short that Mary Jane -thought it surely must have had only three days in it--that is, she -thought that till she counted up and found to her surprise that this -very, very short week had had Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, -Sunday, Monday and now a Tuesday just exactly as all other weeks have. - -“But the days haven’t been the same, Alice, I just know they haven’t,” -insisted the little girl. - -“Yes they have,” laughed Alice, “only you’ve had so much to do and so -much fun that you haven’t noticed how many hours have gone by--that’s -the difference.” - -“I should say we _have_ done lots,” said Mary Jane, “if that’s the -matter. I never saw such lots to do--never!” - -And indeed it had been a busy week in the Merrill household. On -Wednesday of the week before Mr. Merrill had announced that business -would take him on a two weeks’ trip South and that he would take all -the family with him. It seemed such a good chance to give the two -girls, Alice, a big girl of twelve, and Mary Jane, a busy kindergartner -of five, a glimpse of the tropical part of their country and a better -understanding of the geography Alice was already studying and Mary Jane -would soon begin. - -But a week gave very little time to make ready so everybody had to -help. There were gingham dresses from last summer’s wardrobe to get -out and let down; each little girl had to have a new bathing suit, -for who wants to go South without a swim in the ocean? New hats must -be purchased because the velvet hats Alice and Mary Jane were wearing -would be very heavy in the warm southern sunshine. Then the house must -be shut up for its two weeks’ vacation, and everything must be made -snug so that cold weather would do no damage. Mary Jane was so busy -helping do errands and getting things out of drawers and closets and -helping to pack that it’s no wonder she thought the time went quickly. - -“Better plan so you can get along without your trunk some days,” -suggested Mr. Merrill as he came into the house Tuesday evening, -“because when we’re on the jump as we will be you can’t always be sure -of getting your trunk every time.” - -“Then I think I’ll have to take another hand bag,” said Mrs. Merrill -thoughtfully. - -“Goody! Goody! Goody!” shouted Mary Jane. She was coming down the front -stairs as she heard her father speak and she dashed back up again, -hunted out the little black grip she was sure her mother meant to take -and began packing. - -“She’ll want pencils in it, and paper and my Marie Georgannamore ’cause -I don’t ever have time to play with her when I’m in school,” said the -little girl as she packed the things. “And rubbers, Mother always -thinks about rubbers and--” but by that time Mary Jane was so excited, -she piled everything from the top of her dresser pell-mell into the -bag, and then hurried down stairs. - -“Here it is, Mother,” she cried gayly, “you don’t have to pack it -’cause I’ve got it all done--every bit.” And she set the bag on the -living room table. - -Mrs. Merrill glanced at Mary Jane’s flushed face and saw how eager she -was to help but that all the excitement and hustling were making her a -little tired so she said, “That’s the grip I want, Mary Jane, and thank -you for bringing it down to me. But before we pack it suppose you and -Alice sit down by me and plan just what we want to take.” - -“Yes, only I want to carry it,” said Mary Jane; “I’m plenty bigger -’nough to carry my own grip.” - -“Why, Mother,” exclaimed Alice, “you wouldn’t let her carry a grip of -her own, would you? She’s too little. I’ll be the one to carry it.” - -“I thought you were going to carry your camera, Alice,” said Mrs. -Merrill quietly, “and one thing for each girl is enough to look after. -Suppose going down we pack yours and my things together in the suit -case and let Mary Jane have her own toilet things and extra dress in -the little grip. It isn’t too heavy for her to carry if she must. Then -you can have your camera. Coming back you may not want to take so many -pictures. We might pack your camera in the trunk and then you could -have _your_ things in the grip and take your turn traveling like a lady -all alone. How would that be?” - -Both girls were pleased with that plan so Mrs. Merrill said she would -get just the right things to put in the bags while the girls went to -tell their best friends good-by. - -Mary Jane’s little chum, Doris Dana, lived next door, so she didn’t -have far to go. Doris was at home and half way expecting Mary Jane -because she knew that the Merrills were to leave early in the morning. -She pulled Mary Jane into the living room in a jiffy and showed her -a big book of pictures she had been looking at. “Look at these, Mary -Jane,” she cried, “and these and these and these! Mother says you’ll -see them all down South. Oh, dear, but I wish I was going too!” - -Mary Jane had never seen the big picture folder before (her father -had promised that she should have one and he was to bring it to her -that very evening) and she was as interested as Doris in the wonderful -pictures it contained. They spread the folder out on the floor and -looked at the big orange trees, the palm trees and the heavy Spanish -moss that made every sort of tree look so queer. They looked at rivers -and lakes and, most wonderful of all, a family of alligators. - -“I like those best,” said Doris positively, “and why I like ’em is -because they’re so awful. I wish I had one, I do.” - -“Do they really grow that way?” asked Mary Jane of Doris’s mother. - -“Indeed they do,” laughed Mrs. Dana. “I’ve seen hundreds of them just -like that picture and you will too.” - -“Oh, bring me one! Bring me one!” cried Doris; “will you, Mary Jane?” - -Before Mary Jane had a chance to answer the telephone rang and Mrs. -Dana took a message from Mrs. Merrill that Mary Jane was to come home -at once. So, with a hasty promise whispered in Doris’s ear, that she -would surely send an alligator, Mary Jane ran skipping across the snowy -lawn to her home. - -When dinner was over an hour later, Mr. Merrill went to the hall and -took from his coat pocket a bundle of railway folders. - -“There you are, girls,” he said as he laid them on the table; “there -are the pictures I promised you. I think you’ll find something about -every place you’re going to visit.” - -Alice and Mary both grabbed for folders and in two minutes time they -had spread them out on the floor in front of the cozy fireplace and -were peering through them eagerly. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill, who had taken -the same trip before, explained in just what order the pictures should -be put and told stories of their trip. - -“Can’t we take these along with us?” asked Mary Jane; “that would be -fun.” - -“It might be fun,” agreed Mr. Merrill, “but it would also be a nuisance -because we’ll have plenty to carry as it is. Let’s fold them up--it’s -bed time now you see, girls--and put them in the table drawer here. -Then first thing when you come back you can get them out and see if you -really saw all we think you are going to.” - -Mary Jane thought of course she never, never, never would go to sleep -because she kept thinking about riding on the train and what she would -order in the dining car and her new hat and lunch at the hotel the -next day (Mary Jane loved to eat at a hotel) and those queer looking -alligators she had seen pictures of and everything. But she must have -slept, for in about a minute (or so it seemed) she sat straight up in -bed and there was the sun shining straight on to her out-of-door bed -and father out at the garage was locking the door and saying, “There, I -guess that’s all done!” - -She dashed into the house and bathed and dressed in a jiffy. Mother had -laid out her things so she put on everything she would wear on the trip -except the dress. Of course she wouldn’t put on her new traveling dress -till the last minute--an old frock would do till then. Just as she was -going down the stairs she met Alice coming up. - -“There you are,” said Alice, “I was just coming up to call you, -breakfast’s ready!” - -After breakfast each person helped and in short order the dishes were -washed and put away, the living room tidied and the upstairs set in -order. By half past nine, folks were dressed and ready to go. It surely -seemed good to get out into the sunshine because with the furnace fire -out so Father could be sure there was no danger of fire, the house was -beginning to get pretty shivery. - -“Think about the flowers you’ll see Saturday, girls,” said Mr. Merrill, -“and dance around a bit to warm up. The car will be along in a minute.” - -“Won’t we see flowers till Saturday?” asked Mary Jane. “I thought we -were going to-day.” - -“So we are,” laughed Mr. Merrill, “but going takes a while. We start -South to-night. Then we ride all to-night and all to-morrow. To-morrow -night we get to Birmingham. You remember we are going to stop a day -with Uncle Will there. All day Friday you’ll be seeing wonderful things -in that city. Then Friday night we’ll get on a sleeper train again and -Saturday morning we’ll be in Jacksonville.” - -“And there’s flowers,” added Mary Jane. - -“Just so,” said Mr. Merrill. - -“And alligators?” asked the little girl. - -“Oh, lots of alligators they tell me,” laughed Mr. Merrill. But just -then the traction came along so Mary Jane didn’t have a chance to -explain her plan of bringing alligators home to Doris, which was -perhaps just as well, for Mr. Merrill had plenty to think of as it was. - -With buying hats and shoes and getting lunch and dinner the day went on -wings and nine o’clock came before Mary Jane had had time to think of -being tired. - -The big train pulled in just on time, its lights all a-blazing and the -observation car looking most inviting. The porter had the berths made -up ready and, in spite of the fact that Mary Jane had just declared she -was not tired a bit and could sit up for two hours yet, that soft white -pillow and turned down cover looked very nice. She decided that the -observation car could wait till morning for inspection. - -The last thing she said, before Mrs. Merrill pulled the heavy curtains -together for the night was, “Mother, may I have anything I want for -breakfast? If I may, I’m going to have two orders of hashed brown -potatoes and not anything else!” - - - - -THE DAY IN BIRMINGHAM - - -“Beg pardon, Miss?” The colored waiter in the dining car bent lower, -the better to hear Mary Jane’s order. - -“That’s all I want,” said Mary Jane in surprise; “just two orders of -hashed brown potatoes and not anything else.” - -“Oh, Mary Jane,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “do have something else. And -you must have a little fruit. Suppose you get an orange and then some -cereal and then one order of potatoes--two would be too much.” - -“Yes, it would if I had to eat all that first,” said Mary Jane sadly. -“But I’ve been _counting_ on those potatoes, Mother! You remember the -good ones we had on the diner coming home from Grandmother’s last -summer? And you know I ate more than one order _then_.” - -“So you did,” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “and I promised you that you should -have all you wanted next time we ate in a diner. Very well, suppose we -compromise. You eat the orange and you may skip the cereal this time. -But I think she had better have only one order of potatoes at the -time,” she added to the waiter, “for they will get cool.” - -While Mary Jane was eating her orange she looked out of the window at -the changing scene. All through the night when she had been soundly -sleeping, the train had carried her south through the prairies she -was used to seeing, south through the wooded stretches and dull brown -fields. And now, early the next morning, she found herself riding -through the edges of coal lands. Long strings of loaded coal cars stood -upon the railroad sidings; groups of workers stood about the tiny -stations the train flew past and the whole country seemed strange and -different to the little girl. - -But with all her watching out of the window, Mary Jane didn’t miss -noticing the twinkle in the eye of the waiter and she whispered to -her sister, “Alice! I think that waiter man thinks it’s funny to like -potatoes and I think he’s making me some nice ones, I do.” - -And so it proved, for when the orange was eaten, he set before Mary -Jane the biggest platter of hashed brown potatoes she had ever seen. -All brown and nice they were, with bits of parsley ’round the side and -a pat of butter for her own particular use. - -“Yumy-yum!” exclaimed Mary Jane as the platter was put before her, “I’m -so glad I came!” And there was no watching scenery till every scrap of -potato on the platter was eaten up. - -“Want your other order now?” asked Mrs. Merrill, when she saw that -nothing but parsley was left on the platter. - -“Well--” replied Mary Jane doubtfully, “do you suppose they’ll have -hashed brown potatoes for lunch? ’Cause if they will, I think I’ll save -my other order till then. I’m not just as hungry as I was.” - -“Good reason why,” laughed Alice, “come on, let’s not eat any more now. -Let’s go into the observation car.” - -The girls found riding in the observation car almost as much fun as -eating in the diner. First they stood out on the “back porch” as Mary -Jane called it and got good breaths of fresh air; then they came -inside and settled themselves in big easy chairs and looked at all the -“funny papers” they found in the car library--that took a long time -because there were so many. Next they wrote letters, Mary Jane didn’t -really write to be sure, but she drew a very good picture of the coal -cars they passed on the way and of hills and valleys and put it in an -envelope ready to send to Doris; and Alice wrote a nice long letter to -her chum, Frances. And then, much to every one’s surprise, the dining -car man came through the train calling, “First call for luncheon! -Dining car third car in front!” and it was time to wash up ready to eat -again. - -In the afternoon the country they were passing proved so interesting -that Mary Jane and Alice didn’t even try to look at books or magazines. -For the mountains had grown higher and more interesting every mile of -the way. Now they passed great holes in the ground out from which came -little cars full of freshly mined coal, and Mr. Merrill explained to -the girls all about how coal was dug out of the earth, loaded on those -queer little cars and sent up to the sunshine ready to be loaded into -railroad cars to take away for folks to use. And they passed mining -villages tucked down in the valleys. Some had great, rough barracks -where all the miners lived. Some, and those were the most interesting -to the girls, had groups of tiny little shacks where the miners lived -with their families. They saw children playing, women working at their -house work, and here and there a miner, his lamp on his head, going off -to the mine for his work. Mary Jane and Alice had never realized till -they saw those funny little lamps, fastened to the miner’s cap, how -queer it must seem to work hours down, down, down, deep in the darkness -of the earth. - -“I do believe,” said Alice thoughtfully, “that I’ll always notice more -about coal now that I can guess better how hard it is to work down in -the ground.” - -As long as the daylight lasted, the girls strained their eyes to see -all that might be seen of the coal country. And just after the sun -set behind the iron mountains leaving the darkness of a winter evening -behind, they noticed flashes of light off to the south-east. - -“The steel furnaces of Birmingham,” said Mr. Merrill, “and you shall -see them close too, to-morrow. But now it’s time to get our things on -to meet Uncle Will.” - -They hustled back to their own car to find that the porter had -carefully picked up their things and that everything was ready for them -to slip into their wraps and get off the train. So there was still time -to watch out into the darkness and see more of those brilliant flashes -of light that made the sky glow so mysteriously. - -Mrs. Merrill’s uncle was at the station and hurried them into a big -“boulevard bus” which would quickly take them home where aunt and -cousins and a good dinner were waiting. - -“There’s just one thing I don’t like about this city,” said Mary Jane -later in the evening. - -“So?” exclaimed Uncle Will, “why we think it’s a pretty nice sort of a -place.” - -“I ’spect it is,” agreed Mary Jane politely, “but what I don’t like is -the dark--I can’t see anything!” - -“We’ll soon fix that,” said Mrs. Merrill, “I’ll put my little girl to -bed and then the time till daylight will vanish.” - -And sure enough it did. It wasn’t any time at all till Mary Jane sat -up in her sleeping porch couch and looked across the hills of the -beautiful city. - -“Oh!” she exclaimed delightedly, “I like having houses on hills, ’cause -you can see so many of them!” Then she looked down at the street nearby -and saw a little negro boy, not so very much bigger than herself, who -was carrying on his head a great, big, heavy basket of washing. - -“Boy! Boy! I don’t know your name but please wait a minute!” she -called. “My sister wants to take a picture of a boy like you--she said -she did!” - -Fortunately Alice, who was in the house making the closer acquaintance -of her cousins, was dressed so it didn’t take but a minute to get her -camera and take the picture Mary Jane so hastily arranged for her. The -poor little boy didn’t quite know what had happened to him, but he -_did_ understand the quarter Mr. Merrill handed him. He went on his way -with such a broad smile on his face that Alice wished she had another -picture just to get that smile in. - -While the picture was being taken, Mary Jane washed and dressed. She -came down the front stairs just in time to hear the plans for the day -discussed. - -“Yes, I wish we could stay more than one day,” Mr. Merrill was saying, -“but I have to be in Jacksonville to-morrow morning. So I think we’d -better make up our minds to visit all we can to-day and let the girls -see as much as may be of your city. Then perhaps on our next trip we -won’t be so hurried.” - -“If that’s the case,” said Uncle Will as they responded to the -breakfast bell, “I believe we’d better plan to get right off. We’ll -go way out to the steel plant first so as to be sure to get in there. -Then if we get back in time, we can take our lunch at the Terrace -Restaurant--I know the girls will like that--then we’ll have the -afternoon for an auto ride.” - -Mr. Merrill agreed that was a fine plan. - -“Only I hope there isn’t any doubt about that lunch,” said Alice. - -“Well-l,” said Uncle Will teasingly, “do you eat three times a day at -your house?” - -“My no!” retorted Alice promptly, “not if I can help it! We eat _four_ -times!” - -“Then you’d better have another helping of this fish,” laughed Aunt -Mabel, “because with all that sight seeing to do, you’re not going to -have time to eat any four meals this day--I know that!” - -In a few minutes they were off for the steel mills and Mary Jane and -Alice found it one of the most interesting rides they had ever taken. -Through narrow streets they went and then along boulevards; through -tiny villages and a larger “model village” where industrial workers -by the thousands made their homes. And finally great piles as high as -houses of grayish looking stuff that looked like cinders but which -Uncle Will said was “slag,” told them that they were approaching the -mills. - -When they stepped off the car Alice exclaimed, “This looks exactly like -a picture of a mining town that’s in my geography!” - -“Of course it is,” laughed Uncle Will, “because this _is_ a mining -town. All the mining isn’t done in the West you know. The iron ore and -the coal for the furnaces are mined right here on the spot--that’s the -reason these mills are just where they are, my dear.” - -They walked along the narrow street where men, women and mule carts -mingled together in busy confusion, till they came to the company’s -office. There was some delay there because children were not usually -allowed in the plant but on the firm assurance from Mr. Merrill and -Uncle Will that each would take a girl under his especial care, -permission was granted. - -“But be sure you watch ’em, Mr. Cole,” warned the guard as they started -and Uncle Will promised. - -Mary Jane wondered at all this fuss because she and Alice had been -through factories at home and didn’t think much of it. But half an hour -later, when they were in the middle of the great plant, she stopped -wondering and clung to her father’s hand without being told. For the -noise and confusion and wonder of it all was beyond anything she had -ever dreamed of. Engines tooting and screeching, whistles blowing -orders, men shouting, great kettles of red hot iron sizzling and -smoking, clanging hammers pounding on metal, the clatter of tumbling -scrap iron and the clang and clank of the finished steel rails as they -were loaded on waiting freight cars made it a wonderland of sights and -sounds. - -Mary Jane held tight to her father’s hand and bravely went everywhere -the big folks did. But she wasn’t sorry when, an hour later, she -found herself seated on a quiet terrace on the fifteenth floor of -Birmingham’s biggest office building, ordering her lunch. - -After luncheon they walked all around the terrace and looked at the -rows of mountains and the long stretch of valley dotted with huge smoke -stacks of the various steel mills. - -“And there,” said Uncle Will, pointing off into the distance, “is the -place you were this morning.” - -“Well,” said Mary Jane looking at it gravely, “I think I like it better -over there than when it’s right here--it isn’t so noisy, far away.” - -Uncle Will laughed and suggested that if he and Mary Jane went down -stairs ahead of the others, it was just possible, just possible of -course, that they might have time to buy a box of candy before the auto -came around. And that settled sightseeing from the terrace. - -All through the long beautiful afternoon they drove, seeing the busy -streets of the city, driving up the winding roadways lined with -beautiful homes and leading toward the mountains, and spinning along -the ridge roads that took them over the mountain crests. - -It was almost dark when they stopped at Uncle Will’s for their bags and -they had to drive fast to get to the station in time for their train. - -“Well!” sighed Mary Jane, as she dropped down in the broad seat of the -Pullman car a few minutes later, “I think that’s a city where you do a -_lot_!” - -“And _I_ think,” replied Mrs. Merrill, reaching down to kiss her little -girl, “that I know somebody not so very far from here, who’s going to -have dinner and go to bed just about as quick as a wink.” - -“And _I_ think,” added Mr. Merrill, “that I know somebody who’d better -get to sleep as quick as they can, because to-morrow’s the day we see -flowers and--something else.” - -And just then, before Mary Jane had a chance to ask a question the -porter came through the car calling, “Last call for dinner! Dinner in -the dining car! First car in the front of de train!” - - - - -AT THE OSTRICH FARM - - -The very first minute Mary Jane opened her eyes the next morning she -peeked out of the window to see if the Southern flowers she had read -about and seen pictures of, were in sight. She didn’t see flowers but -she did see palm trees--lots of them. - -“Mother! Mother!” she called, peeking around into the next berth to -speak to her mother, “you ought to get up quick! They’re here, they -are, those funny trees with the trimming on the top just like the -pictures you showed us. Mother! May I get up and look at them from the -back porch?” - -Mrs. Merrill looked at her watch and told Mary Jane it was high time -they were both getting up if they were to have time to dress and eat -breakfast before the train got into Jacksonville. - -“Then I’ll beat you dressed, I will,” said Mary Jane gayly and she set -to work at the job of dressing. First she took down her stockings that -had hung all night over the little hammock by the window, and put those -on; then the shoes that had been in the hammock went on next. After -that she rolled up the covers clear to the bottom of the bed to get -them out of the way, took down her clothes that had been hanging all -night on a coat rack by the big curtains and put those on. She stopped -just long enough to call, “Didn’t I beat?” to her mother before she -hurried off to the wash room. She thought it so much fun to brush her -teeth in the funny little bowl made for that purpose that she wanted to -have plenty of time to enjoy the job. - -But Alice was there before her, as excited as Mary Jane could possibly -be about the palm trees and the few very fierce looking razor-back -hogs she had seen grunting and snorting at the train, and so it was a -rather sketchy scrubbing they gave themselves. Mrs. Merrill joined them -in a minute to say that the diner was taken off in the night and that -breakfast would be served in the observation car. - -“Then I may go back there now, mayn’t I, Mother?” asked Mary Jane, “and -I know the way all by myself. I’ll stay right on the back porch and not -go near the gate till you come.” The train was exactly the same as the -one on which the Merrills had come down to Birmingham two days before -and Mary Jane felt so at home after her whole day and two nights of -travel she almost thought the train was her own. - -“Yes, you may if Alice is ready and if you promise to stay right -together,” said Mrs. Merrill; “it will be fine to have some fresh air -before breakfast.” - -The girls hurried back through the train so as not to lose a minute. -The country looked entirely different from what they had seen before; -the hills and mountains were all gone; many different sorts of trees -made up the woods and even the grasses looked different from what the -girls were used to seeing. And the roads! Such queer muddy things they -were, with only an occasional brick paved road fit for automobile -travel. - -All too soon Mr. Merrill came out and announced, “You can’t have -a regular breakfast this morning, girls, just fruit and a bite of -something the steward says, so you’d better come and get what there is -right away.” - -“Oh, dear!” exclaimed Mary Jane in great distress, “won’t they have -hashed brown potatoes?” - -“Haven’t you had enough of those yet?” laughed Mr. Merrill. But -Mary Jane’s fright proved to be a false alarm; there was plenty of -breakfast for folks who were used to simple food--hashed brown potatoes -for Mary Jane, eggs for Alice and her father and toast for Mrs. Merrill. - -The train was running about forty minutes late the conductor reported -so there was time to go back onto the back platform a while before -Jacksonville was reached. - -When Mary Jane got off the train at Jacksonville she had expected to -step right out to flower beds and summer beauties. Instead of that, -such a sight as met her eyes she never would have dreamed of! Smoke, -and dirt, and dripping water, and slush under foot, and the horrid -smell of burned wood and leather. And such confusion that Mary Jane -felt sure they must have fallen into a cyclone or something. - -“What’s the trouble?” called Mr. Merrill to an usher who was trying to -get through the crowd to carry their bags, “what’s happened? Never saw -so much going on in this station before in all _my_ life.” - -“Fire, sir!” replied the usher, “pretty bad fire, sir. The station, she -took a-fire last night and dey jes got her out ’bout an hour ago. Got -any luggage here, sir?” - -“Not a bit, it’s on this train we came on,” answered Mr. Merrill. - -“You’s lucky, sir, you is,” laughed the darky and he piloted them out -into the street. - -They walked about a half a block away from the confusion of the station -and then Mrs. Merrill said, “Now look, girls!” And the girls looked -away from the burned roof of the pretty station and out toward the -city. And there they saw the summerland they had hoped for!--palm trees -and flowers growing in the parkways, summer dresses on the passersby -and a warmth and glow in the air. - -“Oh, Mother!” exclaimed Alice happily, “it’s true, isn’t it? Summer -_is_ here--and please may we take off our coats?” - -“Not so fast,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “you’ll find them none too warm -when you’re riding.” And sure enough, when they got into the taxi Mr. -Merrill signaled and started swiftly up the street, they weren’t a bit -too warm. - -All too soon their hotel was reached, the girls would have liked to -ride all day. - -“Never you mind,” said Mr. Merrill consolingly, “you shall ride again -in about a half an hour. But come in first and leave your bags, and me.” - -“Leave you, Dadah?” asked Mary Jane, “you’re not going away from here, -are you?” - -“I’m not, but you will be,” said Mr. Merrill. “I mean that my business -begins here this morning and that you and mother will have to get -around by yourselves while I work. But mother knows the way about just -as well as I do and she’ll see that you poke into every corner you -want to see.” - -When the girls went around to the front of the hotel and saw the -beautiful park of palms and flowers that filled a whole block, they -were not anxious to leave it. - -“Let’s not ride,” suggested Mary Jane, “let’s stay and play under those -trees.” - -“I don’t know about that,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “you see, I know what -there is to see on our ride and _you_ don’t. Better ride while you can -and play in the park this noon.” - -So a few minutes later Mr. Merrill put them all three into a big car -and started off toward the business part of the city for his work. - -The girls had never ridden in a sight seeing car before and they begged -a place right by the driver so they would be sure to see and hear -everything. Mrs. Merrill sat just behind them where they could speak -to her and also could have the comfortable feeling that she was very -near. First they drove down the river and saw glimpses of the broad St. -Johns River and enjoyed the pretty trees and gardens and homes that -nestled along its low banks. Then they turned back through the city and -out on the other side. - -“Where we going now?” asked Mary Jane when she noticed that the houses -were getting smaller and fewer and further apart. - -“Out to the Farm,” replied the driver. - -“A regular farm where they grow chickens and things like my Grandmother -does?” asked the little girl. - -“It’s a regular farm all right, Miss,” said the driver, “but they -don’t grow anything your Grandmother does. They grow alligators and -ostriches.” - -“My gracious!” exclaimed Mary Jane, her eyes open wide with amazement, -“do they plant ’em?” - -The driver laughed and answered, “You just wait and see--we’re most -there now. See that white fence and those buildings? There we are!” - -With a flourish he stopped by the big white gate and Mrs. Merrill and -the girls got out of the car. “You’ll wait for us?” she asked the -driver. - -“Long as you like,” he replied, so without a bit of worry about time -they went into the “Farm.” - -At first Mary Jane was disappointed for there seemed to be nothing in -the whole place but fences! But when they walked closer they easily -found the Alligator Farm and there the girls were so interested that -they forgot all about such creatures as ostriches. They saw big -alligators and little alligators and tiny, tiny little alligators that -would have easily been hidden in Mary Jane’s small hand. They saw the -great big fellow, more than a hundred years old, get his food and -such gleaming teeth as he had made Mary Jane glad he was inside an -iron fence--_there_ she liked to watch him, but she didn’t think he -was _quite_ the creature one would like to meet walking along a road. -They saw alligators flop their tails to music--or at least the keepers -_said_ they flopped to music so it must be so!--and most wonderful of -all, they saw alligators “shoot the shoots” into a small lake. There -was no pretend about that; the ’gators climbed slowly and careful up -the steps of the shoot, crawled over the top and then with a loud -“thud” dropped their clumsy bodies onto the shoot and slid down into -the water. - -Mary Jane and Alice would have been glad to stay there all morning -watching these strange creatures and Mrs. Merrill had to remind them -twice about the ostriches and about lunch and more riding before they -could tear themselves away. - -They wandered over to the ostrich section of the “Farm” and found the -queer looking birds poking their noses outside the wire fence begging -as plain as could be for food. - -“You and Mary Jane feed them, Mother,” suggested Alice, “and I’ll take -your picture.” - -Mrs. Merrill bought some food and she and Mary Jane stood close to the -fence and handed it in. The birds reached their long necks out and -_nearly_ helped themselves out of the bags, so tame were they. One -big bird seemed to take a fancy to Mary Jane and he was determined to -get his food from her. Just as Alice was ready to take the picture he -reached out and made a grab. - -“Owh!” screamed the little girl, “he got it! Make him give it back -quick, Mother!” - -“What did he get?” said Mrs. Merrill coming close. - -“My pocket book!” screamed Mary Jane who was fairly dancing she was -so excited, “he just reached his bill out and grabbed it out of my -hand, he did.” And sure enough, the great bird was making off to his -nest just as fast as he could go (which was pretty fast) and from his -bill hung Mary Jane’s pretty new pocket book in which she had two best -kerchiefs and twenty-five cents of spending money. - -The keeper heard Mary Jane’s screams (and so did lots of other folks by -the way) and he came running to see what had happened. - -“Is that all!” he exclaimed, when Mrs. Merrill pointed out what the -ostrich had done, “we’ll have that bag in no time--I was afraid he’d -hurt the little girl though I did think he was too tame for doing harm.” - -He unlocked the gate and hurried over to where the big bird stood. As -soon as the ostrich saw his keeper coming he dropped the bag and raced -off with his long funny stride just as though he knew he had done wrong -and wanted to get away. Mary Jane couldn’t help but laugh at him he -looked so afraid and so very comical. She got her pocket book back -undamaged and as the man handed it to her he said, “Too bad, Missy, too -bad. But you come again and I’ll make him behave. Wouldn’t you like a -little ’gator for a present, ’count of your scare?” - -“Oh,” replied Mary Jane, her eyes shining with delight, “I don’t need -one myself ’cause I’m here to see ’em. But I want one for my little -chum--she’s home.” - -“All right, Missy,” said the man, “I’d like to send her one if your -mother will allow me to.” And he pulled out his book and took down the -address. - -So that’s how it happened that a week later the expressman delivered a -box containing two live alligators to the amazed Dana family. - - - - -“THE BOAT’S A-FIRE!” - - -Fortunately they got back to the hotel a while before lunch time -and could take a walk through the beautiful little park. Alice in -particular was anxious to see every sort of flower and plant and to -learn its name. But dear me! with all the lovely flowers there it would -have taken a day to study them every one and she had to be content with -seeing only a small part of the grounds. - -“Never mind,” said Mrs. Merrill, as they sat down to lunch, “the same -flowers will be all through Florida and you’ll have plenty of time to -see them all you wish.” - -“Oh!” exclaimed a lady who sat at the same table with them, “your -little daughter doesn’t think _these_ flowers are the sights she is -to see, does she? Just wait till you get further south, this early in -the season every ten miles makes a difference and you’ll find lovelier -gardens the further you go.” - -Alice and Mary Jane opened their eyes in amazement; lovelier flowers -than these! Weren’t they lucky to be seeing so much? Mrs. Merrill -continued the conversation with the table mates and asked where she -could find about trains going to the beach. - -“I really don’t know,” replied the lady, who proved to be Mrs. Wilkins -of New York State, a friend of Mrs. Merrill’s cousin, “because we -hadn’t thought of going there. We can see the beach when we are further -south so we’re going to take a boat ride on the St. Johns River. That’s -something you can’t do at the beach resorts.” - -“That sounds good,” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “what do you girls think?” - -Alice and Mary Jane were delighted with the idea of a boat ride and -Mrs. Wilkins urged them to decide to go on “their” boat. They had -decided to go on a comfortable, safe looking steamer of fair size that -went up the river to Mandarin, the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe. -There, so they had been promised, they might see the very nook in the -trees where she did so much of the writing that made her famous. - -So the lunch visit was cut short and the little party drove at once to -the dock and settled themselves on the upper, front deck of the river -boat. Mary Jane wasn’t in any particular hurry for the boat to start -because from her safe deck she could look down on the wharves and see -the bustle and hurry of shipping fruit and enjoy the fun of watching -the dozens of gay, lazy, little negro boys who were supposed to be -helping the work. They sang so well and helped themselves to fruit so -generously and teased each other so comically that Mary Jane thought it -was as good as watching a play to see them. - -When the boat finally started away from the dock, Mr. Wilkins took -the two girls down to the engine room and explained the workings of -the boat to them. Mary Jane thought it very wonderful that the queer -looking engine that went “Phis-s-s-sh, _ping_; Phis-s-s-sh, _ping_!” -was the thing that sent so big a boat a-going through the water. - -They must have stayed down stairs longer than they realized for when -they came on deck again, the city of Jacksonville was way, way off -and the boat was beginning to sidle up to the left bank of the river. -Before long they were landed at a ricketty old dock that stuck its nose -out into the river to greet them. - -“Back in an hour!” the Captain called as the boat backed away, “plenty -of time to see the homestead. It’s only five minutes walk down the -river bank.” - -The little party of tourists were quickly surrounded by a crowd of -children who ran out onto the dock to greet them and beg them to buy -bananas, grapefruit, oranges and flowers. - -“Not till we come back,” said Mrs. Merrill firmly, “but if any of you -can show us Mrs. Stowe’s home we may buy something before we leave.” - -Fortunately it wasn’t far to go. The beautiful trees along the river -bank, dripping with streamers of Spanish moss, made such nice play -corners that Mary Jane was much more interested in playing house than -in seeing famous sights! - -“Please let me stay here and play while you look at houses, Mother,” -said the little girl. “I’ll stay right here, ’deed I will, and I can’t -get lost because in front there’s only the river and in back there’s -only the road and the house and you.” - -“And let me stay too,” said Alice; “I could make the nicest play house -here--see, Mother, those twisted branches and the view across the -river?” - -So the grown folks went on with the sightseeing and the two girls and -about eight of the neighbor children stayed by the river bank. - -“Now,” said Alice, who was quite at home making playhouses even though -they were located in Florida, “this is the living room and here’s the -dining room and here, where you can see the river best, is the porch.” - -“Where’s your walls?” asked one of the neighbor children who evidently -wasn’t used to making up houses as the Merrill girls were, “looks like -all one room to me!” - -“But it isn’t,” explained Alice, “you have to pretend the walls.” - -“You can’t pretend walls,” laughed the boy, “walls is real! Can’t you -make ’em?” - -“Yes, we could if we had burrs,” said Alice thoughtfully looking -around. “Have you got anything here that will stick together easily?” - -[Illustration: “This is the living room and here’s the dining room -and here, where you can see the river bed, is the porch” _Page 58_] - -Three children darted off shouting “Yes! We’ll get it!” all in one -breath and in a few minutes they were back with great prickly branches. - -“Goody! Goody! Goody!” shouted Mary Jane happily, “now we’ll have time -to make the whole house before mother gets back, ’cause those are so -nice and big.” She reached out for a branch so as to begin building her -share. - -But dear me, she didn’t know much about Florida “prickers” or she -wouldn’t have been in such a hurry! The branches had tiny, queer little -prickers far different from any she had ever touched or seen and in a -second her fingers were full of itching barbs. - -“Wait, wait, _wait_!” called one of the bigger girls, “don’t rub it! -Don’t touch it! I’ll get them out for you.” She must have had them in -her own fingers before, because she seemed to know exactly how to get -the troublesome things out. And then, when Mary Jane’s hand felt all -right again, the big girl, who said her name was Maggie, showed them -just how to handle the pricky cactus branches without getting the sharp -spines into fingers. - -Then Alice showed them a plan of making the walls and the children -set to work. It was fun making a tree house in the crooked, gnarled, -moss-covered old tree and it was fun playing with new children who so -quickly learned to play just as the Merrill children did. - -“What’s yer doing?” asked one girl as she saw Mary Jane apparently -pinch herself. - -“I’m just a-pinching myself,” laughed Mary Jane; “couldn’t you see? I’m -a-pinching myself to see if I’m me! I feel like I was somebody else I’m -dreaming about ’way down here playing.” - -“Well, you’re you, don’t you worry,” said Alice gayly, “and you better -hurry if you want to finish sticking flowers in this wall because I can -hear the folks coming back as sure as can be.” - -“How pretty!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill, as she came close enough to see -the playhouse the children had made. - -“And this is the very tree I was telling you about,” said the guide who -came with them; “this very branched tree is where Mrs. Stowe sat when -doing much of her writing.” - -“Isn’t it interesting,” said Mrs. Merrill to the girls, “to think you -have made a playhouse in the very tree where Mrs. Stowe wrote parts of -‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’?” - -“Yes, I _’spect_ it’s interesting,” said Mary Jane, “but I _know_ it’s -fun. And please, Mother, do we have to go yet? Can’t we build some -more?” - -“I’m afraid not, girlies,” said Mrs. Merrill regretfully, “because our -hour is up and our boat should be coming around the bend of the river -this very minute.” - -But though they all went back at once to the dock, they had a long, -long wait till the boat came. The sun began going down in the west and -the girls got so very hungry they were only too glad to buy generous -helpings of fruit from their new playmates. And finally when a boat -did come to the dock it wasn’t the nice boat they had come down on at -all! It was a small boat, oh, a very small boat, already so full of -passengers that when the new folks got on at the Mandarin dock it was -loaded almost to the water line. - -“Never mind,” said Mr. Wilkins comfortingly; “it surely must be safe -and anyway it’s only a short trip. Perhaps we can get seats at the -back.” And there they settled themselves and waved good-by to their new -friends as the boat steamed down stream toward the distant city. - -For a while the girls were content to sit and eat their oranges and -chat of the fun they had just had. But in the course of an hour, Mary -Jane began to fidget and to ask for something to do. - -“Nothing much to do on this boat but to sit still, Mary Jane,” said -Mrs. Merrill. “It isn’t big enough for a little girl to walk around and -see things--you’d be in folks’ way. Suppose you just sit still and look -all around and see how much you can see. Maybe you’ll find something -interesting to talk about that way.” - -So Mary Jane sat still (all but wiggling her feet and she thought that -didn’t count), and looked around the boat. She saw folks all around -her who had been sight-seeing and who had armfuls of flowers and fruit -they had brought from up the river. But in the front of the boat she -saw six or eight men in earnest talk at the prow--something seemed -to be exciting them very much. And then, queerest of all, up on the -tiny half deck of the boat she saw a man and a woman taking turns at -a strange looking pump sort of a thing that seemed not to work very -smoothly as they tried to make it go back and forth. For a minute she -watched them; then she turned to her mother and asked, “What is that -thing, Mother? And what are they doing with it? What’s the matter?” - -Mrs. Merrill and Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins looked to where Mary Jane pointed -and Mr. Wilkins got up quickly and stepped up onto the little half deck. - -But before he had had time to ask a question, the woman who was trying -to work the pump, turned and replied to Mary Jane’s questions. - -“The boat’s a-fire!” she called, “that’s the matter! The boat’s a-fire -and the pump’s broke!” - -Mr. Wilkins spoke up in a loud, firm voice, “But I think we can fix it -at once if every one will sit still. Will the Captain please put to -shore at once?” - -But that was just what the Captain would not do. His crew had been -trying for some minutes to get him to turn in toward the nearest shore, -but he obstinately refused to do so. - -“The pump’s broke,” he admitted, “but the fire ain’t much and we’ll get -to dock all right--now jes’ don’t get excited, folks!” - -As he spoke, little puffs of smoke rose from the engine room and the -big pile of dry wood which had carelessly been piled too close to the -firebox showed signs of bursting out into great flames. - -The passengers, remembering the crowded boat, tried to sit still and -be quiet and calm. But when they saw the twinkling lights of the city, -still so very far away; felt the fading light and the dampness of the -evening chill, and saw how far even the nearest shore of the wide river -seemed to be, they couldn’t help noticing that there wasn’t a life -belt or boat to be had. Almost everybody began to feel panicky. - -And at that very minute Mary Jane began to cry. Not a loud panicky cry, -but a low, sobbing cry that sounded very heartbroken. - -“Don’t be afraid, little girl,” said the man next to her; “we’ll get -you home safe some way!” - -“I’m not afraid,” Mary Jane managed to say between sobs, “’cause I can -float. But if I have to get into the river and float, who’s going to -take care of this big banana I’m taking to my Dadah? He likes bananas!” - -For a second every one on the boat stared. And then a general laugh -relieved the tension, and folks were willing to sit down and trust -to getting a-shore. The pump was kept working as hard as its broken -condition would let it; men dipped into the river with the only two -buckets aboard and tossed water onto the fire and slowly the lights of -the city twinkled nearer--and nearer--and nearer. - -Other boats came comfortingly near and were passed; docks loomed out -of the twilight, and finally with a bump the little, overcrowded boat -slipped into its place by the shore. - -There wasn’t a panic even then, but folks, some way, got off that boat -in a hurry. The firm land never had felt so good! - -“Where’s the little girl who wanted to save her banana?” called the -Captain as he turned his boat over to the dock firemen. “I want to -thank her.” - -But the Merrills were already out of hearing hurrying to their belated -dinner, their Dadah and jolly plan-making for the morrow. - - - - -A BIT OF SUNNY SPAIN - - -“Early to bed, early to rise, and you can catch the first train in the -morning,” said Mr. Merrill as they came in from a little stroll through -the gayly lighted park that same evening. “And I really think that -you folks better forget about me for a few days and go on with your -sightseeing by yourselves. The first train for St. Augustine leaves -at nine in the morning and you can have lots more fun there than here -where everything is more citified.” - -“But, Dadah,” said Mary Jane, “will there be flowers there and warm -weather and everything just the same?” - -“Not a thing the same,” replied Mr. Merrill teasingly; “there’ll be -more flowers and more warm weather and more palm trees and more fun -for girls and lots more chance to play.” - -“Then let’s go and you come as soon as you get through your business, -Dadah,” said Mary Jane. - -So after an early breakfast and a brisk walk through the interesting -markets, Mrs. Merrill, Alice and Mary Jane got aboard the fine -“Special” train that went down the east coast. - -The very first stop, some two hours later, was their station, and the -minute Mary Jane got off she felt a pang of disappointment. All there -was to see was a row of funny busses, a narrow parkway of flowers and -palms and then fields--just plains, fields or vacant lots and not -an interesting thing anywhere. But a ride of a mile in one of the -busses made a change. They came to the little town of St. Augustine -(“It doesn’t grow near the railroad, this town doesn’t,” Mary Jane -afterwards explained to her father, “because railroads are so very -now-a-days!”) and that was quaint and pretty enough to delight any -little girl. - -After they had taken their bags to their big, sunny room, changed their -traveling clothes for cool, summer dresses, low shoes and parasols, -they went down to inspect their new home. It seemed like moving into -fairyland--living in that hotel did--and Mary Jane had to pinch herself -three or four times to make sure that she, really truly _she_ was to -live in that beautiful place for several days. There were gardens, oh, -beautiful gardens full of gay flowers, and brooks and bridges right in -the garden--inside the house! And on the bridge in the center of the -garden, stood a little girl just about Mary Jane’s age--a little girl -who looked all the world as though she would like a playmate. - -“May I go and talk to her now?” asked Mary Jane. - -“Perhaps we’d better have lunch first,” suggested Mrs. Merrill, -glancing at her watch. “Who’d have guessed it was nearly one o’clock!” - -“I could have guessed that as easy as pie,” said Alice, “because I’m -starved.” - -“You won’t be long,” said Mrs. Merrill, laughingly, “because you’ll -find lots to eat here.” And they went toward the dining room. - -“Now where would you like to sit?” asked the pompous head waiter as he -escorted Mary Jane, who happened to be leading her family, to a seat. - -“If you’d just as soon,” replied Mary Jane politely, “I’d like to sit -at the table where there’s the most to eat. And Alice would like to sit -there too, ’cause she’s always just as hungry as I am. And mother’ll -have to sit there if we do ’cause she belongs to us.” - -“Then this is the very place for you,” said the head waiter, as with -twinkling eyes he pulled out three chairs at a cosy window table. -“These little girls,” he added to their waiter, “are to have all they -can eat whether it’s early or late.” - -“I think we’re going to like this place, Mother,” said Mary Jane -happily, as she unfolded her napkin, while the waiter went to get their -menu cards, “’cause they seem to like _us_.” - -They had a royal luncheon, ending with two kinds of ice cream and a -promise from the waiter of another still different sort for evening -dinner. - -After luncheon they took a little walk through the “square,” enjoying -the gay shops and the curious houses and trees. - -“Isn’t this the place where the ‘Fountain of Youth’ is?” said Alice -as she looked up from a window full of pictures. “That looks like the -picture of it in my geography.” - -“Oh, I know all about the Fountain of Youth!” exclaimed Mary Jane -happily. “Miss Lynn told us about it in kindergarten. Is _this_ it?” - -“Not right here,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “but only a mile or two outside -the city. Suppose we hail one of those pretty little surreys and ride -out there. I know you girls will like that and I love riding in those -little fringed surreys--they make me feel so gay.” - -A few steps farther on they came across an empty surrey, driven by a -man who was plainly of Spanish descent and who seemed very glad to have -passengers who would like to hear his stories of the founding of the -little town. - -Before they drove out to the “Fountain of Youth,” he took them through -a few of the little streets of the town and told them stories about the -houses and stores they passed. Then they turned northward and drove -past the city gates, the forts and the old cemetery toward the spring -the girls were so anxious to see. - -“But, Mother!” exclaimed Alice, as they drew up in front of a rather -dilapidated, low building, “_this_ isn’t it! I know what it looks like -from the picture and it’s nothing like this.” - -“This is the ‘Fountain of Youth’ all the same,” answered Mrs. Merrill. -“Those pictures that are used so much were taken years ago when there -was an open pavilion over the spring. In recent years it has been -housed in as you see it now. You won’t be disappointed with the inside -though--it’s as curious and interesting as ever. Come in and get a -drink.” - -Mary Jane and Alice followed her down three narrow steps, through a -low doorway and into a dim room. At first they couldn’t see anything -interesting but as they looked about longer they changed their minds. -Bubbling out of the ground, almost at their feet, was a little -spring--the very same spring that the Spaniard, Ponce de Leon, had -discovered over three hundred years ago. - -“But, Mother,” objected Mary Jane, “couldn’t he see that this was just -a common, every-day spring and that it was just so ordinary this way?” - -“Oh, it didn’t look ordinary to him, you may be sure,” said Mrs. -Merrill. “You must remember that he had landed after a long, long sea -voyage and fresh water, bubbling from the ground, looked more than -usually good. Then all this place where we are standing was a forest of -bloom--thousands of flowers he had never before seen were here and it -must have looked very lovely and magical to him.” - -“Yes, that would make a difference,” admitted Alice. - -“Then, too,” continued Mrs. Merrill, “even before he came here, the -Indians had a legend that this was a magic well and he who drank -thereof would never die. That, I think, is because it is a mineral -spring and the water tastes different from most spring water. Try it -yourselves and see.” And then as the girls filled their cups she added, -“So you can hardly blame the stranger if he thought he had found the -spring of youth he had set out to locate, can you?” - -The girls made faces over the water--they didn’t like the taste a bit. -“I know why he called it the ‘Fountain of Youth,’” laughed Alice as she -tried to finish her cupful. “He had to call it something interesting or -folks would never drink it!” - -“What are those stone paths?” asked Mary Jane as she set her cup down. - -“Those aren’t paths, little girls,” said the guide who had stood -near by. “Those stones make a cross--but such a big cross you hardly -notice it at first. See! There are fifteen stones for one part and -thirteen for the other. We are told that Ponce de Leon himself laid -those here to mark the year he discovered the spring; that was in -fifteen-thirteen.” - -As they went out from the dimness of the spring house into the warm -sunshine, who should they see coming toward them but the little girl -Mary Jane had seen that morning on the bridge in the hotel gardens. -Mary Jane hung back a minute to speak to her. - -“I’m Mary Jane and you live in my house,” she said by way of -introduction. - -“No,” replied the little girl half shyly; “you live in mine because I -lived here first. I’m Ellen. Are you tired?” - -“No-o!” answered Mary Jane positively; “what is there to be tired -about?” - -“It’s such a long way out here,” said Ellen. - -Ellen’s mother came up just then and seeing her little girl speaking to -the newcomers she added, “We tried to walk out here and I should have -known better because it’s much too far for Ellen. But she’ll have to -be a brave girl because there’s no other way to get back.” - -“There is if you don’t mind being crowded a bit,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill hospitably. “We three can sit on the back seat and you and -Ellen can sit in front with the driver. We’re just ready to start back -now.” - -On the way back the two ladies chatted and found they had many mutual -friends, and the little girls planned to play together as soon as they -got home. At the suggestion of Ellen’s mother, Mrs. Berry, they stopped -at an orange orchard and saw the funny little stoves that are set among -the trees to keep the orchard warmer in a cold spell. Mary Jane thought -those little stoves the queerest things she’d seen yet. - -“You tell me when I leave the door open at home, Mother,” she said, -“that I must be trying to warm the whole out of doors and here they -really do it!” “So they do,” agreed Mrs. Merrill; “only you see we -haven’t an orchard to use the heat up our way!” - -The owner of the orchard gave each girl an orange and was so nice to -them, showing them around and letting the girls pick fruit and take -pictures, that they could hardly bear to leave. - -“I think,” said Mary Jane as they climbed into the little surrey, “that -when I’m big I’ll have me an orange orchard and let little girls come -to see me and give ’em fruit-- I think that’s an awfully nice business, -I do.” - -It was almost dinner time when they got back to the hotel; no time for -play then. But after dinner Mary Jane took down her Marie Georgannamore -and Ellen brought her best doll, Fifi, and the two little girls sat out -on the terrace in great big comfy chairs and played together till after -eight o’clock. Then Mrs. Merrill came out to take Mary Jane upstairs. - -“You’ll have to go to sleep as quickly as ever you can,” she said, -“because I know an awfully jolly surprise that’s coming to-morrow. -Coming if a certain little girl I’m acquainted with gets to sleep.” - -“Is it something to play?” guessed Mary Jane. - -“No guesses--not even one,” answered Mrs. Merrill, “and I’ll tell you -only this much. It’s very jolly; and you’ve often wanted to do it; and -you’ve never done it before in all your life.” - -[Illustration: “The owner of the orchard let the girls pick fruit and -take pictures” _Page 80_] - - - - -“WHOA! PLEASE WHOA!” - - -“Now do we do it?” asked Mary Jane’s eager little voice; “this is -to-day!” - -“Sure enough it is,” said Mrs. Merrill, sleepily. She looked over to -Mary Jane’s bed and saw that a certain young person was wide awake and -was sitting up straight and tall in her bed which stood right in the -path of the sunshine. - -“Yes it is, Mother,” added Mary Jane, fearful that her mother wasn’t -really waked up yet; “see the sun? And you know this is the day when -the surprise comes. Do we have it now?” - -“Dear me, no,” said Mrs. Merrill, “how could we? See, Alice is sound -asleep and none of us are dressed and the surprise is for three -folks--three folks who are in this room.” - -“Don’t worry about Alice,” said Mary Jane gayly; “I’ll get her up!” And -with that threat she jumped out of bed and pulled the light covers off -her sister. “Come on, Alice,” she cried; “you can sleep at home! Let’s -get up and do the surprise.” - -“Will I like it, Mother?” asked Alice and, luckily, she was too -interested in the surprise to mind that the covers had been pulled off. - -“Will you?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill. “You just wait and see! You’ve been -wanting to do this very thing for years and years and years.” - -“Then let’s get dressed quick,” said Alice; “who’s going to tub first, -Mary Jane?” - -“Not too fast there, my dears,” said Mrs. Merrill; “the surprise -doesn’t come till eleven o’clock.” - -“MOTHER!” exclaimed both girls as though in one breath. And Mary Jane -added, “Do we have to wait _all that time_?” - -“Well,” said Mrs. Merrill practically, as she glanced at her watch, -“I wouldn’t call that such a hopelessly long time if I were you. It’s -after seven now and nobody’s even started to dress. Of course you don’t -want any breakfast,” she added teasingly, “but--” - -“Of course we _do_, you mean, Mother,” laughed Alice; “I hope the -surprise won’t interfere with eating--I wouldn’t like that.” - -“Well then,” continued Mrs. Merrill, “if we have to dress and eat and -maybe take a little walk to look at the shops and maybe do something -else I know we _could_ do--and it’s nice, too--I think it’s a pretty -good thing the surprise doesn’t come till eleven.” - -When the girls sat down to the breakfast table a half an hour later -they were glad they had plenty of leisure to enjoy their meal for such -fruit, such fish and such delicious Southern biscuit they never had -eaten before. - -“I just wish there was two of me, one named Mary and one named Jane,” -said Mary Jane, as she eyed the plate of biscuits and the honey -regretfully, “’cause then one of me could eat some more. But seeing I’m -just one all together, I can’t!” - -“I think it’s time for a walk anyway,” said Mrs. Merrill. “You know we -didn’t have a chance to look at all those nice little shops yesterday -and that’s sure to be fun.” - -And it was. The girls and their mother too, enjoyed poking about in -the little sidewalk shops that lined the main street and they saw many -pretty things they thought of taking home to Grandmother Hodges or some -friend. - -“Mother!” exclaimed Alice suddenly, “see that clock? It’s only quarter -before ten and the surprise doesn’t come till eleven. _How_ are we -going to wait all that time?” - -“We’re not,” said Mrs. Merrill, as she made a sudden plan; “we’re going -swimming.” - -“Swimming!” exclaimed Mary Jane; “where’s the lake?” - -“Wait and see,” replied Mrs. Merrill and she led the way back to their -hotel. Mary Jane supposed they must be going back for bathing suits but -not so. They didn’t go to their room; they went down a long hallway -and up some stairs and along another hall. And by that time, Mary Jane -heard noises that sounded exactly like the sounds folks make when they -are in swimming and having a jolly time. - -“Why, Mother!” she said in amazement, “do they keep the swim in the -house down here?” - -“Sounds like it, doesn’t it?” answered Mrs. Merrill and she stopped -at a window long enough to buy three tickets, one pink and two blue. -“Sounds exactly like it--let’s look.” And she led them through a -doorway. - -Such a sight as the girls saw then, they never had imagined! In a -great room, surrounded with balconies on which folks walked and danced -and played, was a large tank of beautifully clear water. And in this -tank some fifty or more folks were swimming and playing. At one end -the children played and swam and at the other end the big folks who -evidently could swim better or walk in deeper water were enjoying -themselves. - -Mary Jane took a long breath as she looked in amazement about her, then -she said, “Come on, Mother! Let’s do it too!” - -“Oh, may we?” exclaimed Alice rapturously; “will they let us?” - -“That’s what our tickets are for,” explained Mrs. Merrill. “And we -dress right down in these nice dressing rooms at this end.” - -Five minutes later the two girls, with their mother close behind, were -gingerly stepping into the water as it lapped on the marble steps at -the end of the pool. Mary Jane anxiously watched the first touch of the -water, then a happy expression came over her face and she exclaimed, -“It isn’t cold and it isn’t hot, Mother. It’s just like I am.” - -Of course Mary Jane didn’t know how to swim but both Alice and Mrs. -Merrill could swim a little and they took turns holding Mary Jane’s -chin and showing her how it was done. Mary Jane had no trouble getting -her feet up--she got them up so far out of the water that her swimming -was more splashing than swimming but it was fun for them all just the -same. Nobody thought a bit about time till suddenly Alice looked at the -great clock that was at one end of the pool. - -“Mother!” she cried, “it’s quarter to eleven!” - -“Goodness!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill; “we’ll have to fly for they’ll be -out in front promptly at eleven.” - -“Who’ll be?” asked Mary Jane. - -“Wait and see,” teased Mrs. Merrill as she drippingly made her way up -the steps and toward the dressing rooms. - -Nobody took long to primp that time and at five minutes to eleven they -were leaving the Casino. - -“That’s plenty of time,” said Alice comfortably. - -“Well, none too much,” said Mrs. Merrill doubtfully, “because I have to -go up to the room and change my skirt.” - -“Why, Mother,” said Alice, “that’s a nice one you have on.” - -“Just so,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “too nice. Let’s see, have you both -your gingham bloomers on this morning--I forgot to notice. Yes, you -have. Then you don’t need to change. You may wait for me here.” And -she hurried off toward the elevator. - -Soon she was back, wearing an old denim skirt that the girls didn’t -remember ever seeing. They thought it an awfully queer looking thing -but had no time to ask questions because she hurried them right out -through the garden. - -Through the garden, past the hedges and there--right by the leafy -gate--all saddled and bridled and ready to go, stood three of the -prettiest little ponies the girls had ever seen! - -“Oh! I know! I know! I know!” shouted Alice; “we’re going to take a -pony ride.” - -“Goody! Goody! Goody! I’m glad I’m me!” cried Mary Jane and she danced -up and down and clapped her hands so hard that the man who was holding -the ponies laughed and laughed. - -“So you really think it will be fun?” asked Mrs. Merrill, happily, as -both girls, with never a thought that they were on the street, nearly -smothered her with a great bear hug; “well, I think so too. So let’s be -off. See, the ponies are pawing to go.” - -First they decided which pony Mary Jane should ride. The groom put her -on one, but he seemed most too big so she was changed to another. Then -Alice was lifted up onto hers. - -“Don’t bother about me,” said Mrs. Merrill, “I can manage very well -with this stone. Please start off with the girls.” So the groom trotted -after the girls whose ponies were walking briskly toward the market -place. - -When Mrs. Merrill caught up with them, she suggested that they turn -south, down the quiet, narrow street at the right, as the main street -seemed too crowded for even safe ponies when they were ridden by folks -who had never been pony-back before. So they rode a few blocks past -quaint old Spanish houses and gardens--which the girls didn’t even -glance at!--then east past the old barracks and south to the open -country. By the time they had ridden a couple of miles the girls were -getting “on to” the knack of sitting straight and of holding their -reins and guiding their steeds, so the groom suggested that they go -west, around the village and ride around the old fort at the north. - -“Can you canter, Miss?” he asked Alice, who was riding very well for a -novice. - -The pony must have caught the word for he hurried off and Alice -answered over her shoulder, “I-I-I did-d-n’t-t know-ow it b-b-but I-I-I -c-c-can!” - -Mary Jane’s pony, seeing his mate start off so gayly, thought he must -be left behind so he started cantering too--much to Mary Jane’s dismay. - -“Whoa! Please whoa!” shouted Mary Jane with more politeness than -success. The pony paid no attention to her! He cantered along rapidly -a half a block and then, spying a bit of choice green in a vacant lot, -turned suddenly in and began to eat. - -“Hold on, dear!” called Mrs. Merrill reassuringly, as she hurried up -behind her little girl; “hold on and you’ll be all right.” - -“I’m a-holdin’,” replied Mary Jane breathlessly; “when I go riding I -don’t let him leave me, ’deed I don’t!” and she clutched at the lines -with all her might. But evidently the pony had had no thought of -running away. He liked his eating so much that it took a hard pull on -the lines by the groom to make him raise his head and start on again. - -For a little while the groom rode close by Mary Jane and held on to -the lines and Mrs. Merrill rode ahead with Alice. But the pony behaved -so very well that soon Mary Jane held her own reins again and proudly -rode all around the fort and back to the hotel. - -“Oh, that was fun!” exclaimed Alice with a sigh of pure joy and -satisfaction as she was lifted off her pony. - -“I think I’d like to ride every day,” said Mary Jane; “I like a pony -that runs and eats and takes me riding. Do they have ponies other -places?” And then, as Mrs. Merrill paid the groom and led the girls -back to the hotel, Mary Jane added, “Now what do we do next?” - - - - -LUNCHEON BY THE OLD WELL - - -But by the time she had had her luncheon, Mary Jane began to realize -that a long swim, or trying at swimming, and a pony ride of an hour -was almost enough for a little girl to do in one day. And when, as -they came from the dining room, she saw Ellen running toward her with -her French doll in her arms, Mary Jane was willing to promise to “play -dolls” in the courtyard garden all afternoon. Alice wanted to take a -few pictures in the gardens and write letters and send postals to her -friends at home, and Mrs. Merrill had letters and a bit of mending, so -the afternoon spent in the sunshine of the inner garden passed very -quickly. - -Next morning, as they were coming out from the dining room after -breakfast, Mrs. Merrill stopped a few minutes to talk with the steward -and the girls knew immediately that something nice was coming. - -“What do you think,” she asked as she joined them a minute later, “of -having a picnic luncheon to-day? Remember that pretty street we rode -south on yesterday? All those old Spanish houses were built years and -years ago. The queer one, that has no garden in front, is supposed to -be the oldest house in America. When I was here before the kind lady -who takes care of the place sometimes let folks eat their luncheon in -the garden by the old well. Wouldn’t that be fun?” - -Of course it would be jolly and both Alice and Mary Jane were eager to -be off. - -“Let’s go down that same street we rode on, Mother,” suggested Alice, -“because when we were riding we didn’t see a thing but the ponies and -the road and I’d like to see everything--every single thing, in this -nice old town.” - -“Very well,” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “that’s what we’ll do. Our luncheon -will be ready in a very little while. Let’s get our mail and tell Ellen -that Mary Jane can’t play this morning and I expect by that time it -will be waiting for us.” - -Sure enough! By the time all necessary errands were finished the -steward came to the lobby with the luncheon all neatly packed in a nice -box. - -“And if that isn’t enough,” he said, with a glance in Mary Jane’s -direction, “maybe I can get the little ladies some ice cream when they -come back this afternoon.” - -Mrs. Merrill and Mary Jane agreed to carry the lunch box between -them--a block a-piece--because Alice had her camera to look after. They -stopped just long enough to buy a new roll of films at the nearest -shop and then they set off down the pretty, narrow, old street. - -The many palm trees, which Mary Jane insisted on calling “trees with -trimming on the top,” the gay poinsettias which bloomed everywhere and -the crimson and yellow blossoms on the vines which covered porches and -hedges made the street look very beautiful. Mary Jane had to pinch -herself two or three times again to make sure that she really was -awake! She simply couldn’t realize that up at home her playmates were -making snow forts and going to school. - -“I think it’s funny,” said Alice thoughtfully, “why folks stay up north -at all in the winter. Why doesn’t everybody move south when it gets -cold and then go back home in the spring?” - -“Sounds sensible,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “and really very bird-like. -But just think of all you’d miss! Snow at Christmas time, skating, you -know how you love to skate, and coasting and fireside fun--oh, you’d -miss a lot!” - -“I guess I would,” admitted Alice, “but I do love the flowers! Wait -a minute, Mother,” she added; “I want to get a picture of that vine. -See how it covers the house?” Mary Jane had gone on a few steps ahead, -but Mrs. Merrill, feeling sure the little girl was safe on that quiet -street, waited till Alice took the picture. But when they walked on -Mary Jane was not to be seen. Had she turned the corner? No, for Mrs. -Merrill hurried to look and no girl was in sight. Had she gone into one -of the gardens? Surely not, for Mary Jane would never think of going -into any one’s yard without an invitation. Alice shut up her camera and -hurriedly began to help hunt. Mrs. Merrill was just beginning to feel a -little anxious when she heard Mary Jane’s voice, close by, just inside -the hedge, say, “But please, first I have to tell my mother.” Mrs. -Merrill dashed into the yard, Alice close behind her, and both stood as -though petrified with amazement. - -At the foot of the steps leading from the house stood a woman dressed -in the gorgeous long robes worn in Spain long years ago. By her side -stood a Spanish courtier of olden days, apparently just about to kneel -and kiss her hand. And, most astonishing of all, just back of the lady -stood Mary Jane, her eyes round with excitement and delight. - -“Mary Jane!” cried Mrs. Merrill, “what are you doing? Where are you? -How did you come in here?” - -“Through the gate just like you did, Mother,” replied Mary Jane, -answering the last question first, “and I came because he asked me -to, he did.” And she pointed her finger at a man who stood at Mrs. -Merrill’s left. - -“The little girl is right,” said the man as he stepped up to Mrs. -Merrill, “and I must ask your pardon for the fright we seem to have -caused you. But I do beg of you to let us borrow your daughter for -about five minutes more--we have such need of her.” - -Mrs. Merrill looked around the yard and saw what she had been too -excited before to notice. In the front of the yard, close by the hedge, -was a moving picture camera, and by it two men working under the -director who was speaking to her. - -“Let me explain,” continued the man. “We are making a picture -supposably taken in Spain--not a hard thing to imagine with all these -Spanish houses and gardens around here,--and this lady is supposed to -be a queen. But at the last minute, just as we were ready to run the -picture through, the lady” (and he pointed to the courtly dressed woman -by the steps) “wanted some ladies or children-in-waiting to carry her -train. We have the robes but not the people here and I have to get the -picture done to-day. That explains why, when I looked out of the garden -and saw your daughter I ventured to borrow her a minute. If we may use -her long enough to throw a robe over her and get the picture of the -queen so attended walking down the walk, I’ll be very glad.” - -Mrs. Merrill was just about to refuse for she had no desire to have -Mary Jane in a movie, when Alice nudged her and whispered, “Mother! -Couldn’t I be in it too?” - -The director noticed the whisper and guessed what she was saying. -“We’d like to have this little girl too,” he said; “we have plenty of -clothes for two and I’m sure if one train bearer is good, two will be -better--isn’t that so, Miss Arlson?” - -The pretty lady in the queen’s robe nodded and smiled and said she must -have two maids, so the director hurried away to get the costumes. In a -jiffy he was back and with two or three deft touches he tossed a robe -over each girl, covered Mary Jane’s bobbed hair and Alice’s braids with -lace head-dresses and showed them where to stand behind the queen. - -Then with a hurried “click, click, click, click, click, click!” the -picture was taken and every one began to move about and talk. The girls -almost hated to give up their pretty costumes and Mary Jane remarked as -the director took hers off, “Those would make awfully nice ‘dress-up -clothes’ I think!” - -“Do you like to play dress-up?” asked the man. - -“’Deed we do!” exclaimed Mary Jane heartily; “we like it most the best -of anything!” - -“Then you take these head-dresses you wore and keep them with my -compliments,” he said, and that is how it happened that two fine and -interesting bits of Spanish lace were taken home from the southern -trip. - -“Mother!” exclaimed Alice when they were out on the street again, “did -you ever hear of such fun? And to think it happened to _us_!” - -“Being in a movie!” cried Mary Jane, “and riding a pony and swimming in -a house--why just everything’s happening to us! If Dadah doesn’t come -with us pretty soon there won’t be anything left in the world to do.” - -“Don’t you worry about that,” laughed Mrs. Merrill; “I know two or -three things left in the world to do. And it wouldn’t surprise me a -bit if you’d do them some day. But the thing we’re doing right now, is -seeing the oldest house in the United States. Alice, will you pound the -knocker?” - -They stopped short and there, sure enough, they had come to the queer, -old house they had set out to see. Alice stepped up on the doorsill -and awesomely pounded at the brass knocker. A pleasant faced old lady -opened the door and peered out at them. - -“Why, don’t I know you?” she asked as she spied Mrs. Merrill. - -“I hoped you’d remember,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “though I don’t see how -you do when you see so many folks every year. And I hoped you’d let my -girls and me eat lunch by the old well as I did years ago.” - -“Indeed I will that,” said the old lady cordially, “and they may pick -flowers in my garden, too, though that’s something very few folks are -allowed to do. But first they want to see the house.” - -She took them all over the house, up stairs and down, and such a lot -of quaint, queer old things the girls had never seen. Candle sticks -hundreds of years old, cradles, dishes, andirons, pitchers, dresses, -chairs, sewing baskets, spinning wheels, looms, knitting racks, tables, -rugs--everything that one could think of as interesting and old seemed -to be crowded into that one small house. Mary Jane looked and looked -and looked till everything she saw seemed a confusion of queer old -things. - -“I think I’d better stop looking, Mother,” she said finally, “’cause -the looks get all mixed up in my head.” - -“You’re right, Mary Jane,” said Mrs. Merrill sympathetically, “I’m -getting tired looking myself. Let’s go out into the garden and eat our -luncheon.” - -Nobody, looking at the outside of the house, would have even guessed -of the lovely garden behind the wall. There was an old well with its -windlass and sweep, several gnarled old trees and shrubs and bushes and -flowers in every corner. The little old lady was persuaded to come out -into the sunshine and share the luncheon with them and she told them, -while they ate, tales of the many famous folks who had visited this -very same garden and picnicked by this very same well. - -Then, after they had finished eating, she showed Mary Jane how folks, -years ago, used to draw water from that same old well. - -“I think it’s lots more fun to get water out of a well this way than to -turn on a faucet,” said Mary Jane as she tried the windlass herself and -drew up a brimming bucket. - -“But what would you think,” asked Mrs. Merrill, “of getting up early in -the morning and coming out to draw the water for your bath?” - -“Well,” said Mary Jane doubtfully, “I’d think that would be different.” - -“I guess it would be,” laughed Alice, “I know I’d think so!” - -“Now I must get back to my work,” said the little lady. “But make -yourselves at home here. And remember, the girls may pick flowers if -they wish.” And she went back into the house. - -Alice was happy at the chance to pick a few flowers as she had wanted -to make a collection of pressed flowers that would include every -variety they saw on their trip. And in this one garden she found a -sample of every single sort she had seen thus far and two or three new -kinds besides. She took pictures of the garden and of Mary Jane at the -well and then it was time to go. - -As they walked back under the palm trees to the hotel Mary Jane said, -“I think I’d like to live in this place all winter.” - -“I’d like that myself,” said Mrs. Merrill, “but we can’t. To-morrow -morning, bright and early, we’ll be going on. And if you ask me, I’ll -tell you that there’s even more fun at the next place we go to--think -of that!” - - - - -A DAY ON THE BEACH - - -It was with great reluctance that Alice and Mary Jane accompanied their -mother into the bus that was to drive them to the station the next -morning. They had had so much fun in the three full days they had spent -at dear old St. Augustine that it simply didn’t seem possible there -_could_ be as good a time waiting any place else. It was a comfort -though, to know that they might stop a day or two more at the old -Spanish city on their way home. Mrs. Merrill was trying to plan it that -way in the hope that Mr. Merrill could meet them there and have some of -the fun with them. And that was the reason why they had saved the old -fort till the next visit; Mrs. Merrill felt sure that Mr. Merrill could -show the girls the wonders and traditions of the old place better than -she could. - -As the train sped southward through forests and fields Mary Jane forgot -all about being sorry to leave St. Augustine and began to make plans -for the new visit. - -“What’s the name of the place we’re going to next, Mother,” she asked -as they settled themselves cosily on the big observation platform, “and -what we going to do when we get there?” - -“We’re going to Daytona now, dear,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “and if this -fine weather keeps up you’ll have a chance to swim in the really truly -ocean to-morrow.” - -“Couldn’t we do it to-day?” asked Alice who loved swimming. - -“Not very well,” answered her mother. “You see, Daytona isn’t on the -ocean. It’s on a river that runs in from the ocean--I call it a river -though it really is more of a long, slim bay. The beach where you’ll go -swimming is a long way from the hotel where we will stop and to-day I -think we’d better get a bit acquainted with Daytona. You’ll like it I -know.” - -And Mary Jane did like it very much. She liked it from the first minute -she stepped from the train into the bus that was waiting to take them -to the small hotel where rooms were reserved for them. She loved the -broad, modern streets--so different from the narrow foreign looking -ones that had charmed them at St. Augustine, she loved the many, many -beautiful flower beds and the great trees that made the streets look -like huge caves of green. - -The bus was a bit crowded so the girls sat up on the driver’s seat -which they thought was a real lark. This driver was a nice northern boy -of eighteen who by some chance had obtained the job of driving the bus -for the winter. He told the girls that he had two sisters at home just -their ages and that he wished they would ride on the bus with him that -afternoon because he got so homesick for his sisters. - -After they had their luncheon Alice asked her mother if they could -ride. She explained all about what the boy had told them, of -course, and said that he had promised they could see the whole of -Daytona--every bit--if they went with him that afternoon, because his -errands were so scattered. Mrs. Merrill talked with friends who had -been some days at the hotel and all spoke so well of the driver that -Mrs. Merrill gave her consent. And a very proud and gay pair of little -girls perched up on the front seat and drove away about two o’clock. - -“Be very careful, girlies,” said Mrs. Merrill, as the engine began to -hum; “you know I’ll be right here if you want anything. And Mary Jane, -you must do what Alice says for she’s always so good to you. Have a -fine time!” - -Tom surely did take them all over the town. They went down south first, -out into the edge of the country, where they got a man who was to take -a two-thirty train. Then they went north to take some folks who came -on the same train that took the man away. Then they went east across -one of the long bridges and then north and home over another one. Mary -Jane liked those bridges. They were so nice and low and long. But that -wasn’t all. They were toll bridges and each time an auto went across -the driver had to stop at the toll office and pay for the privilege of -driving across. Mary Jane had never heard of such a thing before and -she thought it awfully funny to pay to ride across a bridge. - -By half past four, when Tom brought the girls back, they were old -friends; they’d told him all about their trip so far and about their -plans for swimming to-morrow. And they really felt very well acquainted -with Daytona they had ridden around so much of it. - -Bright and early the next morning the Merrills three were up and -making ready for the trip to the beach. Mrs. Merrill planned to get -their luncheon at the Casino by the bathing beach so there was little -to attend to after breakfast. Bathing suits were tucked into a rubber -bag and then, as soon as the postman had come with the morning mail, -they set out for the beach. The girls were sure they could walk to the -beach; it was only about two miles and they wanted to show their mother -some of the sights they had seen the day before. And really, with -seeing the great palm trees along the river and looking in the shop -windows along Main Street and counting the planks on the bridge--Mary -Jane was determined to count every board--the walk seemed no distance -at all. - -It was just about eleven when they reached the bath house and the crowd -was already assembling. Such a jolly crowd it was too, very happy, and -gay, and full of fun. There were no high waves that day; just nice low -ones, actually made for girls who were not used to the big ocean, and -Mary Jane and Alice could hardly wait till they got into the water. It -wasn’t cold at all--of course it wouldn’t be in that fine, warm sun, -and they could safely wade and swim and play on the sand for an hour or -more. - -After the girls and Mrs. Merrill had been in the water till they were a -bit tired, they sat down on the beach, near the water’s edge, to rest -awhile. Suddenly Mary Jane screamed. “Ugh! Mother! Look! See that funny -bug!” - -“Pooh!” exclaimed Alice laughingly, “it isn’t a bug! It’s a crawdad!” - -“But look,” cried Mary Jane; “he’s gone!” - -To be sure! Even as Mary Jane was watching him, the queer little -crawdad had quickly dug himself a hole in the ground and hidden down -in it. - -[Illustration: “They went in wading after crawdads” _Page 114_] - -“It’s like magic!” cried Mary Jane; “look! There goes another one!” - -“Mary Jane, I’ll tell you what let’s us do!” exclaimed Alice, “let’s -find crawdads on the beach and then watch ’em dig in.” - -“What’ll we put ’em in when we find ’em?” asked Mary Jane excitedly. - -“Oh,” Alice hesitated and looked around, “I know. Put them in here.” -She whisked off her rubber bathing cap and made it into a bag shape and -ran down nearer the water to find the tiny crabs. - -It wasn’t hard to do. Each wave that rolled upon the beach left two or -three of the queer little creatures, but one had to grab very quickly -for the instant the water receded and left them stranded on the sand, -they began to dig themselves in. Mary Jane grabbed at the sand and as -fast as she caught a crab she dropped it into Alice’s cap. - -“Don’t they make your hands feel funny?” she asked as she held one a -second more than she needed to. “I don’t know if I like them and I -don’t know if I don’t.” - -“Ugh!” exclaimed Alice. “I know I don’t like to hold them but I do like -to watch them dig. Come on, sis, we’ve a lot. Let’s go back to mother -and let ’em hide.” - -They raced back to where Mrs. Merrill had been sitting and dumped -their trophies on the sand one at a time. And it really was funny to -see those wiggling little crawdads squirm themselves out of sight in -the sand in such a jiffy! Just a wiggle, wiggle, wiggle and they were -gone--the sand closed up over them as though they had never been there. -Mary Jane tried to poke her finger down into the sand and dig them up; -but the crawdads were too smart for her and not a one did she find! - -“Why don’t you collect some shells to take home,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill after awhile; “there are many pretty kinds here.” - -“I know it, Mother,” answered Alice, “and I was just going to ask you -if we could take any home when Mary Jane found these crawdads. Let’s -start now.” - -But just at that minute the whistle on the bath house blew for one -o’clock--the girls hadn’t guessed it was nearly that late and of course -the minute they knew the time they were starving hungry. - -“Then let’s take one more dip to get the sand off,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill, “before we dress and have lunch. And while our suits dry, you -may collect all the shells you are willing to carry.” - -Down into the water they ran and just in time too for when they heard -a noise they looked up from the water and there, coming quickly to the -earth, was a great aeroplane that landed right at the very spot where -they had been sitting. - -“I do think this is the excitingest beach,” said Mary Jane in an -awestruck voice; “first there’s the ocean and then there’s crawdads and -then an airship. What do you suppose they’ll have next?” - -“Lunch, I hope,” said Alice laughingly, “and I’ll beat you to the bath -house to dress for it.” - -Later when they had had their good luncheon and were sitting on the -veranda of the Casino where they could watch the airship take on a -passenger and sail away toward the north for a long flight, Mary Jane -remembered about the shells. - -“Of course we want to get some,” said Alice; “let’s go now.” - -“You girls start while I see about the bath locker,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill. “Maybe we can arrange to leave our things here till we come -again; then we could carry more shells.” - -When she got down to the beach a little later she found that the girls -had already collected a great pile of shells from the many there were -to be found on the beach. - -“You wouldn’t want to take any but perfect ones home, I’m sure,” said -Mrs. Merrill; “suppose we spread every shell out where it can be seen. -Then we’ll throw all the ones that are not perfect back into the ocean. -The others we’ll take home.” - -Alice and Mary Jane set to work examining the shells and they found -that in their eagerness for collecting they had picked up a good many -that were not worth carrying home. So it was quite a respectable sized -pile they finally decided they wanted to take. - -“There,” said Mary Jane with a sigh of content, when the sorting was -finished, “there they are and if it wasn’t ten miles home, I’d be glad -we had them.” - -“You’ll be glad anyway, dear,” said Mrs. Merrill, “because we’re going -to ride home. I ordered a taxi when I was up at the bath house. Here -it comes now.” - -And sure enough! There it was coming right down by the water to meet -them. Mary Jane was sure the wheels would get stuck in the sand; but -they didn’t; they didn’t even sink in. They just acted as though that -beach was a regular road--which it wasn’t. - -It seemed fine to spin home over the beach, across the bridge and down -the river street, and by the time home was reached Mary Jane was rested -enough to play again. That was a good thing for who should she see on -the hotel porch but Ellen, her little friend from St. Augustine. - -“Why, Ellen!” she exclaimed as she ran from the taxi to greet her; “how -did you get here?” - -“On the train and the bus,” said Ellen happily. “And mother’s here too.” - -“We came down unexpectedly for two days,” explained Mrs. Berry, -“because I found that a dear old friend of mine was here. Can’t we all -plan a picnic for to-morrow?” she added. “The girls will like it and -I know a beautiful place to go--way down the beach and back into the -woods.” - -“Oh, goody! Let’s!” exclaimed Mary Jane, dancing happily; “let’s have a -picnic or something every day.” - -“Seems to me that’s about what you are doing,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, -“but I’m ready for more fun.” While the mothers planned the party, the -three girls went off to find some fun of their own and to talk of what -they would do at the picnic. - - - - -AT SEA IN A STORM - - -There seemed to be a great mystery about that picnic. Mrs. Merrill and -Mrs. Berry wouldn’t let the girls help with the baskets and even kind -Mrs. Trudy, the hostess at the hotel, merely smiled and put her finger -to her lips when the girls asked her what was going on. - -“I think we ought to see what they’re taking to eat,” said Ellen as she -hung on to the porch railing out in front; “maybe we won’t like it.” - -“No danger,” said Alice positively; “mother’s there and she always -makes nice lunches.” - -“But we ought to see it,” insisted Ellen. “I tell you what let’s do. -There’s a window in Aunt Sue’s room” (Aunt Sue was Mrs. Berry’s friend) -“that opens onto a roof, a low roof just by the kitchen. I know ’cause -we had that room ourselves last year. Let’s climb out the window and -peep down into the kitchen.” - -“I don’t know if mother’d like us to peek,” replied Mary Jane -doubtfully, “but we might climb out on the roof and see if we _could_ -peek. And then when we saw if we could we could decide about doing it.” - -“Anyway let’s go,” said Ellen, who had no particular scruples about -peeking. So they ran up stairs and climbed out of Aunt Sue’s window -and sure enough, they could look right down into the kitchen without -half trying. They saw Mrs. Merrill standing by a table and Mrs. Berry -bending over a basket on a chair, but before they really had time to -see what each was doing, Tom came out the kitchen door. - -“Say, girls,” he called, “want a ride? I have to go up to the store for -paper napkins and your mothers say you may go along.” - -“Oh, dear,” said Alice who, being the oldest felt responsible for -letting the girls come out on the roof, “but we’re not down ready to -go.” - -“You will be in a minute,” said Tom laughingly; “watch me.” He went -over to the orange tree near by, picked up the ladder that leaned -against it and set the ladder up to the side of the house. “There you -are, young ladies,” he said proudly; “walk right down!” - -“Ugh!” cried Ellen, “I’m scared to.” - -“No you’re not,” answered Alice; “it’s fun to climb ladders. Here, let -me go first and then I turn around and hold your hand and you won’t be -scared a bit.” - -Nor was she, for Alice showed her how to go down backwards so she could -look up all the time and Ellen thought it so much fun that she wanted -to climb up again just for the fun of coming down. - -“Not to-day,” said Tom, “for we have to be off. You help Mary Jane, -Alice, while I get out the bus. They wanted us to hurry back with the -napkins, you know, because they’re almost through packing the picnic -basket.” - -By the time they came back with the napkins the luncheon was all packed -and the three ladies, hatted and ready to go, were sitting on the -front porch waiting, so there was no more temptation to peek into the -kitchen. In about five minutes the big seven-passenger car that was to -take them on the trip, drove up and they all piled in. - -“Should we take wraps?” asked Mrs. Merrill at the last minute. - -“Wraps!” laughed Mrs. Berry; “look at the sun! We’ll have sunshine all -day if I’m any weather guesser.” - -Alice, being the oldest girl, sat on the front seat with the driver; -Mary Jane and Ellen had the two folding seats in the back and the -three ladies had the long back seat to themselves. - -“And don’t put your feet into the lunch,” warned Alice, as she leaned -back and saw that the precious basket was right between the two little -girls. - -“Hump!” grunted Mary Jane, “think we want stepped-on lunch? We’re just -as particular about the basket as any older body, we are!” - -First they drove across the bridge toward the ocean; then they turned -and started down the long wide beach. - -“We’ll go along here this way for miles and miles,” said the driver to -Alice, “and if you watch you’ll see queer things on the beach.” - -“Queer things?” questioned Alice; “what kind of things?” - -Before the driver had a chance to answer he spied something he wanted -the girls to see and with a skid and a whirl he brought the car to a -sudden stop right down by the edge of the waves. - -“There,” he said, pointing to a lump of something that lay on the sand, -“that’s what I mean. I’ll get it for you.” He jumped out of the car, -picked up the messy looking thing and handed it to Alice. “It’s a jelly -fish,” he explained; “there are lots of them washed up on the beach -here. See, this is the way it sails on the water.” - -The girls looked at the thing in open eyed amazement. They couldn’t -realize that that queer looking mess that looked all the world like -spoiled gelatine, could have been a creature sailing on the water. - -“You just wait,” laughed the driver; “I’ll show you some out in the -water before we turn off this beach.” He kept his word, too. About a -half mile farther down the beach he spied a live jelly fish riding the -waves. When the girls saw _that_ they thought first he must be joking -them for it looked quite a bit like a sail boat some child had made and -which had tipped over and blown out to sea. But when he stopped the car -they could see plainly that it was just such a creature as he had shown -them before. - -“They certainly do have queer folks down at this place,” said Mary -Jane, “queerer folks than live up at my home, I’m sure of that!” - -Soon they turned off of the beach and went back across a bridge to -a great orange orchard Aunt Sue wanted Ellen to see. The owner of -the orchard was expecting them and he himself took them out to where -oranges were being picked and then to the packing room where the golden -fruit was scrubbed and sorted and packed. Mary Jane like the sorting -the best of all. - -“It’s just like a marble game,” she exclaimed excitedly as she watched -the fruit come rolling down the trough. “See! That little one goes in -there and the middle sized one goes in _there_ and the great big orange -goes way down to the end. Let’s stay and watch some more.” - -“Not this time,” replied Mrs. Merrill regretfully; “if we are to have a -picnic we must be on our way because it’s nearly noon now.” - -The orchard man loaded the girls with oranges and tangerines for their -lunch and urged them to come again some time. They sped along the hard -shell road, passed inlet after inlet where the water from the ocean, -rising now with the turn of the tide, came close up to the road; and -finally they turned in at a clean, pretty woods and the car came to a -standstill. - -“This _is_ a nice place,” said Mrs. Merrill to Mrs. Berry, “and we’re -certainly glad you brought us along to your party. Girls, I’ll race you -to that oak tree!” - -The girls, each one, had intended to suggest eating lunch the very -first minute they got out of the car; but they couldn’t let a -challenge like that go by. Off they raced, Alice leading easily as they -neared the great tree which was the goal. - -“Let’s give her a handicap,” Mrs. Merrill said, as they measured up how -very much Alice had beaten; “she’s so old she needs one.” So they made -Alice stand five feet behind as they raced back and then the race came -out exactly a tie. - -“I say the winners get a luncheon for a prize,” suggested Mrs. Merrill, -laughingly; “I think that’s safe when we all won, don’t you?” - -While they had been racing, Mrs. Berry and her friend had spread the -white table cloth and had unpacked most of the tempting food, so each -girl dropped down by the nearest napkin and prepared to be served. -No wonder the ladies had wanted to keep that lunch basket for a -surprise--it was a meal fit for a king and each hungry eater was loud -in the praises of kind Mrs. Trudy who had given them such a feast. -There was fried chicken, each piece frilled with white paper and rolled -up by itself; and sandwiches and rolls and jelly and olives and pickles -and salad and cake and, oh, just everything good a person could think -of. And last of all the real surprise--a can of fine ice cream which -not one had guessed was tucked in under the back seat; no one, that is, -but the driver, whom Mrs. Trudy had let into the secret. - -After lunch was over the girls gathered moss and shells and acorns; -they played games and had such a good time that no one even thought of -home or the sky or weather or anything like that till suddenly Mrs. -Merrill noticed that the sun wasn’t shining. - -“We should have brought wraps after all!” exclaimed Mrs. Berry in -dismay, “but who’d have guessed that this fine day would end in a rain. -Come quick, girlies, we’ll have to bustle our things into the car in a -jiffy and make for home. I know these southern storms and this starts -out like a bad one.” - -Even as she spoke the sky grew suddenly blacker and a great flash of -lightning lit up the woods with a weird light. - -“I never saw anything so sudden!” cried Mrs. Merrill; “look! There’s -a drop of rain now! Hadn’t we better put up the curtains on the car -before we start? It would be a bad thing for us to get wet so far from -home.” - -The three ladies helped and the girls held curtains from the inside so -the job didn’t take very long. But even that little time made a great -difference. The great drops of water came faster and faster and the -driver got soaked when he jumped out to lock the gate that led from -woods to road. - -“There’s no one on the road, driver,” said Aunt Sue, as they started -north, “so let her out. The roads are good and we can get home through -the woods if you drive fast so as to make it before the roads get too -soaked.” - -On they dashed; past bridges, woods, gullies and inlets. They were -taking the inside road as that would get them home quicker than the -beach road they had used coming down. The girls thought it was a lark -to sit cuddled up safe and dry in the car while the lightning flashed -and the rain beat upon the leather roof over their heads. - -On they went, past more woods and orchards and creeks, all the time -having near them on one side or the other the wide stretches of water -that now, at high tide, came up so close to the road. The shell road -made fine driving but no one, not even the driver who was used to that -country, realized how very slick the road might be in such a storm. -On, and on, through the lightning that lit up the dark shadows of the -groves they raced past. - -And then a sudden whirl--a slip--a splash! The car had skidded from the -road into the bay and stood hub deep in a vast inlet of water. - - - - -WALKING THE PLANK - - -For a minute all seven folks in that car were too amazed to speak; -then, suddenly every one began to talk at once. - -“Will we sail out to sea?” asked Mary Jane. - -“Driver, do you know when the tide is high?” from Mrs. Merrill. - -“Of course, there’ll be no one along this road while the storm lasts!” -cried Mrs. Berry. - -“Will we just sit here and drown?” exclaimed Ellen. - -“I guess I’ll swim ashore!” laughed Alice, who thought the experience a -lark it was so unusual. - -And as they talked the lightning flashed and sparkled; the thunder -roared deafeningly and the rain on the car and on the water around -them made so much noise they had to yell to make each other hear. - -Suddenly Mrs. Merrill happened to think of time. She glanced at her -watch and exclaimed, “It’s four o’clock! If I recall rightly from -yesterday on the beach that’s nearly high tide. If that’s the case the -water won’t get any higher.” - -“What’s tide?” asked Mary Jane. - -“It’s the rising and falling of the water, dear,” said Mrs. Merrill. -“Twice a day the water spreads out a few feet over the land and twice a -day it goes back. Some other time I’ll tell you more about it. If the -water doesn’t come up much deeper here we’ll not be in any real danger -and I think we’d better sit still till the storm goes over. Surely such -a hard storm will not last long.” - -So they tried to settle themselves comfortably for a long wait. But -it wasn’t easy. The roar of the thunder and the water and the weird -light from the storm’s bright flashes made them all uneasy. They -played twenty questions and they counted the seconds on Mrs. Merrill’s -watch between the lightning and the thunder. But nothing seemed very -interesting. - -“I’ll tell you what let’s do,” suggested Mrs. Berry, “let’s talk about -where we are going and what we plan to see before we go back up north. -That will be fun.” - -And it was. Mrs. Merrill said she and the girls planned to go back to -Jacksonville in a day or two where they hoped to meet Mr. Merrill. - -“You don’t mean to tell me,” exclaimed Mrs. Berry, “that these girls -are going home without a ride up the Ocklawaha? That seems a shame!” - -“The Ocklawaha?” questioned Mrs. Merrill; “I don’t believe I know that -trip.” - -“Then you surely must take it,” said Mrs. Berry; “the girls will love -riding on that great, queer boat through the wild forests where they -can see alligators and snakes and turtles and orange groves and Indian -battle fields and everything, right close at hand. When we get home -I’ll show you the folders.” - -“Do they have really truly alligators growing outside a fence?” asked -Mary Jane, her eyes big with wonder. - -“Do they?” answered Mrs. Berry vigorously; “you just wait and see! -Alligators along the banks and in the water and right near the boat.” - -“Ugh!” exclaimed Mary Jane, as a sudden thought struck her; “are there -any here?” - -“I hope not,” said Mrs. Berry with a shiver; “no, girls, I was just -joking,” she added as she saw the three girls glance fearfully at the -water; “alligators like jungles and heavy vegetation. They would never -come up so near a road--you may be sure of that.” - -“Listen!” exclaimed Alice suddenly; “wasn’t that thunder farther away?” - -The driver loosened the front curtain and peered out. Yes, the storm -was going away, that was plain to see. The thunder was getting fainter -every minute, the lightning was only a glow and the rain had nearly -stopped. - -“I do believe it’s going away as quickly as it came,” said Aunt Sue -hopefully. “What time is it now anyway?” - -“Five o’clock,” replied Mrs. Merrill; “how’s the tide, driver?” - -“Going down,” he answered; “see? It’s below the running board a-ready. -I guess I’ll see if I can start her up.” He pressed the button on his -starter and the wheels of the auto began to spin but the car didn’t -move an inch. “Just as I was afraid!” he muttered; “stuck in the mud. -I’ll wade to shore and walk down the road till I come to a house where -I can get help to pull us out. I reckon you’ll all be safe enough.” He -pulled off his shoes and socks, waded to shore and set off up the road. -By this time the rain had stopped and the sun was breaking through the -clouds, so sitting in a car out in the water seemed much less dismal. - -He hadn’t been gone more than fifteen minutes before an auto pulled up -in front of the stranded car and out jumped the driver and two men. -“I met ’em up the road,” their driver explained, “and we’ve brought a -plank and a rope.” - -“Yes, we’ll soon have you all out and a-riding home,” said one of the -men. - -First they laid the great long plank from the road to the running board -of the car. Then Mrs. Merrill, who had been loosening the curtains, -stepped out to walk to shore. - -“Better let the little lady go first to see if it’s all right,” -suggested the driver. “Here, Alice, your mother can hold you to start -and I’ll meet you to finish.” - -So Alice climbed out and holding tightly to her mother’s out-stretched -hand, started the scary looking walk to shore. The plank did tip and -sway, but the men stood on the shore end so it would not slip and she -made the journey safely. - -“That wasn’t hard a bit!” exclaimed Alice; “I’d like to do it again!” - -“One at a time, please, one at a time,” laughed the driver. “You’ll be -playing pirate first thing you know--I remember I used to read about -walking the plank in pirate books, though goodness knows it wasn’t -anything like this! Who’s coming next?” - -Mrs. Merrill lifted Mary Jane out and set her on the plank; then she -walked close behind and held onto the little girl’s shoulders as they -slowly crept to shore. Mrs. Berry came next with Ellen held in front -of her the same way and last of all Aunt Sue. Then the men waded out, -tied the heavy rope onto the car, fastened it onto their own machine -and with a great tugging and pulling and jerking the car was pulled -loose from the river bed and dragged up onto the road. - -“There you are!” exclaimed one of the men, “all ready to drive. Now, -young man,” he said to the driver, “suppose you see if your engine’s -damaged and then we’ll be going.” While the driver inspected his engine -Mrs. Merrill paid the two men for their trouble so that when the engine -was found to be unharmed they started home at once. The water had -drained off the hard shell roads very quickly and the drive home was -not half so unpleasant as might have been expected. - -In a very short time they came to a stop in front of their own hotel. -“Well, I surely am glad to be back!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill. - -“And we surely are glad to have you here safe and sound!” cried good -Mrs. Trudy coming out to greet them. “We’ve all been anxious about you. -Did the storm hit your way?” - -“Did it?” answered Mrs. Merrill; “ask the girls!” - -The three girls began talking at once and it was a wonder Mrs. Trudy -could hear a thing. - -“I just knew something had happened when you were so late,” she said -when the girls stopped for breath. “And you must be starved--did you -know it’s after seven? I saved some hot dinner for you so run right in -and eat it.” - -Other guests had long finished eating but they followed the little -party into the dining room and listened to the story of the exciting -experience. But after dinner was eaten and the story had been told -and re-told till every one had heard it many a time, the girls found -they were tired and nobody, for a wonder, objected when Mrs. Merrill -suggested going to their rooms. - -“Oh dear,” said Mrs. Trudy, suddenly, “where did he put that box? Tom -had something for you, Mary Jane, and he was so particular you should -have it first thing when you came home but for the life of me I don’t -know where it is!” She hunted around diligently for a minute or two and -then said, “Well, he must have taken it off with him. You’d better get -to bed, little lady, so you can get up early in the morning and see -what it is.” - -“Can’t you tell?” coaxed Mary Jane. - -“Tell!” exclaimed Mrs. Trudy. “I should say I couldn’t! Tom will tell -you himself because it’s his. He comes early you know, so you may come -down the first minute you are dressed and I’ll wager he’ll be looking -for you.” - -“Won’t you even _hint_?” asked Mary Jane as she started up the stairs. - -“Well,” laughed Mrs. Trudy, “I might tell you that it’s alive and -it’s red or brown or green or yellow--I don’t know which just at this -minute--if that’s any help to you.” - -“I guess I might as well go to bed,” said Mary Jane after she had -thought hard for a minute, “’cause that doesn’t help a bit. I guess -I’ll just have to go to bed and get up in the morning, I guess I will.” - - - - -CATCHING THE BOAT - - -When Mary Jane went down stairs the next morning she spied a queer -looking box with holes cut in the sides lying on the big table in the -office. - -“Now I wonder if that’s it?” she thought. “And I wonder if I can look -at it now.” - -Fortunately, she didn’t have to wonder long. Tom was sitting in a -corner reading the paper while waiting for her and as soon as he heard -her whisper he bobbed up and said good morning. - -“Look what I’ve got for you!” he exclaimed as he gave her the box. -“No,” he added as he saw she hesitated about taking the cover off, “you -don’t need to be afraid. I think he’s too sleepy to run away. Look and -see what it is.” - -Mary Jane carefully lifted off the cover and there inside, nestled down -on the grass, was a tiny little creature, about three inches long, with -bead-like black eyes and a tail fully as long as his body. - -“What is it?” cried Mary Jane; “it looks like a baby alligator only -they’re brown.” - -“Yes, it does look something like that,” agreed Tom, “but it isn’t an -alligator. It’s a chameleon.” - -“A chameleon?” repeated Mary Jane; “what’s a chameleon?” - -Alice came running down the stairs just in time to hear what Mary Jane -said. “I know,” she cried eagerly, “it’s a creature that changes its -color.” - -“But this doesn’t change any color,” said Mary Jane skeptically; -“this’n green.” - -“Yes,” said Tom, “because it’s on green grass. You just wait and I’ll -show you.” He picked up the little creature by its tail and, holding it -gently, laid it on the brown table cover. To the girls’ amazement the -brilliant green color faded and like magic the creature before them was -all of brown. - -“Oh!” exclaimed Mary Jane, in an awe-struck voice; “what makes it do -it?” - -“They say,” replied Tom, “that it’s got a set of air cells that catch -the color of whatever the creature’s on. But I don’t believe they -really for sure certain know what _does_ do it.” - -“But that’s not yellow!” said Mary Jane, remembering that Mrs. Trudy -had said three colors. - -“Of course not,” laughed Tom, “because the table cover’s brown. Here, -you put it on Alice’s yellow dress and see what happens.” - -Very gingerly, Mary Jane picked up the little creature and laid it in -Alice’s lap. And sure enough! Like magic again the chameleon changed -its color--this time a golden yellow that was streaked a bit with -brown at the sides--made it look utterly unlike the green animal Mary -Jane had first seen in the box. - -“I think that’s the wonderfulest thing I ever saw,” she exclaimed. “I’m -just going to change it around all day and see what it does.” - -Fortunately Mrs. Merrill had made no special plans for that day. She -thought that if they were to take the boat trip so recommended to them, -the girls had better have a day of rest and quiet play before they set -off. So Mary Jane had plenty of time to play with her chameleon to her -heart’s content. Later in the morning, Tom found one for Alice too and -they made a nest for them out in the fern box on the big front porch. - -There were things to do besides play with the chameleons too. The yard -was full of squirrels which would eat out of the girls’ hands. And back -of the house a beautifully shaded canal proved to be the home of many -sorts and sizes of turtles. So interesting did the girls find their -play that they didn’t care to leave it even for a walk up town when -Mrs. Merrill decided that she would go up and get the boat tickets for -to-morrow. - -The first thing Mary Jane heard the next morning was her mother’s voice -saying, “Alice! Mary Jane! Do wake up quickly! We’ve over slept and the -train goes in an hour and a half. Lucky I packed up the trunk and all -your shells last night for we’ll have to fly now.” - -The girls tumbled out of bed in a jiffy. They had talked with folks in -the hotel the evening before about the Ocklawaha River trip and they -were eager to take it. So it needed no urging to get them tubbed and -dressed and down to the dining room in short order. - -“You’ve plenty of time,” said Mrs. Trudy reassuringly; “your trunk -will go right now--I’ll tend to that and Tom is ready to drive you to -the station, so take your time at breakfast. The train doesn’t go till -nine, you know.” - -Later Mrs. Merrill had looked over her mail and the girls had said -good-by to all their new friends and were just getting into the station -bus when the telephone rang. “Train’s an hour late,” said Mrs. Trudy as -she hung up the receiver, “aren’t you glad you did not rush more?” - -“But will that give us plenty of time to make the boat?” asked Mrs. -Merrill; “let’s see--two hours for the trip and the boat goes at twelve -forty-five. Yes, that ought to be plenty of time. Girls, you may run -out and take a last look at your chameleons if you like.” That was -welcome permission. Of course they had wanted to take the chameleons -home with them but Mrs. Merrill thought it wasn’t possible as they were -stopping so many places en route. But it was fun to hunt them up and -play a few minutes with their changing colors. - -As the minutes went by Mrs. Merrill became uneasy and a second -telephone message bringing news that the train was an hour and a half -late confirmed her suspicion that they might have trouble making -connections. - -“I think I’ll phone the agency where I got the tickets,” she said -finally. “Perhaps they will wire and have the boat held for us.” The -ticket lady was most reassuring and was certain that the boat would -wait so Mrs. Merrill felt comforted. But it was eleven o’clock when the -train finally came and it lost more time all the way up. - -“Girls,” said Mrs. Merrill, as they neared their station at half -past one, “get your bags and camera ready for a dash. If I see a car -anywhere around the station I’ll take it in a jiffy and we’ll drive as -fast as possible for that boat. I have an uneasy feeling that they -won’t wait this long for us and I don’t want to lose a minute’s time.” - -They stepped off the train the instant it stopped and Mrs. Merrill ran -toward a small car that, with chugging engine and waiting driver, stood -near by. - -“Will you take us to the boat?” she cried eagerly. - -“Sure, lady,” said the driver cheerfully; “pile right in.” - -Grabbing the luggage the girls carried, a small bag and Alice’s camera, -Mrs. Merrill tossed it with her own bag into the back, pushed the girls -in and, jumping in herself, slammed the door behind her. And that same -instant a man who evidently had been up at the front of the train -jumped in the front seat by the driver, and with a lurch the car dashed -away. - -“The boat, you know,” said Mrs. Merrill as soon as she got her breath; -“we want the Ocklawaha boat.” - -“Sure, lady,” said the man, “we’ll make it.” He waved a yellow telegram -before her, but with the jolting of the car and the rush of the wind, -Mrs. Merrill couldn’t tell what it said nor could she hear the rest of -his words. - -“Well, no use getting excited,” she said, sitting back where she could -brace herself better. “Evidently they wired to meet us here and that -certainly was thoughtful. Hang on to the seat there, Mary Jane, or -you’ll bounce out, child,” she added quickly as an extra big lurch of -the car threatened to toss Mary Jane out over the side. - -On they dashed through the noon sunshine: past houses and streets and -out into the open country. And no sign of a boat landing anywhere. - -“Something’s wrong, I know,” said Mrs. Merrill with concern. “I know -we’ve been at least four miles and the boat landing was only two -miles from the station. They’ve got to stop and tell me where they are -going.” She braced herself firmly and then reached front and shouted to -the driver. - -“Stop! Stop right here! I told you I want to go to the boat landing and -you’re not taking us in that direction.” - -The driver slowed up a bit so they could talk better but he didn’t -stop. The man with him swung around in his seat and began to explain. - -“The boat isn’t at the landing, lady,” he said much to Mrs. Merrill’s -dismay; “she left an hour back.” - -“Then where are you taking us?” demanded Mrs. Merrill. - -“To the boat,” he said. “You see it’s this way, lady. The first part of -that trip is on the St. John’s River and right here” (he swung his arm -off to the left) “the river makes a bend. We had to let the boat go on -time because folks don’t like to wait, but we’ll take you across the -bend straight, you see, and catch the boat at the first stop. We can do -in half an hour in this car what it takes her about an hour and a half -to do on the water. Never you fear, now, you’ll catch the boat right -enough, lady.” - -“Then we might as well enjoy the ride,” said Mrs. Merrill to the girls -as, fairly satisfied with his explanation, she settled back in her -place. - -“If you call this enjoying,” laughed Alice, as she tossed from front to -back as they sped over the rough road. - -“Here,” said Mrs. Merrill, “let me sit in the middle and hold each of -you.” Alice moved over and Mrs. Merrill sat in the middle of the seat -with an arm around each girl. “Now we have the fun of knowing that if -any one bounces out we all will!” - -None too soon did they brace themselves either, for at that minute -the driver turned off from the road into a woods. If the road had -been rough, there’s no describing the roughness of the rude path they -followed through the woods. Hardly more than a trail it was and over it -they bumped and tossed and hurried down a hill, through the trees and -out onto a rude dock on the bank of a great river. - -“Boat come yet?” asked the driver of a lone fisherman. - -“Yeh,” he replied, “she come an’ gone fifteen minutes er-go!” - -Mrs. Merrill exclaimed with dismay but the driver didn’t stop for -consultation. With a whirl of his wheel that sent the car spinning he -turned around and dashed back up the hill. - -“Girls,” said Mrs. Merrill solemnly, “I think he’s crazy. But all I can -see for us to do is to sit still and hang together. Maybe sometime -we’ll get somewhere--let’s hope. Here, Mary Jane, snug up close so you -won’t bounce out!” - -And turning onto the road, the car dashed off toward the south. - - - - -ON THE OCKLAWAHA - - -It seemed to Mary Jane that she surely must be in a funny dream. It -couldn’t be possible that folks, really live, wide-awake folks, would -go racing over the country in a strange car as they were racing; and -she glanced up at her mother questioningly to see if she too was -thinking it queer. But Mrs. Merrill, her arms around her two daughters, -was looking straight ahead in a puzzled way and Mary Jane couldn’t -guess what she was thinking about. - -The little car raced on. Through sandy roads that would have stalled a -heavier machine; across bridges; through woods dim with the shelter of -moss laden trees; by small fields where they caught glimpses of tiny -truck gardens--they dashed. - -“Government camphor reservation!” shouted the driver over his shoulder -as they drove between rows and rows of low, close-cropped trees set -in neat orderly fashion and the Merrills got a whiff of the smell of -camphor as they rushed by the rough factory where the camphor leaves -are crushed to make the drug so many folks use. - -“Now we’ll _have_ to stop!” said Mrs. Merrill with a sigh of relief -as they swung around a short curve and came upon a toll bridge at the -end of which stood an old man, hand out-stretched for his fee. But she -didn’t know the driver! He didn’t intend to stop for mere toll--not he! - -“Pay you on the way back,” shouted the driver and on they rode. - -After what seemed, oh at least a day! but which really was only an -hour, the car slowed up in a tiny village and rolled down a hill to a -fishing dock by the St. Johns river. - -“There we are!” said the driver as he brought the car to a full stop -and, jumping out, opened the door with a flourish. “In plenty of time -too, I’ll say!” He helped Mrs. Merrill and the girls out, then rubbing -his hands in satisfaction added, “I guess that’ll please him--no, -lady,” as he saw Mrs. Merrill reaching for her purse; “you don’t owe me -a cent--not a cent! Glad to do it for him!” - -“For who?” asked Mrs. Merrill, puzzled but greatly relieved because she -had begun to be anxious about the hole this ride might leave in her -pocket book! - -“For Mr. Merrill,” replied the driver, “aren’t you Mrs. C. F. Merrill?” - -“Yes,” said Mrs. Merrill, still puzzled. - -“Just so,” replied the driver; “well, you see, last time he was down -here I was a-working in Jacksonville and he did me a good turn. Now I’m -a workin’ with the boat folks and when we see by the agent’s telegram -that it’s you that’s late, seys I to them, ‘Now’s when I do _them_ a -good turn’--see? So here you are and the boat’ll be comin’ along in a -minute.” - -“I hope it does,” said Alice. - -“And I hope it’s got a pantry on it cause I’m about starved,” said Mary -Jane fervently. - -“Sure faith!” exclaimed the man; “of course you are and it’s most four -o’clock! Well, let’s see what we can do for you!” He turned to go up -the hill in the hope that he might find some fruit in an orchard near -at hand, but he hadn’t gone a dozen steps before a long, low whistle in -the distance sent him hurrying back. - -“There she comes!” he shouted, “I hear her! Look!” - -Mrs. Merrill and the girls looked up the river and sure enough, -swinging around the bend of the river was the boat they were waiting -for. The driver and his companion hurried down to the dock and put up -a great red flag they found in the dock house, then fearing that that -might not be enough, they brought the dust robe from the car and waved -it too. In a couple of minutes a reassuring “toot-toot!” from the boat -gave back the answer they were waiting for and they knew the captain -had seen their signal and would stop at the dock. - -There was just time to thank the men for the ride, which, now that it -was safely over, the Merrills realized had been a very interesting one, -and to get bags and camera from the car before the boat sidled up to -the dock. - -“Can’t stop to tie up!” shouted the Captain, as the boat brushed the -weather worn dock; “jump aboard!” There was just barely time for the -Merrills to jump from the dock to the broad open lower deck; then a -bell rang, the engines again began working and the space between boat -and dock widened--they were off. Mary Jane and Alice waved good-by -to the men on the dock and Mrs. Merrill turned to greet the waiting -captain. - -“I am afraid you have had a hurried ride,” he said, politely, “but -the gentleman yonder,” he waved his hand toward the dock, “who is now -our advertising man, was sure he could meet us at the other dock and -he wanted you to take the trip. It seems he feels indebted to your -husband.” - -“We certainly are indebted to him,” said Mrs. Merrill, “for the nice -ride--though it did seem a bit hurried at the time” (she smiled at -the girls as they all thought of the wild jolting!)--“and for getting -us to the boat in time. We go back north soon and we would have been -sorry to miss the trip. But I wonder if my little girls could have some -lunch--they haven’t had a bite since breakfast.” - -For answer the captain rang a bell for the steward and the order he -gave made the girls hungrier than ever. “Ham,” he said, “browned to a -turn, all the fresh eggs they can eat and some of your good biscuits. -Can you have that in twenty minutes?” - -“Yis sir, yis sir, bery good, sir!” said the darky steward, smiling -broadly at the hungry folks, “and if you like, sir, they’s jest a few -more strawberries than I’ll be a needin’ fo’ suppa to-night. If the -little ladies would like to eat them a-while they’re a-waitin’?” - -Would they? Mary Jane’s face shone and Alice smiled so sweetly that -the steward nearly tumbled over his feet in his eagerness to get them -comfortably settled at once. Upon the broad second deck a table was -set--“we won’t ask you to sit in doors this time of day,” said the -captain, “because you’ll want to see the scenery as we just now turn -from the St. Johns into the Ocklawaha.” And on the table were three big -dishes of great, red, luscious strawberries. - -“Yumy yum!” exclaimed Alice; “Mother, do you know what Dadah did to get -us all this?” - -“I haven’t an idea,” replied Mrs. Merrill; “he’s always doing things -for folks, I know, but I never heard him speak of anything special down -this way. Whatever he did though, I’m glad he did it--it certainly is -lucky for us that these folks have good memories.” - -Mary Jane and Alice felt like queens as they sat there eating their -berries and real cream and smelling the odors of broiling ham that came -invitingly up the companionway. - -“I’m glad we hurried up and got the boat!” exclaimed Mary Jane -appreciatively as she scraped up the last bit of cream and the last -half berry she had saved for a final tit-bit, “and I’m _very_ glad -we’re on a boat that has a pantry, _I_ am!” - -“Wouldn’t you like to look over the boat and find your rooms?” asked -the captain some half an hour later; “in a few minutes we’ll be turning -into the narrow Ocklawaha and then all my attention will be taken up -with the steering. I like to have all my passengers comfortably settled -so they will feel at home aboard.” - -Mrs. Merrill, Alice and Mary Jane followed him around the boat which -they thought the most curious they had even seen. It looked like a -great two story house with porches front and back and a pilot house set -on the upstairs front porch. Of course it was flat bottomed, for the -small river they would travel was too shallow in places for any other -sort of boat. The captain told them that even though it drew but two -feet of water it often went aground and had to be pushed off shore by -means of great poles--“that’s the reason we have to carry such a big -crew,” he added. - -Inside were two floors with bedrooms--staterooms Mary Jane found they -were called--all around the sides of each. Mrs. Merrill’s rooms, two of -them, were side by side on the upper floor; that was nice for it was -easy to speak through the thin wooden wall that was the only partition. - -“But I see the wooden shutter is nailed shut,” said Mrs. Merrill as she -stepped into the larger room and attempted to raise the old fashioned -sliding shutter. “We’re fresh air fiends, Captain,” she explained -laughingly, “and I guess I’ll have to trouble you to raise that blind.” - -“Well, er--well,” said the captain hesitatingly. - -“Of course if it’s too much trouble,” said Mrs. Merrill, in a puzzled -voice. - -“Not a bit,” answered the captain, “not a bit. But you see, in the -night we go through pretty wild country and the trees over-hang the -boat. It doesn’t often happen,” he added half apologizing, “but -occasionally a snake drops off a tree and gets in if the window is -open.” - -“Ugh!” shivered Mrs. Merrill, “between snakes and no air, I think I’ll -take the poor air _one_ night! I had no idea we were going through such -wild regions!” she added a bit skeptically. - -When they returned to the deck after they had arranged their bags and -seen to covers for the night, they were amazed at the difference in the -scenery. The boat had left the big St. Johns River and was twisting -and turning up the winding little Ocklawaha which was wild enough to -satisfy any one. The girls found two other children on the deck, Ned -and Katherine Ritter of New York, and the four of them sat at the very -front of the boat and kept count of the creatures, snakes, turtles, -squirrels and wild hogs that they saw on the bank. Ned counted the -snakes because they were the worst. Alice had the turtles because they -were the hardest to see; Katherine did the squirrels and Mary Jane the -hogs--she liked those the best because they made such fearful grunting -noises--noises that made a person glad they were on a boat counting -instead of walking in those deep woods. - -After supper the passengers all came out on the deck again and the deep -night of the forest was weirdly lit up by a great searchlight that -flashed from the top of the boat; it made the trees and mosses look -like a great fairyland of dreams. - -“Couldn’t I just go to sleep in my chair here?” asked Mary Jane when -her mother suggested bed time; “I’m so comfy here.” - -“Indeed no!” laughed Mrs. Merrill; “you’d be stiff as a poker in the -morning. I’ll go in with you and Alice and stay till you get in bed, -then in about an hour I’m coming to bed too. You know we want to be up -early in the morning.” - -“What do we do in the morning?” asked Mary Jane, slipping out of the -chair and taking her mother’s hand. - -“Oh, we ride on the boat till ten o’clock and then we stop at an orange -grove and then we ride some more. And I shouldn’t wonder but what we’d -see some of those alligators you’ve been wanting to see. To-morrow’s -the time for them.” - -“Then I’ll go to bed quick,” said Mary Jane willingly, “’cause I want -to be up and see ’em before Ned does. ’Cause the first one who see ’em -gets to count ’em.” - -“Good night, Mr. Captain,” she called as they passed the pilot house, -“I’m going to see alligators in the morning.” And in barely ten -minutes, Mary Jane was sound asleep. - - - - -“HELP YOURSELVES, CHILDREN! HELP YOURSELVES!” - - -“Those girls won’t be awake for an hour yet!” said a voice just -outside Mary Jane’s window the next morning; “I’ll bet I see the first -alligator all right!” But Ned Ritter shouldn’t have been so sure! He -little guessed that as he was taking his early morning walk around the -boat with his father, he made that rash remark just outside the Merrill -girls’ window. And still less did he guess that Alice, just waking up, -heard him. - -“Mary Jane! Mary Jane!” she whispered; “let’s get up!” - -No answer. - -“I’ll have to wake her,” said Alice to herself. She bent over the edge -of the upper berth where she was sleeping and gave Mary Jane’s elbow a -vigorous pull. Mary Jane was that surprised she sat straight up in bed -even before she opened her eyes. - -“Where is it?” she asked, evidently thinking of alligators. - -“Goodness knows!” laughed Alice in a more natural voice now, for Ned -and his father had walked out of hearing. “But if we want to see -anything first, we’d better be getting up, Mary Jane, because Ned’s out -on deck and maybe Katherine is too.” - -“Let’s ask mother if we can’t get up now,” suggested Mary Jane and she -tapped on the partition. They had made up a code before they went to -bed the night before so Mrs. Merrill knew exactly what they meant to -say. One tap meant “Mother, are you there?” two taps meant “Please I -want a drink,” and three taps meant “Is it time to get up?” - -“I was just listening for those taps,” said Mrs. Merrill, at the door -of the stateroom; “open the door, girls, and I’ll help you dress. I’m -all ready and you want to get out doors as soon as you can--it’s a -beautiful morning!” - -With her help at buttons and with their hair the dressing business went -very quickly and in a very few minutes all three were out on the deck. - -“No alligators yet,” Ned’s disappointed voice greeted them. - -“I should say not!” laughed the captain who went by just in time to -hear what was said. “Wait till the sun gets up high and the air is -hotter--then you’ll see them! Had breakfast yet?” - -After breakfast he took the four children up by his pilot house and let -them sit on a bench there that gave them a fine view of the river and -woods. But though they looked and watched till their eyes ached, not a -’gator did they see! - -“I don’t believe there are any,” exclaimed Alice in disgust, “and I’m -going to walk around the back of the boat. When we go around that bend -we’re coming to I’m sure I can pull some leaves off that great tree. -And I’d love to have them in my collection--‘leaves pulled from the -boat on the Ocklawaha’--wouldn’t that look well in my book?” - -“I think I’ll go too,” said Katherine, who, when she saw how interested -Alice was in her collection, immediately wanted to make one for herself. - -“I think I’ll fish,” said Ned; “Father said once he caught a turtle -from the boat.” And he too disappeared from the captain’s deck. - -Mary Jane, left alone, couldn’t quite make up her mind what to do. It -wasn’t any fun staying up there all alone, for the captain was so busy -with his steering that he wasn’t a bit of company; she had a notion to -go to the back of the boat with the other girls. - -Just as she was slipping down from the bench she heard a splash at the -bank on the south side of the river, and looking quickly, she spied a -great log floating slowly down the stream. - -“What made that log fall in?” she asked curiously; “I didn’t see -anybody push it!” - -Splash! There went another one! - -“Funny!” exclaimed Mary Jane to herself now much interested; “now what -made _that_ one go, I wonder.” Just then Mrs. Merrill came to the foot -of the ladder leading to the captain’s deck. - -“All right, Mary Jane?” she asked; “want some company?” - -“’Deed yes, Mother,” cried the little girl; “do come up here and see -these funny logs! What makes them fall into the river when nobody -pushes them? There!” she exclaimed, excitedly, “there goes another -one!” - -Mrs. Merrill looked quickly to where Mary Jane pointed and was just in -time to see--a great alligator go sliding into the water! - -“Those aren’t logs,” she said, “those are alligators, child! Quick! -Let’s call to the others so they can see them too!” But just as she -spoke the captain’s voice rang out, “Alligators on the left!” and all -the passengers rushed over to see the great creatures as they floated, -log-like, down the river. - -“That was a good sight,” said the captain; “you must be a mascot, Mary -Jane; because we haven’t seen three together yet this season.” - -The Merrills found the trip all that it had been promised them. They -saw great virgin forests where the trees locked arms over the river; -they saw Indian battlefields and Indian burying grounds and then later -in the morning, the forests cleared away and about eleven o’clock -the boat stopped by an orange grove and everybody piled off for -refreshments. - -“Eat all you can,” said the owner cordially, “but all you want to -carry away, you have to pay for. Just help yourselves, children, help -yourselves!” he added as the children hesitated. - -“Goody!” said Alice; “this is the first time I ever had the chance to -save money by eating! Come on, Mary Jane, let’s begin!” - -The pretty little orchard lay on the side of a hill and the orange and -lemon and tangerine and kumquot trees were set in neat rows on either -side of the walk that led up to the house at the top. The trees were -young and the children could easily reach the branches and pick their -own fruit. - -“I like oranges best,” said Katherine, running to a pretty orange tree. - -“I’m after tangerines,” called Alice as she spied a tree of her -favorites not far away. - -“Well, I don’t want lemons--sour old things!” exclaimed Mary Jane -when she saw that she had picked the wrong tree; “I want those little -things.” - -“Kumquots,” said Mrs. Merrill; “I do too, dear. Here’s a tree.” - -It was fun to pick the fruit directly from the long hanging branches; -and still more fun to suck the sweet juice with which the golden fruit -was filled. - -“Who’d have guessed,” exclaimed Alice, “that tangerines could be so -juicy--not I!” - -But after a little while, appetites were satisfied and the children -wanted to play. - -“I’ll tell you what let’s do,” suggested Mary Jane after she had eaten -about a dozen kumquots and had decided that she simply couldn’t eat -another suck; “let’s play house and each tree’ll be a house and that -great big old tree’ll be a hotel.” - -“And we’ll dress up and be queens and go to visit,” added Alice. - -“How you going to dress up in an orange orchard where there aren’t any -clothes?” asked Katherine. - -“Oh, you don’t have to have real clothes to dress up in--not every -time, you don’t,” said Mary Jane scornfully; “Alice can fix it--you -see!” and she turned to hear her sister’s plan. - -“We’ll make crowns out of orange leaves,” said Alice, quickly picking -a few and weaving them together; “see how pretty and glossy they are. -Just put them on your head this way, Katherine. There! That’s becoming! -Now you make a bigger one and I’ll do one for Mary Jane and for me. You -girls pick the leaves for me so I can make them quickly.” - -“Then if we’re queens we shouldn’t live in a house, should we?” asked -Katherine. - -“I should say _not_!” exclaimed Mary Jane. “These aren’t houses,” she -added, waving her hand grandly toward the trees nearest at hand; “these -are palaces--your palace and Alice’s palace and mine. And that big one -over there we were going to have be a hotel, it’s a banquet hall now.” - -Just as the royal play was getting well under way a man came around -with paper bags. “Put all the fruit you want to buy in these,” he -announced, “and pay for it at the dock when you get aboard the boat.” - -“Let’s not bother,” said Katherine; “we don’t want to stop playing.” - -“We don’t have to,” replied Alice laughingly, and she picked up the bag -the man had laid under her tree; “these are cloth of gold sacks and -we’ll fill them with gold nuggets to take to the good queen mother.” - -“Why, so we can!” cried Katherine happily; “come on, let’s hurry and -get a lot!” - -It was a good thing they did hurry for even so the boat’s great whistle -sounded before the bags were full and the captain’s call through a -megaphone urged them to hurry aboard. - -“Well, seems to me you don’t intend to be hungry for a few days,” said -Mrs. Merrill laughingly as she saw what full bags the children were -carrying. “I thought you were too busy playing to pick any and so I got -enough for us all. But never mind,” she added, as she saw the girls -were looking disappointed; “it’s all so good and it’s wholesome eating -too, so we’ll keep it if you don’t mind carrying it.” - -The rest of that day’s wonderful ride seemed to Mary Jane like living -in a picture show. Not long after they left the orange orchard the -great boat turned into the tiny Clear River that runs into the -Ocklawaha and it almost seemed as if the broad decks were spreading -over the whole of the little stream! Here the water was clear as -crystal and the girls could see every fish and turtle and water snake -that scurried out of their way as they steamed up stream. In the -bright noon sunshine they came into the little lake at the head of the -stream and there they got out of the big boat and were rowed around in -a small glass bottomed boat. It seemed awfully queer to look through -the glass at their feet and see the bubbling of the hidden springs and -to watch the bright colored pebbles and stones that tumbled about deep -down among the rocks like gay pieces of confetti tossed about in the -sunshine. - -Then there was the scramble into the big touring car, the drive across -country to Ocala, luncheon at the queer station dining room where Mary -Jane, for the first time in her life, had the fun of sitting up to a -counter to eat, and the rush for the train that was to take them up to -Jacksonville and Dadah. - -“Well,” said Mary Jane with a sigh of relief as she sank into the -comfortable Pullman seat, “I just a-going to sit here all afternoon -and think and think and think--I am!” But she didn’t count on the many -queer things that may happen in Florida. - - - - -PIGS BY THE WAY - - -For more than an hour Mary Jane sat and thought as she had planned -to; she thought of all the interesting sights she had seen since she -left home; she thought of the new friends she had made and of the fun -she had had playing in the many places she had been. Then suddenly it -occurred to her that their train was standing still. - -“Doesn’t this train go like regular trains, Mother?” she asked. - -“Evidently not,” replied Mrs. Merrill, who also had been noticing how -much time was being lost; “we stop at every corner store, I do believe, -and wait to chat about the weather.” - -Mary Jane laughed at the idea of a train stopping to talk about the -weather. “What’s it saying now?” she asked and she sat up straight -and looked out of the window. Such a sight! “Yumy yum, yum!” she cried -eagerly. “Mother, may we have some too?” - -Mrs. Merrill and Alice had been watching out the window while Mary -Jane had been thinking and resting so they knew just what she meant. -On either side of the train, stretching as far as a person could see, -were rows and rows and rows of--strawberries. Strawberries so big and -red and ripe and luscious that they could be seen--those on the nearest -vines of course--from the train window. And all the strawberry plants -near and far showed signs of being loaded with fruit. Over the rows -bent the pickers, busily working, and here and there were groups of -workers sorting and packing the berries into boxes and crates ready for -shipping. - -“Oh, Mother!” exclaimed Mary Jane, “I’ll bet they’re taking them onto -our train! I just know they are.” - -“To be sure!” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “that’s the reason we stop so often. -This is the strawberry and lettuce country and every time we stop we -take on piles of express that will go to hungry folks up north. Now you -know how we get our early lettuce and berries and what sort of a place -it comes from.” - -“Yes, I know it,” said Mary Jane, “but couldn’t we eat some now.” - -“Yes, Mother, couldn’t we?” urged Alice, “just look at those berries!” -she added as a team of horses pulled a great wagon by their window--a -wagon piled high with crates of strawberries, as they could tell by the -glimpses of red fruit inside. - -Just then a little negro boy came by their window peddling berries and -Mrs. Merrill was able to buy a box of berries for the girls--berries -so clean and sweet and ripe that they could be eaten at once without a -thought of washing or of sugar. - -As the train pulled up for another stop some fifteen minutes later, the -Pullman conductor came into their car and spoke to Mrs. Merrill. - -“There’s something at this stop that your girls may enjoy seeing,” he -said, “and if you will allow me to escort you--” - -“Something my girls should see?” questioned Mrs. Merrill in surprise. - -“You see, madam,” explained the man, “the cook on the diner we carry -has made friends with the pigs on the way and he always likes the -children aboard the train to see the fun.” - -“Sounds like Greek to me,” said Mrs. Merrill still more puzzled, “but -if there is something my girls should see, let’s see it--we don’t want -to miss anything!” And taking Mary Jane’s hand and motioning Alice to -come too, she followed the conductor through the train. - -They went through two cars, then, as the train was just jerking to a -stop, the man quickly pulled open the vestibule door and hurried them -down the steps to the ground. Ahead of them--just the next car--was -the diner. At the high door of the kitchen end of the diner stood a -grinning negro. He was dressed all in spotless white and his face -fairly shone with joy. In his hands he held a great bucket which was -poised as though he was about to empty it out of the door. - -“Here you be, missies!” he shouted, grinning and nodding to the -children; “now you jes’ watch--here she comes! Here she comes! Betta -watch out her way!” - -Just at that instant Mrs. Merrill heard a great grunting behind them -and dodged out of the way of a great hog who, grunting and sniffing and -puffing, was rooting her way along the side of the train. - -“She knows me!” shouted the cook from his doorway; “now you jes’ watch!” - -No need to tell folks to watch! With that great creature grunting near -(though the girls did notice that she seemed tame enough) nobody wanted -to look at anything else! The hog sniffed along till she found the -dining car door; then, with a snort of satisfaction, she raised up on -her hind legs, forelegs braced against the train and--yes, the girls -could hardly believe it!--ate out of the bucket the cook held for her. - -For a few minutes no one said a word, but as the hog’s hunger was -partly satisfied the cook jumped down from the car door, the hog -dropping down just at the same time and following him, and set the -bucket on the ground. In an instant pigs came running from here and -there and there was a wild scramble around that bucket! - -“He’s trained them--that cook has,” explained the conductor as a -whistle from the engine sent them all hurrying back into the train. -“We pass here every other day at just this same time and that old -cook--he’s just as regular with his bucket of scraps as the road is -running the train! And I’ll declare it does seem to me those pigs are -the smartest about knowing which is the dining car! They don’t miss -it. And that one old hog, he’s got her trained to climb up to the door -every time! Who’s ever heard of a cook like that? And he always wants -the children on the train to see it--that cook does!” - -“Don’t they do the queerest things in Florida!” exclaimed Mary Jane as -she settled back into her seat and picked up her box of strawberries -again. “First there were orstriches and alligators--’member how they -slid down that shoot, Alice?” - -“Do I?” cried Alice, laughing at the recollection; “and remember the -jelly fish and the crawdads, Mary Jane?” Mary Jane giggled. - -“But who would ever have thought of pigs eating from the dining car?” -continued Alice. - -The ride that afternoon seemed long and the girls had almost tired of -drawing pictures and counting stops and talking of the sights they had -seen when the twilight brought the porter to light the lamps and the -dining car man shouting, “First call for dinner! Dinner in the dining -car!” - -They were due to get into Jacksonville at seven, but Mrs. Merrill -thought as the train was already a little late it would be better for -the girls to eat a leisurely dinner on board so that the evening would -be free for visiting with their father. So they strolled into the diner -and ate chicken (and of _course_ hashed brown potatoes!) and the very -best strawberry shortcake they had ever tasted. - -When the train pulled into Jacksonville at eight o’clock Mr. Merrill -was nearly smothered with embraces and with a whirlwind of tales about -all they had seen and done. The pretty little station was cleaned and -garnished; flowerbeds had been put in order and looked very lovely -under the glow of the brilliant lights and there was nothing to mar -their happy reunion. - -Mr. Merrill’s business was finished that very afternoon and he was free -to spend a day in any way the girls liked. Then the next day, they -would start back home. - -“Dear me!” exclaimed Alice in dismay, “only one day?” - -“That’s the wrong way to say it,” said her father; “say all of one -day--that sounds a lot more. Now where shall we spend it?” - -“Oh, let’s go to St. Augustine,” said Mary Jane eagerly; “where is -it?” And she looked around the streets of Jacksonville as though she -expected to find it there. - -“Oh! let’s go to bed first,” mimicked her father laughingly. “You -remember you have to ride on the train an hour or more before you get -to St. Augustine. Let’s go to bed to-night and then take the first -train down to St. Augustine in the morning. How does that sound?” - -“Pretty fine!” replied Mary Jane with a little skip of joy. - -“But Dadah,” objected Alice, “I feel so celebrating this -evening--having you with us and all that! I wish there was something we -could do now.” - -“I’ll tell you a secret,” answered Mr. Merrill, “I feel that same way -myself. Let’s get into this taxi,” he suggested as he hailed a passing -car, “and ride up to the ‘square’ and get some ice cream and buy a lot -of picture post cards for folks back home.” - -The “square” was gay enough to suit even Alice. The lights glowed -brilliantly among the palms and bright flowers; the band was playing -in a stand nearby and the streets on the four sides were filled with -people strolling along or making purchases at the many little shops. -The Merrills were happy to find just the sorts of cards they wanted to -take home. They bought a whole set--pictures of every place they had -been--for Alice and another whole set for Mary Jane to keep. - -“I wish I had some to take to my kindergarten, I do,” said Mary Jane as -she proudly slipped her set into her own little hand bag; “I’d like to -take one picture to each person there.” - -“How many are there in your room?” asked Mr. Merrill. - -“Let me see,” said Mary Jane, counting out the classes, “there’s ten, -and nine, and fifteen, and teachers and--how many is that, Dadah?” - -“It’s enough for a whole set of cards,” replied Mr. Merrill; “we’ll get -fifty and then there will surely be enough.” Mary Jane slipped the -second set into her bag and began making plans that very minute about -giving them to Miss Lynn. - -That was the very first Mary Jane had thought of home and school since -the day she had sent the alligators to Doris, more than a week ago. But -now that it had once come to her mind, she found herself thinking of -the pleasant kindergarten many times through the next days and making -plans for what she would do when she returned home. - -Early the next morning the Merrills took the train to St. Augustine and -spent a happy day exploring the old fort. The tunnels and dungeons made -Mary Jane shiver they were so cold and dark and slimy, but the rooms -opening onto the main courtyard--the rooms where the soldiers quartered -in the fort had lived--the girls thought were lovely. The walls were -covered with great plants of beautiful maiden hair fern, the biggest -and loveliest the girls had ever seen. Alice thought it would be no -hardship to live there though she did admit it would likely be damp! - -At the end of the day they went back to Jacksonville in time to catch -the nine o’clock limited for the North. - -“Just think,” said Mary Jane as she slipped off her stockings and shoes -and tucked them into the little hammock by the window of her berth, -“I’m going to ride on this train all this night and all to-morrow and -all another night and then I’ll be home!” - -“I wonder if it’s snowing up there?” Alice was asking as she too began -to undress at the same time; “wouldn’t snow seem funny?” - - - - -HOME AGAIN - - -“Look! Look! Just look there, Dadah!” cried Mary Jane the second -morning later as their train dashed through the familiar woods and -fields of their own state. “Look what it’s doing!” - -The weather was indeed trying to give the returning travelers a frosty -welcome. The fields were white with snow and great sheets of driving -snowflakes piled up on the car window sill. The girls dressed in a -hurry and went to the back platform to see the sight better. But they -didn’t stay long! Not out there! The cold wind sent them scurrying into -the warm car in a jiffy. - -The train was late because of the storm, connections were bad in the -city near their home town and the ride over home was slow and cold. So -it was a rather weary and half frozen set of travelers who stiffly got -off the traction line a couple of blocks from their own house. - -“Ugh!” said Mrs. Merrill shivering, “I always like to come home, but -I’ll declare I almost dread the next hour. The house will be clammy -cold and it will take a while to get the furnace going and there won’t -be a thing to eat.” - -Mr. Merrill didn’t reply with his usual sympathy. He merely picked up -the bag and walked off up the street--nobody guessed that he had to -hurry off to keep the twinkle in his eye from being seen! Alice was -glad to let him carry her bag too--her hands, used for some days to -the summer heat, were cold and stiff; she could hardly manage a little -swing of her arms when her mother suggested run and exercise to warm -her up. - -Mary Jane, hoping Doris might be at a window, had run ahead, but the -snow laden hedge made it impossible to see the house. - -But when they turned past the hedge at their own gateway, every one -stopped still in amazement--all but Mr. Merrill, that is! Smoke was -coming from both the chimneys of their own pretty home; the gleam of a -fire in the living room fireplace showed from the front windows, and -Amanda swung open the front door. - -“I see de limited a-goin’ by,” she exclaimed, with a welcoming grin, -“and I jes’ seys to myself ‘there’s my folks!’ So I run and put the -kettle on! Come right in and I’ll have yo’ a cup o’ tea in a jiffy!” - -“How in the world?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill happily as she and the girls -settled themselves cosily before the big, cheerful fire. - -“Telegraphing, my dear,” said Mr. Merrill; “you may not know it, but -this country has a fairly complete telegraph system and once in a -while I think to use it!” He rubbed his hands by the blaze and smiled -gayly over the success of his surprise. - -“You certainly picked out the right thing to do, Dad,” said Alice as -Amanda wheeled the little tea wagon before the fire and Alice spied a -piled up plate full of hot cinnamon toast; “it’s worth the fun of going -away, just to come home--it really is!” - -The first thing after they were warmed and fed, Mary Jane got out -her picture folders and spread them on the floor in front of the -fire--folder after folder till the rug was almost covered. - -“Now,” she said when she had them all in place where she could see -them, “I’m going to see if I saw every place I intended to.” - -“See if you got the worth of your money, you mean, do you?” laughed her -father; “well you just go ahead and see. But if any two girls ever saw -more of Florida and were away from home only fourteen days and fifteen -nights--I’d like to see them! I’d like to know how they did it!” - -And indeed, when Mary Jane and Alice began counting the pictures they -had seen they realized more than even before, how very much they _had_ -seen. For there were not more than a dozen pictures out of that whole -collection that did not look familiar. Think of that! - -The next morning Mary Jane buttoned on her leggings, put on her storm -rubbers and heavy coat and cap and muff and started off through the -snow to school. On her arm in her own little bag she carried all the -picture post cards she had brought for her friends in kindergarten. At -Doris’s gate she met her friends and Mr. Dana who was taking Doris to -school on her sled. - -“Pile on, Mary Jane,” he said cordially; “always room for one more on a -sled you know. Hold tight, now! Here we go!” And away they dashed down -the street and to the school. - -When Miss Lynn saw the fine cards Mary Jane had brought for the pupils -she at once suggested that they stop regular work for part of the -morning and make a party in honor of Mary Jane’s return. - -“We can hang the cards all around the room at the edge of the board,” -she said, going to her desk to get the box of hangers; “and then as we -march around and look at them, you can tell us about each picture.” - -Mary Jane and pretty Miss Amerion, the assistant, set busily to work -and by the time the bell rang a few minutes later all the pictures were -hung in place. It was lots of fun to march around the room at the head -of the class and tell interesting things about the pictures. She told -about the fire on the boat and about riding the ponies and seeing the -queer stoves in the orange orchard and everything she could think of. -And she didn’t wonder a bit that the boys and girls (and teachers too) -laughed when she told them about their wild ride in the auto in chase -of a boat. - -“What did you think was the strangest thing you saw, Mary Jane?” asked -Miss Lynn when Mary Jane had finished. - -“Well--” Mary Jane hesitated. She thought quickly of the jelly -fish, the chameleon, the queer sword fish she had seen swimming in -Clear River, but none of those seemed quite as queer as the big old -alligators that looked so like logs. - -“I think the alligators were the queerest,” she said decidedly, and she -told how she had been fooled into thinking one was a real log. - -Then suddenly she happened to think. “I sent Doris an alligator. I sent -her two of ’em. Couldn’t she bring them to school so everybody could -see? They were just baby ones of course, but they were funny all the -same.” - -The whole school looked over to Doris and saw the poor little girl -flushed with embarrassment and hanging her head. - -“Have you got them, dear?” asked Miss Lynn encouragingly; “maybe we -could wrap them up warm and snug and bring them to school to-morrow.” - -“Well, you see--” Doris hesitated and then blurted out suddenly, “we -had ’em two days and then they both crawled down the register and they -haven’t ever come back--not yet they haven’t.” - -“They must have thought this country too cold,” said Miss Lynn; “but -don’t you worry. We’ve nice pictures to look at and if the alligators -ever come back you can bring them to us then.” And Doris was comforted. - -For two months after they came home from Florida, Mary Jane went to -kindergarten and played with her little friends and helped about the -house just as she had loved to do before they went away for those -wonderful two weeks. The piled up snows of winter melted into little -dirty piles that finally slipped off into the ground without anybody -noticing when they went. The buds on the lilac bush began to swell -and two gay robins appeared in the garden to announce that spring was -coming. - -One warm noon time Mary Jane stopped on the front steps to make into a -chain the first gay dandelions of the season she had picked on the way -home from school. - -“See, Dadah!” she exclaimed to her father as he came up the walk, “I -got seven and I making them into a chain for mother--won’t she be -pleased?” - -“Indeed she will,” replied Mr. Merrill, but Mary Jane noticed that his -voice sounded as though he was thinking of something else. “Do you -like it so very well here, Mary Jane?” he asked and he waved his hand -out toward the yard. - -“Why yes, Dadah,” replied Mary Jane, puzzled at his manner, “don’t you?” - -“Of course,” said Mr. Merrill, “but would you like to live somewhere -else, do you think?” - -Mary Jane looked out over the pretty front yard, where the grass was -so green and the crocuses were peeking up here and there. “Well,” she -said, “I like it here and I don’t know what you mean. But I think I’d -like it anywhere you and mother and Alice were.” - -“That’s my girl!” exclaimed her father as he hugged her close. “Come -here, folks,” he added as Alice came up the walk just then and Mrs. -Merrill opened the door to greet them; “I’ll tell you the news.” He -pulled a yellow telegram from his pocket. “See that? That means new -work and a promotion. And it means that we move to Chicago.” - -“Leave here?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill. - -“Leave here inside of a month,” he replied. “Leave here and live in the -big city.” - -“Oh!” exclaimed Mary Jane, “go on the train again! Hashed brown -potatoes! And have a moving wagon and boxes of things just like other -folks! Oh me! Goody! Is it really for true?” - -And if you want to read about all the fun Mary Jane had getting -acquainted with the big city, exploring its parks and going to school, -you will find it all told in - - MARY JANE’S CITY HOME - - - - -_THE MARY JANE SERIES_ - - _By Clara Ingram Judson_ - - Cloth, 12 mo. Illustrated - - Mary Jane is the typical American little girl who bubbles over - with fun and the good things in life. We meet her here on a visit - to her grandfather’s farm where she becomes acquainted with farm - life and farm animals and thoroughly enjoys the experience. - We next see her going to kindergarten and then on a visit to - Florida, and then--but read the stories for yourselves. - - Exquisitely and charmingly written are these books which every - little girl from five to nine years old will want from the first - book to the last. - - 1. MARY JANE--HER BOOK. - 2. MARY JANE--HER VISIT. - 3. MARY JANE’S KINDERGARTEN. - 4. MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH. - 5. MARY JANE’S CITY HOME. - 6. MARY JANE IN NEW ENGLAND. - 7. MARY JANE’S COUNTRY HOME. - 8. MARY JANE AT SCHOOL. - 9. MARY JANE IN CANADA. - 10. MARY JANE’S SUMMER FUN. - 11. MARY JANE’S WINTER SPORTS. - 12. MARY JANE’S VACATION. - 13. MARY JANE IN ENGLAND. - 14. MARY JANE IN SCOTLAND. - - Publishers - BARSE & CO. - New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J. - - - - -Elizabeth Ann Series - - By JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE - - _For Girls from 7 to 12_ - - Elizabeth Ann is a little girl whom we first meet on a big train, - travelling all alone. Her father and mother have sailed for - Japan, and she is sent back East to visit at first one relative’s - home, and then another. Of course, she meets many new friends, - some of whom she is quite happy with, while others--but you - must read the stories for yourself. Every other girl who reads - the first of these charming books will want all the rest; for - Elizabeth Ann is certainly worth the cultivating. - - THE ADVENTURES OF ELIZABETH ANN. - ELIZABETH ANN AT MAPLE SPRING. - ELIZABETH ANN’S SIX COUSINS. - ELIZABETH ANN and DORIS. - ELIZABETH ANN’S BORROWED GRANDMA. - ELIZABETH ANN’S SPRING VACATION. - ELIZABETH ANN and UNCLE DOCTOR. - ELIZABETH ANN’S HOUSEBOAT. - - Publishers - BARSE & CO. - New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J. - - - - -_THE “TWINS” SERIES_ - - _By Dorothy Whitehill_ - - Cloth, 12 mo. Illustrated. - - Here is a sparkling new series of stories for girls--just what - they will like, and ask for more of the same kind. It is all - about twin sisters, who for the first few years in their lives - grow up in ignorance of each other’s existence. Then they are - at last brought together and things begin to happen. Janet is - an independent go-ahead sort of girl; while her sister Phyllis - is--but meet the twins for yourself and be entertained. - - 1. JANET, A TWIN. - 2. PHYLLIS, A TWIN. - 3. THE TWINS IN THE WEST. - 4. THE TWINS IN THE SOUTH. - 5. THE TWINS’ SUMMER VACATION. - 6. THE TWINS AND TOMMY, JR. - 7. THE TWINS AT HOME. - 8. THE TWINS’ WEDDING. - 9. THE TWINS ADVENTURING. - 10. THE TWINS AT CAMP. - 11. THE TWINS ABROAD. - - Publishers - BARSE & CO. - New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J. - - - - -_The Joyce Payton Series_ - - _By_ - DOROTHY WHITEHILL - - _For girls from 8 to 14_ - -Between the covers of these new books will be found the most intensely -interesting cast of characters, whose adventures in school and at -home keep one guessing continually. Joyce Payton, known as “Joy” with -her knowledge of gypsy ways, is bound to become a universal favorite; -there is also Pam, her running mate, and her best chum; Gypsy Joe, the -little Romany genius, and his magical “fiddle,” with which he talks to -the birds, squirrels, and in fact all of Animated Nature. Then there -is among the host of others Gloria, the city-bred cousin, a spoiled -darling; who feels like a “cat in a strange garret” when in the company -of Joy and her friends. - - 1. JOY AND GYPSY JOE. - 2. JOY AND PAM. - 3. JOY AND HER CHUMS. - 4. JOY AND PAM AT BROOKSIDE. - - Publishers - BARSE & CO. - New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J. - - - - -Transcriber’s Note: - - Page 13 - for its two week’s vacation _changed to_ - for its two weeks’ vacation - - Page 49 - the ’gaters climbed slowly _changed to_ - the ’gators climbed slowly - - Page 58 - wall’s is real! _changed to_ - walls is real! - - Page 74 - there was an open pavalion _changed to_ - there was an open pavilion - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Mary Jane Down South, by Clara Ingram Judson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH *** - -***** This file should be named 50198-0.txt or 50198-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/1/9/50198/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Mary Jane Down South - -Author: Clara Ingram Judson - -Illustrator: Frances White - -Release Date: October 13, 2015 [EBook #50198] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - -<hr class="divider" /> -<h1>Mary Jane Down South</h1> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<div class="chapter hidehand"> -<div class="figcenter width500"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="500" height="744" alt="Cover" /> -</div> -</div> - - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> -<a name="frontis" id="frontis"></a> -<img src="images/i-001.jpg" width="400" height="544" alt="" /> -<div class="caption">“They turned south, down the quiet, narrow street -at the <span class="space">right” (</span><i>Page <a href="#frontispiece">90</a></i>) <i>Frontispiece</i></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="title-container"> -<p class="title mt3"><span class="headtitle">MARY JANE</span><br /> -<span class="headtitle2">DOWN SOUTH</span></p> - - -<p class="title mt3">BY<br /> -<span class="p140">CLARA INGRAM JUDSON</span></p> - -<p class="title"><span class="smcap">Author of</span><br /> -<small>“MARY JANE—HER BOOK,” “MARY JANE—HER VISIT,” “MARY -JANE’S KINDERGARTEN,” “MARY JANE’S CITY HOME,” -“MARY JANE IN NEW ENGLAND,” ETC.</small></p> - -<p class="title mt3"><i>ILLUSTRATED BY<br /> -FRANCES WHITE</i></p> - -<p class="title mt3">PUBLISHERS<br /> -<span class="spaced p150">BARSE & CO.</span><br /> -NEW YORK, N. <span class="space">Y. N</span>EWARK, N. J.</p> -</div> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="title-container"> -<div class="copyright"> -<p class="center">Copyright, 1919,<br /> -by<br /> -BARSE & CO.</p> -<div class="printed mt3"> -<p class="right">PRINTED IN THE U. S. A.</p> -</div></div></div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="title-container"> -<p class="title p120"><strong>TO<br /> -ALICE</strong></p> -</div> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<h2><a name="contents" id="contents"></a>CONTENTS</h2> -</div> -<table summary="Contents"> -<tr> -<td> </td> -<td class="tdr"><small>PAGE</small></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">All Aboard for Florida!</span>”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#i">11</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Day in Birmingham</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#ii">24</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">At the Ostrich Farm</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#iii">39</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">The Boat’s A-Fire!</span>”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#iv">53</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Bit of Sunny Spain</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#v">68</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">Whoa! Please Whoa!</span>”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#vi">81</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Luncheon by the Old Well</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#vii">94</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">A Day on the Beach</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#viii">108</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">At Sea in a Storm</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#ix">122</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Walking the Plank</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#x">135</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Catching the Boat</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#xi">146</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">On the Ocklawaha</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#xii">159</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“<span class="smcap">Help Yourselves, Children! Help -Yourselves!</span>”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#xiii">172</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Pigs by the Way</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#xiv">185</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Home Again</span></td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#xv">198</a></td> -</tr> -</table> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<h2><a name="illustrations" id="illustrations"></a>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - -<table summary="Illustrations"> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“They turned south, down the quiet, narrow street at -the right”</td> -<td class="tdr2"><a href="#frontis"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td> </td> -<td class="tdr"><small>PAGE</small></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“This is the living room and here’s the dining room -and here, where you can see the river bed, is the -porch”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#this">58</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“The owner of the orchard let the girls pick fruit and -take pictures”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#owner">80</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdl">“They went in wading after crawdads”</td> -<td class="tdr"><a href="#they">114</a></td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">11</a></span> -</div> - -<p class="title p200"><strong>MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH</strong></p> - -<h2><a name="i" id="i"></a>“ALL ABOARD FOR FLORIDA!”</h2> - - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE week between the time Mary Jane heard of the trip South and the -time for starting seemed unusually short. So short that Mary Jane -thought it surely must have had only three days in it—that is, she -thought that till she counted up and found to her surprise that this -very, very short week had had Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, -Sunday, Monday and now a Tuesday just exactly as all other weeks have.</p> - -<p>“But the days haven’t been the same, Alice, I just know they haven’t,” -insisted the little girl.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">12</a></span> -“Yes they have,” laughed Alice, “only you’ve had so much to do and so -much fun that you haven’t noticed how many hours have gone by—that’s -the difference.”</p> - -<p>“I should say we <em>have</em> done lots,” said Mary Jane, “if that’s the -matter. I never saw such lots to do—never!”</p> - -<p>And indeed it had been a busy week in the Merrill household. On -Wednesday of the week before Mr. Merrill had announced that business -would take him on a two weeks’ trip South and that he would take all -the family with him. It seemed such a good chance to give the two -girls, Alice, a big girl of twelve, and Mary Jane, a busy kindergartner -of five, a glimpse of the tropical part of their country and a better -understanding of the geography Alice was already studying and Mary Jane -would soon begin.</p> - -<p>But a week gave very little time to make ready so everybody had to -help. There were gingham dresses from last summer’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span> wardrobe to get -out and let down; each little girl had to have a new bathing suit, -for who wants to go South without a swim in the ocean? New hats must -be purchased because the velvet hats Alice and Mary Jane were wearing -would be very heavy in the warm southern sunshine. Then the house must -be shut up for its two <a name="weeks" id="weeks"></a><ins title="Original has week’s">weeks’</ins> vacation, and everything must -be made snug so that cold weather would do no damage. Mary Jane was so -busy helping do errands and getting things out of drawers and closets -and helping to pack that it’s no wonder she thought the time went -quickly.</p> - -<p>“Better plan so you can get along without your trunk some days,” -suggested Mr. Merrill as he came into the house Tuesday evening, -“because when we’re on the jump as we will be you can’t always be sure -of getting your trunk every time.”</p> - -<p>“Then I think I’ll have to take another hand bag,” said Mrs. Merrill -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span> -“Goody! Goody! Goody!” shouted Mary Jane. She was coming down the front -stairs as she heard her father speak and she dashed back up again, -hunted out the little black grip she was sure her mother meant to take -and began packing.</p> - -<p>“She’ll want pencils in it, and paper and my Marie Georgannamore ’cause -I don’t ever have time to play with her when I’m in school,” said the -little girl as she packed the things. “And rubbers, Mother always -thinks about rubbers and—” but by that time Mary Jane was so excited, -she piled everything from the top of her dresser pell-mell into the -bag, and then hurried down stairs.</p> - -<p>“Here it is, Mother,” she cried gayly, “you don’t have to pack it -’cause I’ve got it all done—every bit.” And she set the bag on the -living room table.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill glanced at Mary Jane’s flushed face and saw how eager she -was to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span> help but that all the excitement and hustling were making her a -little tired so she said, “That’s the grip I want, Mary Jane, and thank -you for bringing it down to me. But before we pack it suppose you and -Alice sit down by me and plan just what we want to take.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, only I want to carry it,” said Mary Jane; “I’m plenty bigger -’nough to carry my own grip.”</p> - -<p>“Why, Mother,” exclaimed Alice, “you wouldn’t let her carry a grip of -her own, would you? She’s too little. I’ll be the one to carry it.”</p> - -<p>“I thought you were going to carry your camera, Alice,” said Mrs. -Merrill quietly, “and one thing for each girl is enough to look after. -Suppose going down we pack yours and my things together in the suit -case and let Mary Jane have her own toilet things and extra dress in -the little grip. It isn’t too heavy for her to carry if she must.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span> Then -you can have your camera. Coming back you may not want to take so many -pictures. We might pack your camera in the trunk and then you could -have <em>your</em> things in the grip and take your turn traveling like a lady -all alone. How would that be?”</p> - -<p>Both girls were pleased with that plan so Mrs. Merrill said she would -get just the right things to put in the bags while the girls went to -tell their best friends good-by.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane’s little chum, Doris Dana, lived next door, so she didn’t -have far to go. Doris was at home and half way expecting Mary Jane -because she knew that the Merrills were to leave early in the morning. -She pulled Mary Jane into the living room in a jiffy and showed her -a big book of pictures she had been looking at. “Look at these, Mary -Jane,” she cried, “and these and these and these! Mother says you’ll -see them all down South. Oh, dear, but I wish I was going too!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span> -Mary Jane had never seen the big picture folder before (her father -had promised that she should have one and he was to bring it to her -that very evening) and she was as interested as Doris in the wonderful -pictures it contained. They spread the folder out on the floor and -looked at the big orange trees, the palm trees and the heavy Spanish -moss that made every sort of tree look so queer. They looked at rivers -and lakes and, most wonderful of all, a family of alligators.</p> - -<p>“I like those best,” said Doris positively, “and why I like ’em is -because they’re so awful. I wish I had one, I do.”</p> - -<p>“Do they really grow that way?” asked Mary Jane of Doris’s mother.</p> - -<p>“Indeed they do,” laughed Mrs. Dana. “I’ve seen hundreds of them just -like that picture and you will too.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, bring me one! Bring me one!” cried Doris; “will you, Mary Jane?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span> -Before Mary Jane had a chance to answer the telephone rang and Mrs. -Dana took a message from Mrs. Merrill that Mary Jane was to come home -at once. So, with a hasty promise whispered in Doris’s ear, that she -would surely send an alligator, Mary Jane ran skipping across the snowy -lawn to her home.</p> - -<p>When dinner was over an hour later, Mr. Merrill went to the hall and -took from his coat pocket a bundle of railway folders.</p> - -<p>“There you are, girls,” he said as he laid them on the table; “there -are the pictures I promised you. I think you’ll find something about -every place you’re going to visit.”</p> - -<p>Alice and Mary both grabbed for folders and in two minutes time they -had spread them out on the floor in front of the cozy fireplace and -were peering through them eagerly. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill, who had taken -the same trip before, explained in just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span> what order the pictures should -be put and told stories of their trip.</p> - -<p>“Can’t we take these along with us?” asked Mary Jane; “that would be -fun.”</p> - -<p>“It might be fun,” agreed Mr. Merrill, “but it would also be a nuisance -because we’ll have plenty to carry as it is. Let’s fold them up—it’s -bed time now you see, girls—and put them in the table drawer here. -Then first thing when you come back you can get them out and see if you -really saw all we think you are going to.”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane thought of course she never, never, never would go to sleep -because she kept thinking about riding on the train and what she would -order in the dining car and her new hat and lunch at the hotel the -next day (Mary Jane loved to eat at a hotel) and those queer looking -alligators she had seen pictures of and everything. But she must have -slept, for in about a minute (or so it seemed) she sat straight up in -bed and there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span> was the sun shining straight on to her out-of-door bed -and father out at the garage was locking the door and saying, “There, I -guess that’s all done!”</p> - -<p>She dashed into the house and bathed and dressed in a jiffy. Mother had -laid out her things so she put on everything she would wear on the trip -except the dress. Of course she wouldn’t put on her new traveling dress -till the last minute—an old frock would do till then. Just as she was -going down the stairs she met Alice coming up.</p> - -<p>“There you are,” said Alice, “I was just coming up to call you, -breakfast’s ready!”</p> - -<p>After breakfast each person helped and in short order the dishes were -washed and put away, the living room tidied and the upstairs set in -order. By half past nine, folks were dressed and ready to go. It surely -seemed good to get out into the sunshine because with the furnace fire -out so Father could be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span> sure there was no danger of fire, the house was -beginning to get pretty shivery.</p> - -<p>“Think about the flowers you’ll see Saturday, girls,” said Mr. Merrill, -“and dance around a bit to warm up. The car will be along in a minute.”</p> - -<p>“Won’t we see flowers till Saturday?” asked Mary Jane. “I thought we -were going to-day.”</p> - -<p>“So we are,” laughed Mr. Merrill, “but going takes a while. We start -South to-night. Then we ride all to-night and all to-morrow. To-morrow -night we get to Birmingham. You remember we are going to stop a day -with Uncle Will there. All day Friday you’ll be seeing wonderful things -in that city. Then Friday night we’ll get on a sleeper train again and -Saturday morning we’ll be in Jacksonville.”</p> - -<p>“And there’s flowers,” added Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>“Just so,” said Mr. Merrill.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span> -“And alligators?” asked the little girl.</p> - -<p>“Oh, lots of alligators they tell me,” laughed Mr. Merrill. But just -then the traction came along so Mary Jane didn’t have a chance to -explain her plan of bringing alligators home to Doris, which was -perhaps just as well, for Mr. Merrill had plenty to think of as it was.</p> - -<p>With buying hats and shoes and getting lunch and dinner the day went on -wings and nine o’clock came before Mary Jane had had time to think of -being tired.</p> - -<p>The big train pulled in just on time, its lights all a-blazing and the -observation car looking most inviting. The porter had the berths made -up ready and, in spite of the fact that Mary Jane had just declared she -was not tired a bit and could sit up for two hours yet, that soft white -pillow and turned down cover looked very nice. She decided that the -observation car could wait till morning for inspection.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span> -The last thing she said, before Mrs. Merrill pulled the heavy curtains -together for the night was, “Mother, may I have anything I want for -breakfast? If I may, I’m going to have two orders of hashed brown -potatoes and not anything else!”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="ii" id="ii"></a>THE DAY IN BIRMINGHAM</h2> - - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">“B</span>EG pardon, Miss?” The colored waiter in the dining car bent lower, -the better to hear Mary Jane’s order.</p> - -<p>“That’s all I want,” said Mary Jane in surprise; “just two orders of -hashed brown potatoes and not anything else.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, Mary Jane,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “do have something else. And -you must have a little fruit. Suppose you get an orange and then some -cereal and then one order of potatoes—two would be too much.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, it would if I had to eat all that first,” said Mary Jane sadly. -“But I’ve been <em>counting</em> on those potatoes, Mother! You remember the -good ones we had on the diner coming home from Grandmother’s last<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span> -summer? And you know I ate more than one order <em>then</em>.”</p> - -<p>“So you did,” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “and I promised you that you should -have all you wanted next time we ate in a diner. Very well, suppose we -compromise. You eat the orange and you may skip the cereal this time. -But I think she had better have only one order of potatoes at the -time,” she added to the waiter, “for they will get cool.”</p> - -<p>While Mary Jane was eating her orange she looked out of the window at -the changing scene. All through the night when she had been soundly -sleeping, the train had carried her south through the prairies she -was used to seeing, south through the wooded stretches and dull brown -fields. And now, early the next morning, she found herself riding -through the edges of coal lands. Long strings of loaded coal cars stood -upon the railroad sidings; groups of workers stood about the tiny -stations the train flew past<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span> and the whole country seemed strange and -different to the little girl.</p> - -<p>But with all her watching out of the window, Mary Jane didn’t miss -noticing the twinkle in the eye of the waiter and she whispered to -her sister, “Alice! I think that waiter man thinks it’s funny to like -potatoes and I think he’s making me some nice ones, I do.”</p> - -<p>And so it proved, for when the orange was eaten, he set before Mary -Jane the biggest platter of hashed brown potatoes she had ever seen. -All brown and nice they were, with bits of parsley ’round the side and -a pat of butter for her own particular use.</p> - -<p>“Yumy-yum!” exclaimed Mary Jane as the platter was put before her, “I’m -so glad I came!” And there was no watching scenery till every scrap of -potato on the platter was eaten up.</p> - -<p>“Want your other order now?” asked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span> Mrs. Merrill, when she saw that -nothing but parsley was left on the platter.</p> - -<p>“Well—” replied Mary Jane doubtfully, “do you suppose they’ll have -hashed brown potatoes for lunch? ’Cause if they will, I think I’ll save -my other order till then. I’m not just as hungry as I was.”</p> - -<p>“Good reason why,” laughed Alice, “come on, let’s not eat any more now. -Let’s go into the observation car.”</p> - -<p>The girls found riding in the observation car almost as much fun as -eating in the diner. First they stood out on the “back porch” as Mary -Jane called it and got good breaths of fresh air; then they came -inside and settled themselves in big easy chairs and looked at all the -“funny papers” they found in the car library—that took a long time -because there were so many. Next they wrote letters, Mary Jane didn’t -really write to be sure, but she drew a very good picture of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span> coal -cars they passed on the way and of hills and valleys and put it in an -envelope ready to send to Doris; and Alice wrote a nice long letter to -her chum, Frances. And then, much to every one’s surprise, the dining -car man came through the train calling, “First call for luncheon! -Dining car third car in front!” and it was time to wash up ready to eat -again.</p> - -<p>In the afternoon the country they were passing proved so interesting -that Mary Jane and Alice didn’t even try to look at books or magazines. -For the mountains had grown higher and more interesting every mile of -the way. Now they passed great holes in the ground out from which came -little cars full of freshly mined coal, and Mr. Merrill explained to -the girls all about how coal was dug out of the earth, loaded on those -queer little cars and sent up to the sunshine ready to be loaded into -railroad cars to take away for folks to use. And they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span> passed mining -villages tucked down in the valleys. Some had great, rough barracks -where all the miners lived. Some, and those were the most interesting -to the girls, had groups of tiny little shacks where the miners lived -with their families. They saw children playing, women working at their -house work, and here and there a miner, his lamp on his head, going off -to the mine for his work. Mary Jane and Alice had never realized till -they saw those funny little lamps, fastened to the miner’s cap, how -queer it must seem to work hours down, down, down, deep in the darkness -of the earth.</p> - -<p>“I do believe,” said Alice thoughtfully, “that I’ll always notice more -about coal now that I can guess better how hard it is to work down in -the ground.”</p> - -<p>As long as the daylight lasted, the girls strained their eyes to see -all that might be seen of the coal country. And just after the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span> sun -set behind the iron mountains leaving the darkness of a winter evening -behind, they noticed flashes of light off to the south-east.</p> - -<p>“The steel furnaces of Birmingham,” said Mr. Merrill, “and you shall -see them close too, to-morrow. But now it’s time to get our things on -to meet Uncle Will.”</p> - -<p>They hustled back to their own car to find that the porter had -carefully picked up their things and that everything was ready for them -to slip into their wraps and get off the train. So there was still time -to watch out into the darkness and see more of those brilliant flashes -of light that made the sky glow so mysteriously.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill’s uncle was at the station and hurried them into a big -“boulevard bus” which would quickly take them home where aunt and -cousins and a good dinner were waiting.</p> - -<p>“There’s just one thing I don’t like about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span> this city,” said Mary Jane -later in the evening.</p> - -<p>“So?” exclaimed Uncle Will, “why we think it’s a pretty nice sort of a -place.”</p> - -<p>“I ’spect it is,” agreed Mary Jane politely, “but what I don’t like is -the dark—I can’t see anything!”</p> - -<p>“We’ll soon fix that,” said Mrs. Merrill, “I’ll put my little girl to -bed and then the time till daylight will vanish.”</p> - -<p>And sure enough it did. It wasn’t any time at all till Mary Jane sat -up in her sleeping porch couch and looked across the hills of the -beautiful city.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” she exclaimed delightedly, “I like having houses on hills, ’cause -you can see so many of them!” Then she looked down at the street nearby -and saw a little negro boy, not so very much bigger than herself, who -was carrying on his head a great, big, heavy basket of washing.</p> - -<p>“Boy! Boy! I don’t know your name<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span> but please wait a minute!” she -called. “My sister wants to take a picture of a boy like you—she said -she did!”</p> - -<p>Fortunately Alice, who was in the house making the closer acquaintance -of her cousins, was dressed so it didn’t take but a minute to get her -camera and take the picture Mary Jane so hastily arranged for her. The -poor little boy didn’t quite know what had happened to him, but he -<em>did</em> understand the quarter Mr. Merrill handed him. He went on his way -with such a broad smile on his face that Alice wished she had another -picture just to get that smile in.</p> - -<p>While the picture was being taken, Mary Jane washed and dressed. She -came down the front stairs just in time to hear the plans for the day -discussed.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I wish we could stay more than one day,” Mr. Merrill was saying, -“but I have to be in Jacksonville to-morrow morning. So I think we’d -better make up our minds to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span> visit all we can to-day and let the girls -see as much as may be of your city. Then perhaps on our next trip we -won’t be so hurried.”</p> - -<p>“If that’s the case,” said Uncle Will as they responded to the -breakfast bell, “I believe we’d better plan to get right off. We’ll -go way out to the steel plant first so as to be sure to get in there. -Then if we get back in time, we can take our lunch at the Terrace -Restaurant—I know the girls will like that—then we’ll have the -afternoon for an auto ride.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Merrill agreed that was a fine plan.</p> - -<p>“Only I hope there isn’t any doubt about that lunch,” said Alice.</p> - -<p>“Well-l,” said Uncle Will teasingly, “do you eat three times a day at -your house?”</p> - -<p>“My no!” retorted Alice promptly, “not if I can help it! We eat <em>four</em> -times!”</p> - -<p>“Then you’d better have another helping of this fish,” laughed Aunt -Mabel, “because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span> with all that sight seeing to do, you’re not going to -have time to eat any four meals this day—I know that!”</p> - -<p>In a few minutes they were off for the steel mills and Mary Jane and -Alice found it one of the most interesting rides they had ever taken. -Through narrow streets they went and then along boulevards; through -tiny villages and a larger “model village” where industrial workers -by the thousands made their homes. And finally great piles as high as -houses of grayish looking stuff that looked like cinders but which -Uncle Will said was “slag,” told them that they were approaching the -mills.</p> - -<p>When they stepped off the car Alice exclaimed, “This looks exactly like -a picture of a mining town that’s in my geography!”</p> - -<p>“Of course it is,” laughed Uncle Will, “because this <em>is</em> a mining -town. All the mining isn’t done in the West you know. The iron ore and -the coal for the furnaces<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span> are mined right here on the spot—that’s the -reason these mills are just where they are, my dear.”</p> - -<p>They walked along the narrow street where men, women and mule carts -mingled together in busy confusion, till they came to the company’s -office. There was some delay there because children were not usually -allowed in the plant but on the firm assurance from Mr. Merrill and -Uncle Will that each would take a girl under his especial care, -permission was granted.</p> - -<p>“But be sure you watch ’em, Mr. Cole,” warned the guard as they started -and Uncle Will promised.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane wondered at all this fuss because she and Alice had been -through factories at home and didn’t think much of it. But half an hour -later, when they were in the middle of the great plant, she stopped -wondering and clung to her father’s hand without being told. For the -noise and confusion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span> and wonder of it all was beyond anything she had -ever dreamed of. Engines tooting and screeching, whistles blowing -orders, men shouting, great kettles of red hot iron sizzling and -smoking, clanging hammers pounding on metal, the clatter of tumbling -scrap iron and the clang and clank of the finished steel rails as they -were loaded on waiting freight cars made it a wonderland of sights and -sounds.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane held tight to her father’s hand and bravely went everywhere -the big folks did. But she wasn’t sorry when, an hour later, she -found herself seated on a quiet terrace on the fifteenth floor of -Birmingham’s biggest office building, ordering her lunch.</p> - -<p>After luncheon they walked all around the terrace and looked at the -rows of mountains and the long stretch of valley dotted with huge smoke -stacks of the various steel mills.</p> - -<p>“And there,” said Uncle Will, pointing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span> off into the distance, “is the -place you were this morning.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Mary Jane looking at it gravely, “I think I like it better -over there than when it’s right here—it isn’t so noisy, far away.”</p> - -<p>Uncle Will laughed and suggested that if he and Mary Jane went down -stairs ahead of the others, it was just possible, just possible of -course, that they might have time to buy a box of candy before the auto -came around. And that settled sightseeing from the terrace.</p> - -<p>All through the long beautiful afternoon they drove, seeing the busy -streets of the city, driving up the winding roadways lined with -beautiful homes and leading toward the mountains, and spinning along -the ridge roads that took them over the mountain crests.</p> - -<p>It was almost dark when they stopped at Uncle Will’s for their bags and -they had to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span> drive fast to get to the station in time for their train.</p> - -<p>“Well!” sighed Mary Jane, as she dropped down in the broad seat of the -Pullman car a few minutes later, “I think that’s a city where you do a -<em>lot</em>!”</p> - -<p>“And <em>I</em> think,” replied Mrs. Merrill, reaching down to kiss her little -girl, “that I know somebody not so very far from here, who’s going to -have dinner and go to bed just about as quick as a wink.”</p> - -<p>“And <em>I</em> think,” added Mr. Merrill, “that I know somebody who’d better -get to sleep as quick as they can, because to-morrow’s the day we see -flowers and—something else.”</p> - -<p>And just then, before Mary Jane had a chance to ask a question the -porter came through the car calling, “Last call for dinner! Dinner in -the dining car! First car in the front of de train!”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="iii" id="iii"></a>AT THE OSTRICH FARM</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE very first minute Mary Jane opened her eyes the next morning she -peeked out of the window to see if the Southern flowers she had read -about and seen pictures of, were in sight. She didn’t see flowers but -she did see palm trees—lots of them.</p> - -<p>“Mother! Mother!” she called, peeking around into the next berth to -speak to her mother, “you ought to get up quick! They’re here, they -are, those funny trees with the trimming on the top just like the -pictures you showed us. Mother! May I get up and look at them from the -back porch?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill looked at her watch and told Mary Jane it was high time -they were both getting up if they were to have time to dress<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span> and eat -breakfast before the train got into Jacksonville.</p> - -<p>“Then I’ll beat you dressed, I will,” said Mary Jane gayly and she set -to work at the job of dressing. First she took down her stockings that -had hung all night over the little hammock by the window, and put those -on; then the shoes that had been in the hammock went on next. After -that she rolled up the covers clear to the bottom of the bed to get -them out of the way, took down her clothes that had been hanging all -night on a coat rack by the big curtains and put those on. She stopped -just long enough to call, “Didn’t I beat?” to her mother before she -hurried off to the wash room. She thought it so much fun to brush her -teeth in the funny little bowl made for that purpose that she wanted to -have plenty of time to enjoy the job.</p> - -<p>But Alice was there before her, as excited as Mary Jane could possibly -be about the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span> palm trees and the few very fierce looking razor-back -hogs she had seen grunting and snorting at the train, and so it was a -rather sketchy scrubbing they gave themselves. Mrs. Merrill joined them -in a minute to say that the diner was taken off in the night and that -breakfast would be served in the observation car.</p> - -<p>“Then I may go back there now, mayn’t I, Mother?” asked Mary Jane, “and -I know the way all by myself. I’ll stay right on the back porch and not -go near the gate till you come.” The train was exactly the same as the -one on which the Merrills had come down to Birmingham two days before -and Mary Jane felt so at home after her whole day and two nights of -travel she almost thought the train was her own.</p> - -<p>“Yes, you may if Alice is ready and if you promise to stay right -together,” said Mrs. Merrill; “it will be fine to have some fresh air -before breakfast.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span> -The girls hurried back through the train so as not to lose a minute. -The country looked entirely different from what they had seen before; -the hills and mountains were all gone; many different sorts of trees -made up the woods and even the grasses looked different from what the -girls were used to seeing. And the roads! Such queer muddy things they -were, with only an occasional brick paved road fit for automobile -travel.</p> - -<p>All too soon Mr. Merrill came out and announced, “You can’t have -a regular breakfast this morning, girls, just fruit and a bite of -something the steward says, so you’d better come and get what there is -right away.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, dear!” exclaimed Mary Jane in great distress, “won’t they have -hashed brown potatoes?”</p> - -<p>“Haven’t you had enough of those yet?” laughed Mr. Merrill. But -Mary Jane’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span> fright proved to be a false alarm; there was plenty of -breakfast for folks who were used to simple food—hashed brown potatoes -for Mary Jane, eggs for Alice and her father and toast for Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>The train was running about forty minutes late the conductor reported -so there was time to go back onto the back platform a while before -Jacksonville was reached.</p> - -<p>When Mary Jane got off the train at Jacksonville she had expected to -step right out to flower beds and summer beauties. Instead of that, -such a sight as met her eyes she never would have dreamed of! Smoke, -and dirt, and dripping water, and slush under foot, and the horrid -smell of burned wood and leather. And such confusion that Mary Jane -felt sure they must have fallen into a cyclone or something.</p> - -<p>“What’s the trouble?” called Mr. Merrill to an usher who was trying to -get through<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span> the crowd to carry their bags, “what’s happened? Never saw -so much going on in this station before in all <em>my</em> life.”</p> - -<p>“Fire, sir!” replied the usher, “pretty bad fire, sir. The station, she -took a-fire last night and dey jes got her out ’bout an hour ago. Got -any luggage here, sir?”</p> - -<p>“Not a bit, it’s on this train we came on,” answered Mr. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“You’s lucky, sir, you is,” laughed the darky and he piloted them out -into the street.</p> - -<p>They walked about a half a block away from the confusion of the station -and then Mrs. Merrill said, “Now look, girls!” And the girls looked -away from the burned roof of the pretty station and out toward the -city. And there they saw the summerland they had hoped for!—palm trees -and flowers growing in the parkways, summer dresses on the passersby -and a warmth and glow in the air.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Mother!” exclaimed Alice happily,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span> “it’s true, isn’t it? Summer -<em>is</em> here—and please may we take off our coats?”</p> - -<p>“Not so fast,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “you’ll find them none too warm -when you’re riding.” And sure enough, when they got into the taxi Mr. -Merrill signaled and started swiftly up the street, they weren’t a bit -too warm.</p> - -<p>All too soon their hotel was reached, the girls would have liked to -ride all day.</p> - -<p>“Never you mind,” said Mr. Merrill consolingly, “you shall ride again -in about a half an hour. But come in first and leave your bags, and me.”</p> - -<p>“Leave you, Dadah?” asked Mary Jane, “you’re not going away from here, -are you?”</p> - -<p>“I’m not, but you will be,” said Mr. Merrill. “I mean that my business -begins here this morning and that you and mother will have to get -around by yourselves while I work. But mother knows the way about just -as well as I do and she’ll see that you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span> poke into every corner you -want to see.”</p> - -<p>When the girls went around to the front of the hotel and saw the -beautiful park of palms and flowers that filled a whole block, they -were not anxious to leave it.</p> - -<p>“Let’s not ride,” suggested Mary Jane, “let’s stay and play under those -trees.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know about that,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “you see, I know what -there is to see on our ride and <em>you</em> don’t. Better ride while you can -and play in the park this noon.”</p> - -<p>So a few minutes later Mr. Merrill put them all three into a big car -and started off toward the business part of the city for his work.</p> - -<p>The girls had never ridden in a sight seeing car before and they begged -a place right by the driver so they would be sure to see and hear -everything. Mrs. Merrill sat just behind them where they could speak -to her and also could have the comfortable feeling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span> that she was very -near. First they drove down the river and saw glimpses of the broad St. -Johns River and enjoyed the pretty trees and gardens and homes that -nestled along its low banks. Then they turned back through the city and -out on the other side.</p> - -<p>“Where we going now?” asked Mary Jane when she noticed that the houses -were getting smaller and fewer and further apart.</p> - -<p>“Out to the Farm,” replied the driver.</p> - -<p>“A regular farm where they grow chickens and things like my Grandmother -does?” asked the little girl.</p> - -<p>“It’s a regular farm all right, Miss,” said the driver, “but they -don’t grow anything your Grandmother does. They grow alligators and -ostriches.”</p> - -<p>“My gracious!” exclaimed Mary Jane, her eyes open wide with amazement, -“do they plant ’em?”</p> - -<p>The driver laughed and answered, “You just wait and see—we’re most -there now.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span> See that white fence and those buildings? There we are!”</p> - -<p>With a flourish he stopped by the big white gate and Mrs. Merrill and -the girls got out of the car. “You’ll wait for us?” she asked the -driver.</p> - -<p>“Long as you like,” he replied, so without a bit of worry about time -they went into the “Farm.”</p> - -<p>At first Mary Jane was disappointed for there seemed to be nothing in -the whole place but fences! But when they walked closer they easily -found the Alligator Farm and there the girls were so interested that -they forgot all about such creatures as ostriches. They saw big -alligators and little alligators and tiny, tiny little alligators that -would have easily been hidden in Mary Jane’s small hand. They saw the -great big fellow, more than a hundred years old, get his food and -such gleaming teeth as he had made Mary Jane glad he was inside an -iron<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span> fence—<em>there</em> she liked to watch him, but she didn’t think he -was <em>quite</em> the creature one would like to meet walking along a road. -They saw alligators flop their tails to music—or at least the keepers -<em>said</em> they flopped to music so it must be so!—and most wonderful of -all, they saw alligators “shoot the shoots” into a small lake. There -was no pretend about that; the -<a name="gators" id="gators"></a><ins title="Original has ’gaters">’gators</ins> climbed slowly and -careful up the steps of the shoot, crawled over the top and then with -a loud “thud” dropped their clumsy bodies onto the shoot and slid down -into the water.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane and Alice would have been glad to stay there all morning -watching these strange creatures and Mrs. Merrill had to remind them -twice about the ostriches and about lunch and more riding before they -could tear themselves away.</p> - -<p>They wandered over to the ostrich section of the “Farm” and found the -queer looking birds poking their noses outside the wire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span> fence begging -as plain as could be for food.</p> - -<p>“You and Mary Jane feed them, Mother,” suggested Alice, “and I’ll take -your picture.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill bought some food and she and Mary Jane stood close to the -fence and handed it in. The birds reached their long necks out and -<em>nearly</em> helped themselves out of the bags, so tame were they. One -big bird seemed to take a fancy to Mary Jane and he was determined to -get his food from her. Just as Alice was ready to take the picture he -reached out and made a grab.</p> - -<p>“Owh!” screamed the little girl, “he got it! Make him give it back -quick, Mother!”</p> - -<p>“What did he get?” said Mrs. Merrill coming close.</p> - -<p>“My pocket book!” screamed Mary Jane who was fairly dancing she was -so excited, “he just reached his bill out and grabbed it out of my -hand, he did.” And sure enough, the great bird was making off to his -nest just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span> as fast as he could go (which was pretty fast) and from his -bill hung Mary Jane’s pretty new pocket book in which she had two best -kerchiefs and twenty-five cents of spending money.</p> - -<p>The keeper heard Mary Jane’s screams (and so did lots of other folks by -the way) and he came running to see what had happened.</p> - -<p>“Is that all!” he exclaimed, when Mrs. Merrill pointed out what the -ostrich had done, “we’ll have that bag in no time—I was afraid he’d -hurt the little girl though I did think he was too tame for doing harm.”</p> - -<p>He unlocked the gate and hurried over to where the big bird stood. As -soon as the ostrich saw his keeper coming he dropped the bag and raced -off with his long funny stride just as though he knew he had done wrong -and wanted to get away. Mary Jane couldn’t help but laugh at him he -looked so afraid and so very comical. She got her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span> pocket book back -undamaged and as the man handed it to her he said, “Too bad, Missy, too -bad. But you come again and I’ll make him behave. Wouldn’t you like a -little ’gator for a present, ’count of your scare?”</p> - -<p>“Oh,” replied Mary Jane, her eyes shining with delight, “I don’t need -one myself ’cause I’m here to see ’em. But I want one for my little -chum—she’s home.”</p> - -<p>“All right, Missy,” said the man, “I’d like to send her one if your -mother will allow me to.” And he pulled out his book and took down the -address.</p> - -<p>So that’s how it happened that a week later the expressman delivered a -box containing two live alligators to the amazed Dana family.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="iv" id="iv"></a>“THE BOAT’S A-FIRE!”</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">F</span>ORTUNATELY they got back to the hotel a while before lunch time -and could take a walk through the beautiful little park. Alice in -particular was anxious to see every sort of flower and plant and to -learn its name. But dear me! with all the lovely flowers there it would -have taken a day to study them every one and she had to be content with -seeing only a small part of the grounds.</p> - -<p>“Never mind,” said Mrs. Merrill, as they sat down to lunch, “the same -flowers will be all through Florida and you’ll have plenty of time to -see them all you wish.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” exclaimed a lady who sat at the same table with them, “your -little daughter doesn’t think <em>these</em> flowers are the sights she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span> is -to see, does she? Just wait till you get further south, this early in -the season every ten miles makes a difference and you’ll find lovelier -gardens the further you go.”</p> - -<p>Alice and Mary Jane opened their eyes in amazement; lovelier flowers -than these! Weren’t they lucky to be seeing so much? Mrs. Merrill -continued the conversation with the table mates and asked where she -could find about trains going to the beach.</p> - -<p>“I really don’t know,” replied the lady, who proved to be Mrs. Wilkins -of New York State, a friend of Mrs. Merrill’s cousin, “because we -hadn’t thought of going there. We can see the beach when we are further -south so we’re going to take a boat ride on the St. Johns River. That’s -something you can’t do at the beach resorts.”</p> - -<p>“That sounds good,” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “what do you girls think?”</p> - -<p>Alice and Mary Jane were delighted with the idea of a boat ride and -Mrs. Wilkins<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span> urged them to decide to go on “their” boat. They had -decided to go on a comfortable, safe looking steamer of fair size that -went up the river to Mandarin, the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe. -There, so they had been promised, they might see the very nook in the -trees where she did so much of the writing that made her famous.</p> - -<p>So the lunch visit was cut short and the little party drove at once to -the dock and settled themselves on the upper, front deck of the river -boat. Mary Jane wasn’t in any particular hurry for the boat to start -because from her safe deck she could look down on the wharves and see -the bustle and hurry of shipping fruit and enjoy the fun of watching -the dozens of gay, lazy, little negro boys who were supposed to be -helping the work. They sang so well and helped themselves to fruit so -generously and teased each other so comically that Mary Jane thought it -was as good as watching a play to see them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span> -When the boat finally started away from the dock, Mr. Wilkins took -the two girls down to the engine room and explained the workings of -the boat to them. Mary Jane thought it very wonderful that the queer -looking engine that went “Phis-s-s-sh, <em>ping</em>; Phis-s-s-sh, <em>ping</em>!” -was the thing that sent so big a boat a-going through the water.</p> - -<p>They must have stayed down stairs longer than they realized for when -they came on deck again, the city of Jacksonville was way, way off -and the boat was beginning to sidle up to the left bank of the river. -Before long they were landed at a ricketty old dock that stuck its nose -out into the river to greet them.</p> - -<p>“Back in an hour!” the Captain called as the boat backed away, “plenty -of time to see the homestead. It’s only five minutes walk down the -river bank.”</p> - -<p>The little party of tourists were quickly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span> surrounded by a crowd of -children who ran out onto the dock to greet them and beg them to buy -bananas, grapefruit, oranges and flowers.</p> - -<p>“Not till we come back,” said Mrs. Merrill firmly, “but if any of you -can show us Mrs. Stowe’s home we may buy something before we leave.”</p> - -<p>Fortunately it wasn’t far to go. The beautiful trees along the river -bank, dripping with streamers of Spanish moss, made such nice play -corners that Mary Jane was much more interested in playing house than -in seeing famous sights!</p> - -<p>“Please let me stay here and play while you look at houses, Mother,” -said the little girl. “I’ll stay right here, ’deed I will, and I can’t -get lost because in front there’s only the river and in back there’s -only the road and the house and you.”</p> - -<p>“And let me stay too,” said Alice; “I could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span> make the nicest play house -here—see, Mother, those twisted branches and the view across the -river?”</p> - -<p>So the grown folks went on with the sightseeing and the two girls and -about eight of the neighbor children stayed by the river bank.</p> - -<p>“Now,” said Alice, who was quite at home making playhouses even though -they were located in Florida, “this is the <a name="this2" id="this2"></a>living room and here’s the -dining room and here, where you can see the river best, is the porch.”</p> - -<p>“Where’s your walls?” asked one of the neighbor children who evidently -wasn’t used to making up houses as the Merrill girls were, “looks like -all one room to me!”</p> - -<p>“But it isn’t,” explained Alice, “you have to pretend the walls.”</p> - -<p>“You can’t pretend walls,” laughed the boy, “<a name="walls" id="walls"></a><ins title="Original has wall’s">walls</ins> is real! -Can’t you make ’em?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, we could if we had burrs,” said Alice thoughtfully looking -around. “Have you got anything here that will stick together easily?”</p> - -<div class="figcenter width400"> -<a name="this" id="this"></a> -<img src="images/i-002.jpg" width="400" height="586" alt="" /> -<div class="caption">“This is the living room and here’s the dining room and here, -where you can see the river bed, is the <span class="space">porch” -<i>Page</i></span> <i><a href="#this2">58</a></i></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span> -Three children darted off shouting “Yes! We’ll get it!” all in one -breath and in a few minutes they were back with great prickly branches.</p> - -<p>“Goody! Goody! Goody!” shouted Mary Jane happily, “now we’ll have time -to make the whole house before mother gets back, ’cause those are so -nice and big.” She reached out for a branch so as to begin building her -share.</p> - -<p>But dear me, she didn’t know much about Florida “prickers” or she -wouldn’t have been in such a hurry! The branches had tiny, queer little -prickers far different from any she had ever touched or seen and in a -second her fingers were full of itching barbs.</p> - -<p>“Wait, wait, <em>wait</em>!” called one of the bigger girls, “don’t rub it! -Don’t touch it! I’ll get them out for you.” She must have had them in -her own fingers before, because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span> she seemed to know exactly how to get -the troublesome things out. And then, when Mary Jane’s hand felt all -right again, the big girl, who said her name was Maggie, showed them -just how to handle the pricky cactus branches without getting the sharp -spines into fingers.</p> - -<p>Then Alice showed them a plan of making the walls and the children -set to work. It was fun making a tree house in the crooked, gnarled, -moss-covered old tree and it was fun playing with new children who so -quickly learned to play just as the Merrill children did.</p> - -<p>“What’s yer doing?” asked one girl as she saw Mary Jane apparently -pinch herself.</p> - -<p>“I’m just a-pinching myself,” laughed Mary Jane; “couldn’t you see? I’m -a-pinching myself to see if I’m me! I feel like I was somebody else I’m -dreaming about ’way down here playing.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span> -“Well, you’re you, don’t you worry,” said Alice gayly, “and you better -hurry if you want to finish sticking flowers in this wall because I can -hear the folks coming back as sure as can be.”</p> - -<p>“How pretty!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill, as she came close enough to see -the playhouse the children had made.</p> - -<p>“And this is the very tree I was telling you about,” said the guide who -came with them; “this very branched tree is where Mrs. Stowe sat when -doing much of her writing.”</p> - -<p>“Isn’t it interesting,” said Mrs. Merrill to the girls, “to think you -have made a playhouse in the very tree where Mrs. Stowe wrote parts of -‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I <em>’spect</em> it’s interesting,” said Mary Jane, “but I <em>know</em> it’s -fun. And please, Mother, do we have to go yet? Can’t we build some -more?”</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid not, girlies,” said Mrs. Merrill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span> regretfully, “because our -hour is up and our boat should be coming around the bend of the river -this very minute.”</p> - -<p>But though they all went back at once to the dock, they had a long, -long wait till the boat came. The sun began going down in the west and -the girls got so very hungry they were only too glad to buy generous -helpings of fruit from their new playmates. And finally when a boat -did come to the dock it wasn’t the nice boat they had come down on at -all! It was a small boat, oh, a very small boat, already so full of -passengers that when the new folks got on at the Mandarin dock it was -loaded almost to the water line.</p> - -<p>“Never mind,” said Mr. Wilkins comfortingly; “it surely must be safe -and anyway it’s only a short trip. Perhaps we can get seats at the -back.” And there they settled themselves and waved good-by to their new -friends as the boat steamed down stream toward the distant city.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span> -For a while the girls were content to sit and eat their oranges and -chat of the fun they had just had. But in the course of an hour, Mary -Jane began to fidget and to ask for something to do.</p> - -<p>“Nothing much to do on this boat but to sit still, Mary Jane,” said -Mrs. Merrill. “It isn’t big enough for a little girl to walk around and -see things—you’d be in folks’ way. Suppose you just sit still and look -all around and see how much you can see. Maybe you’ll find something -interesting to talk about that way.”</p> - -<p>So Mary Jane sat still (all but wiggling her feet and she thought that -didn’t count), and looked around the boat. She saw folks all around -her who had been sight-seeing and who had armfuls of flowers and fruit -they had brought from up the river. But in the front of the boat she -saw six or eight men in earnest talk at the prow—something seemed -to be exciting them very much. And then,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span> queerest of all, up on the -tiny half deck of the boat she saw a man and a woman taking turns at -a strange looking pump sort of a thing that seemed not to work very -smoothly as they tried to make it go back and forth. For a minute she -watched them; then she turned to her mother and asked, “What is that -thing, Mother? And what are they doing with it? What’s the matter?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill and Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins looked to where Mary Jane pointed -and Mr. Wilkins got up quickly and stepped up onto the little half deck.</p> - -<p>But before he had had time to ask a question, the woman who was trying -to work the pump, turned and replied to Mary Jane’s questions.</p> - -<p>“The boat’s a-fire!” she called, “that’s the matter! The boat’s a-fire -and the pump’s broke!”</p> - -<p>Mr. Wilkins spoke up in a loud, firm voice, “But I think we can fix it -at once if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span> every one will sit still. Will the Captain please put to -shore at once?”</p> - -<p>But that was just what the Captain would not do. His crew had been -trying for some minutes to get him to turn in toward the nearest shore, -but he obstinately refused to do so.</p> - -<p>“The pump’s broke,” he admitted, “but the fire ain’t much and we’ll get -to dock all right—now jes’ don’t get excited, folks!”</p> - -<p>As he spoke, little puffs of smoke rose from the engine room and the -big pile of dry wood which had carelessly been piled too close to the -firebox showed signs of bursting out into great flames.</p> - -<p>The passengers, remembering the crowded boat, tried to sit still and -be quiet and calm. But when they saw the twinkling lights of the city, -still so very far away; felt the fading light and the dampness of the -evening chill, and saw how far even the nearest shore of the wide river -seemed to be, they couldn’t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span> help noticing that there wasn’t a life -belt or boat to be had. Almost everybody began to feel panicky.</p> - -<p>And at that very minute Mary Jane began to cry. Not a loud panicky cry, -but a low, sobbing cry that sounded very heartbroken.</p> - -<p>“Don’t be afraid, little girl,” said the man next to her; “we’ll get -you home safe some way!”</p> - -<p>“I’m not afraid,” Mary Jane managed to say between sobs, “’cause I can -float. But if I have to get into the river and float, who’s going to -take care of this big banana I’m taking to my Dadah? He likes bananas!”</p> - -<p>For a second every one on the boat stared. And then a general laugh -relieved the tension, and folks were willing to sit down and trust -to getting a-shore. The pump was kept working as hard as its broken -condition would let it; men dipped into the river with the only two -buckets aboard and tossed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span> water onto the fire and slowly the lights of -the city twinkled nearer—and nearer—and nearer.</p> - -<p>Other boats came comfortingly near and were passed; docks loomed out -of the twilight, and finally with a bump the little, overcrowded boat -slipped into its place by the shore.</p> - -<p>There wasn’t a panic even then, but folks, some way, got off that boat -in a hurry. The firm land never had felt so good!</p> - -<p>“Where’s the little girl who wanted to save her banana?” called the -Captain as he turned his boat over to the dock firemen. “I want to -thank her.”</p> - -<p>But the Merrills were already out of hearing hurrying to their belated -dinner, their Dadah and jolly plan-making for the morrow.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="v" id="v"></a>A BIT OF SUNNY SPAIN</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">“E</span>ARLY to bed, early to rise, and you can catch the first train in the -morning,” said Mr. Merrill as they came in from a little stroll through -the gayly lighted park that same evening. “And I really think that -you folks better forget about me for a few days and go on with your -sightseeing by yourselves. The first train for St. Augustine leaves -at nine in the morning and you can have lots more fun there than here -where everything is more citified.”</p> - -<p>“But, Dadah,” said Mary Jane, “will there be flowers there and warm -weather and everything just the same?”</p> - -<p>“Not a thing the same,” replied Mr. Merrill teasingly; “there’ll be -more flowers and more warm weather and more palm trees and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span> more fun -for girls and lots more chance to play.”</p> - -<p>“Then let’s go and you come as soon as you get through your business, -Dadah,” said Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>So after an early breakfast and a brisk walk through the interesting -markets, Mrs. Merrill, Alice and Mary Jane got aboard the fine -“Special” train that went down the east coast.</p> - -<p>The very first stop, some two hours later, was their station, and the -minute Mary Jane got off she felt a pang of disappointment. All there -was to see was a row of funny busses, a narrow parkway of flowers and -palms and then fields—just plains, fields or vacant lots and not -an interesting thing anywhere. But a ride of a mile in one of the -busses made a change. They came to the little town of St. Augustine -(“It doesn’t grow near the railroad, this town doesn’t,” Mary Jane -afterwards explained to her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span> father, “because railroads are so very -now-a-days!”) and that was quaint and pretty enough to delight any -little girl.</p> - -<p>After they had taken their bags to their big, sunny room, changed their -traveling clothes for cool, summer dresses, low shoes and parasols, -they went down to inspect their new home. It seemed like moving into -fairyland—living in that hotel did—and Mary Jane had to pinch herself -three or four times to make sure that she, really truly <em>she</em> was to -live in that beautiful place for several days. There were gardens, oh, -beautiful gardens full of gay flowers, and brooks and bridges right in -the garden—inside the house! And on the bridge in the center of the -garden, stood a little girl just about Mary Jane’s age—a little girl -who looked all the world as though she would like a playmate.</p> - -<p>“May I go and talk to her now?” asked Mary Jane.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span> -“Perhaps we’d better have lunch first,” suggested Mrs. Merrill, -glancing at her watch. “Who’d have guessed it was nearly one o’clock!”</p> - -<p>“I could have guessed that as easy as pie,” said Alice, “because I’m -starved.”</p> - -<p>“You won’t be long,” said Mrs. Merrill, laughingly, “because you’ll -find lots to eat here.” And they went toward the dining room.</p> - -<p>“Now where would you like to sit?” asked the pompous head waiter as he -escorted Mary Jane, who happened to be leading her family, to a seat.</p> - -<p>“If you’d just as soon,” replied Mary Jane politely, “I’d like to sit -at the table where there’s the most to eat. And Alice would like to sit -there too, ’cause she’s always just as hungry as I am. And mother’ll -have to sit there if we do ’cause she belongs to us.”</p> - -<p>“Then this is the very place for you,” said the head waiter, as with -twinkling eyes he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span> pulled out three chairs at a cosy window table. -“These little girls,” he added to their waiter, “are to have all they -can eat whether it’s early or late.”</p> - -<p>“I think we’re going to like this place, Mother,” said Mary Jane -happily, as she unfolded her napkin, while the waiter went to get their -menu cards, “’cause they seem to like <em>us</em>.”</p> - -<p>They had a royal luncheon, ending with two kinds of ice cream and a -promise from the waiter of another still different sort for evening -dinner.</p> - -<p>After luncheon they took a little walk through the “square,” enjoying -the gay shops and the curious houses and trees.</p> - -<p>“Isn’t this the place where the ‘Fountain of Youth’ is?” said Alice -as she looked up from a window full of pictures. “That looks like the -picture of it in my geography.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, I know all about the Fountain of Youth!” exclaimed Mary Jane -happily.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span> “Miss Lynn told us about it in kindergarten. Is <em>this</em> it?”</p> - -<p>“Not right here,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “but only a mile or two outside -the city. Suppose we hail one of those pretty little surreys and ride -out there. I know you girls will like that and I love riding in those -little fringed surreys—they make me feel so gay.”</p> - -<p>A few steps farther on they came across an empty surrey, driven by a -man who was plainly of Spanish descent and who seemed very glad to have -passengers who would like to hear his stories of the founding of the -little town.</p> - -<p>Before they drove out to the “Fountain of Youth,” he took them through -a few of the little streets of the town and told them stories about the -houses and stores they passed. Then they turned northward and drove -past the city gates, the forts and the old cemetery toward the spring -the girls were so anxious to see.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span> -“But, Mother!” exclaimed Alice, as they drew up in front of a rather -dilapidated, low building, “<em>this</em> isn’t it! I know what it looks like -from the picture and it’s nothing like this.”</p> - -<p>“This is the ‘Fountain of Youth’ all the same,” answered Mrs. Merrill. -“Those pictures that are used so much were taken years ago when there -was an open <a name="pavilion" id="pavilion"></a><ins title="Original has pavalion">pavilion</ins> over the spring. In recent years it -has been housed in as you see it now. You won’t be disappointed with -the inside though—it’s as curious and interesting as ever. Come in and -get a drink.”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane and Alice followed her down three narrow steps, through a -low doorway and into a dim room. At first they couldn’t see anything -interesting but as they looked about longer they changed their minds. -Bubbling out of the ground, almost at their feet, was a little -spring—the very same spring that the Spaniard, Ponce de Leon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span> had -discovered over three hundred years ago.</p> - -<p>“But, Mother,” objected Mary Jane, “couldn’t he see that this was just -a common, every-day spring and that it was just so ordinary this way?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, it didn’t look ordinary to him, you may be sure,” said Mrs. -Merrill. “You must remember that he had landed after a long, long sea -voyage and fresh water, bubbling from the ground, looked more than -usually good. Then all this place where we are standing was a forest of -bloom—thousands of flowers he had never before seen were here and it -must have looked very lovely and magical to him.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, that would make a difference,” admitted Alice.</p> - -<p>“Then, too,” continued Mrs. Merrill, “even before he came here, the -Indians had a legend that this was a magic well and he who drank -thereof would never die. That, I think, is because it is a mineral -spring and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span> the water tastes different from most spring water. Try it -yourselves and see.” And then as the girls filled their cups she added, -“So you can hardly blame the stranger if he thought he had found the -spring of youth he had set out to locate, can you?”</p> - -<p>The girls made faces over the water—they didn’t like the taste a bit. -“I know why he called it the ‘Fountain of Youth,’” laughed Alice as she -tried to finish her cupful. “He had to call it something interesting or -folks would never drink it!”</p> - -<p>“What are those stone paths?” asked Mary Jane as she set her cup down.</p> - -<p>“Those aren’t paths, little girls,” said the guide who had stood -near by. “Those stones make a cross—but such a big cross you hardly -notice it at first. See! There are fifteen stones for one part and -thirteen for the other. We are told that Ponce de Leon himself laid -those here to mark the year he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span> discovered the spring; that was in -fifteen-thirteen.”</p> - -<p>As they went out from the dimness of the spring house into the warm -sunshine, who should they see coming toward them but the little girl -Mary Jane had seen that morning on the bridge in the hotel gardens. -Mary Jane hung back a minute to speak to her.</p> - -<p>“I’m Mary Jane and you live in my house,” she said by way of -introduction.</p> - -<p>“No,” replied the little girl half shyly; “you live in mine because I -lived here first. I’m Ellen. Are you tired?”</p> - -<p>“No-o!” answered Mary Jane positively; “what is there to be tired -about?”</p> - -<p>“It’s such a long way out here,” said Ellen.</p> - -<p>Ellen’s mother came up just then and seeing her little girl speaking to -the newcomers she added, “We tried to walk out here and I should have -known better because it’s much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span> too far for Ellen. But she’ll have to -be a brave girl because there’s no other way to get back.”</p> - -<p>“There is if you don’t mind being crowded a bit,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill hospitably. “We three can sit on the back seat and you and -Ellen can sit in front with the driver. We’re just ready to start back -now.”</p> - -<p>On the way back the two ladies chatted and found they had many mutual -friends, and the little girls planned to play together as soon as they -got home. At the suggestion of Ellen’s mother, Mrs. Berry, they stopped -at an orange orchard and saw the funny little stoves that are set among -the trees to keep the orchard warmer in a cold spell. Mary Jane thought -those little stoves the queerest things she’d seen yet.</p> - -<p>“You tell me when I leave the door open at home, Mother,” she said, -“that I must be trying to warm the whole out of doors and here they -really do it!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span> “So they do,” agreed Mrs. Merrill; “only you see we -haven’t an orchard to use the heat up our way!”</p> - -<p><a name="owner2" id="owner2"></a>The owner of the orchard gave each girl an orange and was so nice to -them, showing them around and letting the girls pick fruit and take -pictures, that they could hardly bear to leave.</p> - -<p>“I think,” said Mary Jane as they climbed into the little surrey, “that -when I’m big I’ll have me an orange orchard and let little girls come -to see me and give ’em fruit— I think that’s an awfully nice business, -I do.”</p> - -<p>It was almost dinner time when they got back to the hotel; no time for -play then. But after dinner Mary Jane took down her Marie Georgannamore -and Ellen brought her best doll, Fifi, and the two little girls sat out -on the terrace in great big comfy chairs and played together till after -eight o’clock. Then Mrs. Merrill came out to take Mary Jane upstairs.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span> -“You’ll have to go to sleep as quickly as ever you can,” she said, -“because I know an awfully jolly surprise that’s coming to-morrow. -Coming if a certain little girl I’m acquainted with gets to sleep.”</p> - -<p>“Is it something to play?” guessed Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>“No guesses—not even one,” answered Mrs. Merrill, “and I’ll tell you -only this much. It’s very jolly; and you’ve often wanted to do it; and -you’ve never done it before in all your life.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter width400"> -<a name="owner" id="owner"></a> -<img src="images/i-003.jpg" width="400" height="578" alt="" /> -<div class="caption">“The owner of the orchard let the girls pick fruit and -take <span class="space">pictures” <i>Page</i></span> <i><a href="#owner2">80</a></i></div> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="vi" id="vi"></a>“WHOA! PLEASE WHOA!”</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">“N</span>OW do we do it?” asked Mary Jane’s eager little voice; “this is -to-day!”</p> - -<p>“Sure enough it is,” said Mrs. Merrill, sleepily. She looked over to -Mary Jane’s bed and saw that a certain young person was wide awake and -was sitting up straight and tall in her bed which stood right in the -path of the sunshine.</p> - -<p>“Yes it is, Mother,” added Mary Jane, fearful that her mother wasn’t -really waked up yet; “see the sun? And you know this is the day when -the surprise comes. Do we have it now?”</p> - -<p>“Dear me, no,” said Mrs. Merrill, “how could we? See, Alice is sound -asleep and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span> none of us are dressed and the surprise is for three -folks—three folks who are in this room.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t worry about Alice,” said Mary Jane gayly; “I’ll get her up!” And -with that threat she jumped out of bed and pulled the light covers off -her sister. “Come on, Alice,” she cried; “you can sleep at home! Let’s -get up and do the surprise.”</p> - -<p>“Will I like it, Mother?” asked Alice and, luckily, she was too -interested in the surprise to mind that the covers had been pulled off.</p> - -<p>“Will you?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill. “You just wait and see! You’ve been -wanting to do this very thing for years and years and years.”</p> - -<p>“Then let’s get dressed quick,” said Alice; “who’s going to tub first, -Mary Jane?”</p> - -<p>“Not too fast there, my dears,” said Mrs. Merrill; “the surprise -doesn’t come till eleven o’clock.”</p> - -<p>“MOTHER!” exclaimed both girls as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span> though in one breath. And Mary Jane -added, “Do we have to wait <em>all that time</em>?”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Mrs. Merrill practically, as she glanced at her watch, -“I wouldn’t call that such a hopelessly long time if I were you. It’s -after seven now and nobody’s even started to dress. Of course you don’t -want any breakfast,” she added teasingly, “but—”</p> - -<p>“Of course we <em>do</em>, you mean, Mother,” laughed Alice; “I hope the -surprise won’t interfere with eating—I wouldn’t like that.”</p> - -<p>“Well then,” continued Mrs. Merrill, “if we have to dress and eat and -maybe take a little walk to look at the shops and maybe do something -else I know we <em>could</em> do—and it’s nice, too—I think it’s a pretty -good thing the surprise doesn’t come till eleven.”</p> - -<p>When the girls sat down to the breakfast table a half an hour later -they were glad they had plenty of leisure to enjoy their meal for such -fruit, such fish and such delicious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span> Southern biscuit they never had -eaten before.</p> - -<p>“I just wish there was two of me, one named Mary and one named Jane,” -said Mary Jane, as she eyed the plate of biscuits and the honey -regretfully, “’cause then one of me could eat some more. But seeing I’m -just one all together, I can’t!”</p> - -<p>“I think it’s time for a walk anyway,” said Mrs. Merrill. “You know we -didn’t have a chance to look at all those nice little shops yesterday -and that’s sure to be fun.”</p> - -<p>And it was. The girls and their mother too, enjoyed poking about in -the little sidewalk shops that lined the main street and they saw many -pretty things they thought of taking home to Grandmother Hodges or some -friend.</p> - -<p>“Mother!” exclaimed Alice suddenly, “see that clock? It’s only quarter -before ten and the surprise doesn’t come till eleven. <em>How</em> are we -going to wait all that time?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span> -“We’re not,” said Mrs. Merrill, as she made a sudden plan; “we’re going -swimming.”</p> - -<p>“Swimming!” exclaimed Mary Jane; “where’s the lake?”</p> - -<p>“Wait and see,” replied Mrs. Merrill and she led the way back to their -hotel. Mary Jane supposed they must be going back for bathing suits but -not so. They didn’t go to their room; they went down a long hallway -and up some stairs and along another hall. And by that time, Mary Jane -heard noises that sounded exactly like the sounds folks make when they -are in swimming and having a jolly time.</p> - -<p>“Why, Mother!” she said in amazement, “do they keep the swim in the -house down here?”</p> - -<p>“Sounds like it, doesn’t it?” answered Mrs. Merrill and she stopped -at a window long enough to buy three tickets, one pink and two blue. -“Sounds exactly like it—let’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span> look.” And she led them through a -doorway.</p> - -<p>Such a sight as the girls saw then, they never had imagined! In a -great room, surrounded with balconies on which folks walked and danced -and played, was a large tank of beautifully clear water. And in this -tank some fifty or more folks were swimming and playing. At one end -the children played and swam and at the other end the big folks who -evidently could swim better or walk in deeper water were enjoying -themselves.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane took a long breath as she looked in amazement about her, then -she said, “Come on, Mother! Let’s do it too!”</p> - -<p>“Oh, may we?” exclaimed Alice rapturously; “will they let us?”</p> - -<p>“That’s what our tickets are for,” explained Mrs. Merrill. “And we -dress right down in these nice dressing rooms at this end.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span> -Five minutes later the two girls, with their mother close behind, were -gingerly stepping into the water as it lapped on the marble steps at -the end of the pool. Mary Jane anxiously watched the first touch of the -water, then a happy expression came over her face and she exclaimed, -“It isn’t cold and it isn’t hot, Mother. It’s just like I am.”</p> - -<p>Of course Mary Jane didn’t know how to swim but both Alice and Mrs. -Merrill could swim a little and they took turns holding Mary Jane’s -chin and showing her how it was done. Mary Jane had no trouble getting -her feet up—she got them up so far out of the water that her swimming -was more splashing than swimming but it was fun for them all just the -same. Nobody thought a bit about time till suddenly Alice looked at the -great clock that was at one end of the pool.</p> - -<p>“Mother!” she cried, “it’s quarter to eleven!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span> -“Goodness!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill; “we’ll have to fly for they’ll be -out in front promptly at eleven.”</p> - -<p>“Who’ll be?” asked Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>“Wait and see,” teased Mrs. Merrill as she drippingly made her way up -the steps and toward the dressing rooms.</p> - -<p>Nobody took long to primp that time and at five minutes to eleven they -were leaving the Casino.</p> - -<p>“That’s plenty of time,” said Alice comfortably.</p> - -<p>“Well, none too much,” said Mrs. Merrill doubtfully, “because I have to -go up to the room and change my skirt.”</p> - -<p>“Why, Mother,” said Alice, “that’s a nice one you have on.”</p> - -<p>“Just so,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “too nice. Let’s see, have you both -your gingham bloomers on this morning—I forgot to notice. Yes, you -have. Then you don’t need to change. You may wait for me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span> here.” And -she hurried off toward the elevator.</p> - -<p>Soon she was back, wearing an old denim skirt that the girls didn’t -remember ever seeing. They thought it an awfully queer looking thing -but had no time to ask questions because she hurried them right out -through the garden.</p> - -<p>Through the garden, past the hedges and there—right by the leafy -gate—all saddled and bridled and ready to go, stood three of the -prettiest little ponies the girls had ever seen!</p> - -<p>“Oh! I know! I know! I know!” shouted Alice; “we’re going to take a -pony ride.”</p> - -<p>“Goody! Goody! Goody! I’m glad I’m me!” cried Mary Jane and she danced -up and down and clapped her hands so hard that the man who was holding -the ponies laughed and laughed.</p> - -<p>“So you really think it will be fun?” asked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span> Mrs. Merrill, happily, as -both girls, with never a thought that they were on the street, nearly -smothered her with a great bear hug; “well, I think so too. So let’s be -off. See, the ponies are pawing to go.”</p> - -<p>First they decided which pony Mary Jane should ride. The groom put her -on one, but he seemed most too big so she was changed to another. Then -Alice was lifted up onto hers.</p> - -<p>“Don’t bother about me,” said Mrs. Merrill, “I can manage very well -with this stone. Please start off with the girls.” So the groom trotted -after the girls whose ponies were walking briskly toward the market -place.</p> - -<p><a name="frontispiece" id="frontispiece"></a>When Mrs. Merrill caught up with them, she suggested that they turn -south, down the quiet, narrow street at the right, as the main street -seemed too crowded for even safe ponies when they were ridden by folks -who had never been pony-back before. So they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span> rode a few blocks past -quaint old Spanish houses and gardens—which the girls didn’t even -glance at!—then east past the old barracks and south to the open -country. By the time they had ridden a couple of miles the girls were -getting “on to” the knack of sitting straight and of holding their -reins and guiding their steeds, so the groom suggested that they go -west, around the village and ride around the old fort at the north.</p> - -<p>“Can you canter, Miss?” he asked Alice, who was riding very well for a -novice.</p> - -<p>The pony must have caught the word for he hurried off and Alice -answered over her shoulder, “I-I-I did-d-n’t-t know-ow it b-b-but I-I-I -c-c-can!”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane’s pony, seeing his mate start off so gayly, thought he must -be left behind so he started cantering too—much to Mary Jane’s dismay.</p> - -<p>“Whoa! Please whoa!” shouted Mary Jane with more politeness than -success.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span> The pony paid no attention to her! He cantered along rapidly -a half a block and then, spying a bit of choice green in a vacant lot, -turned suddenly in and began to eat.</p> - -<p>“Hold on, dear!” called Mrs. Merrill reassuringly, as she hurried up -behind her little girl; “hold on and you’ll be all right.”</p> - -<p>“I’m a-holdin’,” replied Mary Jane breathlessly; “when I go riding I -don’t let him leave me, ’deed I don’t!” and she clutched at the lines -with all her might. But evidently the pony had had no thought of -running away. He liked his eating so much that it took a hard pull on -the lines by the groom to make him raise his head and start on again.</p> - -<p>For a little while the groom rode close by Mary Jane and held on to -the lines and Mrs. Merrill rode ahead with Alice. But the pony behaved -so very well that soon Mary Jane held her own reins again and proudly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span> -rode all around the fort and back to the hotel.</p> - -<p>“Oh, that was fun!” exclaimed Alice with a sigh of pure joy and -satisfaction as she was lifted off her pony.</p> - -<p>“I think I’d like to ride every day,” said Mary Jane; “I like a pony -that runs and eats and takes me riding. Do they have ponies other -places?” And then, as Mrs. Merrill paid the groom and led the girls -back to the hotel, Mary Jane added, “Now what do we do next?”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="vii" id="vii"></a>LUNCHEON BY THE OLD WELL</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">B</span>UT by the time she had had her luncheon, Mary Jane began to realize -that a long swim, or trying at swimming, and a pony ride of an hour -was almost enough for a little girl to do in one day. And when, as -they came from the dining room, she saw Ellen running toward her with -her French doll in her arms, Mary Jane was willing to promise to “play -dolls” in the courtyard garden all afternoon. Alice wanted to take a -few pictures in the gardens and write letters and send postals to her -friends at home, and Mrs. Merrill had letters and a bit of mending, so -the afternoon spent in the sunshine of the inner garden passed very -quickly.</p> - -<p>Next morning, as they were coming out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span> from the dining room after -breakfast, Mrs. Merrill stopped a few minutes to talk with the steward -and the girls knew immediately that something nice was coming.</p> - -<p>“What do you think,” she asked as she joined them a minute later, “of -having a picnic luncheon to-day? Remember that pretty street we rode -south on yesterday? All those old Spanish houses were built years and -years ago. The queer one, that has no garden in front, is supposed to -be the oldest house in America. When I was here before the kind lady -who takes care of the place sometimes let folks eat their luncheon in -the garden by the old well. Wouldn’t that be fun?”</p> - -<p>Of course it would be jolly and both Alice and Mary Jane were eager to -be off.</p> - -<p>“Let’s go down that same street we rode on, Mother,” suggested Alice, -“because when we were riding we didn’t see a thing but the ponies and -the road and I’d like to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span> see everything—every single thing, in this -nice old town.”</p> - -<p>“Very well,” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “that’s what we’ll do. Our luncheon -will be ready in a very little while. Let’s get our mail and tell Ellen -that Mary Jane can’t play this morning and I expect by that time it -will be waiting for us.”</p> - -<p>Sure enough! By the time all necessary errands were finished the -steward came to the lobby with the luncheon all neatly packed in a nice -box.</p> - -<p>“And if that isn’t enough,” he said, with a glance in Mary Jane’s -direction, “maybe I can get the little ladies some ice cream when they -come back this afternoon.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill and Mary Jane agreed to carry the lunch box between -them—a block a-piece—because Alice had her camera to look after. They -stopped just long enough to buy a new roll of films at the nearest -shop<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span> and then they set off down the pretty, narrow, old street.</p> - -<p>The many palm trees, which Mary Jane insisted on calling “trees with -trimming on the top,” the gay poinsettias which bloomed everywhere and -the crimson and yellow blossoms on the vines which covered porches and -hedges made the street look very beautiful. Mary Jane had to pinch -herself two or three times again to make sure that she really was -awake! She simply couldn’t realize that up at home her playmates were -making snow forts and going to school.</p> - -<p>“I think it’s funny,” said Alice thoughtfully, “why folks stay up north -at all in the winter. Why doesn’t everybody move south when it gets -cold and then go back home in the spring?”</p> - -<p>“Sounds sensible,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, “and really very bird-like. -But just think of all you’d miss! Snow at Christmas time,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span> skating, you -know how you love to skate, and coasting and fireside fun—oh, you’d -miss a lot!”</p> - -<p>“I guess I would,” admitted Alice, “but I do love the flowers! Wait -a minute, Mother,” she added; “I want to get a picture of that vine. -See how it covers the house?” Mary Jane had gone on a few steps ahead, -but Mrs. Merrill, feeling sure the little girl was safe on that quiet -street, waited till Alice took the picture. But when they walked on -Mary Jane was not to be seen. Had she turned the corner? No, for Mrs. -Merrill hurried to look and no girl was in sight. Had she gone into one -of the gardens? Surely not, for Mary Jane would never think of going -into any one’s yard without an invitation. Alice shut up her camera and -hurriedly began to help hunt. Mrs. Merrill was just beginning to feel a -little anxious when she heard Mary Jane’s voice, close by, just inside -the hedge, say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span> “But please, first I have to tell my mother.” Mrs. -Merrill dashed into the yard, Alice close behind her, and both stood as -though petrified with amazement.</p> - -<p>At the foot of the steps leading from the house stood a woman dressed -in the gorgeous long robes worn in Spain long years ago. By her side -stood a Spanish courtier of olden days, apparently just about to kneel -and kiss her hand. And, most astonishing of all, just back of the lady -stood Mary Jane, her eyes round with excitement and delight.</p> - -<p>“Mary Jane!” cried Mrs. Merrill, “what are you doing? Where are you? -How did you come in here?”</p> - -<p>“Through the gate just like you did, Mother,” replied Mary Jane, -answering the last question first, “and I came because he asked me -to, he did.” And she pointed her finger at a man who stood at Mrs. -Merrill’s left.</p> - -<p>“The little girl is right,” said the man as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span> he stepped up to Mrs. -Merrill, “and I must ask your pardon for the fright we seem to have -caused you. But I do beg of you to let us borrow your daughter for -about five minutes more—we have such need of her.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill looked around the yard and saw what she had been too -excited before to notice. In the front of the yard, close by the hedge, -was a moving picture camera, and by it two men working under the -director who was speaking to her.</p> - -<p>“Let me explain,” continued the man. “We are making a picture -supposably taken in Spain—not a hard thing to imagine with all these -Spanish houses and gardens around here,—and this lady is supposed to -be a queen. But at the last minute, just as we were ready to run the -picture through, the lady” (and he pointed to the courtly dressed woman -by the steps) “wanted some ladies or children-in-waiting to carry her -train. We have the robes but not the people here and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span> have to get the -picture done to-day. That explains why, when I looked out of the garden -and saw your daughter I ventured to borrow her a minute. If we may use -her long enough to throw a robe over her and get the picture of the -queen so attended walking down the walk, I’ll be very glad.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill was just about to refuse for she had no desire to have -Mary Jane in a movie, when Alice nudged her and whispered, “Mother! -Couldn’t I be in it too?”</p> - -<p>The director noticed the whisper and guessed what she was saying. -“We’d like to have this little girl too,” he said; “we have plenty of -clothes for two and I’m sure if one train bearer is good, two will be -better—isn’t that so, Miss Arlson?”</p> - -<p>The pretty lady in the queen’s robe nodded and smiled and said she must -have two maids, so the director hurried away to get the costumes. In a -jiffy he was back and with two or three deft touches he tossed a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span> robe -over each girl, covered Mary Jane’s bobbed hair and Alice’s braids with -lace head-dresses and showed them where to stand behind the queen.</p> - -<p>Then with a hurried “click, click, click, click, click, click!” the -picture was taken and every one began to move about and talk. The girls -almost hated to give up their pretty costumes and Mary Jane remarked as -the director took hers off, “Those would make awfully nice ‘dress-up -clothes’ I think!”</p> - -<p>“Do you like to play dress-up?” asked the man.</p> - -<p>“’Deed we do!” exclaimed Mary Jane heartily; “we like it most the best -of anything!”</p> - -<p>“Then you take these head-dresses you wore and keep them with my -compliments,” he said, and that is how it happened that two fine and -interesting bits of Spanish lace were taken home from the southern -trip.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span> -“Mother!” exclaimed Alice when they were out on the street again, “did -you ever hear of such fun? And to think it happened to <em>us</em>!”</p> - -<p>“Being in a movie!” cried Mary Jane, “and riding a pony and swimming in -a house—why just everything’s happening to us! If Dadah doesn’t come -with us pretty soon there won’t be anything left in the world to do.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you worry about that,” laughed Mrs. Merrill; “I know two or -three things left in the world to do. And it wouldn’t surprise me a -bit if you’d do them some day. But the thing we’re doing right now, is -seeing the oldest house in the United States. Alice, will you pound the -knocker?”</p> - -<p>They stopped short and there, sure enough, they had come to the queer, -old house they had set out to see. Alice stepped up on the doorsill -and awesomely pounded at the brass knocker. A pleasant faced old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span> lady -opened the door and peered out at them.</p> - -<p>“Why, don’t I know you?” she asked as she spied Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“I hoped you’d remember,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “though I don’t see how -you do when you see so many folks every year. And I hoped you’d let my -girls and me eat lunch by the old well as I did years ago.”</p> - -<p>“Indeed I will that,” said the old lady cordially, “and they may pick -flowers in my garden, too, though that’s something very few folks are -allowed to do. But first they want to see the house.”</p> - -<p>She took them all over the house, up stairs and down, and such a lot -of quaint, queer old things the girls had never seen. Candle sticks -hundreds of years old, cradles, dishes, andirons, pitchers, dresses, -chairs, sewing baskets, spinning wheels, looms, knitting racks, tables, -rugs—everything that one could think of as interesting and old seemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span> -to be crowded into that one small house. Mary Jane looked and looked -and looked till everything she saw seemed a confusion of queer old -things.</p> - -<p>“I think I’d better stop looking, Mother,” she said finally, “’cause -the looks get all mixed up in my head.”</p> - -<p>“You’re right, Mary Jane,” said Mrs. Merrill sympathetically, “I’m -getting tired looking myself. Let’s go out into the garden and eat our -luncheon.”</p> - -<p>Nobody, looking at the outside of the house, would have even guessed -of the lovely garden behind the wall. There was an old well with its -windlass and sweep, several gnarled old trees and shrubs and bushes and -flowers in every corner. The little old lady was persuaded to come out -into the sunshine and share the luncheon with them and she told them, -while they ate, tales of the many famous folks who had visited this -very same garden and picnicked by this very same well.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span> -Then, after they had finished eating, she showed Mary Jane how folks, -years ago, used to draw water from that same old well.</p> - -<p>“I think it’s lots more fun to get water out of a well this way than to -turn on a faucet,” said Mary Jane as she tried the windlass herself and -drew up a brimming bucket.</p> - -<p>“But what would you think,” asked Mrs. Merrill, “of getting up early in -the morning and coming out to draw the water for your bath?”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Mary Jane doubtfully, “I’d think that would be different.”</p> - -<p>“I guess it would be,” laughed Alice, “I know I’d think so!”</p> - -<p>“Now I must get back to my work,” said the little lady. “But make -yourselves at home here. And remember, the girls may pick flowers if -they wish.” And she went back into the house.</p> - -<p>Alice was happy at the chance to pick a few flowers as she had wanted -to make a collection<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span> of pressed flowers that would include every -variety they saw on their trip. And in this one garden she found a -sample of every single sort she had seen thus far and two or three new -kinds besides. She took pictures of the garden and of Mary Jane at the -well and then it was time to go.</p> - -<p>As they walked back under the palm trees to the hotel Mary Jane said, -“I think I’d like to live in this place all winter.”</p> - -<p>“I’d like that myself,” said Mrs. Merrill, “but we can’t. To-morrow -morning, bright and early, we’ll be going on. And if you ask me, I’ll -tell you that there’s even more fun at the next place we go to—think -of that!”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="viii" id="viii"></a>A DAY ON THE BEACH</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">I</span>T was with great reluctance that Alice and Mary Jane accompanied their -mother into the bus that was to drive them to the station the next -morning. They had had so much fun in the three full days they had spent -at dear old St. Augustine that it simply didn’t seem possible there -<em>could</em> be as good a time waiting any place else. It was a comfort -though, to know that they might stop a day or two more at the old -Spanish city on their way home. Mrs. Merrill was trying to plan it that -way in the hope that Mr. Merrill could meet them there and have some of -the fun with them. And that was the reason why they had saved the old -fort till the next visit; Mrs. Merrill felt sure that Mr. Merrill could -show the girls the wonders<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span> and traditions of the old place better than -she could.</p> - -<p>As the train sped southward through forests and fields Mary Jane forgot -all about being sorry to leave St. Augustine and began to make plans -for the new visit.</p> - -<p>“What’s the name of the place we’re going to next, Mother,” she asked -as they settled themselves cosily on the big observation platform, “and -what we going to do when we get there?”</p> - -<p>“We’re going to Daytona now, dear,” replied Mrs. Merrill, “and if this -fine weather keeps up you’ll have a chance to swim in the really truly -ocean to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>“Couldn’t we do it to-day?” asked Alice who loved swimming.</p> - -<p>“Not very well,” answered her mother. “You see, Daytona isn’t on the -ocean. It’s on a river that runs in from the ocean—I call it a river -though it really is more of a long, slim bay. The beach where you’ll go -swimming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span> is a long way from the hotel where we will stop and to-day I -think we’d better get a bit acquainted with Daytona. You’ll like it I -know.”</p> - -<p>And Mary Jane did like it very much. She liked it from the first minute -she stepped from the train into the bus that was waiting to take them -to the small hotel where rooms were reserved for them. She loved the -broad, modern streets—so different from the narrow foreign looking -ones that had charmed them at St. Augustine, she loved the many, many -beautiful flower beds and the great trees that made the streets look -like huge caves of green.</p> - -<p>The bus was a bit crowded so the girls sat up on the driver’s seat -which they thought was a real lark. This driver was a nice northern boy -of eighteen who by some chance had obtained the job of driving the bus -for the winter. He told the girls that he had two sisters at home just -their ages and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span> that he wished they would ride on the bus with him that -afternoon because he got so homesick for his sisters.</p> - -<p>After they had their luncheon Alice asked her mother if they could -ride. She explained all about what the boy had told them, of -course, and said that he had promised they could see the whole of -Daytona—every bit—if they went with him that afternoon, because his -errands were so scattered. Mrs. Merrill talked with friends who had -been some days at the hotel and all spoke so well of the driver that -Mrs. Merrill gave her consent. And a very proud and gay pair of little -girls perched up on the front seat and drove away about two o’clock.</p> - -<p>“Be very careful, girlies,” said Mrs. Merrill, as the engine began to -hum; “you know I’ll be right here if you want anything. And Mary Jane, -you must do what Alice says for she’s always so good to you. Have a -fine time!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span> -Tom surely did take them all over the town. They went down south first, -out into the edge of the country, where they got a man who was to take -a two-thirty train. Then they went north to take some folks who came -on the same train that took the man away. Then they went east across -one of the long bridges and then north and home over another one. Mary -Jane liked those bridges. They were so nice and low and long. But that -wasn’t all. They were toll bridges and each time an auto went across -the driver had to stop at the toll office and pay for the privilege of -driving across. Mary Jane had never heard of such a thing before and -she thought it awfully funny to pay to ride across a bridge.</p> - -<p>By half past four, when Tom brought the girls back, they were old -friends; they’d told him all about their trip so far and about their -plans for swimming to-morrow. And they really felt very well acquainted -with Daytona<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span> they had ridden around so much of it.</p> - -<p>Bright and early the next morning the Merrills three were up and -making ready for the trip to the beach. Mrs. Merrill planned to get -their luncheon at the Casino by the bathing beach so there was little -to attend to after breakfast. Bathing suits were tucked into a rubber -bag and then, as soon as the postman had come with the morning mail, -they set out for the beach. The girls were sure they could walk to the -beach; it was only about two miles and they wanted to show their mother -some of the sights they had seen the day before. And really, with -seeing the great palm trees along the river and looking in the shop -windows along Main Street and counting the planks on the bridge—Mary -Jane was determined to count every board—the walk seemed no distance -at all.</p> - -<p>It was just about eleven when they reached the bath house and the crowd -was already assembling. Such a jolly crowd it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span> too, very happy, and -gay, and full of fun. There were no high waves that day; just nice low -ones, actually made for girls who were not used to the big ocean, and -Mary Jane and Alice could hardly wait till they got into the water. It -wasn’t cold at all—of course it wouldn’t be in that fine, warm sun, -and they could safely wade and swim and play on the sand for an hour or -more.</p> - -<p>After the girls and Mrs. Merrill had been in the water till they were a -bit tired, they sat down on the beach, near the water’s edge, to rest -awhile. Suddenly Mary Jane screamed. “Ugh! Mother! Look! See that funny -bug!”</p> - -<p>“Pooh!” exclaimed Alice laughingly, “it isn’t a bug! It’s a crawdad!”</p> - -<p>“But look,” cried Mary Jane; “he’s gone!”</p> - -<p>To be sure! Even as Mary Jane was watching him, the queer little -crawdad had quickly dug himself a hole in the ground and hidden down -in it.</p> - -<div class="figcenter width400"> -<a name="they" id="they"></a> -<img src="images/i-004.jpg" width="400" height="576" alt="" /> -<div class="caption">“They went in wading after <span class="space">crawdads” -<i>Page</i></span> <i><a href="#they2">114</a></i></div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span> -“It’s like magic!” cried Mary Jane; “look! There goes another one!”</p> - -<p><a name="they2" id="they2"></a>“Mary Jane, I’ll tell you what let’s us do!” exclaimed Alice, “let’s -find crawdads on the beach and then watch ’em dig in.”</p> - -<p>“What’ll we put ’em in when we find ’em?” asked Mary Jane excitedly.</p> - -<p>“Oh,” Alice hesitated and looked around, “I know. Put them in here.” -She whisked off her rubber bathing cap and made it into a bag shape and -ran down nearer the water to find the tiny crabs.</p> - -<p>It wasn’t hard to do. Each wave that rolled upon the beach left two or -three of the queer little creatures, but one had to grab very quickly -for the instant the water receded and left them stranded on the sand, -they began to dig themselves in. Mary Jane grabbed at the sand and as -fast as she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span> caught a crab she dropped it into Alice’s cap.</p> - -<p>“Don’t they make your hands feel funny?” she asked as she held one a -second more than she needed to. “I don’t know if I like them and I -don’t know if I don’t.”</p> - -<p>“Ugh!” exclaimed Alice. “I know I don’t like to hold them but I do like -to watch them dig. Come on, sis, we’ve a lot. Let’s go back to mother -and let ’em hide.”</p> - -<p>They raced back to where Mrs. Merrill had been sitting and dumped -their trophies on the sand one at a time. And it really was funny to -see those wiggling little crawdads squirm themselves out of sight in -the sand in such a jiffy! Just a wiggle, wiggle, wiggle and they were -gone—the sand closed up over them as though they had never been there. -Mary Jane tried to poke her finger down into the sand and dig them up; -but the crawdads were too smart for her and not a one did she find!</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you collect some shells to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span> take home,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill after awhile; “there are many pretty kinds here.”</p> - -<p>“I know it, Mother,” answered Alice, “and I was just going to ask you -if we could take any home when Mary Jane found these crawdads. Let’s -start now.”</p> - -<p>But just at that minute the whistle on the bath house blew for one -o’clock—the girls hadn’t guessed it was nearly that late and of course -the minute they knew the time they were starving hungry.</p> - -<p>“Then let’s take one more dip to get the sand off,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill, “before we dress and have lunch. And while our suits dry, you -may collect all the shells you are willing to carry.”</p> - -<p>Down into the water they ran and just in time too for when they heard -a noise they looked up from the water and there, coming quickly to the -earth, was a great aeroplane that landed right at the very spot where -they had been sitting.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span> -“I do think this is the excitingest beach,” said Mary Jane in an -awestruck voice; “first there’s the ocean and then there’s crawdads and -then an airship. What do you suppose they’ll have next?”</p> - -<p>“Lunch, I hope,” said Alice laughingly, “and I’ll beat you to the bath -house to dress for it.”</p> - -<p>Later when they had had their good luncheon and were sitting on the -veranda of the Casino where they could watch the airship take on a -passenger and sail away toward the north for a long flight, Mary Jane -remembered about the shells.</p> - -<p>“Of course we want to get some,” said Alice; “let’s go now.”</p> - -<p>“You girls start while I see about the bath locker,” suggested Mrs. -Merrill. “Maybe we can arrange to leave our things here till we come -again; then we could carry more shells.”</p> - -<p>When she got down to the beach a little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span> later she found that the girls -had already collected a great pile of shells from the many there were -to be found on the beach.</p> - -<p>“You wouldn’t want to take any but perfect ones home, I’m sure,” said -Mrs. Merrill; “suppose we spread every shell out where it can be seen. -Then we’ll throw all the ones that are not perfect back into the ocean. -The others we’ll take home.”</p> - -<p>Alice and Mary Jane set to work examining the shells and they found -that in their eagerness for collecting they had picked up a good many -that were not worth carrying home. So it was quite a respectable sized -pile they finally decided they wanted to take.</p> - -<p>“There,” said Mary Jane with a sigh of content, when the sorting was -finished, “there they are and if it wasn’t ten miles home, I’d be glad -we had them.”</p> - -<p>“You’ll be glad anyway, dear,” said Mrs. Merrill, “because we’re going -to ride home.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span> I ordered a taxi when I was up at the bath house. Here -it comes now.”</p> - -<p>And sure enough! There it was coming right down by the water to meet -them. Mary Jane was sure the wheels would get stuck in the sand; but -they didn’t; they didn’t even sink in. They just acted as though that -beach was a regular road—which it wasn’t.</p> - -<p>It seemed fine to spin home over the beach, across the bridge and down -the river street, and by the time home was reached Mary Jane was rested -enough to play again. That was a good thing for who should she see on -the hotel porch but Ellen, her little friend from St. Augustine.</p> - -<p>“Why, Ellen!” she exclaimed as she ran from the taxi to greet her; “how -did you get here?”</p> - -<p>“On the train and the bus,” said Ellen happily. “And mother’s here too.”</p> - -<p>“We came down unexpectedly for two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span> days,” explained Mrs. Berry, -“because I found that a dear old friend of mine was here. Can’t we all -plan a picnic for to-morrow?” she added. “The girls will like it and -I know a beautiful place to go—way down the beach and back into the -woods.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, goody! Let’s!” exclaimed Mary Jane, dancing happily; “let’s have a -picnic or something every day.”</p> - -<p>“Seems to me that’s about what you are doing,” laughed Mrs. Merrill, -“but I’m ready for more fun.” While the mothers planned the party, the -three girls went off to find some fun of their own and to talk of what -they would do at the picnic.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="ix" id="ix"></a>AT SEA IN A STORM</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">T</span>HERE seemed to be a great mystery about that picnic. Mrs. Merrill and -Mrs. Berry wouldn’t let the girls help with the baskets and even kind -Mrs. Trudy, the hostess at the hotel, merely smiled and put her finger -to her lips when the girls asked her what was going on.</p> - -<p>“I think we ought to see what they’re taking to eat,” said Ellen as she -hung on to the porch railing out in front; “maybe we won’t like it.”</p> - -<p>“No danger,” said Alice positively; “mother’s there and she always -makes nice lunches.”</p> - -<p>“But we ought to see it,” insisted Ellen. “I tell you what let’s do. -There’s a window in Aunt Sue’s room” (Aunt Sue was Mrs. Berry’s friend) -“that opens onto a roof, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span> low roof just by the kitchen. I know ’cause -we had that room ourselves last year. Let’s climb out the window and -peep down into the kitchen.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know if mother’d like us to peek,” replied Mary Jane -doubtfully, “but we might climb out on the roof and see if we <em>could</em> -peek. And then when we saw if we could we could decide about doing it.”</p> - -<p>“Anyway let’s go,” said Ellen, who had no particular scruples about -peeking. So they ran up stairs and climbed out of Aunt Sue’s window -and sure enough, they could look right down into the kitchen without -half trying. They saw Mrs. Merrill standing by a table and Mrs. Berry -bending over a basket on a chair, but before they really had time to -see what each was doing, Tom came out the kitchen door.</p> - -<p>“Say, girls,” he called, “want a ride? I have to go up to the store for -paper napkins and your mothers say you may go along.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span> -“Oh, dear,” said Alice who, being the oldest felt responsible for -letting the girls come out on the roof, “but we’re not down ready to -go.”</p> - -<p>“You will be in a minute,” said Tom laughingly; “watch me.” He went -over to the orange tree near by, picked up the ladder that leaned -against it and set the ladder up to the side of the house. “There you -are, young ladies,” he said proudly; “walk right down!”</p> - -<p>“Ugh!” cried Ellen, “I’m scared to.”</p> - -<p>“No you’re not,” answered Alice; “it’s fun to climb ladders. Here, let -me go first and then I turn around and hold your hand and you won’t be -scared a bit.”</p> - -<p>Nor was she, for Alice showed her how to go down backwards so she could -look up all the time and Ellen thought it so much fun that she wanted -to climb up again just for the fun of coming down.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span> -“Not to-day,” said Tom, “for we have to be off. You help Mary Jane, -Alice, while I get out the bus. They wanted us to hurry back with the -napkins, you know, because they’re almost through packing the picnic -basket.”</p> - -<p>By the time they came back with the napkins the luncheon was all packed -and the three ladies, hatted and ready to go, were sitting on the -front porch waiting, so there was no more temptation to peek into the -kitchen. In about five minutes the big seven-passenger car that was to -take them on the trip, drove up and they all piled in.</p> - -<p>“Should we take wraps?” asked Mrs. Merrill at the last minute.</p> - -<p>“Wraps!” laughed Mrs. Berry; “look at the sun! We’ll have sunshine all -day if I’m any weather guesser.”</p> - -<p>Alice, being the oldest girl, sat on the front seat with the driver; -Mary Jane and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span> Ellen had the two folding seats in the back and the -three ladies had the long back seat to themselves.</p> - -<p>“And don’t put your feet into the lunch,” warned Alice, as she leaned -back and saw that the precious basket was right between the two little -girls.</p> - -<p>“Hump!” grunted Mary Jane, “think we want stepped-on lunch? We’re just -as particular about the basket as any older body, we are!”</p> - -<p>First they drove across the bridge toward the ocean; then they turned -and started down the long wide beach.</p> - -<p>“We’ll go along here this way for miles and miles,” said the driver to -Alice, “and if you watch you’ll see queer things on the beach.”</p> - -<p>“Queer things?” questioned Alice; “what kind of things?”</p> - -<p>Before the driver had a chance to answer he spied something he wanted -the girls to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span> see and with a skid and a whirl he brought the car to a -sudden stop right down by the edge of the waves.</p> - -<p>“There,” he said, pointing to a lump of something that lay on the sand, -“that’s what I mean. I’ll get it for you.” He jumped out of the car, -picked up the messy looking thing and handed it to Alice. “It’s a jelly -fish,” he explained; “there are lots of them washed up on the beach -here. See, this is the way it sails on the water.”</p> - -<p>The girls looked at the thing in open eyed amazement. They couldn’t -realize that that queer looking mess that looked all the world like -spoiled gelatine, could have been a creature sailing on the water.</p> - -<p>“You just wait,” laughed the driver; “I’ll show you some out in the -water before we turn off this beach.” He kept his word, too. About a -half mile farther down the beach he spied a live jelly fish riding the -waves. When the girls saw <em>that</em> they thought first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span> he must be joking -them for it looked quite a bit like a sail boat some child had made and -which had tipped over and blown out to sea. But when he stopped the car -they could see plainly that it was just such a creature as he had shown -them before.</p> - -<p>“They certainly do have queer folks down at this place,” said Mary -Jane, “queerer folks than live up at my home, I’m sure of that!”</p> - -<p>Soon they turned off of the beach and went back across a bridge to -a great orange orchard Aunt Sue wanted Ellen to see. The owner of -the orchard was expecting them and he himself took them out to where -oranges were being picked and then to the packing room where the golden -fruit was scrubbed and sorted and packed. Mary Jane like the sorting -the best of all.</p> - -<p>“It’s just like a marble game,” she exclaimed excitedly as she watched -the fruit come rolling down the trough. “See!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span> That little one goes in -there and the middle sized one goes in <em>there</em> and the great big orange -goes way down to the end. Let’s stay and watch some more.”</p> - -<p>“Not this time,” replied Mrs. Merrill regretfully; “if we are to have a -picnic we must be on our way because it’s nearly noon now.”</p> - -<p>The orchard man loaded the girls with oranges and tangerines for their -lunch and urged them to come again some time. They sped along the hard -shell road, passed inlet after inlet where the water from the ocean, -rising now with the turn of the tide, came close up to the road; and -finally they turned in at a clean, pretty woods and the car came to a -standstill.</p> - -<p>“This <em>is</em> a nice place,” said Mrs. Merrill to Mrs. Berry, “and we’re -certainly glad you brought us along to your party. Girls, I’ll race you -to that oak tree!”</p> - -<p>The girls, each one, had intended to suggest eating lunch the very -first minute they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span> got out of the car; but they couldn’t let a -challenge like that go by. Off they raced, Alice leading easily as they -neared the great tree which was the goal.</p> - -<p>“Let’s give her a handicap,” Mrs. Merrill said, as they measured up how -very much Alice had beaten; “she’s so old she needs one.” So they made -Alice stand five feet behind as they raced back and then the race came -out exactly a tie.</p> - -<p>“I say the winners get a luncheon for a prize,” suggested Mrs. Merrill, -laughingly; “I think that’s safe when we all won, don’t you?”</p> - -<p>While they had been racing, Mrs. Berry and her friend had spread the -white table cloth and had unpacked most of the tempting food, so each -girl dropped down by the nearest napkin and prepared to be served. -No wonder the ladies had wanted to keep that lunch basket for a -surprise—it was a meal fit for a king and each hungry eater was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span> loud -in the praises of kind Mrs. Trudy who had given them such a feast. -There was fried chicken, each piece frilled with white paper and rolled -up by itself; and sandwiches and rolls and jelly and olives and pickles -and salad and cake and, oh, just everything good a person could think -of. And last of all the real surprise—a can of fine ice cream which -not one had guessed was tucked in under the back seat; no one, that is, -but the driver, whom Mrs. Trudy had let into the secret.</p> - -<p>After lunch was over the girls gathered moss and shells and acorns; -they played games and had such a good time that no one even thought of -home or the sky or weather or anything like that till suddenly Mrs. -Merrill noticed that the sun wasn’t shining.</p> - -<p>“We should have brought wraps after all!” exclaimed Mrs. Berry in -dismay, “but who’d have guessed that this fine day would end in a rain. -Come quick, girlies, we’ll have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span> to bustle our things into the car in a -jiffy and make for home. I know these southern storms and this starts -out like a bad one.”</p> - -<p>Even as she spoke the sky grew suddenly blacker and a great flash of -lightning lit up the woods with a weird light.</p> - -<p>“I never saw anything so sudden!” cried Mrs. Merrill; “look! There’s -a drop of rain now! Hadn’t we better put up the curtains on the car -before we start? It would be a bad thing for us to get wet so far from -home.”</p> - -<p>The three ladies helped and the girls held curtains from the inside so -the job didn’t take very long. But even that little time made a great -difference. The great drops of water came faster and faster and the -driver got soaked when he jumped out to lock the gate that led from -woods to road.</p> - -<p>“There’s no one on the road, driver,” said Aunt Sue, as they started -north, “so let her out. The roads are good and we can get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span> home through -the woods if you drive fast so as to make it before the roads get too -soaked.”</p> - -<p>On they dashed; past bridges, woods, gullies and inlets. They were -taking the inside road as that would get them home quicker than the -beach road they had used coming down. The girls thought it was a lark -to sit cuddled up safe and dry in the car while the lightning flashed -and the rain beat upon the leather roof over their heads.</p> - -<p>On they went, past more woods and orchards and creeks, all the time -having near them on one side or the other the wide stretches of water -that now, at high tide, came up so close to the road. The shell road -made fine driving but no one, not even the driver who was used to that -country, realized how very slick the road might be in such a storm. -On, and on, through the lightning that lit up the dark shadows of the -groves they raced past.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span> -And then a sudden whirl—a slip—a splash! The car had skidded from the -road into the bay and stood hub deep in a vast inlet of water.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="x" id="x"></a>WALKING THE PLANK</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">F</span>OR a minute all seven folks in that car were too amazed to speak; -then, suddenly every one began to talk at once.</p> - -<p>“Will we sail out to sea?” asked Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>“Driver, do you know when the tide is high?” from Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“Of course, there’ll be no one along this road while the storm lasts!” -cried Mrs. Berry.</p> - -<p>“Will we just sit here and drown?” exclaimed Ellen.</p> - -<p>“I guess I’ll swim ashore!” laughed Alice, who thought the experience a -lark it was so unusual.</p> - -<p>And as they talked the lightning flashed and sparkled; the thunder -roared deafeningly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span> and the rain on the car and on the water around -them made so much noise they had to yell to make each other hear.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Mrs. Merrill happened to think of time. She glanced at her -watch and exclaimed, “It’s four o’clock! If I recall rightly from -yesterday on the beach that’s nearly high tide. If that’s the case the -water won’t get any higher.”</p> - -<p>“What’s tide?” asked Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>“It’s the rising and falling of the water, dear,” said Mrs. Merrill. -“Twice a day the water spreads out a few feet over the land and twice a -day it goes back. Some other time I’ll tell you more about it. If the -water doesn’t come up much deeper here we’ll not be in any real danger -and I think we’d better sit still till the storm goes over. Surely such -a hard storm will not last long.”</p> - -<p>So they tried to settle themselves comfortably for a long wait. But -it wasn’t easy. The roar of the thunder and the water and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span> the weird -light from the storm’s bright flashes made them all uneasy. They -played twenty questions and they counted the seconds on Mrs. Merrill’s -watch between the lightning and the thunder. But nothing seemed very -interesting.</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell you what let’s do,” suggested Mrs. Berry, “let’s talk about -where we are going and what we plan to see before we go back up north. -That will be fun.”</p> - -<p>And it was. Mrs. Merrill said she and the girls planned to go back to -Jacksonville in a day or two where they hoped to meet Mr. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“You don’t mean to tell me,” exclaimed Mrs. Berry, “that these girls -are going home without a ride up the Ocklawaha? That seems a shame!”</p> - -<p>“The Ocklawaha?” questioned Mrs. Merrill; “I don’t believe I know that -trip.”</p> - -<p>“Then you surely must take it,” said Mrs. Berry; “the girls will love -riding on that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span> great, queer boat through the wild forests where they -can see alligators and snakes and turtles and orange groves and Indian -battle fields and everything, right close at hand. When we get home -I’ll show you the folders.”</p> - -<p>“Do they have really truly alligators growing outside a fence?” asked -Mary Jane, her eyes big with wonder.</p> - -<p>“Do they?” answered Mrs. Berry vigorously; “you just wait and see! -Alligators along the banks and in the water and right near the boat.”</p> - -<p>“Ugh!” exclaimed Mary Jane, as a sudden thought struck her; “are there -any here?”</p> - -<p>“I hope not,” said Mrs. Berry with a shiver; “no, girls, I was just -joking,” she added as she saw the three girls glance fearfully at the -water; “alligators like jungles and heavy vegetation. They would never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span> -come up so near a road—you may be sure of that.”</p> - -<p>“Listen!” exclaimed Alice suddenly; “wasn’t that thunder farther away?”</p> - -<p>The driver loosened the front curtain and peered out. Yes, the storm -was going away, that was plain to see. The thunder was getting fainter -every minute, the lightning was only a glow and the rain had nearly -stopped.</p> - -<p>“I do believe it’s going away as quickly as it came,” said Aunt Sue -hopefully. “What time is it now anyway?”</p> - -<p>“Five o’clock,” replied Mrs. Merrill; “how’s the tide, driver?”</p> - -<p>“Going down,” he answered; “see? It’s below the running board a-ready. -I guess I’ll see if I can start her up.” He pressed the button on his -starter and the wheels of the auto began to spin but the car didn’t -move an inch. “Just as I was afraid!” he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span> muttered; “stuck in the mud. -I’ll wade to shore and walk down the road till I come to a house where -I can get help to pull us out. I reckon you’ll all be safe enough.” He -pulled off his shoes and socks, waded to shore and set off up the road. -By this time the rain had stopped and the sun was breaking through the -clouds, so sitting in a car out in the water seemed much less dismal.</p> - -<p>He hadn’t been gone more than fifteen minutes before an auto pulled up -in front of the stranded car and out jumped the driver and two men. -“I met ’em up the road,” their driver explained, “and we’ve brought a -plank and a rope.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, we’ll soon have you all out and a-riding home,” said one of the -men.</p> - -<p>First they laid the great long plank from the road to the running board -of the car. Then Mrs. Merrill, who had been loosening the curtains, -stepped out to walk to shore.</p> - -<p>“Better let the little lady go first to see if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span> it’s all right,” -suggested the driver. “Here, Alice, your mother can hold you to start -and I’ll meet you to finish.”</p> - -<p>So Alice climbed out and holding tightly to her mother’s out-stretched -hand, started the scary looking walk to shore. The plank did tip and -sway, but the men stood on the shore end so it would not slip and she -made the journey safely.</p> - -<p>“That wasn’t hard a bit!” exclaimed Alice; “I’d like to do it again!”</p> - -<p>“One at a time, please, one at a time,” laughed the driver. “You’ll be -playing pirate first thing you know—I remember I used to read about -walking the plank in pirate books, though goodness knows it wasn’t -anything like this! Who’s coming next?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill lifted Mary Jane out and set her on the plank; then she -walked close behind and held onto the little girl’s shoulders as they -slowly crept to shore. Mrs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span> Berry came next with Ellen held in front -of her the same way and last of all Aunt Sue. Then the men waded out, -tied the heavy rope onto the car, fastened it onto their own machine -and with a great tugging and pulling and jerking the car was pulled -loose from the river bed and dragged up onto the road.</p> - -<p>“There you are!” exclaimed one of the men, “all ready to drive. Now, -young man,” he said to the driver, “suppose you see if your engine’s -damaged and then we’ll be going.” While the driver inspected his engine -Mrs. Merrill paid the two men for their trouble so that when the engine -was found to be unharmed they started home at once. The water had -drained off the hard shell roads very quickly and the drive home was -not half so unpleasant as might have been expected.</p> - -<p>In a very short time they came to a stop in front of their own hotel. -“Well, I surely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span> am glad to be back!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“And we surely are glad to have you here safe and sound!” cried good -Mrs. Trudy coming out to greet them. “We’ve all been anxious about you. -Did the storm hit your way?”</p> - -<p>“Did it?” answered Mrs. Merrill; “ask the girls!”</p> - -<p>The three girls began talking at once and it was a wonder Mrs. Trudy -could hear a thing.</p> - -<p>“I just knew something had happened when you were so late,” she said -when the girls stopped for breath. “And you must be starved—did you -know it’s after seven? I saved some hot dinner for you so run right in -and eat it.”</p> - -<p>Other guests had long finished eating but they followed the little -party into the dining room and listened to the story of the exciting -experience. But after dinner was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span> eaten and the story had been told -and re-told till every one had heard it many a time, the girls found -they were tired and nobody, for a wonder, objected when Mrs. Merrill -suggested going to their rooms.</p> - -<p>“Oh dear,” said Mrs. Trudy, suddenly, “where did he put that box? Tom -had something for you, Mary Jane, and he was so particular you should -have it first thing when you came home but for the life of me I don’t -know where it is!” She hunted around diligently for a minute or two and -then said, “Well, he must have taken it off with him. You’d better get -to bed, little lady, so you can get up early in the morning and see -what it is.”</p> - -<p>“Can’t you tell?” coaxed Mary Jane.</p> - -<p>“Tell!” exclaimed Mrs. Trudy. “I should say I couldn’t! Tom will tell -you himself because it’s his. He comes early you know, so you may come -down the first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span> minute you are dressed and I’ll wager he’ll be looking -for you.”</p> - -<p>“Won’t you even <em>hint</em>?” asked Mary Jane as she started up the stairs.</p> - -<p>“Well,” laughed Mrs. Trudy, “I might tell you that it’s alive and -it’s red or brown or green or yellow—I don’t know which just at this -minute—if that’s any help to you.”</p> - -<p>“I guess I might as well go to bed,” said Mary Jane after she had -thought hard for a minute, “’cause that doesn’t help a bit. I guess -I’ll just have to go to bed and get up in the morning, I guess I will.”</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="xi" id="xi"></a>CATCHING THE BOAT</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">W</span>HEN Mary Jane went down stairs the next morning she spied a queer -looking box with holes cut in the sides lying on the big table in the -office.</p> - -<p>“Now I wonder if that’s it?” she thought. “And I wonder if I can look -at it now.”</p> - -<p>Fortunately, she didn’t have to wonder long. Tom was sitting in a -corner reading the paper while waiting for her and as soon as he heard -her whisper he bobbed up and said good morning.</p> - -<p>“Look what I’ve got for you!” he exclaimed as he gave her the box. -“No,” he added as he saw she hesitated about taking the cover off, “you -don’t need to be afraid. I think he’s too sleepy to run away. Look and -see what it is.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span> -Mary Jane carefully lifted off the cover and there inside, nestled down -on the grass, was a tiny little creature, about three inches long, with -bead-like black eyes and a tail fully as long as his body.</p> - -<p>“What is it?” cried Mary Jane; “it looks like a baby alligator only -they’re brown.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, it does look something like that,” agreed Tom, “but it isn’t an -alligator. It’s a chameleon.”</p> - -<p>“A chameleon?” repeated Mary Jane; “what’s a chameleon?”</p> - -<p>Alice came running down the stairs just in time to hear what Mary Jane -said. “I know,” she cried eagerly, “it’s a creature that changes its -color.”</p> - -<p>“But this doesn’t change any color,” said Mary Jane skeptically; -“this’n green.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Tom, “because it’s on green grass. You just wait and I’ll -show you.” He picked up the little creature by its tail and, holding it -gently, laid it on the brown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span> table cover. To the girls’ amazement the -brilliant green color faded and like magic the creature before them was -all of brown.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” exclaimed Mary Jane, in an awe-struck voice; “what makes it do -it?”</p> - -<p>“They say,” replied Tom, “that it’s got a set of air cells that catch -the color of whatever the creature’s on. But I don’t believe they -really for sure certain know what <em>does</em> do it.”</p> - -<p>“But that’s not yellow!” said Mary Jane, remembering that Mrs. Trudy -had said three colors.</p> - -<p>“Of course not,” laughed Tom, “because the table cover’s brown. Here, -you put it on Alice’s yellow dress and see what happens.”</p> - -<p>Very gingerly, Mary Jane picked up the little creature and laid it in -Alice’s lap. And sure enough! Like magic again the chameleon changed -its color—this time a golden yellow that was streaked a bit with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span> -brown at the sides—made it look utterly unlike the green animal Mary -Jane had first seen in the box.</p> - -<p>“I think that’s the wonderfulest thing I ever saw,” she exclaimed. “I’m -just going to change it around all day and see what it does.”</p> - -<p>Fortunately Mrs. Merrill had made no special plans for that day. She -thought that if they were to take the boat trip so recommended to them, -the girls had better have a day of rest and quiet play before they set -off. So Mary Jane had plenty of time to play with her chameleon to her -heart’s content. Later in the morning, Tom found one for Alice too and -they made a nest for them out in the fern box on the big front porch.</p> - -<p>There were things to do besides play with the chameleons too. The yard -was full of squirrels which would eat out of the girls’ hands. And back -of the house a beautifully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span> shaded canal proved to be the home of many -sorts and sizes of turtles. So interesting did the girls find their -play that they didn’t care to leave it even for a walk up town when -Mrs. Merrill decided that she would go up and get the boat tickets for -to-morrow.</p> - -<p>The first thing Mary Jane heard the next morning was her mother’s voice -saying, “Alice! Mary Jane! Do wake up quickly! We’ve over slept and the -train goes in an hour and a half. Lucky I packed up the trunk and all -your shells last night for we’ll have to fly now.”</p> - -<p>The girls tumbled out of bed in a jiffy. They had talked with folks in -the hotel the evening before about the Ocklawaha River trip and they -were eager to take it. So it needed no urging to get them tubbed and -dressed and down to the dining room in short order.</p> - -<p>“You’ve plenty of time,” said Mrs. Trudy reassuringly; “your trunk -will go right now—I’ll<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span> tend to that and Tom is ready to drive you to -the station, so take your time at breakfast. The train doesn’t go till -nine, you know.”</p> - -<p>Later Mrs. Merrill had looked over her mail and the girls had said -good-by to all their new friends and were just getting into the station -bus when the telephone rang. “Train’s an hour late,” said Mrs. Trudy as -she hung up the receiver, “aren’t you glad you did not rush more?”</p> - -<p>“But will that give us plenty of time to make the boat?” asked Mrs. -Merrill; “let’s see—two hours for the trip and the boat goes at twelve -forty-five. Yes, that ought to be plenty of time. Girls, you may run -out and take a last look at your chameleons if you like.” That was -welcome permission. Of course they had wanted to take the chameleons -home with them but Mrs. Merrill thought it wasn’t possible as they were -stopping so many places en route. But it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span> fun to hunt them up and -play a few minutes with their changing colors.</p> - -<p>As the minutes went by Mrs. Merrill became uneasy and a second -telephone message bringing news that the train was an hour and a half -late confirmed her suspicion that they might have trouble making -connections.</p> - -<p>“I think I’ll phone the agency where I got the tickets,” she said -finally. “Perhaps they will wire and have the boat held for us.” The -ticket lady was most reassuring and was certain that the boat would -wait so Mrs. Merrill felt comforted. But it was eleven o’clock when the -train finally came and it lost more time all the way up.</p> - -<p>“Girls,” said Mrs. Merrill, as they neared their station at half -past one, “get your bags and camera ready for a dash. If I see a car -anywhere around the station I’ll take it in a jiffy and we’ll drive as -fast as possible for that boat. I have an uneasy feeling that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span> they -won’t wait this long for us and I don’t want to lose a minute’s time.”</p> - -<p>They stepped off the train the instant it stopped and Mrs. Merrill ran -toward a small car that, with chugging engine and waiting driver, stood -near by.</p> - -<p>“Will you take us to the boat?” she cried eagerly.</p> - -<p>“Sure, lady,” said the driver cheerfully; “pile right in.”</p> - -<p>Grabbing the luggage the girls carried, a small bag and Alice’s camera, -Mrs. Merrill tossed it with her own bag into the back, pushed the girls -in and, jumping in herself, slammed the door behind her. And that same -instant a man who evidently had been up at the front of the train -jumped in the front seat by the driver, and with a lurch the car dashed -away.</p> - -<p>“The boat, you know,” said Mrs. Merrill as soon as she got her breath; -“we want the Ocklawaha boat.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span> -“Sure, lady,” said the man, “we’ll make it.” He waved a yellow telegram -before her, but with the jolting of the car and the rush of the wind, -Mrs. Merrill couldn’t tell what it said nor could she hear the rest of -his words.</p> - -<p>“Well, no use getting excited,” she said, sitting back where she could -brace herself better. “Evidently they wired to meet us here and that -certainly was thoughtful. Hang on to the seat there, Mary Jane, or -you’ll bounce out, child,” she added quickly as an extra big lurch of -the car threatened to toss Mary Jane out over the side.</p> - -<p>On they dashed through the noon sunshine: past houses and streets and -out into the open country. And no sign of a boat landing anywhere.</p> - -<p>“Something’s wrong, I know,” said Mrs. Merrill with concern. “I know -we’ve been at least four miles and the boat landing was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span> only two -miles from the station. They’ve got to stop and tell me where they are -going.” She braced herself firmly and then reached front and shouted to -the driver.</p> - -<p>“Stop! Stop right here! I told you I want to go to the boat landing and -you’re not taking us in that direction.”</p> - -<p>The driver slowed up a bit so they could talk better but he didn’t -stop. The man with him swung around in his seat and began to explain.</p> - -<p>“The boat isn’t at the landing, lady,” he said much to Mrs. Merrill’s -dismay; “she left an hour back.”</p> - -<p>“Then where are you taking us?” demanded Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“To the boat,” he said. “You see it’s this way, lady. The first part of -that trip is on the St. John’s River and right here” (he swung his arm -off to the left) “the river makes a bend. We had to let the boat go<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span> on -time because folks don’t like to wait, but we’ll take you across the -bend straight, you see, and catch the boat at the first stop. We can do -in half an hour in this car what it takes her about an hour and a half -to do on the water. Never you fear, now, you’ll catch the boat right -enough, lady.”</p> - -<p>“Then we might as well enjoy the ride,” said Mrs. Merrill to the girls -as, fairly satisfied with his explanation, she settled back in her -place.</p> - -<p>“If you call this enjoying,” laughed Alice, as she tossed from front to -back as they sped over the rough road.</p> - -<p>“Here,” said Mrs. Merrill, “let me sit in the middle and hold each of -you.” Alice moved over and Mrs. Merrill sat in the middle of the seat -with an arm around each girl. “Now we have the fun of knowing that if -any one bounces out we all will!”</p> - -<p>None too soon did they brace themselves<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span> either, for at that minute -the driver turned off from the road into a woods. If the road had -been rough, there’s no describing the roughness of the rude path they -followed through the woods. Hardly more than a trail it was and over it -they bumped and tossed and hurried down a hill, through the trees and -out onto a rude dock on the bank of a great river.</p> - -<p>“Boat come yet?” asked the driver of a lone fisherman.</p> - -<p>“Yeh,” he replied, “she come an’ gone fifteen minutes er-go!”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill exclaimed with dismay but the driver didn’t stop for -consultation. With a whirl of his wheel that sent the car spinning he -turned around and dashed back up the hill.</p> - -<p>“Girls,” said Mrs. Merrill solemnly, “I think he’s crazy. But all I can -see for us to do is to sit still and hang together. Maybe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span> sometime -we’ll get somewhere—let’s hope. Here, Mary Jane, snug up close so you -won’t bounce out!”</p> - -<p>And turning onto the road, the car dashed off toward the south.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="xii" id="xii"></a>ON THE OCKLAWAHA</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">I</span>T seemed to Mary Jane that she surely must be in a funny dream. It -couldn’t be possible that folks, really live, wide-awake folks, would -go racing over the country in a strange car as they were racing; and -she glanced up at her mother questioningly to see if she too was -thinking it queer. But Mrs. Merrill, her arms around her two daughters, -was looking straight ahead in a puzzled way and Mary Jane couldn’t -guess what she was thinking about.</p> - -<p>The little car raced on. Through sandy roads that would have stalled a -heavier machine; across bridges; through woods dim with the shelter of -moss laden trees; by small fields where they caught glimpses of tiny -truck gardens—they dashed.</p> - -<p>“Government camphor reservation!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span> shouted the driver over his shoulder -as they drove between rows and rows of low, close-cropped trees set -in neat orderly fashion and the Merrills got a whiff of the smell of -camphor as they rushed by the rough factory where the camphor leaves -are crushed to make the drug so many folks use.</p> - -<p>“Now we’ll <em>have</em> to stop!” said Mrs. Merrill with a sigh of relief -as they swung around a short curve and came upon a toll bridge at the -end of which stood an old man, hand out-stretched for his fee. But she -didn’t know the driver! He didn’t intend to stop for mere toll—not he!</p> - -<p>“Pay you on the way back,” shouted the driver and on they rode.</p> - -<p>After what seemed, oh at least a day! but which really was only an -hour, the car slowed up in a tiny village and rolled down a hill to a -fishing dock by the St. Johns river.</p> - -<p>“There we are!” said the driver as he brought the car to a full stop -and, jumping<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span> out, opened the door with a flourish. “In plenty of time -too, I’ll say!” He helped Mrs. Merrill and the girls out, then rubbing -his hands in satisfaction added, “I guess that’ll please him—no, -lady,” as he saw Mrs. Merrill reaching for her purse; “you don’t owe me -a cent—not a cent! Glad to do it for him!”</p> - -<p>“For who?” asked Mrs. Merrill, puzzled but greatly relieved because she -had begun to be anxious about the hole this ride might leave in her -pocket book!</p> - -<p>“For Mr. Merrill,” replied the driver, “aren’t you Mrs. C. F. Merrill?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said Mrs. Merrill, still puzzled.</p> - -<p>“Just so,” replied the driver; “well, you see, last time he was down -here I was a-working in Jacksonville and he did me a good turn. Now I’m -a workin’ with the boat folks and when we see by the agent’s telegram -that it’s you that’s late, seys I to them, ‘Now’s when I do <em>them</em> a -good turn’—see?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span> So here you are and the boat’ll be comin’ along in a -minute.”</p> - -<p>“I hope it does,” said Alice.</p> - -<p>“And I hope it’s got a pantry on it cause I’m about starved,” said Mary -Jane fervently.</p> - -<p>“Sure faith!” exclaimed the man; “of course you are and it’s most four -o’clock! Well, let’s see what we can do for you!” He turned to go up -the hill in the hope that he might find some fruit in an orchard near -at hand, but he hadn’t gone a dozen steps before a long, low whistle in -the distance sent him hurrying back.</p> - -<p>“There she comes!” he shouted, “I hear her! Look!”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill and the girls looked up the river and sure enough, -swinging around the bend of the river was the boat they were waiting -for. The driver and his companion hurried down to the dock and put up -a great red flag they found in the dock house, then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span> fearing that that -might not be enough, they brought the dust robe from the car and waved -it too. In a couple of minutes a reassuring “toot-toot!” from the boat -gave back the answer they were waiting for and they knew the captain -had seen their signal and would stop at the dock.</p> - -<p>There was just time to thank the men for the ride, which, now that it -was safely over, the Merrills realized had been a very interesting one, -and to get bags and camera from the car before the boat sidled up to -the dock.</p> - -<p>“Can’t stop to tie up!” shouted the Captain, as the boat brushed the -weather worn dock; “jump aboard!” There was just barely time for the -Merrills to jump from the dock to the broad open lower deck; then a -bell rang, the engines again began working and the space between boat -and dock widened—they were off. Mary Jane and Alice waved good-by -to the men on the dock and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span> Mrs. Merrill turned to greet the waiting -captain.</p> - -<p>“I am afraid you have had a hurried ride,” he said, politely, “but -the gentleman yonder,” he waved his hand toward the dock, “who is now -our advertising man, was sure he could meet us at the other dock and -he wanted you to take the trip. It seems he feels indebted to your -husband.”</p> - -<p>“We certainly are indebted to him,” said Mrs. Merrill, “for the nice -ride—though it did seem a bit hurried at the time” (she smiled at -the girls as they all thought of the wild jolting!)—“and for getting -us to the boat in time. We go back north soon and we would have been -sorry to miss the trip. But I wonder if my little girls could have some -lunch—they haven’t had a bite since breakfast.”</p> - -<p>For answer the captain rang a bell for the steward and the order he -gave made the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span> girls hungrier than ever. “Ham,” he said, “browned to a -turn, all the fresh eggs they can eat and some of your good biscuits. -Can you have that in twenty minutes?”</p> - -<p>“Yis sir, yis sir, bery good, sir!” said the darky steward, smiling -broadly at the hungry folks, “and if you like, sir, they’s jest a few -more strawberries than I’ll be a needin’ fo’ suppa to-night. If the -little ladies would like to eat them a-while they’re a-waitin’?”</p> - -<p>Would they? Mary Jane’s face shone and Alice smiled so sweetly that -the steward nearly tumbled over his feet in his eagerness to get them -comfortably settled at once. Upon the broad second deck a table was -set—“we won’t ask you to sit in doors this time of day,” said the -captain, “because you’ll want to see the scenery as we just now turn -from the St. Johns into the Ocklawaha.” And on the table were three big -dishes of great, red, luscious strawberries.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span> -“Yumy yum!” exclaimed Alice; “Mother, do you know what Dadah did to get -us all this?”</p> - -<p>“I haven’t an idea,” replied Mrs. Merrill; “he’s always doing things -for folks, I know, but I never heard him speak of anything special down -this way. Whatever he did though, I’m glad he did it—it certainly is -lucky for us that these folks have good memories.”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane and Alice felt like queens as they sat there eating their -berries and real cream and smelling the odors of broiling ham that came -invitingly up the companionway.</p> - -<p>“I’m glad we hurried up and got the boat!” exclaimed Mary Jane -appreciatively as she scraped up the last bit of cream and the last -half berry she had saved for a final tit-bit, “and I’m <em>very</em> glad -we’re on a boat that has a pantry, <em>I</em> am!”</p> - -<p>“Wouldn’t you like to look over the boat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span> and find your rooms?” asked -the captain some half an hour later; “in a few minutes we’ll be turning -into the narrow Ocklawaha and then all my attention will be taken up -with the steering. I like to have all my passengers comfortably settled -so they will feel at home aboard.”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill, Alice and Mary Jane followed him around the boat which -they thought the most curious they had even seen. It looked like a -great two story house with porches front and back and a pilot house set -on the upstairs front porch. Of course it was flat bottomed, for the -small river they would travel was too shallow in places for any other -sort of boat. The captain told them that even though it drew but two -feet of water it often went aground and had to be pushed off shore by -means of great poles—“that’s the reason we have to carry such a big -crew,” he added.</p> - -<p>Inside were two floors with bedrooms—staterooms<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span> Mary Jane found they -were called—all around the sides of each. Mrs. Merrill’s rooms, two of -them, were side by side on the upper floor; that was nice for it was -easy to speak through the thin wooden wall that was the only partition.</p> - -<p>“But I see the wooden shutter is nailed shut,” said Mrs. Merrill as she -stepped into the larger room and attempted to raise the old fashioned -sliding shutter. “We’re fresh air fiends, Captain,” she explained -laughingly, “and I guess I’ll have to trouble you to raise that blind.”</p> - -<p>“Well, er—well,” said the captain hesitatingly.</p> - -<p>“Of course if it’s too much trouble,” said Mrs. Merrill, in a puzzled -voice.</p> - -<p>“Not a bit,” answered the captain, “not a bit. But you see, in the -night we go through pretty wild country and the trees over-hang the -boat. It doesn’t often happen,” he added half apologizing, “but -occasionally a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span> snake drops off a tree and gets in if the window is -open.”</p> - -<p>“Ugh!” shivered Mrs. Merrill, “between snakes and no air, I think I’ll -take the poor air <em>one</em> night! I had no idea we were going through such -wild regions!” she added a bit skeptically.</p> - -<p>When they returned to the deck after they had arranged their bags and -seen to covers for the night, they were amazed at the difference in the -scenery. The boat had left the big St. Johns River and was twisting -and turning up the winding little Ocklawaha which was wild enough to -satisfy any one. The girls found two other children on the deck, Ned -and Katherine Ritter of New York, and the four of them sat at the very -front of the boat and kept count of the creatures, snakes, turtles, -squirrels and wild hogs that they saw on the bank. Ned counted the -snakes because they were the worst. Alice had the turtles because they -were the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span> hardest to see; Katherine did the squirrels and Mary Jane the -hogs—she liked those the best because they made such fearful grunting -noises—noises that made a person glad they were on a boat counting -instead of walking in those deep woods.</p> - -<p>After supper the passengers all came out on the deck again and the deep -night of the forest was weirdly lit up by a great searchlight that -flashed from the top of the boat; it made the trees and mosses look -like a great fairyland of dreams.</p> - -<p>“Couldn’t I just go to sleep in my chair here?” asked Mary Jane when -her mother suggested bed time; “I’m so comfy here.”</p> - -<p>“Indeed no!” laughed Mrs. Merrill; “you’d be stiff as a poker in the -morning. I’ll go in with you and Alice and stay till you get in bed, -then in about an hour I’m coming to bed too. You know we want to be up -early in the morning.”</p> - -<p>“What do we do in the morning?” asked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span> Mary Jane, slipping out of the -chair and taking her mother’s hand.</p> - -<p>“Oh, we ride on the boat till ten o’clock and then we stop at an orange -grove and then we ride some more. And I shouldn’t wonder but what we’d -see some of those alligators you’ve been wanting to see. To-morrow’s -the time for them.”</p> - -<p>“Then I’ll go to bed quick,” said Mary Jane willingly, “’cause I want -to be up and see ’em before Ned does. ’Cause the first one who see ’em -gets to count ’em.”</p> - -<p>“Good night, Mr. Captain,” she called as they passed the pilot house, -“I’m going to see alligators in the morning.” And in barely ten -minutes, Mary Jane was sound asleep.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="xiii" id="xiii"></a>“HELP YOURSELVES, CHILDREN! HELP YOURSELVES!”</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">“T</span>HOSE girls won’t be awake for an hour yet!” said a voice just -outside Mary Jane’s window the next morning; “I’ll bet I see the first -alligator all right!” But Ned Ritter shouldn’t have been so sure! He -little guessed that as he was taking his early morning walk around the -boat with his father, he made that rash remark just outside the Merrill -girls’ window. And still less did he guess that Alice, just waking up, -heard him.</p> - -<p>“Mary Jane! Mary Jane!” she whispered; “let’s get up!”</p> - -<p>No answer.</p> - -<p>“I’ll have to wake her,” said Alice to herself. She bent over the edge -of the upper<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span> berth where she was sleeping and gave Mary Jane’s elbow a -vigorous pull. Mary Jane was that surprised she sat straight up in bed -even before she opened her eyes.</p> - -<p>“Where is it?” she asked, evidently thinking of alligators.</p> - -<p>“Goodness knows!” laughed Alice in a more natural voice now, for Ned -and his father had walked out of hearing. “But if we want to see -anything first, we’d better be getting up, Mary Jane, because Ned’s out -on deck and maybe Katherine is too.”</p> - -<p>“Let’s ask mother if we can’t get up now,” suggested Mary Jane and she -tapped on the partition. They had made up a code before they went to -bed the night before so Mrs. Merrill knew exactly what they meant to -say. One tap meant “Mother, are you there?” two taps meant “Please I -want a drink,” and three taps meant “Is it time to get up?”</p> - -<p>“I was just listening for those taps,” said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span> Mrs. Merrill, at the door -of the stateroom; “open the door, girls, and I’ll help you dress. I’m -all ready and you want to get out doors as soon as you can—it’s a -beautiful morning!”</p> - -<p>With her help at buttons and with their hair the dressing business went -very quickly and in a very few minutes all three were out on the deck.</p> - -<p>“No alligators yet,” Ned’s disappointed voice greeted them.</p> - -<p>“I should say not!” laughed the captain who went by just in time to -hear what was said. “Wait till the sun gets up high and the air is -hotter—then you’ll see them! Had breakfast yet?”</p> - -<p>After breakfast he took the four children up by his pilot house and let -them sit on a bench there that gave them a fine view of the river and -woods. But though they looked and watched till their eyes ached, not a -’gator did they see!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span> -“I don’t believe there are any,” exclaimed Alice in disgust, “and I’m -going to walk around the back of the boat. When we go around that bend -we’re coming to I’m sure I can pull some leaves off that great tree. -And I’d love to have them in my collection—‘leaves pulled from the -boat on the Ocklawaha’—wouldn’t that look well in my book?”</p> - -<p>“I think I’ll go too,” said Katherine, who, when she saw how interested -Alice was in her collection, immediately wanted to make one for herself.</p> - -<p>“I think I’ll fish,” said Ned; “Father said once he caught a turtle -from the boat.” And he too disappeared from the captain’s deck.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane, left alone, couldn’t quite make up her mind what to do. It -wasn’t any fun staying up there all alone, for the captain was so busy -with his steering that he wasn’t a bit of company; she had a notion to -go to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span> the back of the boat with the other girls.</p> - -<p>Just as she was slipping down from the bench she heard a splash at the -bank on the south side of the river, and looking quickly, she spied a -great log floating slowly down the stream.</p> - -<p>“What made that log fall in?” she asked curiously; “I didn’t see -anybody push it!”</p> - -<p>Splash! There went another one!</p> - -<p>“Funny!” exclaimed Mary Jane to herself now much interested; “now what -made <em>that</em> one go, I wonder.” Just then Mrs. Merrill came to the foot -of the ladder leading to the captain’s deck.</p> - -<p>“All right, Mary Jane?” she asked; “want some company?”</p> - -<p>“’Deed yes, Mother,” cried the little girl; “do come up here and see -these funny logs! What makes them fall into the river when nobody -pushes them? There!” she exclaimed, excitedly, “there goes another -one!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span> -Mrs. Merrill looked quickly to where Mary Jane pointed and was just in -time to see—a great alligator go sliding into the water!</p> - -<p>“Those aren’t logs,” she said, “those are alligators, child! Quick! -Let’s call to the others so they can see them too!” But just as she -spoke the captain’s voice rang out, “Alligators on the left!” and all -the passengers rushed over to see the great creatures as they floated, -log-like, down the river.</p> - -<p>“That was a good sight,” said the captain; “you must be a mascot, Mary -Jane; because we haven’t seen three together yet this season.”</p> - -<p>The Merrills found the trip all that it had been promised them. They -saw great virgin forests where the trees locked arms over the river; -they saw Indian battlefields and Indian burying grounds and then later -in the morning, the forests cleared away and about eleven o’clock -the boat stopped by an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span> orange grove and everybody piled off for -refreshments.</p> - -<p>“Eat all you can,” said the owner cordially, “but all you want to -carry away, you have to pay for. Just help yourselves, children, help -yourselves!” he added as the children hesitated.</p> - -<p>“Goody!” said Alice; “this is the first time I ever had the chance to -save money by eating! Come on, Mary Jane, let’s begin!”</p> - -<p>The pretty little orchard lay on the side of a hill and the orange and -lemon and tangerine and kumquot trees were set in neat rows on either -side of the walk that led up to the house at the top. The trees were -young and the children could easily reach the branches and pick their -own fruit.</p> - -<p>“I like oranges best,” said Katherine, running to a pretty orange tree.</p> - -<p>“I’m after tangerines,” called Alice as she spied a tree of her -favorites not far away.</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t want lemons—sour old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span> things!” exclaimed Mary Jane -when she saw that she had picked the wrong tree; “I want those little -things.”</p> - -<p>“Kumquots,” said Mrs. Merrill; “I do too, dear. Here’s a tree.”</p> - -<p>It was fun to pick the fruit directly from the long hanging branches; -and still more fun to suck the sweet juice with which the golden fruit -was filled.</p> - -<p>“Who’d have guessed,” exclaimed Alice, “that tangerines could be so -juicy—not I!”</p> - -<p>But after a little while, appetites were satisfied and the children -wanted to play.</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell you what let’s do,” suggested Mary Jane after she had eaten -about a dozen kumquots and had decided that she simply couldn’t eat -another suck; “let’s play house and each tree’ll be a house and that -great big old tree’ll be a hotel.”</p> - -<p>“And we’ll dress up and be queens and go to visit,” added Alice.</p> - -<p>“How you going to dress up in an orange<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span> orchard where there aren’t any -clothes?” asked Katherine.</p> - -<p>“Oh, you don’t have to have real clothes to dress up in—not every -time, you don’t,” said Mary Jane scornfully; “Alice can fix it—you -see!” and she turned to hear her sister’s plan.</p> - -<p>“We’ll make crowns out of orange leaves,” said Alice, quickly picking -a few and weaving them together; “see how pretty and glossy they are. -Just put them on your head this way, Katherine. There! That’s becoming! -Now you make a bigger one and I’ll do one for Mary Jane and for me. You -girls pick the leaves for me so I can make them quickly.”</p> - -<p>“Then if we’re queens we shouldn’t live in a house, should we?” asked -Katherine.</p> - -<p>“I should say <em>not</em>!” exclaimed Mary Jane. “These aren’t houses,” she -added, waving her hand grandly toward the trees nearest at hand; “these -are palaces—your palace and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span> Alice’s palace and mine. And that big one -over there we were going to have be a hotel, it’s a banquet hall now.”</p> - -<p>Just as the royal play was getting well under way a man came around -with paper bags. “Put all the fruit you want to buy in these,” he -announced, “and pay for it at the dock when you get aboard the boat.”</p> - -<p>“Let’s not bother,” said Katherine; “we don’t want to stop playing.”</p> - -<p>“We don’t have to,” replied Alice laughingly, and she picked up the bag -the man had laid under her tree; “these are cloth of gold sacks and -we’ll fill them with gold nuggets to take to the good queen mother.”</p> - -<p>“Why, so we can!” cried Katherine happily; “come on, let’s hurry and -get a lot!”</p> - -<p>It was a good thing they did hurry for even so the boat’s great whistle -sounded before the bags were full and the captain’s call through a -megaphone urged them to hurry aboard.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span> -“Well, seems to me you don’t intend to be hungry for a few days,” said -Mrs. Merrill laughingly as she saw what full bags the children were -carrying. “I thought you were too busy playing to pick any and so I got -enough for us all. But never mind,” she added, as she saw the girls -were looking disappointed; “it’s all so good and it’s wholesome eating -too, so we’ll keep it if you don’t mind carrying it.”</p> - -<p>The rest of that day’s wonderful ride seemed to Mary Jane like living -in a picture show. Not long after they left the orange orchard the -great boat turned into the tiny Clear River that runs into the -Ocklawaha and it almost seemed as if the broad decks were spreading -over the whole of the little stream! Here the water was clear as -crystal and the girls could see every fish and turtle and water snake -that scurried out of their way as they steamed up stream. In the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span> -bright noon sunshine they came into the little lake at the head of the -stream and there they got out of the big boat and were rowed around in -a small glass bottomed boat. It seemed awfully queer to look through -the glass at their feet and see the bubbling of the hidden springs and -to watch the bright colored pebbles and stones that tumbled about deep -down among the rocks like gay pieces of confetti tossed about in the -sunshine.</p> - -<p>Then there was the scramble into the big touring car, the drive across -country to Ocala, luncheon at the queer station dining room where Mary -Jane, for the first time in her life, had the fun of sitting up to a -counter to eat, and the rush for the train that was to take them up to -Jacksonville and Dadah.</p> - -<p>“Well,” said Mary Jane with a sigh of relief as she sank into the -comfortable Pullman seat, “I just a-going to sit here all afternoon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span> -and think and think and think—I am!” But she didn’t count on the many -queer things that may happen in Florida.</p> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="xiv" id="xiv"></a>PIGS BY THE WAY</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">F</span>OR more than an hour Mary Jane sat and thought as she had planned -to; she thought of all the interesting sights she had seen since she -left home; she thought of the new friends she had made and of the fun -she had had playing in the many places she had been. Then suddenly it -occurred to her that their train was standing still.</p> - -<p>“Doesn’t this train go like regular trains, Mother?” she asked.</p> - -<p>“Evidently not,” replied Mrs. Merrill, who also had been noticing how -much time was being lost; “we stop at every corner store, I do believe, -and wait to chat about the weather.”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane laughed at the idea of a train stopping to talk about the -weather.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span> “What’s it saying now?” she asked and she sat up straight -and looked out of the window. Such a sight! “Yumy yum, yum!” she cried -eagerly. “Mother, may we have some too?”</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merrill and Alice had been watching out the window while Mary -Jane had been thinking and resting so they knew just what she meant. -On either side of the train, stretching as far as a person could see, -were rows and rows and rows of—strawberries. Strawberries so big and -red and ripe and luscious that they could be seen—those on the nearest -vines of course—from the train window. And all the strawberry plants -near and far showed signs of being loaded with fruit. Over the rows -bent the pickers, busily working, and here and there were groups of -workers sorting and packing the berries into boxes and crates ready for -shipping.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span> -“Oh, Mother!” exclaimed Mary Jane, “I’ll bet they’re taking them onto -our train! I just know they are.”</p> - -<p>“To be sure!” agreed Mrs. Merrill, “that’s the reason we stop so often. -This is the strawberry and lettuce country and every time we stop we -take on piles of express that will go to hungry folks up north. Now you -know how we get our early lettuce and berries and what sort of a place -it comes from.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I know it,” said Mary Jane, “but couldn’t we eat some now.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, Mother, couldn’t we?” urged Alice, “just look at those berries!” -she added as a team of horses pulled a great wagon by their window—a -wagon piled high with crates of strawberries, as they could tell by the -glimpses of red fruit inside.</p> - -<p>Just then a little negro boy came by their window peddling berries and -Mrs. Merrill was able to buy a box of berries for the girls—berries<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span> -so clean and sweet and ripe that they could be eaten at once without a -thought of washing or of sugar.</p> - -<p>As the train pulled up for another stop some fifteen minutes later, the -Pullman conductor came into their car and spoke to Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“There’s something at this stop that your girls may enjoy seeing,” he -said, “and if you will allow me to escort you—”</p> - -<p>“Something my girls should see?” questioned Mrs. Merrill in surprise.</p> - -<p>“You see, madam,” explained the man, “the cook on the diner we carry -has made friends with the pigs on the way and he always likes the -children aboard the train to see the fun.”</p> - -<p>“Sounds like Greek to me,” said Mrs. Merrill still more puzzled, “but -if there is something my girls should see, let’s see it—we don’t want -to miss anything!” And taking Mary Jane’s hand and motioning Alice<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span> to -come too, she followed the conductor through the train.</p> - -<p>They went through two cars, then, as the train was just jerking to a -stop, the man quickly pulled open the vestibule door and hurried them -down the steps to the ground. Ahead of them—just the next car—was -the diner. At the high door of the kitchen end of the diner stood a -grinning negro. He was dressed all in spotless white and his face -fairly shone with joy. In his hands he held a great bucket which was -poised as though he was about to empty it out of the door.</p> - -<p>“Here you be, missies!” he shouted, grinning and nodding to the -children; “now you jes’ watch—here she comes! Here she comes! Betta -watch out her way!”</p> - -<p>Just at that instant Mrs. Merrill heard a great grunting behind them -and dodged out of the way of a great hog who, grunting and sniffing and -puffing, was rooting her way along the side of the train.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span> -“She knows me!” shouted the cook from his doorway; “now you jes’ watch!”</p> - -<p>No need to tell folks to watch! With that great creature grunting near -(though the girls did notice that she seemed tame enough) nobody wanted -to look at anything else! The hog sniffed along till she found the -dining car door; then, with a snort of satisfaction, she raised up on -her hind legs, forelegs braced against the train and—yes, the girls -could hardly believe it!—ate out of the bucket the cook held for her.</p> - -<p>For a few minutes no one said a word, but as the hog’s hunger was -partly satisfied the cook jumped down from the car door, the hog -dropping down just at the same time and following him, and set the -bucket on the ground. In an instant pigs came running from here and -there and there was a wild scramble around that bucket!</p> - -<p>“He’s trained them—that cook has,” explained<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span> the conductor as a -whistle from the engine sent them all hurrying back into the train. -“We pass here every other day at just this same time and that old -cook—he’s just as regular with his bucket of scraps as the road is -running the train! And I’ll declare it does seem to me those pigs are -the smartest about knowing which is the dining car! They don’t miss -it. And that one old hog, he’s got her trained to climb up to the door -every time! Who’s ever heard of a cook like that? And he always wants -the children on the train to see it—that cook does!”</p> - -<p>“Don’t they do the queerest things in Florida!” exclaimed Mary Jane as -she settled back into her seat and picked up her box of strawberries -again. “First there were orstriches and alligators—’member how they -slid down that shoot, Alice?”</p> - -<p>“Do I?” cried Alice, laughing at the recollection;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span> “and remember the -jelly fish and the crawdads, Mary Jane?” Mary Jane giggled.</p> - -<p>“But who would ever have thought of pigs eating from the dining car?” -continued Alice.</p> - -<p>The ride that afternoon seemed long and the girls had almost tired of -drawing pictures and counting stops and talking of the sights they had -seen when the twilight brought the porter to light the lamps and the -dining car man shouting, “First call for dinner! Dinner in the dining -car!”</p> - -<p>They were due to get into Jacksonville at seven, but Mrs. Merrill -thought as the train was already a little late it would be better for -the girls to eat a leisurely dinner on board so that the evening would -be free for visiting with their father. So they strolled into the diner -and ate chicken (and of <em>course</em> hashed brown potatoes!) and the very -best strawberry shortcake they had ever tasted.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span> -When the train pulled into Jacksonville at eight o’clock Mr. Merrill -was nearly smothered with embraces and with a whirlwind of tales about -all they had seen and done. The pretty little station was cleaned and -garnished; flowerbeds had been put in order and looked very lovely -under the glow of the brilliant lights and there was nothing to mar -their happy reunion.</p> - -<p>Mr. Merrill’s business was finished that very afternoon and he was free -to spend a day in any way the girls liked. Then the next day, they -would start back home.</p> - -<p>“Dear me!” exclaimed Alice in dismay, “only one day?”</p> - -<p>“That’s the wrong way to say it,” said her father; “say all of one -day—that sounds a lot more. Now where shall we spend it?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, let’s go to St. Augustine,” said Mary Jane eagerly; “where is -it?” And she looked around the streets of Jacksonville as though she -expected to find it there.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span> -“Oh! let’s go to bed first,” mimicked her father laughingly. “You -remember you have to ride on the train an hour or more before you get -to St. Augustine. Let’s go to bed to-night and then take the first -train down to St. Augustine in the morning. How does that sound?”</p> - -<p>“Pretty fine!” replied Mary Jane with a little skip of joy.</p> - -<p>“But Dadah,” objected Alice, “I feel so celebrating this -evening—having you with us and all that! I wish there was something we -could do now.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell you a secret,” answered Mr. Merrill, “I feel that same way -myself. Let’s get into this taxi,” he suggested as he hailed a passing -car, “and ride up to the ‘square’ and get some ice cream and buy a lot -of picture post cards for folks back home.”</p> - -<p>The “square” was gay enough to suit even Alice. The lights glowed -brilliantly among the palms and bright flowers; the band was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span> playing -in a stand nearby and the streets on the four sides were filled with -people strolling along or making purchases at the many little shops. -The Merrills were happy to find just the sorts of cards they wanted to -take home. They bought a whole set—pictures of every place they had -been—for Alice and another whole set for Mary Jane to keep.</p> - -<p>“I wish I had some to take to my kindergarten, I do,” said Mary Jane as -she proudly slipped her set into her own little hand bag; “I’d like to -take one picture to each person there.”</p> - -<p>“How many are there in your room?” asked Mr. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“Let me see,” said Mary Jane, counting out the classes, “there’s ten, -and nine, and fifteen, and teachers and—how many is that, Dadah?”</p> - -<p>“It’s enough for a whole set of cards,” replied Mr. Merrill; “we’ll get -fifty and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span> there will surely be enough.” Mary Jane slipped the -second set into her bag and began making plans that very minute about -giving them to Miss Lynn.</p> - -<p>That was the very first Mary Jane had thought of home and school since -the day she had sent the alligators to Doris, more than a week ago. But -now that it had once come to her mind, she found herself thinking of -the pleasant kindergarten many times through the next days and making -plans for what she would do when she returned home.</p> - -<p>Early the next morning the Merrills took the train to St. Augustine and -spent a happy day exploring the old fort. The tunnels and dungeons made -Mary Jane shiver they were so cold and dark and slimy, but the rooms -opening onto the main courtyard—the rooms where the soldiers quartered -in the fort had lived—the girls thought were lovely. The walls were -covered with great plants of beautiful maiden hair fern, the biggest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span> -and loveliest the girls had ever seen. Alice thought it would be no -hardship to live there though she did admit it would likely be damp!</p> - -<p>At the end of the day they went back to Jacksonville in time to catch -the nine o’clock limited for the North.</p> - -<p>“Just think,” said Mary Jane as she slipped off her stockings and shoes -and tucked them into the little hammock by the window of her berth, -“I’m going to ride on this train all this night and all to-morrow and -all another night and then I’ll be home!”</p> - -<p>“I wonder if it’s snowing up there?” Alice was asking as she too began -to undress at the same time; “wouldn’t snow seem funny?”</p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span> -</div> - -<h2><a name="xv" id="xv"></a>HOME AGAIN</h2> - -<p class="noi"><span class="dropcap">“L</span>OOK! Look! Just look there, Dadah!” cried Mary Jane the second -morning later as their train dashed through the familiar woods and -fields of their own state. “Look what it’s doing!”</p> - -<p>The weather was indeed trying to give the returning travelers a frosty -welcome. The fields were white with snow and great sheets of driving -snowflakes piled up on the car window sill. The girls dressed in a -hurry and went to the back platform to see the sight better. But they -didn’t stay long! Not out there! The cold wind sent them scurrying into -the warm car in a jiffy.</p> - -<p>The train was late because of the storm, connections were bad in the -city near their home town and the ride over home was slow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span> and cold. So -it was a rather weary and half frozen set of travelers who stiffly got -off the traction line a couple of blocks from their own house.</p> - -<p>“Ugh!” said Mrs. Merrill shivering, “I always like to come home, but -I’ll declare I almost dread the next hour. The house will be clammy -cold and it will take a while to get the furnace going and there won’t -be a thing to eat.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Merrill didn’t reply with his usual sympathy. He merely picked up -the bag and walked off up the street—nobody guessed that he had to -hurry off to keep the twinkle in his eye from being seen! Alice was -glad to let him carry her bag too—her hands, used for some days to -the summer heat, were cold and stiff; she could hardly manage a little -swing of her arms when her mother suggested run and exercise to warm -her up.</p> - -<p>Mary Jane, hoping Doris might be at a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span> window, had run ahead, but the -snow laden hedge made it impossible to see the house.</p> - -<p>But when they turned past the hedge at their own gateway, every one -stopped still in amazement—all but Mr. Merrill, that is! Smoke was -coming from both the chimneys of their own pretty home; the gleam of a -fire in the living room fireplace showed from the front windows, and -Amanda swung open the front door.</p> - -<p>“I see de limited a-goin’ by,” she exclaimed, with a welcoming grin, -“and I jes’ seys to myself ‘there’s my folks!’ So I run and put the -kettle on! Come right in and I’ll have yo’ a cup o’ tea in a jiffy!”</p> - -<p>“How in the world?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill happily as she and the girls -settled themselves cosily before the big, cheerful fire.</p> - -<p>“Telegraphing, my dear,” said Mr. Merrill; “you may not know it, but -this country has a fairly complete telegraph system and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span> once in a -while I think to use it!” He rubbed his hands by the blaze and smiled -gayly over the success of his surprise.</p> - -<p>“You certainly picked out the right thing to do, Dad,” said Alice as -Amanda wheeled the little tea wagon before the fire and Alice spied a -piled up plate full of hot cinnamon toast; “it’s worth the fun of going -away, just to come home—it really is!”</p> - -<p>The first thing after they were warmed and fed, Mary Jane got out -her picture folders and spread them on the floor in front of the -fire—folder after folder till the rug was almost covered.</p> - -<p>“Now,” she said when she had them all in place where she could see -them, “I’m going to see if I saw every place I intended to.”</p> - -<p>“See if you got the worth of your money, you mean, do you?” laughed her -father; “well you just go ahead and see. But if any two girls ever saw -more of Florida and were away from home only fourteen days and fifteen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span> -nights—I’d like to see them! I’d like to know how they did it!”</p> - -<p>And indeed, when Mary Jane and Alice began counting the pictures they -had seen they realized more than even before, how very much they <em>had</em> -seen. For there were not more than a dozen pictures out of that whole -collection that did not look familiar. Think of that!</p> - -<p>The next morning Mary Jane buttoned on her leggings, put on her storm -rubbers and heavy coat and cap and muff and started off through the -snow to school. On her arm in her own little bag she carried all the -picture post cards she had brought for her friends in kindergarten. At -Doris’s gate she met her friends and Mr. Dana who was taking Doris to -school on her sled.</p> - -<p>“Pile on, Mary Jane,” he said cordially; “always room for one more on a -sled you know. Hold tight, now! Here we go!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span> And away they dashed down -the street and to the school.</p> - -<p>When Miss Lynn saw the fine cards Mary Jane had brought for the pupils -she at once suggested that they stop regular work for part of the -morning and make a party in honor of Mary Jane’s return.</p> - -<p>“We can hang the cards all around the room at the edge of the board,” -she said, going to her desk to get the box of hangers; “and then as we -march around and look at them, you can tell us about each picture.”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane and pretty Miss Amerion, the assistant, set busily to work -and by the time the bell rang a few minutes later all the pictures were -hung in place. It was lots of fun to march around the room at the head -of the class and tell interesting things about the pictures. She told -about the fire on the boat and about riding the ponies and seeing the -queer stoves in the orange orchard and everything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span> she could think of. -And she didn’t wonder a bit that the boys and girls (and teachers too) -laughed when she told them about their wild ride in the auto in chase -of a boat.</p> - -<p>“What did you think was the strangest thing you saw, Mary Jane?” asked -Miss Lynn when Mary Jane had finished.</p> - -<p>“Well—” Mary Jane hesitated. She thought quickly of the jelly -fish, the chameleon, the queer sword fish she had seen swimming in -Clear River, but none of those seemed quite as queer as the big old -alligators that looked so like logs.</p> - -<p>“I think the alligators were the queerest,” she said decidedly, and she -told how she had been fooled into thinking one was a real log.</p> - -<p>Then suddenly she happened to think. “I sent Doris an alligator. I sent -her two of ’em. Couldn’t she bring them to school so everybody could -see? They were just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span> baby ones of course, but they were funny all the -same.”</p> - -<p>The whole school looked over to Doris and saw the poor little girl -flushed with embarrassment and hanging her head.</p> - -<p>“Have you got them, dear?” asked Miss Lynn encouragingly; “maybe we -could wrap them up warm and snug and bring them to school to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you see—” Doris hesitated and then blurted out suddenly, “we -had ’em two days and then they both crawled down the register and they -haven’t ever come back—not yet they haven’t.”</p> - -<p>“They must have thought this country too cold,” said Miss Lynn; “but -don’t you worry. We’ve nice pictures to look at and if the alligators -ever come back you can bring them to us then.” And Doris was comforted.</p> - -<p>For two months after they came home from Florida, Mary Jane went to -kindergarten<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span> and played with her little friends and helped about the -house just as she had loved to do before they went away for those -wonderful two weeks. The piled up snows of winter melted into little -dirty piles that finally slipped off into the ground without anybody -noticing when they went. The buds on the lilac bush began to swell -and two gay robins appeared in the garden to announce that spring was -coming.</p> - -<p>One warm noon time Mary Jane stopped on the front steps to make into a -chain the first gay dandelions of the season she had picked on the way -home from school.</p> - -<p>“See, Dadah!” she exclaimed to her father as he came up the walk, “I -got seven and I making them into a chain for mother—won’t she be -pleased?”</p> - -<p>“Indeed she will,” replied Mr. Merrill, but Mary Jane noticed that his -voice sounded as though he was thinking of something<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span> else. “Do you -like it so very well here, Mary Jane?” he asked and he waved his hand -out toward the yard.</p> - -<p>“Why yes, Dadah,” replied Mary Jane, puzzled at his manner, “don’t you?”</p> - -<p>“Of course,” said Mr. Merrill, “but would you like to live somewhere -else, do you think?”</p> - -<p>Mary Jane looked out over the pretty front yard, where the grass was -so green and the crocuses were peeking up here and there. “Well,” she -said, “I like it here and I don’t know what you mean. But I think I’d -like it anywhere you and mother and Alice were.”</p> - -<p>“That’s my girl!” exclaimed her father as he hugged her close. “Come -here, folks,” he added as Alice came up the walk just then and Mrs. -Merrill opened the door to greet them; “I’ll tell you the news.” He -pulled a yellow telegram from his pocket. “See<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span> that? That means new -work and a promotion. And it means that we move to Chicago.”</p> - -<p>“Leave here?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill.</p> - -<p>“Leave here inside of a month,” he replied. “Leave here and live in the -big city.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” exclaimed Mary Jane, “go on the train again! Hashed brown -potatoes! And have a moving wagon and boxes of things just like other -folks! Oh me! Goody! Is it really for true?”</p> - -<p>And if you want to read about all the fun Mary Jane had getting -acquainted with the big city, exploring its parks and going to school, -you will find it all told in</p> - -<p class="center">MARY JANE’S CITY HOME</p> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="book-container"> - -<p class="center p200 u">THE MARY JANE SERIES</p> - -<p class="center"><i>By Clara Ingram Judson</i></p> - -<p class="center">Cloth, 12 mo. Illustrated</p> - - -<div class="floatleft width120"> -<img src="images/i-005.jpg" width="120" height="189" alt="Mary Jane Her Book" /> -</div> - -<p class="noi"><span class="cursive p200">M</span>ARY JANE is the typical American little girl who bubbles over with -fun and the good things in life. We meet her here on a visit to her -grandfather’s farm where she becomes acquainted with farm life and farm -animals and thoroughly enjoys the experience. We next see her going to -kindergarten and then on a visit to Florida, and then—but read the -stories for yourselves.</p> - -<p>Exquisitely and charmingly written are these books which every little -girl from five to nine years old will want from the first book to the -last.</p> - - -<ul class="nobullet"> -<li> 1. MARY JANE—HER BOOK.</li> -<li> 2. MARY JANE—HER VISIT.</li> -<li> 3. MARY JANE’S KINDERGARTEN.</li> -<li> 4. MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH.</li> -<li> 5. MARY JANE’S CITY HOME.</li> -<li> 6. MARY JANE IN NEW ENGLAND.</li> -<li> 7. MARY JANE’S COUNTRY HOME.</li> -<li> 8. MARY JANE AT SCHOOL.</li> -<li> 9. MARY JANE IN CANADA.</li> -<li>10. MARY JANE’S SUMMER FUN.</li> -<li>11. MARY JANE’S WINTER SPORTS.</li> -<li>12. MARY JANE’S VACATION.</li> -<li>13. MARY JANE IN ENGLAND.</li> -<li>14. MARY JANE IN SCOTLAND.</li> -</ul> - -<hr class="short" /> - -<p class="center nmb">Publishers</p> - -<p class="center nmt">BARSE & CO.</p> - -<p class="center">New York, N. <span class="space">Y. N</span>ewark, N. J.</p> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="book-container"> - -<p class="center p200">Elizabeth Ann Series</p> - -<p class="center">By JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE</p> - -<p class="center"><i>For Girls from 7 to 12</i></p> - - -<div class="floatleft width120"> -<img src="images/i-006.jpg" width="120" height="188" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="noi">Elizabeth Ann is a little girl whom we first meet on a big train, -travelling all alone. Her father and mother have sailed for Japan, -and she is sent back East to visit at first one relative’s home, and -then another. Of course, she meets many new friends, some of whom -she is quite happy with, while others—but you must read the stories -for yourself. Every other girl who reads the first of these charming -books will want all the rest; for Elizabeth Ann is certainly worth the -cultivating.</p> - - -<ul class="nobullet"> -<li>THE ADVENTURES OF ELIZABETH ANN.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN AT MAPLE SPRING.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN’S SIX COUSINS.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN and DORIS.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN’S BORROWED GRANDMA.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN’S SPRING VACATION.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN and UNCLE DOCTOR.</li> -<li>ELIZABETH ANN’S HOUSEBOAT.</li> -</ul> - - -<hr class="short" /> - -<p class="center nmb">Publishers</p> - -<p class="center nmt">BARSE & CO.</p> - -<p class="center">New York, N. <span class="space">Y. N</span>ewark, N. J.</p> -</div> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="book-container"> - -<p class="center p200 u">THE “TWINS” SERIES</p> - -<p class="center"><i>By Dorothy Whitehill</i></p> - -<p class="center">Cloth, 12 <span class="space">mo. Illustrated.</span></p> - - -<div class="floatleft width120"> -<img src="images/i-006b.jpg" width="120" height="182" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="noi"><span class="cursive p200">H</span>ERE is a sparkling new series of stories for girls—just what they -will like, and ask for more of the same kind. It is all about twin -sisters, who for the first few years in their lives grow up in -ignorance of each other’s existence. Then they are at last brought -together and things begin to happen. Janet is an independent go-ahead -sort of girl; while her sister Phyllis is—but meet the twins for -yourself and be entertained.</p> - - -<ul class="nobullet"> -<li> 1. JANET, A TWIN.</li> -<li> 2. PHYLLIS, A TWIN.</li> -<li> 3. THE TWINS IN THE WEST.</li> -<li> 4. THE TWINS IN THE SOUTH.</li> -<li> 5. THE TWINS’ SUMMER VACATION.</li> -<li> 6. THE TWINS AND TOMMY, JR.</li> -<li> 7. THE TWINS AT HOME.</li> -<li> 8. THE TWINS’ WEDDING.</li> -<li> 9. THE TWINS ADVENTURING.</li> -<li> 10. THE TWINS AT CAMP.</li> -<li> 11. THE TWINS ABROAD.</li> -</ul> - - -<hr class="short" /> - -<p class="center nmb">Publishers</p> - -<p class="center nmt">BARSE & CO.</p> - -<p class="center">New York, N. <span class="space">Y. N</span>ewark, N. J.</p> -</div> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="book-container"> - -<p class="center p200 u">The Joyce Payton Series</p> - -<p class="center"><i>By</i></p> - -<p class="center">DOROTHY WHITEHILL</p> - -<p class="center"><i>For girls from 8 to 14</i></p> - - -<div class="floatleft width120"> -<img src="images/i-007.jpg" width="120" height="173" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="noi"><span class="cursive p200">B</span>ETWEEN the covers of these new books will be found the most intensely -interesting cast of characters, whose adventures in school and at -home keep one guessing continually. Joyce Payton, known as “Joy” with -her knowledge of gypsy ways, is bound to become a universal favorite; -there is also Pam, her running mate, and her best chum; Gypsy Joe, the -little Romany genius, and his magical “fiddle,” with which he talks to -the birds, squirrels, and in fact all of Animated Nature. Then there -is among the host of others Gloria, the city-bred cousin, a spoiled -darling; who feels like a “cat in a strange garret” when in the company -of Joy and her friends.</p> - - -<ul class="nobullet"> -<li>1. JOY AND GYPSY JOE.</li> -<li>2. JOY AND PAM.</li> -<li>3. JOY AND HER CHUMS.</li> -<li>4. JOY AND PAM AT BROOKSIDE.</li> -</ul> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="short" /> -</div> -<p class="center nmb">Publishers</p> - -<p class="center nmt">BARSE & CO.</p> - -<p class="center">New York, N. <span class="space">Y. N</span>ewark, N. J.</p> -</div> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<hr class="divider" /> -</div> -<div class="figcenter width400"> -<img src="images/i-008.jpg" width="400" height="645" alt="Endpaper" /> -</div> - - -<div class="chapter"></div> -<hr class="divider" /> -<div class="tn"> -<p class="center p120">Transcriber’s Note:</p> - -<ul class="nobullet"> -<li>Page 13</li> -<li><ul><li>for its two week’s vacation <i>changed to</i><br /> -for its two <a href="#weeks">weeks’</a> vacation</li></ul></li> - -<li>Page 49</li> -<li><ul><li>the ’gaters climbed slowly <i>changed to</i><br /> -the <a href="#gators">’gators</a> climbed slowly</li></ul></li> - -<li>Page 58</li> -<li><ul><li>wall’s is real! <i>changed to</i><br /> -<a href="#walls">walls</a> is real!</li></ul></li> - -<li>Page 74</li> -<li><ul><li>there was an open pavalion <i>changed to</i><br /> -there was an open <a href="#pavilion">pavilion</a></li></ul></li> -</ul> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Mary Jane Down South, by Clara Ingram Judson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH *** - -***** This file should be named 50198-h.htm or 50198-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/1/9/50198/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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