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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: Dick and Dolly - - -Author: Carolyn Wells - - - -Release Date: September 29, 2016 [eBook #53166] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK AND DOLLY*** - - -E-text prepared by Mardi Desjardins and the online Distributed -Proofreaders Canada team (http://www.pgdpcanada.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 53166-h.htm or 53166-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/53166/53166-h/53166-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/53166/53166-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/dickdolly00well - - - - - -[Illustration: “She saw a little girl coming eagerly toward -her” (Page 95)] - - -DICK AND DOLLY - -by - -CAROLYN WELLS - -Author of -The Marjorie Books, -The Patty Books, -The Two Little Women Series, - -Illustrated by Ada Budell - - - - - - - -[Illustration] - -Grosset & Dunlap -Publishers New York - -Made in the United States of America - -Copyright, 1909, by -Dodd, Mead and Company - -Published, October, 1909 - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I THE BROOK 1 - - II THE ARRIVAL 15 - - III AN EARLY STROLL 29 - - IV GARDENS 43 - - V A PLAYGROUND 57 - - VI A SOCIAL CALL 72 - - VII PINKIE 87 - - VIII A SECRET 102 - - IX PHYLLIS 118 - - X AN AUCTION SALE 132 - - XI FUN WITH LADY ELIZA 147 - - XII OBEYING ORDERS 161 - - XIII AUNT NINE 177 - - XIV A CORONATION 191 - - XV PUNISHMENT 207 - - XVI THE PLAYHOUSE 222 - - XVII THE FATE OF DANA COTTAGE 236 - - XVIII A LOVELY PLAN 249 - - XIX THE BIG CHIEF 264 - - XX A GAY PARTY 279 - - - - - ILLUSTRATIONS - - -“She Saw a Little Girl Coming _Frontispiece_ - Eagerly Toward Her” - -“Oh, How Good the Cool Ripply Facing page 40 - Water did Feel!” - -In the Garden ” ” 124 - -Lady Dusenbury’s Party ” ” 200 - - - - - CHAPTER I - - - THE BROOK - - -Dick and Dolly were twins and had been twins for nine years. - -Most of these years had been spent with Grandma Banks and Aunt Helen, -for Dick and Dolly were orphaned when they were tiny tots, and Aunt -Helen Banks was their mother’s sister. - -Then, about two years ago, Grandma Banks had died, and now Aunt Helen -was to be married and go far away across the sea to live. - -So their Chicago home was broken up, and the twins were sent to the old -Dana homestead in Connecticut, to live with their father’s people. - -This transfer of their dwelling-place didn’t bother Dick and Dolly much, -for they were philosophical little people and took things just as they -happened, and, moreover, they were so fond of each other, that so long -as they were together, it didn’t matter to them where they were. - -But to the two people who lived in the old Dana place, and who were -about to receive the twin charges, it mattered a great deal. - -Miss Rachel and Miss Abbie Dana were maiden ladies of precise and -methodical habits, and to have their quiet home invaded by two unknown -children was, to say the least, disturbing. - -But then Dick and Dolly were the children of their own brother, and so, -of course they were welcome, still the aunts felt sure it would make a -great difference in the household. - -And indeed it did. - -From the moment of the twins’ arrival,—but I may as well tell you about -that moment. - -You see, Aunt Helen was so busy with her wedding preparations that she -didn’t want to take the time to bring Dick and Dolly all the way from -Chicago to Heatherton, Connecticut, so she sent them East in charge of -some friends of hers who chanced to be coming. Mr. and Mrs. Halkett were -good-natured people, and agreed to see the twins safely to Dana Dene, -the home of the waiting aunts. - -And the aunts were waiting somewhat anxiously. - -They had never seen Dick and Dolly since they were tiny babies, and as -they had heard vague reports of mischievous tendencies, they feared for -the peace and quiet of their uneventful lives. - -“But,” said Miss Abbie to Miss Rachel, “we can’t expect children to act -like grown people. If they’re only tidy and fairly good-mannered, I -shall be thankful.” - -“Perhaps we can train them to be,” responded Miss Rachel, hopefully; -“nine is not very old, to begin with. I think they will be tractable at -that age.” - -“Let us hope so,” said Miss Abbie. - -The Dana ladies were not really old,—even the family Bible didn’t -credit them with quite half a century apiece,—but they were of a quiet, -sedate type, and were disturbed by the least invasion of their daily -routine. - -Life at Dana Dene was of the clock-work variety, and mistresses and -servants fell into step and trooped through each day, without a -variation from the pre-arranged line of march. - -But, to their honest souls, duty was pre-eminent, even over routine, and -now, as it was clearly their duty to take their brother’s children into -their household, there was no hesitation, but there was apprehension. - -For who could say what two nine-year-olds would be like? - -But in accordance with their sense of duty, the Misses Dana accepted the -situation and went to work to prepare rooms for the new-comers. - -Two large sunny bedrooms, Dolly’s sweet and dainty, Dick’s more boyish, -were made ready, and another large room was planned to be used as a -study or rainy-day playroom for them both. Surely, the aunts were doing -the right thing,—if the children would only respond to the gentle -treatment, and not be perfect little savages, all might yet be well. - -Now it happened that when Mr. and Mrs. Halkett reached New York with -their young charges, the trip from Chicago had made Mrs. Halkett so -weary and indisposed that she preferred to remain in New York while her -husband took the twins to Heatherton. It was not a long trip, perhaps -three hours or less on the train, so Mr. Halkett started off to fulfil -his trust and present Dick and Dolly at the door of their new home, -assuring his wife that he would return on the first train possible after -accomplishing his errand. Mrs. Halkett took pride in seeing that the -children were very spick and span, and prettily arrayed, and gave them -many injunctions to keep themselves so. - -Sturdy Dick looked fine in his grey Norfolk jacket and knickerbockers, -with wide white collar and correct tie. Pretty little Dolly was in white -piqué, very stiff and clean, with a tan-coloured coat and flower-trimmed -hat. - -The twins looked alike, and had the same big, dark eyes, but Dick’s hair -was a dark mass of close-cropped curls, while Dolly’s was a tangle of -fluffy golden ringlets. This striking effect of fair hair and dark eyes -made her an unusually attractive-looking child, and though they had -never thought of it themselves, the twins were a very beautiful pair of -children. Docilely obedient to Mrs. Halkett’s injunctions, they sat -quietly in the train, and did nothing that could by any possibility be -termed naughty. - -Truth to tell, they were a little awed at the thought of the two aunts, -whom they did not yet know, but had every reason to believe were not at -all like Auntie Helen. They chatted together, as they looked out of the -window at the landscape and stations, and Mr. Halkett read his paper, -and then looked over his timetable to see how soon he could get back to -New York. - -There was a train that left Heatherton for New York about half an hour -after their own arrival, so he hoped he could leave the twins at Dana -Dene and return to the metropolis on that train. But owing to a delay of -some sort they did not reach the Heatherton station until about twenty -minutes after schedule time. - -After the train Mr. Halkett desired to take back to New York, there was -no other for two hours, and greatly annoyed was that gentleman. When -they stood at last on the station platform, a pleasant-faced Irishman -approached and informed Mr. Halkett that he was from Dana Dene, and had -been sent to meet Master Dick and Miss Dolly. As the man appeared so -capable and responsible, Mr. Halkett was tempted to put the children in -his care, and return himself at once to New York. - -He explained about the trains, and told of his wife’s illness, and the -intelligent Michael said at once: - -“Shure, sor, do yez go back to New York. I’ll be afther takin’ the -childher safe to the house. Don’t yez moind, sor, but go right along. -Lave all to me, sor.” - -Impressed with the man’s decisive words, and sure of his -trustworthiness, Mr. Halkett assisted the children into the carriage, -and bidding them good-bye turned back to the station. - -Dolly looked a little wistful as he turned away, for though no relative, -he had been a kind friend, and now she felt like a stranger in a strange -land. - -But Dick was with her, so nothing else really mattered. She slipped her -hand in her brother’s, and then Michael picked up his reins and they -started off. - -It was early May, and it chanced to be warm and pleasant. The carriage -was an open one, a sort of landau, and the twins gazed around with eager -interest. - -“Great, isn’t it, Dolly?” exclaimed Dick, as they drove along a winding -road, with tall trees and budding shrubs on either side. - -“Oh, yes!” returned Dolly. “It’s beautiful. I love the country a whole -heap better than Chicago. Oh, Dick, there’s woods,—real woods!” - -“So it is, and a brook in it! I say, Michael, can’t we get out here a -minute?” - -“I think not,” said the good-natured coachman. “The leddies is forninst, -lookin’ for yez, and by the same token, we’re afther bein’ late as it -is.” - -“Yes, I know,” said Dick, “but we won’t stay a minute. Just let us run -in and see that brook. It’s such a dandy! I never saw a brook but once -or twice in all my life.” - -“Yez didn’t! The saints presarve us! Wherever have yez lived?” - -“In the city,—in Chicago. Do stop a minute, please, Michael.” - -“Please, Michael,” added Dolly, and her sweet voice and coaxing glance -were too much for Michael’s soft heart. - -Grumbling a little under his breath, he pulled up his horses, and let -the children get out. - -“Just a minute, now,” he said, warningly. “I’ll bring yez back here some -other day. Can yez get under the brush there?” - -“We’ll go over,” cried Dick, as he climbed and scrambled over a low -thicket of brush. - -Dolly scrambled through, somehow, and the two children that emerged on -the other side of the brush were quite different in appearance from the -two sedate-looking ones that Mr. Halkett had left behind him. - -Dick’s white collar had received a smudge, his stocking was badly torn, -and his cheek showed a long scratch. - -Dolly’s white frock was a sight! Her pretty tan coat had lost a button -or two, and her hat was still in the bushes. - -“Hey, Doddy, hey, for the brook!” shouted Dick, and grasping each -other’s hands, they ran for the rippling water. - -“Oh!” cried Dolly, her eyes shining. “Did you _ever_!” - -To the very edge of the brook they went, dabbling their fingers in the -clear stream, and merrily splashing water on each other. - -All this would have been a harmless performance enough if they had been -in play clothes, but the effect on their travelling costumes was most -disastrous. - -Leaning over the mossy bank to reach the water caused fearful green -stains on white piqué and on light-grey knickerbockers. Hands became -grimy, and faces hot and smudgy. But blissfully careless of all this, -the children frolicked and capered about, rejoiced to find the -delightful country spot and quite oblivious to the fact that they were -on their way to their new home. - -“Let’s wade,” said Dick, and like a flash, off came four muddy shoes, -and four grass-greened stockings. Oh, how good the cool ripply water did -feel! and how they chuckled with glee as they felt the wavelets plashing -round their ankles. - -Across the brook were the dearest wild flowers,—pink, yellow, and -white. - -“We must gather some,” said Dolly. “Can we wade across?” - -“Yep; I guess so. It doesn’t look deep. Come on.” - -Taking hands again, they stepped cautiously, and succeeded in crossing -the shallow brook, though, incidentally, well dampening the piqué skirt, -and the grey knickerbockers. - -Sitting down on the mossy bank, they picked handfuls of the flowers and -wondered what they were. - -“Hollo! Hollo!” called Michael’s voice from the road, where he sat -holding his horses. - -“All right, Michael! In a minute,” shrilled back the childish voices. - -And they really meant to go in a minute, but the fascination of the -place held them, and they kept on picking flowers, and grubbing among -the roots and stones at the edge of the water. - -“We really ought to go,” said Dolly. “Come on, Dick. Oh, look at the -birds!” - -A large flock of birds flew low through the sky, and as they circled and -wheeled, the children watched them eagerly. - -“They’re birds coming North for the summer,” said Dick. “See those -falling behind! They don’t like the way the flock is going, and they’re -going to turn back.” - -“So they are! We must watch them. There, now they’ve decided to go on, -after all! Aren’t they queer?” - -“Hollo! Hollo! Come back, yez bad childher! Come back, I say!” - -“Yes, Michael, in a minute,” rang out Dolly’s sweet, bird-like voice. - -“In a minute, nothin’! Come now, roight sthraight away! Do yez hear?” - -“Yes, we’re coming,” answered Dick, and together they started to wade -back across the brook. - -Then there were shoes and stockings to be put on, and with sopping wet -feet, and no towels, this is not an easy task. - -They tugged at the unwilling stockings and nearly gave up in despair, -but succeeded at last in getting them on, though the seams were far from -the proper straight line at the back. Shoes were not so hard to put on, -but were impossible to button without a buttonhook, so had to remain -unbuttoned. - -Meantime, Michael was fairly fuming with angry impatience. He could not -leave his horses, or he would have gone after the truants, and no -passers-by came along whom he could ask to hold his restive team. - -So he continued to shout, and Dick and Dolly continued to assure him -that they were coming, but they didn’t come. - -At last they appeared at the thicket hedge, and as the two laughing -faces peeped through, Michael could scarcely recognise his young -charges. Torn, soiled, dishevelled, unkempt, there was absolutely no -trace of the spick and span toilets Mrs. Halkett had looked after so -carefully, in spite of her aching head and tired nerves. - -“Yez naughty little rascals!” cried Michael. “Whativer possessed yez to -tousel yersilves up loike that! Shame to yez! What’ll yer aunties say?” - -For the first time, the twins realised their disreputable appearance. - -What, indeed, would their new aunties say to them? Aunt Helen would have -laughed, in her pretty, merry way, and sent them trotting away to clean -up, but with new and untried aunties they couldn’t be sure. Moreover, -they had an idea that Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie were not at all like -pretty, young Auntie Helen. - -Rescuing her hat from the thorn bush where it hung, Dolly looked -ruefully at its twisted flowers. The more she tried to pull them into -shape, the worse they looked. - -She put it on her head, dismayed meanwhile to find her broad hair-ribbon -was gone, and her sunny curls a moist, tangled mop. - -Dick was conscious of a growing feeling of wrong-doing, but there was -nothing to be done but face the music. - -“Get in,” he said, briefly to his sister, and they clambered into the -carriage. - -Michael said no more; it was not his place to reprimand the children of -the house, but he sat up very straight and stiff, as he drove rapidly -toward home. To be sure, his straightness and stiffness was to conceal a -fit of merriment caused by the thought of presenting these ragamuffins -at the portals of Dana Dene, but the ragamuffins themselves didn’t know -that, and regretful and chagrined, they sat hand in hand, awaiting their -fate. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - - THE ARRIVAL - - -In the dark and somewhat sombre library at Dana Dene, Miss Rachel and -Miss Abbie sat awaiting their guests. The room might have been called -gloomy, but for the sunshine that edged in through the long, narrow, -slit-like windows, and made determined golden bars across the dark-red -carpet. Both the Misses Dana showed clearly their anxiety to have the -children arrive and end their suspense. - -“If only they’re tidy children,” said Miss Rachel for the fiftieth time; -and Miss Abbie responded, as she always did, “Yes, and quiet-mannered.” - -Miss Rachel Dana was of rather spare build, and sharp features. Her -brown hair, only slightly tinged with grey, was deftly arranged, and -every curled lock in its right place. Her pretty house-dress of dark -blue foulard silk, with white figures, was modishly made and carefully -fitted. - -Miss Abbie was a little more plump, and her gown was of a shade lighter -blue, though otherwise much like her sister’s. - -The ladies had a patient air, as if they had waited long, but though -they now and then glanced at the clock, they expressed no surprise at -the delayed arrival. Trains were apt to be late at Heatherton, and they -knew Michael would return as soon as possible. They had not gone -themselves to the station to meet the twins, for it had seemed to them -more dignified and fitting to receive their young relatives in their own -home. Meantime, the young relatives were drawing nearer, and now, quite -forgetting their own untidy appearance, their thoughts had turned to the -waiting aunts, and the welcome they would probably receive. - -“I don’t believe they’ll be as nice as Aunty Helen,” said Dick, -candidly, “but I hope they’ll be jolly and gay.” - -“I hope they’ll like us,” said Dolly, a little wistfully. She had always -missed a mother’s love more than Dick had, and her affectionate little -heart hoped to find in these aunties a certain tenderness that merry -Aunt Helen had not possessed. - -Dick eyed his sister critically. “I don’t believe they will,” he said, -honestly, “until we get some clean clothes on. I say, Dollums, we look -like scarecrows.” - -“So we do!” said Dolly, fairly aghast as she realised the state of her -costume. “Oh, Dick, can’t we get dressed up before we see them?” - -“’Course we can’t. Our trunks and bags haven’t come yet; and, anyway, -they’ll probably be on the porch or somewhere, to meet us. Buck up, -Dolly; don’t you mind. You’re just as nice that way.” - -“Is my face dirty?” - -“Not so much dirty,—as red and scratched. How _did_ you get so chopped -up?” - -“It was those briers. You went over, but I went through.” - -“I should say you did! Well, I don’t believe they’ll mind your looks. -And, anyway, they’ll have to get used to it; you ’most always look like -that.” - -This was cold comfort, and Dolly’s feminine heart began to feel that -their appearance would be greatly in their disfavour. - -But she was of a sanguine nature, and, too, she was apt to devise -expedients. - -“I’ll tell you, Dick,” she said, as an idea came to her; “you know, ‘a -soft answer turneth away wrath’; no,—I guess I mean ‘charity covereth a -multitude of sins.’ Yes, that’s it. And charity is love, you know. So -when we see the aunties, let’s spring into their arms and kiss ’em and -love ’em ’most to death, and then they won’t notice our clothes.” - -“All right, that goes. Let me see,—yes, your face is clean,”—Dick made -a dab or two at it with his handkerchief. “How’s mine?” - -“Yes, it’s clean,” said Dolly, “at least, there aren’t any smudges; but -you’d better wash it before supper.” - -“All right, I will. Here we go now, turning in at the gate. Be ready to -jump out and fly at them if they’re on the porch.” - -They weren’t on the porch, so the twins went in at the great front door, -which was opened for them by a smiling maid, whose smile broadened as -she saw them. Then, repressing her smile, she ushered them to the -library door and into the presence of the two waiting aunts. - -“Now!” whispered Dick, and with a mad rush, the two flew across the room -like whirlwinds and fairly _banged_ themselves into the arms of Miss -Rachel and Miss Abbie Dana. - -This sudden onslaught was followed by a series of hugs and kisses which -were of astonishing strength and duration. - -What Miss Rachel and Miss Abbie thought can never be known, for they had -no power of thought. Victims of a volcanic visitation do not think,—at -least, not coherently, and the Dana ladies were quite helpless, both -mentally and physically. - -“Dear Auntie,” cooed Dolly, patting the cheek of the one she had -attacked, though not knowing her name; “are you glad to see us?” - -Miss Rachel stared stupidly at her, but the stare was not reassuring, -and Dolly’s heart fell. - -“Jolly glad to get here,” cried Dick, loyally trying to carry out -Dolly’s plan, as he nearly choked the breath out of the other aunt. Miss -Abbie had a little more sense of humour than her sister,—though neither -of them was over-burdened with it,—so she said to Dick: - -“Then do stop pommeling me, and stand off where I can see what you look -like!” - -But this was just what Dick was not anxious to do. So he only clung -closer, and said, “Dear Auntie, which is your name?” - -“I’m your Aunt Abbie,” was the response, not too gently given, “and now -stand up, if you please, and stop these monkey-tricks!” - -Of course, since she put it that way, Dick had to desist, and he -released his struggling aunt, and bravely stood up for inspection. - -Miss Rachel, too, had pushed Dolly away from her, and the twins stood, -hand in hand, waiting for the verdict. It was an awful moment. The -physical exertion of the manner they had chosen of greeting their aunts -had made their flushed little faces still redder, and the scratches -stood out in bold relief. - -Also, their soiled and torn garments looked worse in this elegantly -appointed room even than they had in the woods or in the carriage. - -Altogether the twins felt that their plan of defence had failed, and -they were crestfallen, shy, homesick, and pretty miserable all ’round. - -But the funny part was, that the plan hadn’t failed. Though the aunts -never admitted it, both their hearts were softened by the feeling of -those little arms round their necks, and those vigorous, if grimy kisses -that fell, irrespectively, on their cheeks, necks, or lace collars. - -Had it not been for this tornado of affection, the greeting would have -been far different. But one cannot speak coldly to a guest who shows -such warmth of demonstration. - -“Well, you _are_ a pretty-looking pair!” exclaimed Miss Rachel, veiling -her real disapproval behind a semblance of jocularity. “Do you always -travel in ragged, dirty clothes?” - -“No, Aunt Rachel,” said Dick, feeling he must make a strike for justice; -“at least, we don’t start out this way. But you see, we had hardly ever -seen a brook before——” - -“And it was so lovely!” put in Dolly, ecstatically. - -“And wild flowers to it!” cried Dick, his eyes shining with the joy of -the remembrance. - -“And pebbly stones!” - -“And ripply water!” - -“And birds, flying in big bunches!” - -“Oh, but it was splendid!” - -“And so you went to the brook,” said Aunt Rachel, beginning to see -daylight. - -“Yes’m; on the way up from the station, you know.” - -“Did Michael go with you?” - -“No; he sat and held the horses, and hollered for us to come back.” - -“Why didn’t you go when he called you?” - -“Why, we did; at least, we went in a minute. But, Aunt Rachel, we never -had seen a real live brook before, not since we were little bits of -kiddy-wids,—and we just couldn’t bear to leave it.” - -“We waded in it!” said Dolly, almost solemnly, as if she had referred to -the highest possible earthly bliss. - -The Dana ladies were nonplussed. True, the affection showered on them -had tempered their severity, yet now justice began to reassert itself, -and surely it would not be just or fair to have these semi-barbaric -children installed at Dana Dene. - -“Did your aunt in Chicago let you act like this?” asked Aunt Abbie, by -way of trying to grasp the situation. - -“Well, you see, there never was a brook there,” said Dick, pleasantly. -“Only Lake Michigan, and that was too big to be any fun.” - -“Oh, isn’t Heatherton lovely?” exclaimed Dolly, her big, dark eyes full -of rapture. - -She had again possessed herself of Miss Rachel’s hand and was patting -it, and incidentally transfering some “good, brown earth” to it, from -her own little paw. - -Though Dolly had planned their mode of entrance, she had forgotten all -about it now, and her affectionate demonstrations were prompted only by -her own loving little heart, and not by an effort to be tactful. - -In her enthusiasm over the beautiful country-side, she fairly bubbled -over with love and affection for all about her. - -“Are you both so fond of the country, then?” said Miss Abbie, a little -curiously. - -“Yes, we love it,” declared Dick, “and we’ve ’most never seen it. Auntie -Helen always liked fashionable places in summer, and of course in winter -we were in Chicago.” - -“And we were naughty,” said Dolly, with a sudden burst of contrition, -“to go wading in the brook in our good clothes. Mrs. Halkett told us -_’spressly_ not to get soiled or even rumpled before we saw you. And -we’re sorry we did,—but, oh! that brook! When can we go there again? -To-morrow?” - -“Or this afternoon,” said Dick, sidling up to Aunt Rachel; “it isn’t -late, is it?” - -The twins had instinctively discerned that Miss Rachel was the one of -whom to ask permission. Aunt Abbie seemed more lovable, perhaps, but -without a doubt Aunt Rachel was the fixer of their fate. - -“This afternoon! I should say not!” exclaimed Miss Rachel. “It’s nearly -supper time now, and how you’re going to be made presentable is more -than I know! Have you any other clothes?” - -“In our trunks,—lots of ’em,” said Dick, cheerfully. “But these are our -best ones. Mrs. Halkett put them on us purpose to come to you. I’m sorry -they’re smashed.” - -Dick’s sorrow was expressed in such blithe and nonchalant tones, that -Miss Rachel only smiled grimly. - -“Are you hungry?” she said. - -“No’m,” said Dick, slowly, and Dolly added, “Not _very_. Of course we’re -always _some_ hungry. But Aunt Rachel, can’t we go out and scoot round -the yard? Just to see what it’s like, you know. Of course, this room -is,—beautiful, but we do love to be out doors. May we?” - -“No,” said Miss Rachel, decidedly, and though Miss Abbie said, timidly, -“Why don’t you let them?” the elder sister resumed: - -“Go out on my lawn looking like that? Indeed you can’t! I’d be ashamed -to have the chickens see you,—let alone the servants!” - -“Oh, are there chickens?” cried Dolly, dancing about in excitement. “I’m -_so_ glad we’re going to live here!” - -She made a movement as if to hug her Aunt Rachel once again, but as she -saw the involuntary drawing away of that lady’s shoulders, she -transferred her caress to Dick, and the tattered twins fell on each -other’s necks in mutual joy of anticipation. - -“You are a ridiculous pair of children,” said Aunt Abbie, laughing at -the sight; “but as I hope you’ll show some of your father’s traits, you -may improve under our training.” - -“If we can train such hopeless cases,” said Miss Rachel. “Has nobody -ever taught you how to behave?” - -“Yes,” said Dick, growing red at the implication. “Auntie Helen is a -lovely lady, and she taught us to be honourable and polite.” - -“Oh, she did! and do you call it honourable to go off wading in your -best clothes, while we were waiting for you to come here?” - -Dick’s honest little face looked troubled. - -“I don’t know,” he said, truly, but Dolly, who was often the -quicker-witted of the two, spoke up: - -“It may have been naughty, Aunt Rachel, but I don’t ’zackly think it was -dishonourable. Do you?” Thus pinned down, Miss Rachel considered. - -“Perhaps ‘dishonourable’ isn’t quite the right word,” she said, “but we -won’t discuss that now. I shall teach you to behave properly, of course, -but we won’t begin until you look like civilised beings, capable of -being taught. Just now, I think hot baths, with plenty of soap, will be -the best thing for you, but as you have no clean clothes, you’ll have to -go to bed.” - -“At five o’clock! Whew!” said Dick. “Oh, I say, Aunt Rachel, not to -bed!” - -“Anyway, let us go for a tear around the yard first,” begged Dolly. “We -can’t hurt these clothes now; and I don’t believe the chickens will -mind. Are there _little_ chickens, Aunt Abbie?” - -“Yes, little woolly yellow ones.” - -“Like the ones on Easter souvenirs? Oh, _please_ let us see them -now,—_please_!” - -More persuaded by the violence of her niece’s plea than by her own -inclination, Miss Rachel said they might go out for half an hour, and -then they must come in to baths and beds. - -“And supper?” asked Dick, hopefully. - -“Yes, bread and milk after you’re clean and tucked into bed.” - -“_Only_ bread and milk?” said Dolly, with eyes full of wheedlesomeness. - -“Well, perhaps jam,” said Aunt Abbie, smiling, and somehow her smile -augured even more than jam. Out they scampered then, and soon found -Michael, who introduced them to the chickens and also to Pat, who was -the gardener. - -“I like you,” said Dolly, slipping her little hand into Pat’s big one, -both being equally grimy. “Please show us all the flowers and things.” - -There was so much to look at, they could only compass a small part of it -in their allotted half-hour. Dana Dene covered about thirty acres, but -it was not a real farm. A vegetable garden supplied the household wants, -and the rest of the estate was park and flower beds and a bit of woods -and an orchard and a terrace, and the poultry yard and stables, and -other delights of which the children could only guess. - -“Aren’t you glad we came?” said Dolly, still hanging on to Pat’s hand. - -“I—I guess so, Miss,” he replied, cautiously; “but I can’t say yet, for -sure. Ye’re rampageous, I’m afraid. Ain’t ye, now?” - -“Yes,” said Dick, who was always honest, “I think we are. At least, -everybody says so. But, Pat, we’re going to try not to make you any -trouble.” - -“Now, that’s a good boy. If ye talk like that, you ’n me’ll be friends.” - -Dolly said nothing, but she smiled happily up into Patrick’s kind eyes, -and then, with their usual adaptability to circumstances, the twins -began to feel at home. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - - AN EARLY STROLL - - -Soon after daybreak next morning, Dolly woke, and surveyed with -satisfaction her pretty room. - -Pink roses clambered over the wall paper, and over the chintz hangings -and furniture, and over the soft, dainty bed-coverlet. - -It was much more attractive than her room at Aunt Helen’s, and as Dolly -loved pretty things, she gave a little sigh of content and nestled -comfortably into her pillows. Then she heard Dick’s voice whispering -through the closed door between their rooms. - -“Hi, Dolly; I say! Aren’t you up yet?” - -“No, are you?” - -“Yes, and ’most dressed. Hustle, can’t you? and let’s go out and chase -around the place.” - -“Before breakfast?” - -“Yes; breakfast isn’t until eight o’clock, and it’s only six now.” - -“All right, I’ll hustle,” and Dolly sprang out of bed, and began to -dress. - -The twins were a self-reliant pair, and quite capable and methodical -when they had time to be. - -Dolly dressed herself neatly in a clean blue and white plaid gingham; -and as she could tie her hair ribbon quite well enough, except for -special occasions, the blue bow on her golden curls was entirely -satisfactory. - -“I’m all ready, Dick,” she whispered at last, through the door, “and we -mustn’t make any noise, for maybe the aunties are asleep yet.” - -“All right; I’ll meet you in the hall.” - -So both children went on tiptoe out into the big, light hall, and softly -down the stairs. - -No one seemed to be stirring, but they unfastened the locks and chains -of the front doors, and stepped out into the beautiful fresh morning. - -“I’ve _got_ to holler!” said Dick, still whispering. “They can’t hear us -now.” - -“Yes, they can; wait till we get farther away from the house.” - -So, hand in hand, they ran down the garden path, and when a grape arbour -and a cornfield were between them and their sleeping aunts, they decided -they were out of hearing. - -“Hooray!” yelled Dick, as loud as he could, at the same time turning a -jubilant handspring. - -Dolly was quite as glad as her brother, but contented herself with -dancing about, and giving little squeals of delight as she saw one -rapturous sight after another. - -“Oh, Dick,” she cried, “there’s a fountain! ’way over there on the -little hill. Do you s’pose that’s on our grounds?” - -“’Course it is. This is all ours, as far as you can see, and more too. -That woodsy place over there is ours; Pat told me so.” - -“We’ll have picnics there. And Dick, maybe there are fairies in the -woods.” - -“Sure there are. That’s just the kind of woods that has fairies. But -they only come out at night, you know.” - -“Yes, but it’s only just a little past night now. The sun has only been -up a short time. Maybe there are some fairies there yet.” - -“Maybe; let’s go and see.” - -With a skip and a jump the children started for the woods, which, -however proved to be farther away than they had thought. - -They trudged merrily on, stopping now and then to speak to a robin, or -kick at a dandelion, but at last they came to the edge of the grove. - -“Oh, Dick!” cried Dolly, in ecstasy, “think of having a real woods, -right in our own yard! Isn’t it gorgeous!” - -“Great! but go softly now, if we want to see fairies. I’m ’fraid they’ve -all gone.” - -Hand in hand the children tiptoed into the wood. They moved very -cautiously, lest they should step on a twig, or make any noise that -should frighten the fairies. - -“There’s where they dance,” whispered Dick, pointing to a smooth, green -mossy place. “But of course they always fly away when the sun rises.” - -“Yes, I s’pose so,” said Dolly, regretfully. “Shall we come out earlier -to-morrow?” - -“Yes; or we might come out to see them some night. Moonlight nights; -that’s the time!” - -“Would you dare? Oh, Dick, wouldn’t it be grand!” - -“Hey, Dolly, there’s a squirrel; a real, live one! That’s better’n -fairies. Oh, look at him!” - -Sure enough, a grey squirrel ran past them, and now sat, turning his -head back to look at them, but ready for instant flight if they moved. - -But they didn’t move, they knew better; and scarce daring to breathe, -they sat watching the wonderful sight. - -Meantime, there was consternation in the household. At seven o’clock -Miss Rachel had sent Hannah, the waitress, to call the twins. - -The maid returned with a scared face, and announced that the children -had gone. - -“Gone!” cried Miss Rachel, who was engaged in making her own toilet; -“where have they gone?” - -“I don’t know, ma’am; but they’re not in their rooms, and the front door -is wide open.” - -“Oh, they’ve run away!” cried Miss Rachel, and hastily throwing on a -dressing gown, she went to her sister’s room. - -“Get up, Abbie,” she exclaimed. “Those children have run away!” - -“Run away? What do you mean?” - -“Why, they’ve gone! I suppose they didn’t like us. Perhaps they were -homesick, or something. Abbie, do you suppose they’ve gone back to -Chicago, all alone?” - -“Nonsense, Rachel, of course they haven’t! Children always rise early. -They’re probably walking in the garden.” - -“No, I don’t think so. Something tells me they’ve run away because they -don’t like us. Oh, Abbie, do you think that’s it?” - -“No, I don’t. Go on and dress. They’ll be back by the time you’re ready -for breakfast. If you’re worried, send Hannah out to hunt them up.” - -So Hannah was sent, but as she only looked in the verandas and in the -gardens near the house, of course, she didn’t find the twins. By the -time the ladies came downstairs, Hannah had impressed Pat and Michael -into service, and all three were hunting for the missing guests. - -But it never occurred to them to go so far as the woods, where Dick and -Dolly were even then sitting, watching the grey squirrel, and looking -for fairies. - -“I’m thinkin’ they’ve fell in the pond,” said Pat, as he gazed anxiously -into the rather muddy water. - -“Not thim!” said Michael; “they’re not the sort that do be afther -drownin’ thimsilves. They’re too frisky. Belikes they’ve run back to the -brook where they shtopped at yisterday. Do yez go there an’ look, Pat.” - -“Yes, do,” said Miss Rachel, who, with clasped hands and a white face -was pacing the veranda. - -“Don’t take it so hard, sister,” implored Miss Abbie. “They’re around -somewhere, I’m sure; and if not,—why, you know, Rachel, you didn’t want -them here very much, anyway.” - -“How can you be so heartless!” cried Miss Rachel, her eyes staring -reproachfully at her sister. “I do want them; they’re brother’s -children, and this is their rightful home. But I wish they wanted to -stay. I’m sure they ran away because they didn’t like us. Do you think -we were too harsh with them yesterday?” - -“Perhaps so. At any rate, they _have_ run away. I thought they were in -the garden, but if so, they would have been found by now. Do you suppose -they took an early train back to New York?” - -“Oh, Abbie, how _can_ you say so! Those two dear little mites alone in a -great city! I can’t think it!” - -“It’s better than thinking they are drowned in the pond.” - -“Either is awful; and yet of course some such thing must have happened.” - -The two ladies were on the verge of hysterics, and the servants, who had -all been hunting for the children, were nonplussed. Pat had jumped on a -horse, and galloped off to the brook which had so taken their fancy the -day before, and Michael stood, with his hands in his pockets, wondering -if he ought to drag the pond. Delia, the cook, had left the waiting -breakfast and had come to join the anxious household. - -“I’m thinkin’ they’re not far off,” she said; “why don’t ye blow a horn, -now?” - -“That’s a good idea,” said Miss Abbie; “try it, Michael.” - -So Michael found an old dinner-horn that had hung unused in the barn for -many years, and he blew resounding blasts. - -But unfortunately, the babes in the woods were too far away to hear, and -forgetful of all else they watched two squirrels, who, reassured by the -children’s quiet, ran back and forth, and almost came right up to Dick -and Dolly’s beckoning fingers. - -“If only we had something to feed them,” said Dick, vainly hunting his -pockets for something edible. - -“If only we had something to feed ourselves,” said Dolly; “I’m just -about starved.” - -“So’m I; let’s go back now, and come to see the squirrels some other -time, and bring them some nuts.” - -“All right, let’s.” - -So back they started, but leisurely, for they had no thought of how the -time had slipped by. They paused here and there to investigate many -things, and it was well on toward nine o’clock when they came within -hearing of Michael’s horn, on which he was blowing a last, despairing -blast. - -“Hear the horn!” cried Dick. “Do you s’pose that’s the way they call the -family to breakfast?” - -“Oh, it isn’t breakfast time, yet,” said Dolly, confidently. “I’m hungry -enough, but it can’t be eight o’clock, I know. And, besides, I want time -to tidy up.” - -The clean frock had lost its freshness, and the blue bow was sadly -askew, for somehow, try as she would, Dolly never could keep herself -spick and span. - -They trudged along, through the barnyard and the garden, and finally -came to the kitchen door, which stood invitingly open. - -“Let’s go in this way,” said Dolly; “it’s nearer, and I can skin up to -my room and brush my hair. I don’t want Auntie Rachel to think I’m -always messy.” - -In at the back door they went, and as the kitchen was deserted, they -looked around in some surprise. - -“Might as well catch a bun,” said Dick, seeing a panful of rolls in the -warming oven. - -The hungry children each took a roll, and then sped on up to their -rooms, intent on tidying themselves for breakfast. - -“For goodness’ sake, Dolly!” exclaimed Dick’s voice through the door, -“it’s after nine o’clock! Do you s’pose they’ve had breakfast, and where -is everybody?” - -“After nine o’clock!” said Dolly, opening the door, to make sure she had -heard aright. “Well, if this isn’t the queerest house! Hurry up, Dick, -and brush your hair, and we’ll go down and see what’s the matter. I know -they haven’t had breakfast, for the kitchen range was all full of -cereals and things.” - -A few moments later, two neat and well-brushed children tripped gaily -downstairs. They went into the library, where their two aunts, nearly in -a state of collapse, were reposing in armchairs. - -“Good-morning, aunties,” said the twins, blithely. “Are we late?” - -Miss Abbie gasped and closed her eyes, at the astonishing sight, but -Miss Rachel, who was of a different nature, felt all her anxiety turn to -exasperation, and she said, sternly: - -“You naughty children! Where have you been?” - -“Why, we just got up early, and went to look around the place,” -volunteered Dolly, “and we didn’t know it got late so soon.” - -“But where were you? We’ve searched the place over.” - -“We went to the woods,” said Dick. “You see, Aunt Abbie, I felt as if I -must screech a little, and we thought if we stayed too near the house, -we might wake you up. It was awful early then. I don’t see how nine -o’clock came so soon! Did we keep breakfast back? I’m sorry.” - -“Why did you want to screech?” said Miss Abbie, quickly. “Are you -homesick?” - -“Oh, no! I mean screech for joy. Just shout, you know, for fun, and jump -around, and turn somersaults. I always do those things when I’m glad. -But as it turned out, we couldn’t, very much, for we were watching for -fairies, and then for squirrels, so we had to be quiet after all.” - -“And so you wanted to shout for joy, did you?” asked Aunt Rachel, much -mollified at the compliments they paid so unconsciously. - -“Oh, yes’m! Everything is so beautiful, and so—so sort of enchanted.” - -“Enchanted?” - -“Yes; full of fairies, and sprites. The woods, you know, and the pond, -and the fountain,—oh, Dana Dene is the finest place I ever saw!” - -Dick’s enthusiasm was so unfeigned, and his little face shone with such -intense happiness, that Miss Rachel hadn’t the heart to scold him after -all. So, resolving to tell the twins later of the trouble they had -caused, she went away to tell Delia to send in breakfast, and to tell -Michael to go and find Patrick, for the twins had returned. - -[Illustration: “Oh, how good the cool ripply water did -feel!” (Page 10)] - -“You see,” explained Dolly, as they sat at breakfast, “we went out of -the house at half-past seven, by the big, hall clock. And I thought then -we’d stay an hour, and get back in time to fix up before we saw you. -We’re not very good at keeping clean.” - -“So I see,” said Aunt Abbie, glancing at several grass stains and a -zigzag tear that disfigured Dolly’s frock. - -“Yes’m; so we ’most always try to get in to meals ahead of time, and -that ’lows us to spruce up some.” - -“We try to,” said Dick, honestly, “but we don’t always do it.” - -“No,” returned Dolly, calmly; “’most never. But isn’t it ’stonishing how -fast the time goes when you think there’s plenty?” - -“It is,” said Aunt Rachel, a little grimly. “And now that you’re to live -here, you’ll have to mend your ways, about being late, for I won’t have -tardiness in my house.” - -“All right,” said Dolly, cheerfully; “I’ll hunt up my watch. It doesn’t -go very well, except when it lies on its face; but if I put it in my -pocket upside down, maybe it’ll go.” - -“It must be a valuable watch,” remarked Aunt Abbie. - -“Yes’m, it is. Auntie Helen gave it to me for a good-by gift, but I -looked at it so often, that I thought it would be handier to wear it -hanging outside, like a locket, you know. Well, I did, and then it -banged into everything I met. And the chain caught on everything, and -the watch got dented, and the crystal broke, and one hand came off. But -it was the long hand, so as long as the hour hand goes all right, I can -guess at the time pretty good. If I’d just had it with me this morning, -we’d been all right. I’m real sorry we were late.” - -Aunt Rachel smiled, but it was rather a grim smile. - -“I don’t set much store by people who are sorry,” she said; “what I -like, are people who don’t do wrong things the second time. If you are -never late to breakfast again, that will please me more than being sorry -for this morning’s escapade.” - -“I’ll do both,” said Dolly, generously, and indeed, the twins soon -learned to be prompt at meals, which is a habit easily acquired, if one -wishes to acquire it. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - - GARDENS - - -“Now, children,” said Aunt Rachel, as they all went into the library, -after breakfast, “you may play around as you choose, but I don’t want -you to go off the premises without permission. No more wading in the -brook, and coming home looking disreputable. You may go to our wood, or -anywhere on the place, and stay as long as you like, provided you are -here and properly tidy at meal-times But outside the gates, without -permission, you must not go: Can I trust you?” - -“Yes, indeed, Aunt Rachel,” said Dick; “I’m sure we don’t want to go -anywhere else, with all this beautiful place to play in. Why, we haven’t -half explored it yet. Pat says there are thirty acres! Think of that!” - -“Yes, it’s a fine old place,” said Miss Rachel, with justifiable pride -in her ancestral home. “And I’m glad to have you young people in it, if -you’ll only behave yourselves, and not keep us everlastingly in hot -water.” - -“We do want to be good, Auntie,” said Dolly, in her sweet way; “and if -we’re bad a few times, just till we learn your ways, you know, you’ll -forgive us, won’t you?” - -Pretty little Dolly had a wheedlesome voice, and a winning smile, and -Miss Rachel found it difficult to speak sternly, when the big, dark eyes -looked into her face so lovingly. - -“Yes, I’m sure you want to be good, my dears, and also, we want to do -the right thing by you. So we’ll learn each other’s ways, and I’m sure -we’ll get along beautifully.” - -Miss Rachel was not used to children, and she talked to them as if they -were as grown-up as herself, but Dick and Dolly understood, and sat -patiently while she talked, though, in truth, they were impatient to get -away, and run outdoors again. - -“I shall send you to school,” went on Miss Rachel, “but not for a week -or two yet. I want to learn you myself a little better first.” - -“Yes’m,” said Dolly, who was equally well pleased to go to school or to -stay at home. But Dick wanted to go. - -“Let us go pretty soon, won’t you, Auntie?” he said; “for I want to get -acquainted with the Heatherton fellows.” - -“Boys, Dick,” corrected Aunt Abbie, who was beginning to think the twins -rather careless of their diction. - -“Yes’m, I mean boys. Are there any who live near here?” - -Miss Rachel pursed her lips together. - -“The Middletons live in the place next to this,” she began, and Dolly -broke in: - -“Oh, that pretty place, with the stone pillars at the gate?” - -“Yes,” went on her aunt. “But Mrs. Middleton and we are not—that is—” - -“Oh, you’re not good friends, is that it?” volunteered Dick. - -“Well, yes; I suppose that is it. You children are too young to -understand, but let it be enough for you that I prefer you should not -play with the little Middletons. There are other neighbours equally -pleasant for your acquaintance.” - -“All right, Auntie,” agreed Dick. “Cut out the Middletons. And now -mayn’t we run out to play?” - -“First, I’ll take you up and show you your playroom. It’s more for rainy -days, as you seem to like to be out of doors in fine weather. But come -and see it, anyway.” - -The two aunts led the way, and the children followed to a large, -delightful room in the third story. - -There was a big table in the middle, and smaller tables and chairs -about. There was a pleasant little writing-desk for each, well furnished -with pretty writing materials. Low bookshelves ran round two sides of -the room, and the other side showed a jolly big fireplace, and pleasant -windows with deep seats. - -A roomy, comfortable old sofa and a chest of drawers completed the -furnishing. - -“It isn’t finished,” said Miss Abbie, “because we don’t yet know your -tastes.” - -“It’s lovely, Aunties!” cried Dolly, flinging her arms round the neck of -one after the other, and finally embracing Dick in her enthusiasm. - -“Oh, it’s just gay!” Dick cried. “I’ve always wanted a big playroom, and -now we’ve got one. Can I whittle and jigsaw up here?” - -“Yes, you may do just exactly as you please. You may bring your young -friends up here, and entertain them whenever you choose.” - -“That is, after we get the friends,” supplemented Dolly. - -“Yes, but you’ll soon get acquainted. There are many nice children in -Heatherton. Do you play dolls, Dolly?” - -“Yes, I do, when I have any little girls to play with. But, you see, I -play with Dick so much, I get out of the habit of dolls. But I do love -’em. When our big box of things comes, I’ve lots of dolls in it, and -Dick’s tool-chest and jigsaw—oh, it will be splendid to fix them all up -here!” - -“Yes, Michael will help you. He’ll fix a good workbench, for you, Dick, -if you’re fond of fussing with tools. Do you cut your fingers much?” - -“Sometimes, Aunt Rachel, but not always. Say, you’re awful good to us. -We’re ever so much obliged.” - -Dick was more awkward at expressing his appreciation than Dolly, but the -honest joy on the boy’s face showed his admiration of the room, and Aunt -Rachel’s heart warmed toward him, for she too was sometimes unable to -express herself aptly. - -“Now we’ll skiddoo,” said Dolly, as she patted Miss Abbie’s hand by way -of farewell. “We want to see Pat feed the chickens.” - -“Yes, dearie, run along, but,—would you mind if I ask you not to use -those—those unusual words?” - -“Skiddoo? Oh, that’s an awful useful word, Aunt Abbie. I don’t see how I -could get along without it, but I’ll try if you say so.” - -“Yes, do try, Dolly; I want my niece to be a refined, ladylike little -girl, not a slangy one.” - -“Yes’m.” Dolly drew a little sigh. “I want to do what you want me to do. -But I’m pretty forgetful, Aunt Abbie, so don’t be ’scouraged, will you, -if I don’t get good all at once?” - -Dolly had a childish trick of omitting the first syllable of a word, but -Aunt Abbie kissed the earnest little face, and assured her that she -wouldn’t get ’scouraged. - -So away the twins scampered, down the stairs, and out into the sweet, -clear morning air. - -Dana Dene stood high on an elevation that looked down on the small town -of Heatherton. The view from the terrace in front of the house was -beautiful, and as Dick and Dolly looked down at the clustered buildings -they tried to guess what they were. - -“That’s the church,” said Dick, triumphantly pointing to an unmistakable -spire. - -“One of ’em,” corrected Dolly; “there’s another, and I wonder what that -big stone building is; prob’ly the school where we’ll go.” - -“P’raps. Is it, Patrick?” - -“Well, no, Master Dick; that isn’t exactly the school fer ye children. -That’s the jail,—the county jail, so it is.” - -“Oh,” cried Dolly, in dismay; “I don’t want to go to school to a jail! -Where is the school-house, Patrick?” - -“There’s three of ’em, Miss Dolly. But the grandest is that white house -ferninst, an’ I’m thinkin’ ye’ll go there.” - -“Are my aunts very grand, Patrick?” - -“Oh, yes, miss. We’re the quality of the hull place. There’s nobody like -the Danas.” - -“That’s nice,” said Dolly, with a little air of satisfaction. - -“Huh,” said Dick; “what sort of a country do you think this is, Dolly? -Everybody is as good as everybody else. Why do you talk that way, Pat?” - -“Well, sor, it may be. But everybody in Heatherton, they thinks Miss -Rachel and Miss Abbie is top o’ the heap, you see.” - -“All right,” returned Dick. “I don’t mind if we are. But what about the -Middletons? Aren’t they nice people?” - -Pat’s face clouded. “Don’t be askin’ me about the Middletons,” he said; -“I’ve nothin’ to say for or agin ’em. Now, if so be’s you want to see -them chickens, come ahead.” - -They went ahead or, rather, they followed Pat to the chicken yard, and -spent a blissful half-hour among the feathered wonders. - -They learned the names of the various kinds of chickens, and Dolly -declared she should never tire of watching the little yellow fledglings -patter around and peep. - -“They’re not still a minute,” she said. “Can I try to catch one?” - -Pat showed her how to lift one gently, without hurting the little soft -ball of down, and as it was such a pretty little yellow one, Dolly named -it Buttercup, and Pat said it should always be her own chicken. - -Then Dick picked one out for his very own, and he chose a black one, and -called it Cherry, because, he said, some cherries are black. - -This made Pat laugh, and then he told the twins to run away and play by -themselves, as he had to go to work in earnest. - -“What’s your work, Pat?” asked Dolly, who liked to stay with the -good-natured Irishman. - -“I have to do the gardens, Miss Dolly. An’ it’s rale work, it is, not -play. So do ye run away, now.” - -“Oh, Pat, let us see you garden,” begged Dolly. - -“Please do,” said Dick. “We never saw anybody garden in our life.” - -“Ye didn’t! Fer the love of green corn, where was ye brung up?” - -“In the city; and summers we had to go to hotels, and we never even saw -a garden dug.” - -“Come on, then; but ye mustn’t bother.” - -“No, we won’t bother,” and with a hop, skip, and jump, they followed Pat -to the toolhouse. There was such an array of spades, hoes, rakes, and -other implements, that Dick cried out: “Oh, let us garden, too! Pat, -can’t we each have a little garden,—just a square patch, you know, and -plant things in it?” - -“Arrah, a garden, is it? An’ who’d be afther weedin’ it, an’ keepin’ it -in order fer ye?” - -“Why, we’d do it ourselves,” declared Dolly, fixing her eyes on Pat with -her most coaxing smile. “Do let us, Pat, dear.” - -“Well, ye must ask yer aunties. I cudden’t give no such permission of -myself.” - -Away flew the twins to the house, in search of the aunties, and when the -twins ran, it was a swift performance indeed. They held hands, and their -feet flew up and down so fast that they looked like some queer sort of -windmill rolling along. - -Bang! in at the front door they went, and almost upset Miss Rachel, who -was serenely crossing the hall. - -“Oh, Auntie, may we have a garden?” shouted Dick, seizing his aunt’s -hand, and leaning up against her to steady himself after his exhausting -run. - -“Oh, Auntie, may we? Do say yes,” cried Dolly, who had flung her arms -round Miss Rachel’s waist, and who was dancing up and down to the -imminent danger of the good lady’s toes. - -“What? Oh, my, how you do fluster me! What is it?” - -Miss Rachel shook off the two, and seated herself in a hall chair, to -regain her equilibrium, both physical and mental, but the twins made -another wild dash at her. “Please,” they coaxed, patting her arm and her -face and occasionally each other’s hands in their excitement. “Please, -Auntie, a garden for our very own.” - -“Two,—one for each of us. May we? Oh, please say yes! Do, Auntie, do, -say yes.” - -Miss Rachel found her voice at last. - -“If you want anything,” she said, “stop jumping around like a pair of -wild savages. Sit down on that settee, and tell me quietly, and one at a -time, what it’s all about.” - -“Let me tell, Dick,” said Dolly, and knowing his sister’s talent for -persuasion, Dick willingly kept quiet while Dolly told. - -They sat side by side on the hall settee, opposite their aunt, and -scarcely dared move, while Dolly made her plea. - -“You see, Auntie,” she began, “we’ve never had a garden; never even seen -one made. And so, we thought, perhaps, maybe, as there’s so much spare -ground lying around, we hoped maybe you’d let us each have a little -garden of our own. Just a little tiny one, you know.” - -“For pity’s sake,” exclaimed Miss Rachel, “is all this fuss about a -garden? Why, you can have a dozen, if you like.” - -“Oh, thank you, Auntie,” cried Dolly, repressing her inclination to fly -over and hug her aunt, lest it be considered a “fuss.” “One’s -enough,—one apiece, I mean. And what can we plant?” - -“Why, plant anything you choose. Pat will give you seeds, and if he -hasn’t what you want, we’ll buy some when we go driving this afternoon.” - -Dick was overcome by his aunt’s kindness and whole-souled generosity. -But he had no intention of making a fuss,—not he. He rose and quietly -crossed the hall, and bowing low in front of the lady, said: - -“Aunt Rachel, I do think you’re the very best person in the whole -world!” - -“So do I!” said Dolly. “Seems ’s if I _must_ squeeze you!” - -“Not now,” said Miss Rachel, smiling; “you nearly squeezed the breath -out of me a few moments ago. I’ll take your enthusiasm for granted. Now, -run out, and make your gardens. Tell Pat I said you’re to have whatever -you want for them.” - -“Hurray! Hooroo!” cried Dick, unable to repress himself longer, and -throwing his cap up in the air, without having had the least intention -of doing so. - -It landed on the high chandelier, and Hannah had to bring the -long-handled feather duster to get it down. - -“Please ’scuse Dick, Aunt Rachel,” said loyal little Dolly, seeing her -brother’s regretful look. “He didn’t mean to fling that cap till he got -outdoors, but somehow——” - -“Somehow, it flung itself,” cried Dick; “’cause I’m so glad about the -garden!” - -Away they went, banging the door behind them, and Miss Rachel sat a few -minutes, seriously considering whether or not she could keep such little -cyclones in her hitherto quiet and well-ordered home. - -“It isn’t so much what they’ve done,” she said, as she went and talked -it over with Miss Abbie, “as what they may do. They’re liable to fling -caps anywhere, and break all the bric-à-brac, and bang all the -furniture—well, if there were any place to send them, they should go -to-day.” - -“You don’t mean that, Rachel,” said Miss Abbie. “They are noisy, I know, -but I think we can train them to better manners; and they have dear, -loving little hearts.” - -“Too loving,” said the elder sister, ruefully. “They nearly felled me to -the floor, the way they rushed at me. I’m not over the shock yet!” - -“Well,” sighed Miss Abbie, “I suppose it’s because we’re not used to -children; but they do seem especially sudden in their ways.” - - - - - CHAPTER V - - - A PLAYGROUND - - -“Sudden in their ways,” just described Dick and Dolly. After getting -their aunt’s sanction, they flew back to the toolhouse, and tumbling in -at the door, nearly upset Pat by their sudden dash for spades and hoes. - -“She says we can!” cried Dolly; “how do you begin, Pat? What do we do -first?” - -“Dig, of course,” declared Dick, seizing the biggest spade he could -find. - -“All right; where shall we dig?” - -Dolly grabbed another spade, and skipping out of the toolhouse, began to -dig frantically in the path that led from the doorstep. - -“Whisht! now! Miss Dolly, don’t be fer sp’ilin’ me good path!” - -Pat was amiable, but the vigorous enthusiasm of these children began to -appal him. He was always deferential to his employers, and he looked -upon the twins as members of his employers’ family, and so he considered -himself under their orders. But he also began to see that he must direct -matters himself, if these impetuous youngsters were to have a real -garden. - -“Well,” he said, “if so be’s yer aunts has give permission, we must make -the gardens fer ye. But we must do ’t dacint an’ proper. Don’t begin by -diggin’ up me tidy paths.” - -“I won’t, Pat; I’m sorry!” and Dolly carefully smoothed away the clefts -she had dug with her spade. - -“Now, we’ll consider,” said Pat, greatly interested in the plan. “First -of all, where will ye be selectin’ the place?” - -The twins gazed around, at the various gardens, terrace, woodland, and -water, and then Dolly said, decidedly: - -“In the woods; that’s the prettiest place.” - -“Oh, ho!” laughed Pat. “Why, little miss, ye can’t grow things in the -woods! Leastwise, only ferns an’ moss! Don’t ye want flowers, now?” - -“Oh, yes; of course we do! And I forgot they have to have sunshine.” - -“Goosie!” cried Dick. “Now, I think a place near the pond would be nice, -and then we can fetch water easily,—for I s’pose we have to water our -flowers every day, don’t we, Pat?” - -“Yes; onless it rains fer ye, which it sometimes do. Now, s’pose ye let -me s’lect yer place, an’ then do ye pick out yer own choice o’ flowers.” - -“Do,” cried Dolly. “You know so much better than we do where a garden -ought to be.” - -Pat considered carefully for a few moments, casting his eye thoughtfully -toward various parts of the estate. - -“Come on,” he said, at last, and the children followed him, as he strode -off. - -Just beyond the beautifully kept terrace was a stretch of lawn, entirely -open to the sunlight, save for a big horse-chestnut tree in one corner. - -Here Pat paused, and indicating by a sweep of his arm a section about -seventy-five feet square, he said: - -“I’m thinkin’, instead of only a garden, by itself, it’d be foine for ye -to make yersilves a rale playground.” - -Dolly’s quick mind jumped to the possibilities. - -“Oh, Pat, a playground, all for ourselves, with our two gardens in it!” - -“Yes, miss; and an arbour, and seats, an’ a table, an’——” - -But he got no further, for Dick and Dolly seized him by either hand, and -jumped up and down, fairly shouting with delight. - -“Oh, Pat, Pat, I never heard of anything so lovely!” - -“How could you think of it? Let’s begin at once!” - -“But ye must behave!” cried Pat, shaking his hands loose from their -grasp, and waiting for them to stop their antics. - -“Yes, yes; we’ll behave!” said Dolly, suddenly standing stock-still, and -looking very; demure. “What do we do first, dig?” - -“I’m thinkin’ yez better dig a whole acre,—an’ see if ye can’t work off -some of yer animile sperrits! Such rampageous bein’s I niver saw!” - -“We’ll be quiet, Pat,” said Dick, earnestly; “now let’s begin.” - -“Well, thin,—first, we must plan it, sure. Suppose we drive a shtake -here fer wan corner; and thin the big tree will be the opposite corner. -Now ye see the size av it.” - -“Yes,” agreed Dolly, “it’s a lovely size.” - -“Thin, supposin’ we plan to set out a little low hedge all around the -four sides, wid an openin’ or two——” - -“And an arched gateway!” cried Dolly, with sparkling eyes. - -“Yes, miss, say an arched gateway or two. An’ then, inside ye can have -three or four garden-beds,—fer sep’rate plants, ye know,—an’ yer -arbour, an’ whativer else ye like.” - -“Oh!” said Dolly, sitting plump down on the ground from sheer inability -to bear up under these wonderful anticipations. - -“Now, what’s to do first?” said Dick, eager to get to work. - -“Well, first we’ll lay out our flower beds. Now I don’t s’pose ye know -the difference between seeds an’ plants, do ye?” - -“Oh, yes! Plants grow from seeds.” - -“Well, av coorse they do. But I don’t mean that. Ye see, some flowers ye -set out as plants; an’ some ye raise from seeds.” - -“Oh, I think seeds will be most fun,” said Dolly: “You just stuff ’em in -the ground and then they grow, don’t they, Pat?” - -“Well, yes, miss; if yer seeds is right, an’ yer ground’s right, an’ if -ye stuff ’em in right, an’ take care of ’em right, afterward.” - -“Oh, we can do all that,” Dick assured him, grandly, and Pat’s eyes -twinkled, as he replied: - -“Av coorse ye can!” - -Then Pat called Michael to help him, and they drove stakes and tied -twine to them, until they had the playground distinctly marked out. - -“Now, we’ll consider yer flower-beds, an’ lave the other considerations -till later,” announced Pat. “Ye see, yer seed-beds must be in the -mornin’ sun, an’ have the shade of an afthernoon. So, wid the big tree -ferninst, we can aisy manage that.” - -“Seeds seem to be pretty particular,” observed Dolly. - -“They be that, Miss; but so likewise is the plants. Some wants sun an’ -some wants shade, an’ if they don’t get what they wants, they jist lies -down an’ dies!” - -Then Pat and Michael selected the best spots, and marked out two oval -flower-beds of goodly size, and two straight, narrow seed-beds somewhat -smaller. - -“Miss Dolly’s, we’ll say, will be on this side, an’ Master Dick’s on -that. Now, if so be’s ye childhern wants to dig, fer mercy’s sake dig! -Ye can’t hurt the ground.” - -Pat well knew that his own strong arms would spade up the beds later, -and he would fill them with the right sort of soil, and get them in -perfect order for planting; but the twins were delighted at the idea of -doing their own digging, and went to work with their usual enthusiasm. - -It was hard work, but they enjoyed it, and though not very -scientifically done, they did manage to dislodge the soft turf, and -riddle up the dirt beneath. - -“I s’pose it won’t be such hard work after the digging is dug,” said -Dolly, looking at her blistered little palms. - -“Why, Dolly Dana!” exclaimed Aunt Abbie, who came out just then, to see -how the gardens progressed; “don’t you dig another bit! You poor, dear -child, your hands are in a dreadful state! Go in and ask Aunt Rachel for -some salve.” - -“No, indeedy!” declared the valiant Dolly. “I’m going to plant my seeds -now!” - -“Oh, no, miss,” said Pat. “Them beds isn’t ready yet. Nor ye haven’t got -yer seeds.” - -“Don’t be too impetuous, Dolly,” said Aunt Abbie. “This afternoon, we’ll -plan out what is best to plant and then by to-morrow, if Patrick has the -beds ready, you can do your planting.” - -Dick was still digging away, manfully, quite unwilling to admit there -were blisters on his own hands. - -But Aunt Abbie made him stop, for though the digging was good fun, there -was no use in causing himself needless pain, and Patrick would do the -beds all over, anyway. So Aunt Abbie persuaded the children to turn -their attention to planning their playground. - -She quite approved of Pat’s suggestions, and sent for Miss Rachel to -come out and assist with the plans. - -Both ladies were very fond of gardening, and entered enthusiastically -into the idea of the pretty playground. Miss Rachel instructed Pat to -buy and set out a low hedge of privet all round the inclosure; and they -decided on two entrances, front and back, each to be adorned by an arch -covered with a flowering vine. - -An arbour was planned for the centre, but Dolly chose to call it a -playhouse. For it was to be big enough to have seats and a table inside. - -It was to be built tent-shape; that is, very long, slender poles would -be set up in pairs, meeting at the top, like the letter A. There would -be about a dozen pairs of these poles, each pair about two feet apart, -and thus they would have a long arbour on which to train vines and -flowers. - -A ridge-pole along the top would keep it all firm and steady, and -quickly growing vines should be chosen, which would soon cover the whole -frame. - -Michael, who was clever at carpenter work, volunteered to make a table -and benches, and Dick, who was also fond of tools, felt sure he could -help. - -Aunt Abbie said she would give a garden swing as her contribution to the -playground, and Aunt Rachel said she, too, would give something nice, -but what it would be, was a secret as yet. - -Then it was nearly dinner-time, so they went back to the house, and the -four sorry-looking little hands were carefully washed and anointed with -a soothing lotion. - -Heatherton people approved of midday dinners, and so the hungry children -sat down to an ample and satisfying meal, to which they were fully -prepared to do justice. - -“You know,” said Aunt Rachel, as they chatted at table, “you are to take -care of these gardens yourselves. Pat and Michael have all they can do, -already; and though they have helpers in the busy seasons, I expect you -two to weed and water your own flower-beds.” - -“Of course, Auntie,” said Dolly; “that’s what we want to do.” - -“Else they wouldn’t be ours,” chimed in Dick. “There are lots of -flower-beds around the place, but these are to be our very own. And how -can they be, if we don’t do all the work on ’em?” - -“That’s right,” said Aunt Rachel, approvingly. “Patrick will superintend -your work, and he or Michael will keep the grass and the paths in order, -but the rest is for you to do. Do you know anything about flowers?” - -“Not a thing!” declared Dolly. “But I want to raise violets and -carnation pinks.” - -“That proves you don’t know much,” said Aunt Abbie, laughing. “Why, -those are the very things you couldn’t possibly raise!” - -“Why?” said Dolly, looking surprised. - -“Because they are too difficult. They require hothouses, or, at least -cold frames. You must content yourself with simpler blossoms; -nasturtiums, phlox, asters, peonies——” - -“Oh, those are just as good,” said Dolly. “I don’t care much what -flowers they are, if they’ll grow.” - -“I like big plants,” said Dick. “Could I have sunflowers and hollyhocks, -Aunt Rachel?” - -“Yes, my boy; I’m sure you can manage those. Have a hedge at the back of -your playground of those flowers, and also cosmos and goldenglow.” - -After dinner they went to the library, and made lists of the flowers -they would have. Aunt Abbie drew diagrams of their gardens, and advised -the right kinds of flowers to grow together. - -“I want you to grow up to love gardening,” said Miss Rachel, “but as you -are now quite young, and very ignorant on the subject, you must begin -with the simplest and easiest sorts of plants.” - -Then the aunts explained how the children must plant seeds in their -seed-beds, and after the tiny shoots sprang up, how they must be -separated and thinned out. - -“And throw away some of them!” exclaimed Dolly in dismay. - -“Yes; that’s to make the others stronger and healthier plants.” - -“What do we plant in our big gardens?” asked Dick. - -“Well, there you can have such plants as you want. Roses, geraniums, and -Canterbury Bells are good ones. And then, you transplant to those beds -your seedlings that you have already started yourselves.” - -“And can’t we plant any seeds in the flower beds?” - -“Oh, yes; such as do not need transplanting. You can have borders of -portulacca, candytuft, sweet alyssum, and such things.” - -“My! it sounds grand!” said Dolly, to whom nearly all these names were -new. - -“Now suppose we go out there again,” said Aunt Rachel, “and see what -seeds Pat has on hand. Then we’ll know what to buy for you.” - -So back went the quartette, and found the playground had assumed quite a -definite air. - -A narrow strip of upturned earth showed the line of the hedge that was -to be set out. The flower-beds and seed-beds were neatly cut in shape -and properly spaded. Little stakes marked the places for the arbor -poles, and white cords outlined paths that were yet to be cut. - -“It doesn’t seem possible it’s ours!” said Dolly, drawing a blissful -sigh of contentment. - -“Now here’s some seeds as I already have,” said Pat, offering a box of -packets to the children. - -“Oh, can we plant some now,—right away?” asked Dick. - -“Yes; let us do so,” said Aunt Abbie, who was nearly as eager as the -children to get the garden started. - -So they selected nasturtiums, poppies, marigolds, and morning glories -from Pat’s box, and all went to work at the planting. - -The aunts showed Dick and Dolly how to poke a little hole in the ground, -about three inches deep, and then drop in a nasturtium seed. Then they -covered it over with dirt, pressed it down lightly, and watered it. - -This was an enthralling occupation, and the children worked carefully -and did just as they were told. Poppies came next, and these seeds were -planted quite differently. The ground was made quite smooth, and then -slightly watered. Then Pat showed them how to sprinkle the fine seed -scantily over the top of the ground, and not put any dirt over it at -all. A thin layer of cut grass was scattered over them to keep the seeds -from too much sunlight. - -“How do you know that some seeds must be planted one way and some -another?” asked Dick, looking at Patrick with a new interest. - -“That’s me business, Masther Dick. We all has to know our business av -coorse.” - -The morning-glory seeds could not be planted just then, as they had to -soak in water for two hours, so next they set out some pansy plants. -These Pat had expected to use elsewhere, but at Miss Rachel’s direction, -he handed them over to the twins. - -This was a new sort of work, and even more fascinating than -seed-planting. The tiny plants were fragile and had to be handled very -carefully. Then a hole must be dug with a trowel, the plant set in, and -the soil gently filled in about it. - -The twins each had a half-dozen pansy plants, and Dick set his in a -group, but Dolly arranged hers in a border. Then Miss Rachel said they -had done enough for one day, and she marched them off to the house to -get rested. - -But did Dick and Dolly rest? Not they! They didn’t seem to know what the -word meant. They went up to their playroom, and sitting together at the -table, they drew diagrams and plans for their playground until the -aunties called them downstairs again. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - - A SOCIAL CALL - - -The twins gladly obeyed their aunts’ summons, for it meant to get -ready to go to town to buy their flower seeds. Long before the ladies -were ready, Dick and Dolly, in trim attire, and with pretty spring coats -and hats, sat in the library waiting. - -“I like this home a lot, don’t you, Dollums?” said Dick, as he -thoughtfully looked about him. - -“Love it!” responded his twin promptly. “Chicago was nice, too, and -Auntie Helen was gay and pretty, but this is so country and all. And oh, -Dick, won’t our playground be splendiferous! Do you s’pose the arbor -will _ever_ get built and grown over with flowers and things?” - -“’Course it will! And, Dolly, I’m going to make some rustic seats and -things myself. It tells how in my ‘Handy Book,’ and I’m sure I can do -it.” - -“I’m sure you can too. And can’t you make some little seats for my -dolls?” - -Dick had just agreed to do this when the two aunties came downstairs, -and they all went out to the carriage. Somehow it seemed very formal. -Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie, all dressed up in calling costume, with -gloves and parasols, didn’t seem so chummy as when they were all out -planting seeds together. And Michael, in his coachman’s livery, looked -so straight and unintelligent that it was hard to believe he was the -same man. - -They all got into the big, open carriage, and the twins sat backward, -facing their aunts. - -“First,” said Miss Rachel, who sat up very stiff and prim, “we will go -and buy the seeds and plants, and then we will pay some calls.” - -This seemed very strange to Dick and Dolly, for they had never been -taken calling with Auntie Helen in Chicago; but they made no comment, as -none seemed to be expected. - -The carriage stopped at a small shop, and the proprietor hurried out to -greet the ladies. He bowed with great deference, and asked what he might -show them. - -Miss Rachel had a list of the seeds and plants they had decided on for -the children’s gardens, and the shopman said he would send them all the -next day. - -“And have you some small garden implements?” asked Miss Abbie. “Some -little rakes and hoes, suitable for children’s use.” - -The shopman said he would bring some out to show them. - -“Oh, Auntie,” cried Dolly, impulsively, “can’t we go in the shop and -look at them?” - -“No, indeed,” said Miss Rachel, as if Dolly had asked something highly -improper. “Stay where you are and make your selections.” - -Dolly wondered why they couldn’t hop out, but it didn’t much matter, as -the man returned, followed by a youth who brought a lot of spades and -rakes and garden tools of many sorts. - -The children were allowed to select all they wanted, and, guided by Aunt -Rachel’s advice, they chose quite a great many. - -“You’re awful good to us,” exclaimed Dick as, after giving the order, -they drove away. - -“Then you must be good to us,” said Aunt Rachel, smiling. “Now we are -going to call at Mrs. Fuller’s. She has a son Jack, about ten years old, -and I hope you will be good friends with him. There are no little girls -here, but, Dolly, we will find some girl friends for you later on.” - -“Oh, I like boys,” said Dolly, agreeably. “I like Dick better than any -girl, so, of course, I like other boys too.” - -At Mrs. Fuller’s they were ushered into a stiff, formal-looking parlour, -which had the effect of being rarely used. The half-drawn blinds gave -but a dim light, and the four guests took their seats in silence. - -Dick and Dolly felt depressed without knowing just why. They secretly -wished they could clasp hands and make a dash for the door and run away, -but Aunt Rachel had asked them to be good, so they sat still, wondering -what would be expected of them. - -After what seemed a long time, Mrs. Fuller came into the room. She was a -lady of very precise manners, and wore a rustling silk gown. - -The ladies all shook hands quite stiffly, and inquired for each other’s -health, and then Miss Rachel presented the twins to Mrs. Fuller. - -“How do you do, my dears?” said the lady, offering her finger-tips to -each in turn. - -“I’m very well, thank you; how are you?” said Dolly, heartily, as she -cordially gave her hostess’s hand a vigorous shake. But the chagrin on -the Dana ladies’ faces, and the surprised glance of Mrs. Fuller, proved -at once that this wasn’t the right thing to do. - -Quick to catch the hint, Dick offered his hand hesitatingly,—so much so -indeed, that it lay in Mrs. Fuller’s like a little limp fish, and as she -finally dropped it, it fell loosely to Dick’s side. - -“How d’ do?” he murmured, uncertain what to say, and then, feeling very -uncomfortable, the two children sat down again. - -For a time no attention was paid to them, and the ladies conversed in -short, elegant sentences, and high-pitched voices. - -Then Mrs. Fuller turned again to the twins: - -“How do you like Heatherton?” she asked. - -The suddenness of the question took Dick unawares, and he said -enthusiastically: - -“Out o’ sight!” - -Immediately he realised that he should have expressed himself more -formally, and the look of annoyance on Aunt Rachel’s face made him red -and embarrassed. - -Loyal little Dolly tried, as always, to come to his rescue, and she said -politely: - -“Yes, indeed, Mrs. Fuller; we like it awfully well so far, but of course -we haven’t been here very long yet.” - -“And you think you won’t like it when you’ve been here longer! Is that -it?” - -Mrs. Fuller meant only to be jocose, but Dolly didn’t understand, and -tried hard to explain. - -“No ’m; I don’t mean that. I mean I think we’ll like it better after we -live here a while.” - -“I trust you will,” said Mrs. Fuller. “You must be hard to please if you -don’t.” - -Poor Dolly felt herself misunderstood, but she could think of nothing to -say, so she sat silent, but, it seemed, this was not the right thing to -do either. - -“Speak up, child,” said Aunt Rachel, half playfully and half sharply; -“didn’t you hear Mrs. Fuller’s remark?” - -“Yes ’m,” said Dolly, “but,—but I don’t know what to answer.” - -“Strange child,” murmured Mrs. Fuller. “Is the boy any more civil?” - -Dick, though embarrassed himself, was still more annoyed at Dolly’s -discomfiture, and spoke up decidedly: - -“We don’t mean to be uncivil, Mrs. Fuller. But we’ve never made -fashionable calls before, and we don’t know quite how to talk. It’s so -different in Chicago.” - -“Different in Chicago! I should hope so. My dear Miss Dana and Miss -Abbie, you’ll have your hands full with these little ones, won’t you?” - -“At first,” said Miss Rachel with dignity. “But we hope to teach them.” - -“And we want to learn,” put in Dolly, with an instinctive desire to -stand by her aunt against this disagreeable lady. - -“Then there’ll be no trouble, I’m sure,” said Mrs. Fuller, but though -her words were all right, her tone was a little bit sarcastic, and the -twins were conscious of a feeling of defeat, which was far from -comfortable. - -Then Jack Fuller came into the room. - -He was a boy of ten, with fair hair, and a pale, girlish face. He, -apparently, had irreproachable manners, and gave his hand to the Dana -ladies with just the right degree of cordiality. Then, being introduced -to Dick and Dolly, he came and sat on the sofa between them. - -Instinctively, Dick felt that he never could like that boy. Jack had -scarcely opened his mouth before Dick had dubbed him a “Miss Nancy.” He -didn’t believe Jack could run or jump, or do anything that a boy ought -to do. - -“Do you like to live here?” said Jack at last, by way of opening -conversation. - -“Yes, we do,” said Dolly; “we’re going to have splendid gardens,—we’ve -been digging all day. Don’t you love to do that?” - -Jack looked at her with apparent surprise that a girl should care for -such vigorous pursuits. - -“I never dig,” he answered. “Mamma thinks it isn’t good for me.” - -“How funny!” said Dolly. “I should think it would do you good.” - -“Do you like to run and jump?” asked Dick, for there had been a pause, -and he considered it his turn to “make talk.” - -“Oh, not very much. I like quiet games. I play mostly by myself. Mamma -won’t let me associate with many children. But I’m to be allowed to play -with you. I know that, because you’re Danas.” - -This was gratifying in a way, but somehow Dick wasn’t over-enchanted at -the prospect. - -“I hope you will,” he said; “but I’m afraid,—when we’re playing, we’re -rather,—rather rampageous.” - -“Rough, do you mean?” asked Jack, looking horrified. - -“Well, we don’t mean to be rough exactly; but we’re sort of noisy and -lively.” - -“Well, I shall visit you all the same,” said Jack, with a resigned air, -“for mamma said I should. I think I’m to go see you to-morrow afternoon -at four.” - -This specified date amused the Dana children, but Dolly said politely: - -“That will be very nice, and I’m sure we’ll have a good time.” - -And then the aunties rose to take leave, and they all went home again. - -“You children must learn better manners,” said Aunt Rachel, as they -drove homeward. “You horrified me to-day by your manner of speaking.” - -“I saw we did,” said Dolly, humbly, “but I don’t see what we did that -was wrong. I’m sure we didn’t mean to be bad.” - -“You weren’t bad,” said Abbie, smiling at them, “but we want you to -acquire a little more grace and elegance. You spoke, in Mrs. Fuller’s -parlour, just as you would at home.” - -“Oh,” said Dick, “I begin to see; you want us to put on society airs.” - -Aunt Rachel considered a moment. - -“While I shouldn’t express it in just that way,” she said, “that is -about what I mean.” - -“Well,” said Dick pleasantly, “we’ll try. But Aunty Helen always taught -us to be just as polite when alone at home as when we were visiting or -had company.” - -“Auntie Helen isn’t teaching you now,” said Miss Rachel, grimly; “and I -trust you’ll consider my wishes in the matter.” - -“We will, Aunt Rachel, we truly will,” broke in Dolly, whose rôle was -often that of pacificator. “You’re terribly good to us, and we want to -do ’zackly as you want us to, but, you see, fashionable calls are new to -us. We’ll do better next time.” - -Dolly’s cheerful smile was infectious, and Aunt Rachel smiled back, and -dropped the subject of manners for the present. - -The next afternoon, promptly at four o’clock, Jack Fuller came to see -Dick and Dolly. The twins had been grubbing in their gardens all day, -and had been radiantly happy. - -They loved flowers and learned quickly the elements of gardening that -Pat taught them. And with their new garden tools of suitable size, they -did real work after the most approved fashion. But at three o’clock they -were called in to get ready for the expected guest. Dick grumbled a -little, for it seemed hard to leave the gardens to get all dressed up -just because a _boy_ was coming! - -“But you want to make friends in Heatherton, don’t you?” asked Aunt -Rachel. - -“Yes ’m; but I like boys who come over and play in every-day clothes; -not rig up like a party.” - -As for Dolly, she didn’t see why she had to leave the garden at all. -Jack Fuller wasn’t her company. - -But the aunts decreed that both twins should receive the guest properly, -and so at quarter to four, two spick and span, but not very merry -children sat in the library, waiting. - -Jack came in, at last, and greeted the twins with the same formality he -had shown in his own home. He responded politely to the elder ladies’ -remarks and Dick and Dolly tried to be polite and do exactly as the -others did. - -After nearly half an hour of this stiff and uncomfortable conversation, -Miss Rachel proposed that the twins take Jack out and show him their -gardens. Glad to get out of doors, Dick and Dolly ran for their hats and -the three children started out. - -To the twins’ astonishment, as soon as he was out of the presence of the -elder ladies, Jack turned into quite a different boy. His formal manner -fell away, and he was chummy and full of fun. - -“Let’s throw stones,” he cried. “See me hit that stone bird on the -fountain.” - -He flung a pebble with such true aim that it hit the stone bird on the -wing, and roused Dick’s exceeding admiration, for he was not himself a -superior marksman. - -“Want to play knife?” asked Jack, pulling a new knife from his pocket; -“or no, let’s go see your gardens first. Must be gay ones, from the fuss -you make over ’em.” - -But when he saw the playground that was planned, he was appreciative -enough to satisfy the twins’ love of enthusiasm. - -“It’s great!” he cried; “that’s what it is, great! I wish I had one like -it.” - -“Yes, won’t it be fine!” agreed Dick; “there’ll be a table in the -arbour, and chairs, or benches, and we can have tea-parties, and -everything.” - -“Plant gourds on your arbour,” advised Jack. “All kinds are good, but -the dipper and cucumber gourd grow the fastest. They’ll cover your -arbour in a few weeks, I guess. Hercules club is a good fellow for that, -too. Pat’ll know about ’em.” - -Dick and Dolly felt their admiration rising for this boy, who knew so -much about climbing gourds and flowers of all sorts. It was strange that -he could throw stones so straight, and also have such fine parlour -manners. So very strange indeed that Dick felt he must inquire into it. - -“Say,” he began; “you’re awful different out here from what you are in -the parlour.” - -“Sure,” returned Jack. “In parlours, with ladies, a fellow has to be -polite and proper. You don’t want me to be like that out here with you, -do you?” - -Jack’s face expressed such a willingness to do what was required of him -that Dick exclaimed hastily: - -“Not on your life! But I don’t see how you manage those fine airs when -you have to.” - -“Pooh, it’s dead easy. Anyway, I’ve always done it. Mamma wouldn’t like -it if I didn’t.” - -“I s’pose we’ll have to learn,” said Dolly, sighing a little; “but don’t -let’s bother about it now.” - -As the afternoon wore on, and they became better acquainted, they both -began to like Jack very much. He was not a strong boy, and couldn’t run -or jump as they could, but he was clever at games, and could beat them -easily at “knife,” or “hop-scotch,” or almost any game of muscular skill -that did not call for violent exercise. - -“He’s all right,” said Dick to Dolly as they sat on the veranda steps a -few minutes after Jack went home. “But I hope we won’t always have to -dress up, and sit in the parlour at first every time he comes.” - -“Let’s ask Aunt Rachel,” said Dolly. - -“Why, no,” said Miss Rachel in surprise. “Of course you won’t. To-day -was his first visit, as you called on him yesterday. After this, you can -go to play with each other in your every-day clothes, whenever you -like.” - -Dick and Dolly were satisfied with this, and gave up trying to fathom -the strange requirements of etiquette at Heatherton. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - - PINKIE - - -The days passed happily at Dana Dene. - -There was so much to do, with the gardens and the chickens, and going -for afternoon drives that, except on rainy days, the children were out -of doors nearly all the time. - -Their big boxes had arrived, and Dolly’s dolls, and Dick’s more boyish -treasures, were up in the playroom, but were often neglected for -open-air fun. - -It had been decided by the aunties that the twins should not go to -school until Fall, for the term was within a few weeks of closing, and -it didn’t seem worth while to start. But they were required to practise -on the piano an hour each day, and a teacher came once a week to give -them lessons. The Misses Dana were fond of music, and as they thought -the twins showed some talent, they insisted on its cultivation, though -Dick and Dolly looked upon their practice hour as drudgery. - -They always practised at the same time, if possible, in order to have -their play hours together. If they had been practising duets, this plan -might have been fairly agreeable to the other members of the household. -But the nine-year-old twins had not yet arrived at the dignity of -“pieces,” and were confined to scales and five-finger exercises. - -Their scales usually started on harmonious notes, but Dolly’s little -fingers flew along the keyboard so much faster than Dick’s that she -usually finished her scale on the highest notes, and drummed away there -until his chubby hands came up and caught her. - -This, though a satisfactory plan to the performers, was far from -pleasant to the sensitive ears of the Dana aunties. - -Again, in case of five-finger exercises, they divided the piano fairly, -and then diligently pursued their “one-and, two-and, three-and” quite -irrespective of each other. - -As they were careful not to infringe on one another’s territory, they -saw no objection to this arrangement, and quite in despair, the aunts -would close the doors of the drawing-room, where the musicians were, and -retire to the farthest corners of the house. - -There was, of course, great temptation for the twins to neglect their -task, and chatter, but they were too conscientious for this. - -Neither would have considered it honourable to remove their hands from -the keys during practice hour. So the little fingers diligently worked -up and down, but the counting often gave way to conversation. Instead of -“one-and,” Dolly might say, in time with her counting, “Don’t -_you_,—think _the_,—poles _will_,—come _to-_,—day, _Dick_?” And Dick -would pound away, as he replied, “Yes, _Pat_,—said _they_,—sure -_would_,—come _to_,—day_-ay_.” - -Thus a staccato conversation could be kept up while the twenty stiff -little fingers were acquiring proper limberness and skill. - -“It’s enough to drive anybody frantic! I can’t stand it!” said Aunt -Abbie, as one day she listened to the measured chatter, and its -accompaniment of pounded keys that didn’t chord. - -“I can’t either!” declared Aunt Rachel, “and I’ve made up my mind, -Abbie, what to do. We’ll get another piano,—a second-hand one will -do,—and put it up in the playroom. Then they can practise separately.” - -“Ye-es,” said Miss Abbie, doubtfully; “but they wouldn’t like that. They -always want to be together.” - -“Well, they’ll have to stand it. It’s enough to ruin their musical ear, -to hear those discords themselves.” - -“That’s true. I suppose your plan is a good one.” - -So a second piano was bought, and put up in the playroom, and the twins -had to do their practising separately, except for a few little duet -exercises, which their teacher kindly gave them. And it must be -confessed they made better progress than when they combined practising -and social conversation. - -In addition to the hour for music, Dolly was required to spend an hour -every day, sewing. - -The Misses Dana believed in that old-fashioned accomplishment, and put -the child through a regular course of overhanding, felling, and hemming, -insisting on great neatness and accuracy of stitches. - -This hour caused Dolly a great many sighs, and even a few tears. She -didn’t like needlework, and it was _so_ hard to keep her stitches even -and true. - -But the real hardship was that Dick didn’t have to sew also. It didn’t -seem fair that she should work so hard for an hour, while he was free to -play or do what he chose. - -She remarked this to Aunt Rachel, who saw the justice of the argument, -and thought it over. - -“That’s true, in a way,” she responded. “There isn’t any occupation so -necessary for a boy to learn, as for a girl to learn sewing, but I think -that Dick should have a corresponding task.” - -So it was arranged that for an hour every day, Dick must do work in the -garden. Real work, not just fun. He was to weed both his own and Dolly’s -flower-beds, and mow the grass and trim the hedges in their playground, -and water the plants, if necessary; in short, do the drudgery work of -the garden, while Dolly plodded along at her sewing. - -This plan worked finely, and sometimes Dick had the playground in such -perfect order that he could put in his hour weeding or mowing the other -parts of the lawn. Aunt Rachel bought a small lawn-mower for his use, -and under Pat’s instructions his hour’s hard work each day taught him -much of the real science of gardening. - -When the twins had been at Dana Dene a week, they had as yet made no -acquaintances beside Jack Fuller. This had happened only because the -ladies had not found it convenient to take the children to call -elsewhere, and Dick and Dolly themselves had been so wrapped up in their -gardens and other joys that they had not cared for outside -companionship. - -Pat had sent for extra long poles, that their playhouse might be of -goodly size. When these came, and were put in place, the tent-shaped -arbour was about ten feet by twenty, which was amply large for their -purpose. Vines were planted at once, both seeds and cuttings, but of -course it would be several weeks before the leaves would form a green -roof for them. - -However, the sun was not unpleasantly warm in May, and by June or July -the leafy roof would be a protection. - -In the meantime, Aunt Abbie, who was most ingenious, planned a cosy -arrangement for them. In one corner of their playground, Michael built -them a table. This had a section of a felled tree trunk for an upright, -on which was placed a round top. - -From the centre of the table top rose a stout, straight stick, with -leather loops nailed on it at intervals. Into these loops could be -thrust the handle of a very large Japanese umbrella, which, opened, made -a gay and festive-looking roof, and which could be taken into the house -in case of rain. - -Benches and rustic chairs Michael made for them, too, and Dick helped, -being allowed to use his “work-hour” for this. - -As the playground achieved all these comforts, it became a most -delightful place, and the children spent whole days there. - -Sometimes, good-natured Hannah would bring their dinner out there, and -let them eat it under the gay umbrella. - -Aunt Abbie gave them a fine garden swing, as she had promised. - -This was one of those wooden affairs that will hold four comfortably, -but except for Jack Fuller, none but the twins had yet used it. - -Aunt Rachel’s gift proved to be a fountain. - -This was quite elaborate, and had to be set up by workmen who came from -town for the purpose. It was very beautiful, and added greatly to the -effect of the playground. When the weather grew warmer they were to have -goldfish in it, but at present there were aquatic plants and pretty -shells and stones. - -It was small wonder that the children didn’t feel need of other -companionship, and had it not been for Jack Fuller, Dolly would never -have thought of being lonely. - -She and Dick were such good chums that their company was quite -sufficient for each other; but when Jack came over to play, he and Dick -were quite apt to play boyish games that Dolly didn’t care for. - -On such occasions she usually brought out her doll-carriage and one or -two of her favourite dolls, and played by herself. - -And so, it happened, that one afternoon when Dick and Jack were playing -leap-frog, Dolly wandered off to the wood with Arabella and Araminta in -the perambulator. She never felt lonely in the wood, for there were -always the squirrels and birds, and always a chance that she _might_ see -a fairy. - -So, with her dolls, she had company enough, and sitting down by a big -flat rock, she set out a table with acorn cups and leaves for plates, -and tiny pebbles for cakes and fruit. - -Arabella and Araminta had already been seated at the table, and Dolly -was talking for them and for herself, as she arranged the feast. - -“No, Arabella,” she said; “you can’t have any jelly pudding to-day, -dear, for you are not very well. You must eat bread and milk, and here -it is.” - -She set an acorn cup in front of the doll, and then turned to prepare -Araminta’s food, when she saw a little girl coming eagerly toward her. - -It was a pretty little girl, about her own age, with dark curls, and a -pink linen frock. - -“Hello,” she said, softly, “I want to play with you.” - -“Come on,” said Dolly, more than pleased to have company. “Sit right -down at the table. There’s a place. I fixed it for Mr. Grey Squirrel, -but he didn’t come.” - -“I didn’t bring my doll,” said the little girl in pink, “I—I came away -in a hurry.” - -“I’ll lend you one of mine,” said Dolly. “They’re Arabella and Araminta; -take your choice.” - -“What’s your own name?” said the visitor, as she picked up Araminta. - -“Dolly,—Dolly Dana. What’s yours?” - -“I don’t want to tell you,” said the little girl, looking confused. - -“Never mind,” said Dolly, sorry for her guest’s evident embarrassment, -but thinking her a very strange person. “I’ll call you Pinkie, ’cause -your dress is such a pretty pink.” - -“All right,” said Pinkie, evidently much relieved. - -“You’re not—you’re not a fairy, are you?” said Dolly, hopefully, yet -sure she wasn’t one. - -“Oh, no,” said Pinkie, laughing. “I’m just a little girl, but I—I ran -away, and so I don’t want to tell you my name.” - -“Oh, I don’t care,” said Dolly, who was always willing to accept a -situation. “Never mind about that. Let’s play house.” - -“Yes; let’s. You keep this place, ’cause you’ve fixed your table so -nice, and I’ll live over here.” - -Pinkie selected another choice spot for her home, and soon the two -families were on visiting terms. - -Dolly and her daughter, Arabella, went to call on Pinkie and her -daughter, Araminta, and as they had already selected the names of Mrs. -Vandeleur and Mrs. Constantine, their own names didn’t matter anyway. - -Dolly was Mrs. Vandeleur, because she thought that title had a very -grand sound, and Pinkie chose Mrs. Constantine because she had just come -to that name in her “Outlines of the World’s History,” and thought it -was beautiful. - -So Mrs. Vandeleur rang the bell at Mrs. Constantine’s mansion, and sent -in two green leaves, which were supposed to be the visiting cards of -herself and her daughter. - -“Come in, come in,” said Mrs. Constantine, in a high-pitched voice. “I’m -so glad to see you. Won’t you sit down?” - -Dolly sat down very elegantly on the root of a tree, and propped -Arabella against another. - -“I’m just going to have supper,” said the hostess, “and I hope you and -your daughter will give me the pleasure of your company.” - -“Thank you. I will stay, but I must go ’way right after dessert. I have -an engagement with—with the fairies.” - -“Oh, how lovely! Are you going to see them dance?” - -“Yes,” said Dolly, greatly pleased to learn that Pinkie believed in -fairies; “they sent me a special invitation.” - -“I’ll go with you,” said Mrs. Constantine, promptly. “I’m always invited -to their dances.” - -So again the acorn cups and leaves came into use, and the four drank -unlimited cups of tea, and ate all sorts of things, Arabella having -apparently recovered from her indisposition. - -“Now, we’ll go to the fairies’ ball,” said Pinkie, as with a sweep of -her hand she cleared the table of dishes and viands and all. “What shall -we wear?” - -“I’ll wear red velvet,” said Dolly, whose tastes were gay, “and a wide -light-blue sash, and gold slippers.” - -“You’ll look lovely,” declared Mrs. Constantine. “I’ll wear spangled -blue satin, and a diamond crown.” - -“Then I’ll have a diamond crown, too,” said Dolly. - -“No; you have a ruby one. We don’t want to be just alike.” - -“Yes, I’ll have a ruby one, and my daughter can have a diamond one, and -your daughter a ruby one,—then we’ll be fair all around.” - -“Yes, that’s fair,” agreed Pinkie; “now let’s start.” - -They carried the dolls with them, and going a little farther into the -wood, they selected a smooth, mossy place where fairies might easily -dance if they chose. - -“We must fix it up for them,” said Pinkie; “so they’ll want to come.” - -Eagerly the two girls went to work. They picked up any bits of stick or -stone that disfigured the moss, and then, at Pinkie’s direction, they -made a circular border of green leaves, and what few wild flowers they -could find. - -A row of stones was laid as an outside border, and a branch of green was -stuck upright in the centre. - -“Now it looks pretty,” said Pinkie, with a nod of satisfaction. “Let’s -sit down and wait.” - -“Will they _really_ come?” asked Dolly, as with Araminta and Arabella -they seated themselves near by. - -“Oh, no, I s’pose not,” said Pinkie, with a little sigh. “I’ve done this -thing so many times, and they never _have_ come. But it’s fun to do it, -and then I always think perhaps they _may_.” - -But they waited what seemed a long time, and as no fairies came to -dance, and the shadows began to grow deeper, Dolly said she must go -home. - -“Yes, I must too,” said Pinkie, looking troubled. - -“See here, Dolly,” she said, as they walked along; “don’t you want to -come here and play with me again?” - -“’Course I do,” exclaimed Dolly. “Every day.” - -“Well, you can’t do it, unless you keep it secret. You mustn’t tell -anybody,—not anybody in the world.” - -“Not even Dick and the aunties?” - -“No, not anybody. If you tell, we can’t play here.” - -“Pinkie, _are_ you a fairy, after all?” said Dolly, looking at her -earnestly. - -She was quite unable, otherwise, to think of any reason to keep their -acquaintance secret. - -“Well—maybe I am,” said Pinkie, slowly. - -“And that’s why you haven’t any name!” exclaimed Dolly, rapturously. -“But I didn’t s’pose real fairies were so big, and so ’zactly like -little girls.” - -“Real fairies aren’t. I’m just a—just a sort of a fairy. Oh, Dolly, -don’t ask questions. Only, remember, if you tell anybody about me, we -can’t play here in the woods any more. Will you promise?” - -“Yes, I’ll promise,” said Dolly, solemnly, awed by Pinkie’s great -earnestness. - -And then they separated, and Dolly ran home with her dolls. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - - A SECRET - - -Dolly was very quiet after she reached home. She was greatly puzzled -at the events of the afternoon. - -“Of course,” she thought, “Pinkie _couldn’t_ be a fairy. She is just as -much a live little girl as I am. And yet, why should any nice little -girl,—and she surely is a very nice little girl,—want our acquaintance -kept secret?” - -Dolly remembered a little girl in Chicago, who loved to have “secrets,” -but they were very simple affairs, usually a new slate pencil, or a -coming birthday party. She had never heard of such a foolish secret as -not telling your name! - -And so, the thought _would_ come back; what if Pinkie should be a real -fairy? To be sure, she had always thought fairies were tiny folk, but -she had never seen one, so how could she know? - -And Pinkie was so well versed in making a fairies’ dancing ground, and -she appeared so mysteriously,—apparently from nowhere at all! Oh, if it -should be! And then, that would explain the secret part of it,—for -fairies always want to be kept secret. But on the other hand, that pink -kilted dress of starched linen! Fairies always wore gauzy robes, and -carried wands, and had wings. Well, yes, that was the popular notion, -but who had seen them, to know for sure? - -These thoughts chased through Dolly’s mind as she sat at the supper -table, and Aunt Rachel soon noticed the child’s absorption. - -“What’s the matter, dearie?” she asked; “aren’t you well?” - -“Oh, yes, Auntie; I—I was just thinking.” - -“I know what’s the matter with Dollums,” said Dick, a little -shamefacedly. “It’s ’cause Jack Fuller and I played leap-frog and things -she didn’t like, and so she went off by herself, and was lonesome. I’m -sorry, Dolly.” - -“Why, Dick Dana!” exclaimed his twin; “it wasn’t that a bit! I’m glad -you had fun with Jack, and I didn’t care a spick-speck! I had a lovely -time myself.” - -“Where were you, dear?” asked Aunt Abbie. - -“In the wood, with my two big dolls,” said Dolly, truthfully, but she -had a strange feeling of dishonesty. - -She had never had a secret before; had never told anything except the -_whole_ truth; and the _part_ truth, as she had told it now, troubled -her conscience. - -Yet she had promised Pinkie not to tell about her, so whether Pinkie was -fairy or little girl, Dolly felt herself bound by her promise. - -“Auntie,” she said, after a pause, “are there really fairies?” - -“No, child, of course not. You know there aren’t.” - -“Yes, I s’pose so. But if there were any, how big would they be?” - -“Don’t ask silly questions, Dolly. There are no such beings as fairies.” - -“Oh, I don’t know, Aunt Rachel,” put in Dick. “You know, just because -we’ve never seen any,—that doesn’t prove there aren’t any.” - -“But how big would they be, Dick?” persisted Dolly. - -“Oh, little bits of things. A dozen of them could dance on a toad-stool, -I expect.” - -That settled it in Dolly’s mind. Of course Pinkie wasn’t a fairy then, -for what Dick said was always so. - -But Aunt Abbie changed the situation. She had more imagination than Aunt -Rachel, and she idly fell into the discussion. - -“I’m not sure of that, Dick,” she said. “I always imagine fairies to be -about our own size. You know Cinderella’s fairy godmother was a grown-up -lady.” - -“Oh,” said Dolly, her eyes shining with interest. “Then do you think, -Aunt Abbie, that there could be a little girl fairy, about as big as -me?” - -“Why, yes, I suppose so; if there are fairies at all. But I’m not sure -that there are.” - -“Would you believe it if you saw one?” - -“Yes, if I were awake, and sure I was not dreaming.” - -Dolly stared at Aunt Abbie, as if fascinated by her words. Then Pinkie -_might_ be a fairy, after all! - -“You’re a queer child, Dolly,” said Aunt Rachel, looking at the little -girl’s perplexed face. “And when you find your fairies, don’t bring them -in the house, for there’s no knowing what tricks they may cut up. -They’re said to be mischievous little people.” - -“Of course they’re little,” argued Dick. “I think you’re mistaken about -Cinderella’s godmother, Aunt Abbie. I think she was a little mite of a -lady.” - -“Perhaps so, Dicky. I’m not much of an authority on fairy lore, I’ll -admit.” - -And then, somehow, the matter was dropped, and nothing more was said -about fairies or their probable size. - -But a little later, when the twins were alone in their playroom, Dolly -reopened the subject. - -“Dick,” she began, “why do you think fairies must be little?” - -“Dolly, what’s the matter with you and your fairies? Why are you -bothering so much about ’em all of a sudden?” - -“Oh, nothing; I just want to know.” - -“It isn’t nothing! Have you been seeing fairies, or what? You’ve got to -tell me all about it.” - -“I can’t, Dick.” - -“You can’t? Why not, I’d like to know! We never have secrets from each -other. You know we don’t.” - -“But I can’t tell you about this. I promised.” - -“Well, unpromise then! Who’d you promise?” - -“I can’t tell you that either.” - -“Look here, Dolly Dana, who could you promise not to tell me anything? -Was it Pat or Michael?” - -“No.” - -“Then who was it?” - -“I can’t tell you.” - -“Pooh, what a silly! Why, Dolly, we’re twins,—we always have to tell -each other everything.” - -“I know it, Dick, and I want to tell you, awful, but you know yourself -it’s wrong to break a promise.” - -“Well, you might tell me who you promised it to.” - -“That’s part of the secret.” - -“Oho, it _is_ a secret, is it? Well, Dolly Dana, if you’ve got a secret -from _me_, you can keep it,—_I_ don’t care!” - -This was too much for Dolly’s loyal little twin-heart. - -“I don’t want to keep it, Dick; I want to tell you! But I promised her I -wouldn’t, so what can I do?” - -“Get her to let you off your promise. I s’pose it’s Hannah or Delia.” - -“Maybe I can do that,” and Dolly’s face looked a little brighter. - -“Well, do; and don’t talk any more about it, till you can tell me all of -it, whatever it is. Dolly, it isn’t anything wrong, is it?” - -“No; I don’t see how it can be wrong.” - -“Then let up on it, till you’re ready to talk square. _I_ never had a -secret from _you_.” - -“I know it; and I’ll never have one from you again!” - -So peace was restored, and Dolly said no more about fairies. But after -she was tucked up in her own little white bed that night, she lay awake -in the darkness for a long time, trying to puzzle it all out. One minute -it would seem too absurd to think a little girl was a fairy; the next -minute, it would seem just as absurd for a little girl to appear in the -woods like that, and refuse to tell her name, and insist that their -acquaintance be kept a secret! _That_ was exactly what a fairy would do! - -So, after reasoning round and round in a circle, Dolly fell asleep, and -dreamed that she was a fairy herself, with a pink linen dress, and a -pair of wings and a golden wand. - -The next afternoon Jack Fuller was again at Dana Dene to play with Dick, -and again Dolly trotted off to the woods. She found Pinkie sitting on a -flat stone, waiting for her. The same pink linen frock, the same straw -hat, with pink rosettes on it, and the same sweet-faced, curly-haired -Pinkie. Dolly was _so_ glad to see her, and fairy or mortal, she already -loved her better than any little girl she had ever known. - -But Pinkie was not so gay and merry as yesterday. She looked troubled, -and Dolly’s sensitive little heart knew it at once. - -“Come on,” she said, taking hold of Pinkie’s hand; “let’s play.” - -“All right,” said Pinkie, “I’ve brought my own dolls, this time.” - -And sure enough, there were two dolls as big and beautiful as Arabella -and Araminta. Pinkie said her dolls’ names were Baby Belle and Baby -Bess, and, as it seemed the most natural thing to do, they began to play -tea-party at once. - -But Dolly wanted, first, to settle the matter of the secret. - -“Pinkie,” she said, “you’re a really, truly little girl, aren’t you?” - -“’Course I am,” said Pinkie, smiling. “I just said I was a fairy for -fun.” - -“Yes; I know it. But I want you to let me tell about you at home. It’s -silly to make a secret of it.” - -“Well, tell ’em, I don’t care. I’m not coming here to play any more, -anyway.” - -Now Dolly looked dismayed. “Why not?” she asked, and went on without -waiting for an answer. “I won’t tell my aunts, if you don’t want me to, -but I must tell my brother Dick. He’s my twin, and we never have secrets -from each other. Why, here he comes now!” - -Running toward them across the field, they saw the two boys. - -“Is that your brother with Jack Fuller?” asked Pinkie, and with this -recognition of Jack, Dolly’s last faint hope that Pinkie _might_ be a -fairy, vanished. - -“Yes; I wonder what they want.” - -The boys had really come in search of Dolly. - -Dick had felt himself rather selfish to play with Jack, while Dolly had -only her dolls for company, so he had proposed that they go and find -her, and then all play together some games that she would like. Jack had -agreed willingly enough, so they made for the woods, whither Dick had -seen Dolly go, wheeling her two big dolls. - -“Hello, Phyllis Middleton,” cried Jack, as he spied Pinkie. “What are -you doing here?” - -The secret was out! - -Dolly felt a blank pall of despair fall over her heart. Pinkie, then, -was Phyllis Middleton, the daughter of the Middletons whom Aunt Rachel -detested, and would have no dealings with! Indeed, Dolly had been -forbidden to speak to any of the Middletons. And then, as Dolly’s -thoughts flew rapidly on, she realised that Pinkie had known all this, -and that was why she said if Dolly knew her name they couldn’t play -together any more! - -Poor Dolly! Not only to lose her new-made friend, but to learn that the -friend was really a naughty little girl, who had deliberately done -wrong. - -“Hello, Jack!” said Phyllis. “I know I ought not to come here, and I’m -not coming again.” - -“Well,” said Dick, throwing himself down on the ground; “is this your -secret, Dollums?” - -“Yes,” said Dolly, almost ready to cry. “This is my Pinkie, and I love -her, and now she’s the little girl Aunt Rachel said we couldn’t play -with.” - -“Why not?” cried Dick, who had forgotten the Middleton ban. - -Phyllis took up the story. - -“I don’t know the beginning of it,” she said; “but my mother, and Miss -Rachel Dana don’t like each other, and won’t go to each other’s houses. -And when I heard a little girl had come here to live, I wanted to come -over, but mother wouldn’t let me.” - -“And Aunt Rachel forbade me to go to your house, too,” put in Dolly. “I -think it’s awful for grown-up ladies to get mad like that.” - -“They’ve been mad for lots of years,” said Jack Fuller. “I’ve heard my -mother talk about it to the other ladies. They call it the -Dana-Middleton feud.” - -“What was it about?” asked Dick. - -“Nobody knows,” replied Jack. “At least, none of us children. Of course, -when there weren’t any children at the Dana house, we didn’t care -anything about it; but now, it’s pretty if you two can’t play with the -Middletons! Why, they go to our parties and our school and our Sunday -school, and our picnics and everything! I guess Miss Dana and Mrs. -Middleton’ll have to make up now.” - -“They won’t,” said Phyllis, mournfully. “I heard mother and father -talking about it. And they said I mustn’t come over here, or speak to -Dolly or anything. And then, yesterday, I did come over here to the -wood,—it’s right next to our last orchard,—and Dolly and I had such -fun, I thought I’d come every day, and not tell anybody. But after I -went to bed last night, I thought about it, and I know it’s wrong; so -I’m not going to do it any more. I just came to-day to tell Dolly so. -And after I go home, I’m going to confess to mother about it.” - -Phyllis’s eyes were full of tears, and as she finished speaking, and -Dolly’s arms went round her, both girls cried in their mutual -affliction. - -The boys were highly indignant at the whole situation. - -“It’s a shame!” cried Dick. “If Aunt Rachel wants to be mad at Mrs. -Middleton, let her; but I don’t see why they shouldn’t let Phyllis and -Dolly be friends. Have you got any brothers, Phyllis?” - -“Only a little one, six years old,” was the reply. “There’s just the two -of us.” - -“And you live just next house to us,” went on Dick. “You and Dolly could -have lovely times together. I’m going to ask Aunt Rachel myself if you -two can’t be friends.” - -“It wouldn’t do any good,” said Phyllis, wiping her eyes. “She wouldn’t -give in, and, even if she did, my mother wouldn’t.” - -“Well, I’m going to try it, anyway,” stoutly persisted Dick. “It can’t -do any harm, and if Aunt Rachel _should_ give in, she might persuade -your mother, you know.” - -Phyllis looked a little hopeful at this, but Dolly said: - -“Aunt Rachel won’t let me play with you; I know it. She has said so a -dozen times, and she’s awful stubborn. But I’m glad you told, Pinkie, -’cause it wouldn’t have been right for us to play together and not -tell.” - -“No, I know it,” agreed Phyllis. “I would have told you yesterday, only -it was so funny when you thought I was a fairy! I thought I’d pretend I -was one, and that would take away the wrong. But it didn’t, and when I -thought all about it, I knew we couldn’t keep on that way.” - -The Dana twins were conscientious children, and they were both glad when -Phyllis talked like this; for it had been a shock to Dolly to discover -Pinkie’s deceit, and she felt relieved to learn that it was only -impulsive and quickly repented of. But this didn’t alter the sad fact -that the two little girls could not be playmates. - -“It’s just horrid!” said Dolly, her tears welling up afresh. “We could -have such lovely times together! Playing dolls, and tea-parties, and -everything. I think Aunt Rachel is mean!” - -“I think so, too,” said Jack Fuller, “and I do believe you could coax -her into letting you two girls play together, even if the grown-up -ladies don’t make up.” - -“Maybe we could,” said Dick, hopefully, but Phyllis shook her head. - -“Mother wouldn’t, even if Miss Dana did,” she repeated. “I was a naughty -girl to come here at all. I wish I hadn’t; then I wouldn’t have known -how nice Dolly was.” - -Again the little girls wept, and the boys looked at them helplessly. - -“Well, anyway,” said Dick, at last, “I’m going home to have a try at it. -I’m going straight to Aunt Rachel and tell her all about it. It may make -a difference, now that you girls really have met.” - -“All right,” said Phyllis, but she showed no hope of Dick’s success. - -“I say,” exclaimed Jack, “let’s all go! I mean, let’s take Phyllis, and -all go to Miss Rachel and ask her about it. If she sees the two girls -crying to beat the band, it may soften her some.” - -It seemed a daring proposition, but the twins approved of it. - -“Oh, do,” cried Dolly, eagerly. “Come on, Pinkie, let’s go right now.” - -“I can’t,” said Pinkie, firmly. “Mother told me never to go to Miss -Dana’s house for anything at all.” - -No amount of coaxing would prevail, and matters seemed at a deadlock, -until Dick exclaimed: - -“Then you stay here, and I’ll go get Auntie Rachel and make her come out -here right now.” - -“It won’t do any good,” moaned Phyllis. - -“I know, about your mother. But maybe, if Miss Rachel gives in first, -she can persuade your mother.” - -“Maybe,” said Phyllis, worn out with the conflict. “Go on if you want -to.” - -And Dick went. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - - PHYLLIS - - -“Aunt Rachel,” said Dick, marching to the library, “will you do -something for me?” - -“Probably I will, my boy. What is it?” - -“I want you to come and take a walk with me.” - -“But it’s nearly supper-time, Dicky; quite time for you to go and brush -your hair, and put on a fresh collar. Where’s Dolly?” - -“Oh, Aunt Rachel, please come,—it’s very important!” - -Noticing the serious expression on Dick’s earnest little face, Aunt -Rachel became frightened. - -“What is the matter, Dick?” she exclaimed. “Has anything happened to -Dolly? Has she hurt herself?” - -“No; she hasn’t hurt herself; but come, please, Aunt Rachel,—do!” - -Throwing a light shawl round her, Miss Rachel went with Dick, quite sure -that some accident had befallen Dolly. It was quite a little walk to the -woods, and Dick began to wonder whether Phyllis would have waited, or -whether she would have become scared and gone home. She seemed like a -timid little thing, and Dick well knew that Miss Rachel’s anger was a -formidable thing to brave. He felt far from calm himself. - -“Where are you taking me?” said Aunt Rachel, as they crossed the -orchard. - -“To the woods,” replied Dick, briefly; “Dolly is there.” - -And Aunt Rachel said no more, but walked rapidly along by Dick’s side, -her mind full of horrible imaginings of Dolly, perhaps fallen from a -tree, or in some other dreadful plight. When she reached the wood she -saw the two little girls, seated on the flat stone, their arms about -each other, and their faces red and tear-stained. Indeed, the big tears -even now rolled down Dolly’s cheeks, as she saw the stern expression -that came over Aunt Rachel’s face. - -“Phyllis Middleton!” exclaimed the angry-looking lady; “what does this -mean? You know you are forbidden to step foot on my property!” - -“Yes’m,” began Phyllis, timidly, but Dick took the helm. - -“Aunt Rachel,” he said, “I asked you to come out here, ’cause Phyllis -wouldn’t go to the house. And I want to ask you to let her be Dolly’s -friend; they love each other a heap.” - -Then Aunt Rachel’s wrath was turned toward her niece. - -“Dolly,” she said, severely, “you know I positively forbade you to speak -to Phyllis Middleton.” - -“Yes, Auntie; b-but I didn’t know it was Phyllis, when I first spoke to -her.” - -“Well, you know it now. Come away from her at once. Phyllis, go straight -home, and don’t ever dare come here again.” - -The case was hopeless. - -Phyllis withdrew herself from Dolly’s embrace, and rose to go away. - -Jack Fuller stood by, unable to help, and very nearly crying himself in -sympathy with the two forlorn little girls. - -Aunt Rachel, in her surprise and indignation, had seated herself on the -edge of a big stone, opposite Dolly and Phyllis, and sat with frowning -face, waiting for the unwelcome visitor to depart. - -In her extremity of despair, Dolly had an inspiration. With a cry of, -“Oh, _please_, Auntie Rachel!” she sprang at her aunt, and threw her -arms around the neck of the irate lady. She squeezed her until she -nearly choked her; she showered kisses on her face and neck; she -whispered in her ear, “Please, dear Auntie, oh, _please_ let me have her -for my little friend; I love her so! _Please_, Auntie!” - -Dick, anxiously watching Miss Rachel’s face, saw a change. Not only did -it become warm and red from the strangling hugs she was undergoing, but -he felt sure there was a relenting expression in her eyes. - -Partly out of gratitude for this, and partly from a desire to further -Dolly’s cause, he too rushed at his aunt, and added his affectionate -demonstrations to those of his sister. His arms somehow found room, too, -round her neck, and he industriously kissed the other side of her face, -while he cried, “_Please_, Auntie Rachel, even if you don’t like the -Middletons, please let Phyllis and Dolly be friends! _Please_, Auntie!” - -So cyclonic was the beginning of this performance, and so vigorous its -continuance, that Miss Rachel was soon on the verge of physical -collapse, and wildly waved her hands, in a futile endeavour to shake off -the besiegers. - -Phyllis and Jack were appalled at the scene, and were almost uncertain -whether the attack was really affectionate or of a hostile nature. - -“For gracious’ sake, Dolly, _do_ stop!” cried Miss Rachel, at last, as -her glasses flew off, and her carefully arranged coiffure became a -wreck. “Dick, let go of me!” - -“Yes, Auntie,” he said, kneeling at one side, and possessing himself of -one of her hands, while Dolly did the same with the other; “but, Auntie, -do say yes, won’t you?” - -“Won’t you, Auntie?” echoed Dolly; “won’t you, Auntie? Please, dear -Auntie Rachel, won’t you? _Please!_” - -The words, repeated so often, seemed to become meaningless, but not so -the beseeching expression on the two upturned, pleading little faces. - -Aunt Rachel looked at them,—Dick’s eager hopeful gaze; Dolly’s tearful, -despairing eyes,—and her hard heart melted. - -[Illustration: IN THE GARDEN (Page 82)] - -She put an arm round each of the quivering little bodies, and said -softly: - -“Wait a minute, dears, let me think it over.” - -If Miss Rachel needed further incentive, the joy that flashed into the -twins’ faces must have given it to her, for she went on almost -immediately: - -“You cannot understand the grown-up part of this; you cannot be told -about why Mrs. Middleton and I are not on friendly terms; but this I -will grant. If Phyllis’s mother will let her be Dolly’s friend, I shall -be glad to have it so. If Phyllis is allowed to come to Dana Dene, Dolly -may also visit her and you may play together all you like. There is -really no reason why you children should suffer for the sake of your -elders, and I see that clearly now. Come here, Phyllis.” - -Phyllis rose and went to Miss Rachel, who looked her over with evident -interest. - -“You are a nice child,” she said, at last, with a nod of approval. “I -shall be glad to have you become Dolly’s friend. Do you think your -mother will object?” - -“I know she will, Miss Dana,” said Phyllis, sadly; “I am sure she won’t -let me go to Dana Dene.” - -“Then I shall go to see her, myself, and I fancy I can persuade her.” - -Miss Rachel said this with a majestic air, yet with a grim smile, and -the children felt that though they certainly did not understand the -“grown-up part of it,” yet their cause was won, and Dolly and Phyllis -would be permitted to play together to their hearts’ content. - -“Thank you, Miss Rachel,” said Phyllis, timidly taking her hand, and -feeling that she ought to show her gratitude by some demonstration, -after the example set her by the twins. - -Miss Rachel kissed her gently on the forehead, and then put her hand in -Dolly’s; bidding the two little girls seal their friendship with a kiss, -and then say good-bye until to-morrow. - -“Scamper home, across the orchard, Phyllis,” she went on, “and tell your -mother all about it, if you choose; and say I shall call on her this -evening.” - -Jack went with Phyllis, as that was the way toward his own home, and the -three Danas went back to the house. - -“Oh, Auntie, you are so good,” said Dolly, as, with her arm round her -aunt’s waist, she walked by her side. “It was lovely of you to give up -your favourite feud for me!” - -Miss Rachel smiled at Dolly’s choice of words, but she only said: - -“It is right, dearie. It would be very foolish to keep you two little -girls apart because of what happened to your ancestors, twenty years -ago.” - -“Yes’m; and are you going to keep on feuding with Mrs. Middleton?” - -“I don’t know yet,” said Miss Rachel, smiling again; “if I do, it will -be because she insists upon it. But I feel sure I can persuade her to -feel as I do, about you children.” - -“You’re a brick, Auntie,” declared Dick, who walked at her other side. -“I was ’most sure you’d cave in when you saw how the girls felt about -it.” - -“It was really the way you two felt about it, that persuaded me; indeed, -if I hadn’t ‘caved in,’ as you call it, I think you would have squeezed -me to pieces.” - -“Yes, we’re good coaxers,” said Dick, modestly. “We used to coax Auntie -Helen that way; but she always got to laughing.” - -“It wasn’t a humorous occasion, to-day,” said Aunt Rachel, and then they -all went in to supper. - -Aunt Abbie, who was wondering what had become of them, was then told the -whole story, which greatly interested her. - -“And now,” said Dolly, as everything had been explained, “you see why I -was asking about fairies last night. I didn’t really think Phyllis was a -fairy, but she came so—so unexpected, you know, and she wouldn’t tell -me her name, and she told me to keep it all a secret.” - -“I think that part of it was a little naughty,” said Aunt Abbie, -judicially. - -“Yes’m,” agreed Dolly. “But you see she ’pented, and to-day she came to -tell me that she had ’cided it _was_ naughty, and she wasn’t coming any -more. So that took away the naughtiness, didn’t it, Auntie Rachel?” - -“Yes, I think it did, dearie. I feel sure Phyllis is a conscientious -little girl, and will be a good friend for you in every way.” - -“But I’ll always call her Pinkie,” said Dolly; “’cause I called her that -at first, and Phyllis is such a grown-up name. Will you go over and see -about it right away, Auntie?” - -“After a while, Dolly. But I shall not return until after you’ve gone to -bed, so don’t think any more about it till morning.” - -Aunt Rachel spoke calmly, but the children little knew what it meant to -her to subdue her pride and make the advance toward a truce with Mrs. -Middleton. Their quarrel, though it had occurred many years ago, was as -bitter as ever, and reconciliation seemed impossible. Neither had ever -been willing to suggest such a thing, and though kind-hearted friends -had tried to bring it about, their efforts had met with no success. Miss -Abbie was, of course, amazed at the way things were going, but her offer -to accompany her sister was met with a gentle but decided refusal. - -And so, nobody ever knew what passed between the two neighbours that -evening. Whatever way she humiliated herself, or whatever arguments she -used, Miss Rachel never told; but, at least, her main errand was -successful, and Mrs. Middleton agreed to let Phyllis and Dolly play -together all they liked, and visit at each other’s homes whenever they -chose. - -As for the two ladies themselves, they didn’t at once forgive and forget -all of their long-standing unpleasantness, but they agreed to be, at -least, calling acquaintances, for the children’s sake; and I may as well -say here that eventually the breach was healed, and by degrees they -became really friendly neighbours. - -Dolly was too excited and anxious to sleep, so when she heard Miss -Rachel come in, though it was late, she sprang out of bed, and throwing -a blue kimono over her little frilled nightgown, she ran out into the -hall, and called down over the banisters: - -“Is it all right, Auntie Rachel? Is it all right?” - -“Yes, it’s all right, Dolly. Go back to bed, you’ll catch cold.” - -By this time, Dick had bounced out of his room. A bath-robe was round -him, over his pink-striped pajamas, and as he heard Aunt Rachel’s -assurance that their cause was won, he whispered to Dolly, “Let’s go -down and hug her!” - -“Let’s!” replied Dolly, and the two bare-footed, dressing-gowned little -figures flew downstairs and precipitated themselves upon the already -exhausted lady. - -“Don’t, children!” cried Aunt Abbie, as Miss Rachel was almost lost to -sight in clouds of eider-down flannel, and four eager, waving arms. -“Don’t! you’ll wear Auntie Rachel out, she’s almost collapsed now.” - -“No, Abbie; let them be. I like it,” gasped Aunt Rachel, from behind two -curly heads that seemed to be devouring her. - -So Aunt Abbie only laughed, inwardly rejoicing that the children had -brought about an amicable adjustment of the old quarrel, and glad, too, -that her reserved and undemonstrative sister enjoyed the wild antics of -the two little savages. - -“Auntie Abbie next!” shouted Dick, gleefully, and Aunt Rachel received a -respite, as the twins’ attentions were showered upon their other aunt. - -But she wouldn’t stand quite so much. - -“Be off with you!” she cried. “You’re worse than a pair of little -bear-cubs!” - -“We are bear-cubs,” cried Dick, enchanted with the suggestion. Then he -growled, and pawed and clawed at Aunt Abbie, winding up with a hug that -nearly cracked her bones. - -Dolly, always ready to take her cue, was also a bear-cub, and between -them they made Aunt Abbie’s life miserable for a few minutes. - -“Scamper now!” she cried, as she emerged, laughing, from the latest -onslaught. “Run to bed, both of you. I’ve had enough of this!” - -So, with final pats and kisses all round, the twins went upstairs, and -were soon snugly in bed once more. - -Dolly thought she should never go to sleep, she was so happy in the -thoughts of her new friend. - -Dear Pinkie! She was so pretty and sweet, and Dolly smiled to herself at -thought of all the fun they could have playing together. They would -always be friends, even after they grew up to be young ladies, and they -would never have a foolish quarrel, as Pinkie’s mother and Auntie Rachel -had had. And so, fairly revelling in happy anticipations, Dolly fell -asleep. - -Downstairs, the two sisters talked long and earnestly. - -“It’s a blessing those two children ever came here,” said Miss Abbie, at -last. - -“It is a blessing in some ways,” said Miss Rachel, “but they’re going to -be a terrible responsibility. Such overflowing spirits I never saw! They -can’t be still a second. And we must stop these fearful tornadoes of -affection!” - -“Oh, I thought you enjoyed them!” - -“I do enjoy their hearty demonstrations and endearments. They’re so real -and spontaneous. But we must curb them, for it isn’t good for the -children to be allowed such savagery. For it is savagery.” - -“It is, indeed!” agreed Aunt Abbie, ruefully. “My arm’s lame yet, from -their squeezing.” - -“Well, we’ll correct them. But I don’t want to be too harsh, poor little -motherless things.” - -“Yes, and fatherless, too. We must be very good to them, Rachel, but it -isn’t true kindness to be too indulgent, you know.” - -“No, of course not. We must be firm, yet gentle.” - -And so the two ladies discussed the management of the twins, not -realising at all, that on the contrary, the twins were managing them! -For though good and obedient children, Dick and Dolly generally -succeeded in getting their own sweet way, as witness the case of Phyllis -Middleton. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - - AN AUCTION SALE - - -Life at Dana Dene settled down into a pleasant routine that was in no -sense monotony. Every day the sewing and the practising and the -gardening had their appointed hours. But this left hours and hours of -play-time, and the twins improved them all. - -Phyllis and Dolly were very chummy little companions, and scarcely a day -passed without their seeing each other. - -Dick and Jack Fuller were chums too, and though the twins became -acquainted with many of the other children in Heatherton, they liked -these earliest made friends best of all. - -Often they went to town, for Dana Dene was about a mile out from the -village itself. Sometimes they drove in state with the aunties, or -perhaps less formally, on morning errands. Sometimes they rode on the -big spring wagon with Pat or Michael, and sometimes on pleasant days, -they walked. - -One delightful afternoon, the aunties had gone to sewing society, and -the twins were holding a consultation as to what would be the most fun -for them to do. - -“Let’s walk to town and get some soda water,” suggested Dolly. - -“All right,” returned Dick; “but we needn’t walk unless we want to. -Michael’s going down with the wagon. But he isn’t ready yet.” - -“Well, let’s walk on, and then when he comes along we can get in, if we -want to.” - -“Yes, and we can ride home, anyway.” - -So after arranging with Michael to look out for them on the way, Dick -and Dolly started off. They loved to walk to town, for there was so much -of interest along the way. The first part, more or less wooded, showed -various enticing spots to sit down and rest a while. - -Squirrels were apt to come round and be sociable, or birds would sing -little songs of greeting from the branches. There were always new -wild-flowers, and just now the wild roses were opening, and daisies were -in bloom. - -And, if they were very cautious, there was always a chance of seeing -fairies. - -Now that Pinkie was understood, Dolly returned to her original idea of -fairies,—tiny, fragile beings, with wings and wands. - -Dick had some doubts as to their existence, but was always on the alert -to catch sight of them in the woods. - -Then, after the woodsy part was passed, came the beginnings of the -streets, with houses few and far apart; and then the bridge,—always a -fine place to linger,—and then houses closer together, many of which -were good stopping-places, and finally the business portion of the -little town itself. - -Here were fascinating shops, with windows delightfully full of tempting -wares, also a caterer’s shop, where one could choose between cakes and -ice cream, or candy and soda water. - -The twins were allowed fifty cents apiece each week for spending money. -With this, they could do exactly as they chose, with the stipulation -that not more than ten cents in one day should be spent for edibles. As -they conscientiously obeyed this rule, the aunts felt sure they could -not seriously harm their digestion. And, besides, they did not buy -sweets every time they went to town. Sometimes it was marbles or tops or -ribbons for dolls. - -On this particular occasion the twins felt specially rich, for they each -had an untouched half dollar just given them by Aunt Rachel, and they -had also a goodly portion of the previous week’s income still unspent. -Not that they expected necessarily to spend it, but it seemed pleasant -to have their fund with them, and if they should see anything very -desirable they might purchase it. - -So they trudged along, with open minds, ready to accommodate anything -that offered in the way of interest or pleasure. - -As they reached the main street they saw a great crowd of people in -front of one of the shops, and wondered what the reason might be. Coming -nearer, they saw a red flag waving over the door, and Dick exclaimed: - -“Why, it’s an auction! I never saw one before; come on, Dolly, let’s go -in.” - -So in the twins went, and soon became greatly interested in the -proceedings. - -They edged through the crowd, until they were quite near the auctioneer, -and then they listened, spellbound, to his discourse. Never having seen -an auction sale before, the manner of conducting it appealed to them, -and they breathlessly watched and listened as one lot after another was -sold to the bidders. - -The stock was that of a clothing emporium, and consisted of ready-made -suits for both men and women. - -“I’d like to buy something that way,” said Dick to his sister, “but -they’re only grown-ups’ clothes, and anyway, they cost too much. If they -put up anything small I’m going to bid.” - -“Maybe they’ll have handkerchiefs or something like that,” suggested -Dolly, eager also to join the game of bidding. - -But there were no small articles for sale, nothing but men’s suits and -ladies’ costumes, so Dick and Dolly lost hope of being able to bid for -anything. - -They wandered round the place, meeting several people whom they knew, -and who spoke pleasantly to them. But they were all grown-ups,—there -were no children there but the twins, so hand in hand they wandered -about, always drifting back to hear the auctioneer crying out: - -“Ten,—ten,—do I hear eleven?” or “Going, going—gone!” - -They listened carefully to his phraseology, for they well knew “auction” -would be one of their favourite games in the near future, and Dick -wanted to learn the lingo, so that he could play auctioneer after the -most approved fashion. At last the sale was about over, and the audience -began to go away. Only a few men remained, and the fixtures of the shop -were then put up. Office furniture, show-cases and such things were sold -quickly, and then was put up a lot of wax tailors’ dummies. These wax -figures, both men and women, were so comical that Dick and Dolly laughed -aloud to see them put up for sale. It was almost like selling people. -But the man who bought them didn’t seem to think it funny at all. He bid -them in, like any other merchandise, but he refused to take one of them, -saying it was too badly damaged. - -This unfortunate one was a wax-faced lady whose cheek was badly dented -and marred, thus making her undesirable as a window attraction. She was -carelessly set aside, and the twins looked at her with curiosity. - -“Dick,” whispered Dolly, “I’d love to have her! She’d be more fun than a -big doll. Do you s’pose we could get her?” - -“I dunno. It would be fun! We could rig her up, and set her up in the -playground. How much money have you?” - -“Just seventy-seven cents.” - -“And I have eighty-six. Let’s ask the man.” - -So Dick stepped up to the auctioneer, and said: - -“Could you auction up that other wax lady, sir?” - -“That one, kid? Why, she’s no good.” - -“Not for a shopman, I know, but—if she didn’t cost so much, we’d like -to have her.” - -“You would! Well, you’re two pretty nice little children, suppose I give -her to you?” - -Dick hesitated. It seemed too great a favour, and beside he wanted the -fun of bidding. - -“Well, you see,” he said, “I think we’d rather pay, if it isn’t too -much, because,—you see,—we want to do that calling out.” - -“Oho! You want the real auctioneering game, do you? Well, I’ll have her -put up.” - -The auctioneer was a jolly, good-natured man, and as his task was about -over, he felt inclined to humour the children. - -“Here,” he called to his assistant, “put up that golden-haired goddess.” - -Appreciating the situation, the man set the wax dummy upon the platform. - -“Here you are!” cried the auctioneer. “What am I bid for this lovely -lady? Though slightly marred in the face, she has a good heart, and is -warranted good-tempered and kind. What am I bid?” - -Dick hesitated; now that the time had come he felt suddenly shy, and -felt uncertain how much to offer. - -“Ten cents!” came a voice from another part of the room. Then Dick felt -that he was really in the business at last, and he called out sturdily: - -“Fifteen!” - -“Fifteen,” echoed the auctioneer. “Fifteen! do I hear any more? Only -fifteen cents for this beautiful work of art?” - -“Twenty!” called the other voice, and for some reason the auctioneer -scowled. - -“Twenty!” he cried; “twenty? Do I hear twenty-five?” - -“Twenty-five!” cried Dick, his face all aglow with the excitement of the -moment. - -“Twenty-five!” sang out the auctioneer. “Twenty-five! Is there another -bid?” - -But the menacing face he turned toward the other bidder must have -silenced him, for he said no more. - -“Twenty-five!” went on the auctioneer, quite gaily now. “Twenty-five! -That seems too cheap for this Prize Beauty. Twenty-five! Is that all?” - -It _did_ seem too cheap, and Dick suddenly felt that it ought to bring -more. Besides, the auctioneer’s voice was persuasive, and so, still in -the spirit of the game, Dick cried out, “Thirty!” - -The auctioneer suddenly choked, and the man in the back of the room -burst into shouts of laughter, but Dick didn’t mind now. With shining -eyes, he awaited the auctioneer’s next move, and seeing this, the -smiling gentleman went on: - -“Thirty! Thirty cents for this Darling Dame. She looks like that! Do I -hear any more? Thirty—going—going——” - -“Thirty-five!” said Dolly, timidly, but in clear tones. - -Dick looked at her admiringly. Dolly _was_ a trump. He was glad she had -a part in the great game too. - -“Thirty-five!” called the auctioneer, red in the face, but preserving -his gravity. “Thirty-five!” - -“Forty!” cried Dick. - -“Forty-five!” said Dolly. - -“Fifty!” yelled Dick, smiling at his sister. - -“Fifty-five,” she cried, smiling back. - -“Stop!” cried the auctioneer, “you two mustn’t bid against each other!” - -“Why not?” asked Dick. “We have the money. We’ve more ’n a dollar ’n’ a -half, together.” - -“Yes, but one of you can buy this thing if you really want it. So stop -bidding, and take it for fifty cents.” - -“All right,” agreed Dick, “we’ll each pay twenty-five.” - -This plan suited Dolly, and the money was paid at once. - -“You have to take your goods with you, you know,” said the auctioneer, -not unkindly, as he watched the two delighted children. - -“Yes, we will,” said Dolly. “Michael’s outside somewhere, with the big -wagon. He’ll take us all home.” - -“You stay here with the lady, Dolly,” said Dick, “and I’ll run out and -hunt Michael.” - -“Go on,” said the auctioneer, “I’ll look after Miss Dolly and her new -friend both.” - -The auctioneer had children of his own, and was greatly interested in -his two young customers. - -“What do you want of this affair?” he asked Dolly, after Dick had gone. - -“To play with,” she returned. “I know we can dress her up and have lots -of fun with her.” - -“Perhaps I can find you some clothes for her here,” he offered; “she -ought to have a hat and shawl.” - -“Oh, never mind,” said Dolly, easily; “we’ll take her home, and I think -Aunt Rachel’s clothes will fit her. If not, we’ll try Hannah’s.” - -The wax lady was simply robed in a drab muslin slip, whose plainness -contrasted strangely with the bright pink of her complexion, the large -mop of yellow hair, and the waxen forearms—except for her head, neck, -and forearms the lady was a sort of wire frame, more or less bent. - -But Dolly saw wondrous possibilities, and cared not at all that her -ladyship was so imperfectly arrayed at present. - -Dick soon returned, and announced that Michael was outside in the wagon. - -The auctioneer’s obliging assistant carried the wax lady to the door, -and then the twins took it. - -“The saints preserve us!” cried Michael; “whativer have ye rascally -babies been up to now?” - -“We’ve bought a lady, Michael,” explained Dolly, “and we want to take -her home.” - -“Well, if so be as she’s your lady, home with us she must go.” - -Michael climbed down from his seat, and assisted the “lady” into the -wagon. - -“It’s lyin’ down in the wagon she must ride,” he said. “I’ll have no -waxen image a-settin’ up on the seat, an’ me, like as not, arristed fer -kid-nappin’ her! In she goes, and covered up wid these potaty-sacks -she’ll be, till yez gets her home.” - -“All right,” said Dolly, gleefully, “I don’t care. Put her in back, if -you want to. But be careful, don’t muss up her hair too much!” - -At last the “lady” was arranged, and Dick and Dolly clambered up to the -seat beside Michael, and home they went. - -“You see,” Dolly confided to Michael, who was her devoted adorer, “we -went to an auction, and we bought the lady.” - -“An auction! Yez childher! My soul! what will yez be afther doin’ next?” - -“It isn’t hard to go to an auction,” said Dick, meditatively. “You just -find what you want to buy; and then you see how much money you’ve got, -and then you bid till you get up to it.” - -“Yis, that’s a foine way!” said Michael, appreciatively. “An’ yez chose -the wax scarecrow, did yez? Well, give it to me fer my cornfield, it’ll -be foine to kape the burrds off!” - -“You bad Michael,” said Dolly. “You’re just teasing us. Scarecrow! Why, -she’s my new doll. I’m going to call her,—what shall we call her, -Dick?” - -“Lady Eliza Dusenbury,” said Dick, promptly, for he was always quick at -choosing names. “And I say, Dolly, let’s rig her up, hat and all, you -know, and stand her up in front of the front door, and ring the bell, -and then hide, and see what Hannah’ll do!” - -“All right; don’t you tell, Michael.” - -“No, Miss Dolly, I’ll not tell.” - -“And you help us, Michael, to get her out and get her fixed up, will -you?” - -“Yis, I’ll help yez, ye good-fer-nothin’ shcamps.” - -When Michael indulged in calling them names, the twins knew he was very -good-natured indeed, so they anticipated great fun. - -When they reached Dana Dene, the two children jumped down from the wagon -and ran into the house. It was easy enough to get in unnoticed, and they -went straight to Aunt Rachel’s room for clothing for the new friend. - -Dolly selected a pretty street suit of dark-blue pongee, made with a -coat and skirt. She found also a white waist, and a blue hat trimmed -with cornflowers. This was really enough, but she added a veil and a -small shopping bag. With these things, the twins hurried to the barn, -where Michael had the Lady Eliza waiting for them in the carriage house. - -Dolly dressed her, and it was surprising how distinguished she looked in -Aunt Rachel’s costume. It seemed a very good fit, and the flower-trimmed -hat was most becoming to the frizzled yellow hair. - -On account of the scar on her cheek, Dolly put on the thin lace veil, -which really added to her modish effect. Her arms, which were movable, -were adjusted at an elegant angle, and the shopping bag was hung on her -left wrist. - -Pat had been taken into confidence, and when all was ready the children -ran ahead to make sure that the coast was clear. - -Discovering that Hannah and Delia were both in the back part of the -house, they signalled to Michael, and he and Pat assisted Lady Eliza to -the front door. Then Dolly adjusted her hands, and in the right one, -which was extended, she placed a visiting card, taken at random from the -basket in the hall. Then Michael and Pat went away, Dolly hid in some -nearby bushes, and Dick, after a loud ring at the doorbell, flew, to -join Dolly in her hiding-place. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - - FUN WITH LADY ELIZA - - -Hannah, in her white cap and apron, came at once and opened the door. -Being a well-trained maid, she stepped back, and held the door open for -the lady to enter, but as the caller did not seem inclined to do so, but -persistently held out her card, Hannah took it, saying, “The ladies are -not at home, madam.” - -Still the caller stood motionless, and Hannah looked at her with some -curiosity. The lace veil so shrouded her features that they were not -very discernible, but when Hannah’s glance fell on the rigid, pale hand, -she gave a scream: - -“My sakes, ma’am! is it dead ye are, or fainted?” - -Not being able to grasp at once the truth of the matter, Hannah took the -two cold hands in her own, and shook the lady slightly. - -Lady Eliza toppled over, and would have fallen to the floor, but that -Hannah caught her in her arms, and dragged her into the hall, where she -dropped her on a large sofa. - -“Delia!” she called, flying to the kitchen, “fetch some water. There’s a -lady fainted!” - -Dick and Dolly, unable to restrain themselves longer, came running in, -and met Hannah, who returned, followed by Delia with a bowl of water. - -“Hurry up, Hannah,” cried Dick. “She’s in an awful faint! Can’t you -bring her to?” - -Dolly was dancing around the prostrate form of the visitor, and Michael -and Pat were peeping in at the front door. - -“Ah, ye scallywags!” cried Delia, realising that some mischief was up. -“What are ye up to, now? Who’s this leddy?” - -So lifelike was the whole effect of the figure, that Delia could not at -first take in the fraud. But when she did, she went off in peals of -laughter, and Hannah joined in heartily. - -“Aren’t ye the smart scamps, now!” cried Delia, proud of the latest -exploit of the children. “An’ will ye look now, Hannah? That’s Miss -Rachel’s best blue dress! I’m wonderin’ ye didn’t recognise it!” - -“I never thought,” said Hannah, still gazing half-fearfully at the -figure on the sofa. “I took it for granted it was a friendly visitor.” - -Whereupon Dick outspread Lady Eliza’s arms in such a comical way, that -Delia went off again in fresh bursts of laughter. - -“Now to fool the aunties,” said Dick, after the servants had returned to -their work and Dick and Dolly were left alone with their new possession. -“How shall we fix it up, Dollums?” - -Dolly considered. She was more ingenious than Dick in arranging dramatic -effects, and at last she said: - -“I think we’ll just have her seated in a corner of the veranda, and -then, when the aunties come home, I’ll tell them there’s a lady waiting -to see them.” - -“Yes, that’ll be fine; let’s fix her now.” - -So Lady Eliza Dusenbury was gracefully seated in a piazza chair. Upon -her knees lay an open magazine, held in place with one slender pink -hand. - -“Those hands give her away, Dolly,” said Dick. “They don’t look a bit -real.” - -“Neither they don’t,” agreed Dolly; “I’ll get gloves.” - -She ran upstairs and down again, bringing a pair of light kid gloves -from Aunt Rachel’s room, which she succeeded in getting on the Lady -Eliza’s hands. - -“That’s a heap better,” said Dick; “now, with the veil, and as its -getting sort of darkish, I don’t see how they’ll suspect at all.” - -Quietly the Lady Eliza sat waiting. Not quite so quietly, Dick and Dolly -sat on the top step of the veranda, waiting also, and at last Michael, -who had gone after the Dana ladies, drove them up to the steps. - -He had been charged by the twins not to mention their new acquisition, -so, of course, had not done so. - -Dick and Dolly met their aunts, with a smiling welcome, and then Dolly -said: - -“There’s a lady to see you, Aunt Rachel; as you weren’t home when she -came, she sat down, over there to wait.” - -In her pleasant, dignified way, Miss Rachel crossed the veranda, -followed by Miss Abbie. - -Though the ladies had slightly relaxed their “society” manner when -greeting the twins, they instantly assumed it again as they went to meet -their visitor. - -“Good-afternoon,” said Miss Rachel as she neared the lady reading the -magazine. - -But the stranger did not look up, and Miss Rachel assumed she had not -heard. - -“How do you do?” she said, in louder tones, and held out her hand. - -Miss Abbie also approached, and said “Good-afternoon,” and extended her -hand, but apparently the visitor had no intention of stopping her -reading. - -With no thought other than that the lady was deaf or exceedingly -preoccupied, Miss Rachel stepped nearer, and said very loudly: - -“Good-afternoon!” - -Still no response, and now Miss Rachel became frightened. - -“She has had a stroke or something,” she exclaimed, and, stooping, she -peered into the stranger’s face. - -“Oh, Abbie! her cheek is hurt! Somebody has struck her, or thrown a -stone at her. How dreadful!” - -Miss Abbie fluttered about. - -“Oh, Rachel! How awful! What shall we do? Call for help, but don’t let -the children come here.” - -“Yes, let us come,” cried Dick, as he and Dolly danced toward the group. -“Let us come, she’s our friend; she’s Lady Eliza Dusenbury.” - -“What do you mean?” cried Miss Rachel. “This lady has been hurt somehow. -Go and call Hannah. Or perhaps we had better send Michael for a doctor.” - -“No, don’t, Aunt Rachel,” said Dolly, who was now shrieking with -laughter. “Lady Eliza isn’t much hurt. But isn’t she a dear!” - -Dolly threw her arms round the strange lady’s neck, and patted the -injured cheek gently. Magazine and shopping bag slid to the floor, but -otherwise, the stranger made no motion. - -“Dolly, behave yourself!” cried Aunt Abbie. “What do you mean by such -actions? Let the poor lady be! Oh, what shall we do, Rachel?” - -But Aunt Rachel had begun to see daylight. The irrepressible mirth of -the two children told her that there was a joke somewhere, and then, as -she recognised her own dress and hat, she suspected the truth. - -“H’m,” she said; “suppose we take off the poor lady’s veil, and see how -much she is hurt.” - -“Suppose we do,” said Dolly, and she obligingly assisted her aunt to -remove the veil from Lady Eliza’s beautiful, but scarred face. - -“Well!” she exclaimed as she saw the glass eyes and the pink wax face, -“what _have_ you two been up to, now?” - -As for Aunt Abbie, she sank down on a nearby chair, helpless with -laughter. - -Then Aunt Rachel followed her example, and Dick and Dolly danced round -the three seated figures, while they screamed themselves hoarse with -glee. - -They moved Lady Eliza’s arms into threatening and despairing poses, each -more ridiculous than the other. - -They took off her hat, and breaking bunches of wistaria from the veranda -vine, they wreathed her golden mop of hair with them. - -They took Aunt Rachel’s eyeglasses from the little gold hook on her -bodice, and perched them on Lady Eliza’s nose, sticking a pin in the wax -to hold them on. And at each ridiculous demonstration the two aunts -would become convulsed with laughter. - -“Isn’t she lovely!” said Dolly, at last, as she hung around Aunt -Rachel’s neck, and watched Dick tie the string of a red balloon to Lady -Eliza’s hand, just so that the balloon kept thumping her in the face. - -“She is beautiful,” agreed Aunt Rachel, with a shade of mental -reservation in her tones. “Where did you get her, and why did you take -my newest gown to play with?” - -“I didn’t know it was your newest gown!” said Dolly, regretfully; but -Aunt Rachel told her not to mind, they would take it off, and there were -several older ones that would do equally well for Lady Eliza. - -The story of the auction was told, and the aunts had another season of -mirth over the ridiculous bidding. - -“All right,” said Aunt Rachel, after the story was finished, “but never -bid on anything unless you have enough money to pay for it.” - -“We didn’t,” said Dick; “we counted our money first. And truly, this was -the only thing in the whole auction we wanted.” - -“Well, I’m glad you have her. I think you can have good fun with such a -big doll. To-morrow I’ll find you some clothes.” - -Aunt Rachel was as good as her word, and next day she went to the attic -and found several discarded costumes of her own and Aunt Abbie’s that -were fine for Eliza. Hats and bonnets, capes and shawls, a parasol and a -feather boa,—indeed the Lady Eliza soon had a complete and even -luxurious wardrobe. - -Aunt Abbie touched up the injured cheek with some water-colour paints, -and then the injury scarcely showed at all. - -That afternoon the twins prepared to spring the joke on Pinkie and Jack. -They expected them both to come over and play, and beforehand they got -the Lady Eliza ready. The arbour in the playground was now nearly -covered with vines, and formed a well-shaded tent. - -In here, at a table, they placed Eliza, her hands meekly in her lap, and -her face downcast. She wore a black-and-white checked suit, and a black -hat and veil. Her hands were ungloved, but were filled with flowers, -which concealed the artificial-looking finger-tips. - -Having arranged her exactly to their liking, the twins sat on the -veranda steps, waiting for their friends. Pinkie came first, and Jack -came very soon after. - -“Let’s go out to the playground,” said Dick, casually. - -“All right,” agreed Jack. “It’s too hot for tag; let’s play hide and -seek.” - -They all sauntered toward the playground, and as they nearly reached it, -Jack said: - -“Why, there’s a lady in there!” - -“A lady?” said Dick, looking surprised. “What are you talking about?” - -“There is,” repeated Jack; “see.” - -They all peeped through the vines, and sure enough, a lady was seated at -the table. Her hands were full of flowers, but she appeared dejected, -and her head drooped a little. - -“It isn’t either of the aunties,” whispered Dolly, “they’re in the -house.” - -“Who is it then?” Jack whispered back, and Pinkie said, “Don’t let’s go -in, I’m afraid.” - -“Afraid of a lady!” said Dick. “Pooh, I’m not. Maybe it’s your mother, -Pinkie.” - -“No, it isn’t,” she replied. “Mother’s at home. Maybe it’s Hannah.” - -“What would Hannah be here for?” said Dolly. “Let’s go in and see who it -is.” - -“All right,” said Dick, and he stepped inside. “She won’t speak to me,” -he said, stepping out again. “You go in, Jack.” - -Not wishing to be thought cowardly, Jack stepped into the arbour, and in -his politest tones, said: - -“How do you do, ma’am?” - -But the lady did not move, and just looked at Jack with big blue eyes, -that stared through her black veil. - -“She’s a funny lady,” said Jack, rather bewildered. “She won’t speak, -and she just stares at me.” - -“You try, Pinkie,” said Dolly. - -So Pinkie went up to the lady, and in her sweet little voice said: - -“What’s the matter, lady?” - -She, too, received only a blue-eyed stare, and no word of reply. - -“Perhaps she’s asleep,” said Dick. - -“No, her eyes are wide open,” said Jack, his own eyes also wide open in -surprise. - -“Then she must have fainted,” said Dick; “we must try to bring her to.” - -He gave the lady a pat on the shoulder, but still she didn’t stir. - -“Hit her harder,” said Dolly. “Don’t hurt her, you know, but you have to -shake people to make ’em come out of a faint.” - -Dick thumped her on the back, and slily bent her arm up until she seemed -to be shaking her fist at them. The flowers tumbled to the floor, and -her other arm flew up above her head. - -“Oh!” cried Pinkie, and ran farther away from the now -belligerent-looking lady. - -“Oh!” cried Jack, catching on. Then, screaming with laughter, he seized -the lady’s hand shook it, crying, “How do you do, ma’am! How _do_ you -do? I’m _so_ glad to meet you!” - -Pinkie was still mystified, so Dolly ushered her up to the lady, saying, -“Miss Pinkie Middleton ’low me to make you ’quainted with Lady Eliza -Dusenbury!” - -Dick had taken off Eliza’s veil, and Pinkie at last realised what sort -of lady she was meeting. - -“Oh, Dolly,” she cried, “where did you get her? Isn’t it fun! I think -she’s fine!” - -“She’s great!” declared Jack. “You fooled me good, old Mr. Dick Dana! -What’s her name, did you say?” - -“Lady Eliza Dusenbury,” said Dick, “but we call her Eliza, if we want -to. Let’s take her for a ride.” - -They got the little express wagon that Dick and Dolly used to cart their -plants or flower-pots around the gardens in, and lifted Eliza in. - -“She’ll have to stand up,” said Dolly, “because she can’t sit down.” - -“All right,” said Jack, “we’ll tie her so she won’t upset.” - -They fastened her iron pedestal, which served her instead of feet, -firmly to the wagon, and then proceeded to deck both vehicle and -passenger with flowers, till it looked like a float in a parade. - -Dolly and Pinkie made a gilt paper crown, and wound gilt paper around a -long rod for a sceptre. - -“Oh, let’s make her Queen of the Fairies!” cried Pinkie. - -So the dress Eliza had on was changed for a white one. This was decked -with ribbons and garlands of flowers. Crown and wand were put in place, -and then the whole four combined their ingenuity to invent wings. At -last they were cut from thin pasteboard, and covered all over with -fringed white tissue paper. This fringe, about an inch wide, and cut -fine, was quickly made, and when pasted on in close rows, gave a lovely -fluffy appearance to the wings. - -A gauzy white veil, spangled with gilt paper stars, floated down from -the crown, and the Queen of the Fairies presented a most delectable -appearance. - -The express wagon was not good enough for this dream of beauty, so it -was made into a float, by placing some boards on top of it. This top was -neatly covered with a sheet and decked with flowers. - -Then the Queen of the Fairies was raised to her triumphal car, and her -four willing subjects drew her about. - -Long reins were made by cutting strips of white muslin, and these were -attached to four prancing little steeds, while the Queen held the ends -in her waxen hands. The cortège made a tour of the grounds, and drew up -finally at the house to exhibit their peerless Lady Eliza to the -aunties, who expressed heartfelt admiration. - -“It’s the best plaything ever,” declared Jack, as he and Pinkie went -home. “We’ll be over to-morrow to play some more.” - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - - OBEYING ORDERS - - -“Children,” said Aunt Rachel, one afternoon, as dressed in their best -calling costumes, she and Aunt Abbie were about to enter the carriage, -“we are going to make some calls, and about five o’clock I want you to -meet us at Mrs. Hampton’s, and we will all come home together.” - -“Oh, Auntie Rachel,” said Dolly, “I don’t want to go calling to-day. I -want to play.” - -“I know it, dearie, and so I’ve let you off from most of the calls we’re -making. But I especially want you to be with me at Mrs. Hampton’s, so -you can play till half-past four, and then get dressed and meet us there -at five.” - -“All right, Auntie,” said Dolly, who was a sunny-tempered little girl, -after all. “What shall I wear?” - -“Put on your new white piqué, and Dick, wear your light-grey suit. Now, -be sure, children,—be there promptly by five.” - -“Yes’m; and if you’re not there shall we wait for you?” - -“Yes,” said Aunt Abbie, “wait until we come, no matter what time it is. -But we’ll be there about five.” - -The aunts drove away and the twins played out in the garden until it was -time to dress. - -They started off, looking very demure with their clean clothes and -freshly-brushed hair. - -“I don’t want to go a bit,” said Dolly, with a little sigh, as she -walked along. - -“Neither do I,” replied Dick, “but we have to go, so there’s no use -making a fuss about it. Where does she live, anyway?” - -“Why, I don’t know; I thought Auntie told you.” - -“No, she didn’t, but I know it can’t be far, because she said we could -get there in ten minutes. Here’s old Abe, let’s ask him.” - -The twins stopped an old man who was going by in his cart, and who was a -well-known character in the town. - -“Hello, Abe,” said Dick. “Do you know where Mrs. Hampton lives?” - -“Sure, my boy. I just came from there, havin’ been doin’ some cartin’ -for her. You see that red-brick house, over beyond those trees?” - -“Yes.” - -“Well, it’s the next one beyond,—a white one. You go over that way, and -anybody’ll direct you.” - -“All right; thank you, Abe,” and the old man drove on, while the twins -followed the direction he had given them. - -“I’d like to skip,” said Dolly, “but it makes our shoes all dusty.” - -“No, we mustn’t do that,” agreed Dick. “Aunt Rachel would have a cat-fit -if we weren’t spick and span when we get there.” - -So they walked on sedately, only pausing now and then to pick a flower, -or look at a bird on a branch. - -They inquired once more, in order to be sure, and then turned in at Mrs. -Hampton’s gate. A fine fountain was playing in the front yard, and the -twins crossed the lawn to see if there were any fish in it. There -weren’t, but the plash of the cool water was very attractive. - -“I’ll dare you to stick your foot in,” said Dick, suddenly. - -They stood on the very brink of the fountain basin, and so impossible -was it for either twin to refuse a “dare,” that Dolly’s immaculate white -shoe and stocking went flash into the water and out again before she -realised what she had done. - -“Oh, Dick!” she exclaimed; “you made me do that! What will Aunt Rachel -say?” - -“Too bad, Dollums,” said Dick, greatly disturbed at his own part in the -mischief. “I didn’t think what I was saying.” - -“And I didn’t think what I was doing! I dare you to stick _your_ foot -in!” - -Partly because of the dare, and partly because he was quite willing to -share his sister’s fate, Dick hastily thrust his own neat black shoe and -stocking in the water. - -“There!” he said, as half proudly he drew it out again. “Now we’re -even!” - -“Yes; but how can we go into Mrs. Hampton’s this way?” - -“Perhaps they won’t notice. Mine doesn’t feel very wet, does yours?” - -“Sopping! and they’ll drip all over her carpet.” - -“Let’s wipe them on the grass.” - -But the green grass did not improve the appearance of Dolly’s white -shoe, though Dick’s black one didn’t show the effects of the bath so -plainly. - -“Come on, Dolly, we may as well face the music.” - -They went on toward the house, and the dust of the footpath settled on -Dick’s wet shoe and stocking until he was quite as untidy looking as his -sister. - -“Wow! isn’t it soppy!” he exclaimed as the water in his shoe oozed and -spattered out. - -“Horrid! I don’t see why we did it!” - -“Well, keep up a brave face, maybe the parlour will be sort of dark and -they won’t notice.” - -They rang the bell, and a maid opened the door. - -“Is Mrs. Hampton in?” said Dolly, in her, sweetest tones. - -“Yes; walk in the drawing-room. What names?” - -“Miss Dana and Mr. Dana,” said Dolly, and was about to explain that they -had come to meet their aunts, when the maid disappeared. - -She returned to say that Mrs. Hampton would appear presently, and for -them to wait. - -“’Course we’ll wait,” said Dick to Dolly, as the maid again left them. -“The aunties aren’t here on time, after all. P’raps our feet’ll dry -before they come.” - -“I wish there was a fire. I’m dripping on this pretty light carpet. -Dick, let’s go out in the kitchen or some place, and find a fire.” - -“All right, come on.” - -They left the drawing-room, and as they crossed the hall they saw a -bright wood fire in a room across the hall, evidently the library. So -they went in, and drawing up two big chairs, they sat down and held -their two wet feet to the crackling blaze. - -“This is gay,” said Dick, leaning back in his chair with a sigh of -satisfaction. “We’ll be all dry in a few minutes, Doll.” - -“Yes; but I wish Aunt Rachel would come before Mrs. Hampton comes down. -I don’t know her. Do you?” - -“Nope; never saw her. But the aunties are bound to be here soon. It’s -quarter-past five, now.” - -“What _are_ you children doing?” said a voice behind them, and Dick and -Dolly jumped from their chairs, and saw a lady coming toward them. She -was a very pretty lady, in a trailing silk house gown, and lots of -frizzy light hair. - -Dolly thought she looked a little like Lady Eliza, and not at all like -any of Aunt Rachel’s other friends. - -“How do you do?” said Dolly, making her curtsey prettily, while Dick -bobbed his head. - -“How do you do?” returned Mrs. Hampton, “but who are you?” - -“We’re Dolly and Dick Dana,” said Dick, “and our aunties said for us to -meet them here at five o’clock. But they don’t seem to be here yet.” - -“No; they’re not. Are your aunties Miss Rachel and Miss Abbie Dana?” - -“Yes’m; and they said they would call here this afternoon.” - -“And they told us if they weren’t here to wait till they came,” said -Dolly. - -“Yes?” said Mrs. Hampton, looking at her quizzically. “And why are you -sitting almost into the fire? It’s a warm day.” - -“Yes,” said Dolly, “but you see, we stepped into the fountain as we came -along, and so we’re just drying our feet.” - -“That’s a very good idea,” and Mrs. Hampton’s smiling eyes were as -pleasant as if stepping into fountains was quite usual for her guests. -“And so your aunts are coming to call on me?” - -“Yes, at five o’clock. But they seem to be late, so, if you please, -we’ll wait for them.” - -They waited until half-past five, and then until quarter of six, and -still the Dana ladies didn’t come. The twins grew very impatient, for it -was most irksome to have to sit and talk polite conversation with a -grown-up lady. - -Mrs. Hampton asked so many questions too. Very impertinent questions -they seemed to Dick, though he answered to the best of his ability. - -Mrs. Hampton was smiling and pleasant, and seemed interested in hearing -about the Dana establishment, but still Dick and Dolly felt -uncomfortable, and wished their aunts would come. - -At six o’clock Mrs. Hampton said she felt sure the aunts had changed -their plans, and were not coming, and she delicately hinted that she -would send the twins home. - -“No,” said Dick, positively; “we must stay here till they come. Aunt -Abbie said to wait, no matter what time it was. And, besides, if they -have changed their plans, and are not coming here, they’d send Michael -for us, anyway.” - -Dolly agreed to this, and the two little martyrs sat for another -half-hour. - -“Well, if you stay any longer, you must stay to dinner,” said Mrs. -Hampton at last. “Do you sit up to dinner at home?” - -“We have supper at night,” said Dolly, and her lip quivered a little, -for she was beginning to feel anxious about her aunts. - -“Well, I have dinner at night,—at eight o’clock.” - -“At eight o’clock!” exclaimed Dolly. “Don’t you get awfully hungry -before that time?” - -“No, I don’t,” said Mrs. Hampton, smiling; “but I’m sure you -chickabiddies will. So suppose I give you a nice little supper up in my -sitting-room, and excuse you from dinner? I have guests coming, and it -isn’t exactly a children’s party, you see.” - -“But we’re not going to stay here all night!” exclaimed Dolly in dismay. - -“It looks that way to me,” said Mrs. Hampton. “I offered to send you -home, and you said no. Now I feel sure your aunts won’t come,—it’s too -late for them, and if you’re bound to wait for them, I can offer you -supper and pleasant sleeping rooms,—but I can’t invite you to dinner.” - -The twins were uncertain what to do. But after all, they had no choice. -Aunt Rachel had told them to wait until she came, and Aunt Rachel’s -orders were always to be obeyed. To be sure something might have -happened to prevent the aunties from carrying out their plan of calling -on Mrs. Hampton, but even so, they would have sent for the children. And -if they had gone home, they would surely send Michael over for them at -once. It wasn’t as if the aunties didn’t know where they were. They had -sent them to Mrs. Hampton’s, and told them to wait there. So they -waited. - -They thought Mrs. Hampton seemed a little annoyed because they waited. -But as Dick said to Dolly, “I’m not going to disobey Aunt Rachel for -another lady. But all the same, Dollums, I do want to go home.” - -“So do I,” said Dolly, “I think it’s horrid here.” - -It wasn’t really horrid at all, but to be unwelcome guests in a strange -house is not especially pleasant, no matter how pretty the house may be. - -The twins had been taken up to Mrs. Hampton’s sitting-room, and in -charge of a maid, had been served with a delightful little supper. Bread -and milk, jam, fresh strawberries, and dear little cakes, followed by -ice cream, made a goodly feast indeed. After it, their spirits rose a -little, and they ate their ice cream with smiling faces. - -“I think the aunties decided to come this evening instead of afternoon,” -said Dick, unable to think of any other explanation. - -“They never do make calls in the evening but perhaps that’s it,” said -Dolly, doubtfully. “I hear people coming in, Dick, let’s go and look -over the banisters.” - -Carrying their ice cream plates with them the twins stepped out into the -hall and looked over the banisters on the scene below. - -It was a fascinating glow of lights and flowers and ladies and gentlemen -in evening dress, for the dinner guests had come, and were standing -about, engaged in conversation. - -Dolly was enchanted with the grand ladies, with jewels in their hair, -and with low-necked gowns, and Dick, too, leaned over the banister to -see the gay scene. So absorbed were they that they did not heed their -melting ice cream, and, almost at the same moment, the soft, cold mass -slid from each tipped-up plate, on the heads and shoulders of the ladies -and gentlemen below. - -Such a shriek of dismay as arose brought Dick and Dolly to a realisation -of what they had done, and in an agony of mortification they fled back -to the sitting-room. - -Here Mrs. Hampton found them, their heads buried in sofa pillows, and -crying in muffled paroxysms. - -“You must go home,” she said, and her cold, hard tones were more of a -reproof than any words could have been. “My coachman will take you, and -I wish you to go at once.” - -“We wish to go, Mrs. Hampton,” said Dolly, striving to choke back her -tears while she made some sort of apology. “We’re very sorry we came, -and we’re ’ceeding sorry we spilled the ice cream. It was very good.” - -This sounded as if Dolly merely regretted the loss of the dainty, but it -was not so. She meant to compliment the supper that had been given them, -but, what with their worry over Aunt Rachel’s absence, their own -homesickness, and the awful accident of the ice cream, both children -were completely upset. - -“Please forgive us,” said Dick, holding out his little hand. “We’ve had -a lovely time,—and,—and we hope you’ll come to see us.” - -“I can’t make you out!” said Mrs. Hampton, looking at the children in -perplexity. “I thought you threw down that ice cream purposely.” - -“Oh, no!” cried both twins at once, and Dolly went on eagerly: “you see, -we never saw low-necked ladies and gentlemen at a party before; and we -were so awfully interested, we leaned over to see better, and I s’pose -the gas-lights heated up our ice cream and melted it, and it just -slipped off the plates.” - -“We ought to have held the plates more level,” said Dick, thoughtfully; -“I’m sorry we didn’t.” - -“I’m sorry, too, for you mortified me terribly and annoyed my guests, -which was worse.” - -“It’s terrible!” said Dolly, with a sigh. “I don’t see how you _can_ -forgive us.” - -“I couldn’t if you weren’t such a sweet little culprit,” said Mrs. -Hampton, smiling, and catching Dolly in her arms and kissing her. Then -she kissed Dick too, and, still smiling, she hurried away. - -The maid found the children’s hats, and hurried them down the back -stairs, where the coachman was waiting for them. Evidently the servants -were not as forgiving as Mrs. Hampton, for Dick and Dolly were fairly -hustled into the carriage, the door was banged shut, and they were -rapidly driven homeward. - -At Dana Dene, they were met on the threshold by two very -frightened-looking ladies, and while Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie each -clasped a twin in her arms, the Hampton carriage drove away. - -“You _dear_ babies! where have you been?” cried Aunt Abbie, while Aunt -Rachel squeezed Dick with an affection too deep for words. - -“Where have we been?” cried Dick, in amazement. “Why, we’ve been at Mrs. -Hampton’s, where you told us to go, and wait for you. We’ve been waiting -there ever since five o’clock!” - -“Why, Dickie, dear,” expostulated Miss Rachel, “we went to Mrs. -Hampton’s at five o’clock, and waited there for you until nearly six! -Then we came home, and ever since we’ve been nearly frantic because we -didn’t know where you were. Michael and Pat have been out hunting with -lanterns.” - -“But, Auntie, dear,” said Dolly, “we _did_ go to Mrs. Hampton’s, and -after we waited and waited, and you didn’t come, she gave us supper in -her sitting-room, ’cause she had a dinner party in the dining-room, and -the ladies had on beautiful frocks, all lacy and low-necked, and we -spilled ice cream on ’em!” - -“What!” - -“Yes’m; we didn’t mean to, you know, but it melted.” - -“Dolly, what _are_ you talking about? Mrs. Hampton is not having a -dinner party this evening. I just left there at six o’clock, so I know.” - -“Well, _our_ Mrs. Hampton is,” said Dick. “Are there two Mrs. Hamptons -in Heatherton, auntie?” - -“No, of course there aren’t! I wonder where you _have_ been!” - -“Well, she _is_ Mrs. Hampton, we called her that, and so did the maid. -It’s a beautiful house,—with a great big open round in the hall, where -you can look down,—and a fountain outside.” - -Miss Rachel sent for Michael. - -“Michael,” said she, “where do you suppose these children have been? -Whose carriage brought them home?” - -“I don’t know, Miss Rachel. It’s a new turnout in Heatherton. All swell, -jingly harness and livery, an’ the like o’ that.” - -“Dolly says they live in a big white house with a fountain in front.” - -“Arrah, thin, it’s the new people as is afther takin’ the Van Zandt -place. A widdy lady of great forchin, I’m towld; an’ be the same token, -I do belave they said her name was Hampden, or somethin’ like that.” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - - AUNT NINE - - -Of course that was the explanation. Mrs. Hampden was a wealthy young -widow who had just came to Heatherton to live. The Dana ladies did not -know her, and probably never would have known her had it not been for -the twins’ escapade. - -For lively little Mrs. Hampden belonged to a gay, modern set that had -little in common with the Dana ladies’ older and more conservative -circle of friends. Also, she was not at all like the Mrs. Hampton on -whom Miss Rachel and Miss Abbie were calling, and where the twins were -expected to meet them. - -But as the real fault lay at the aunties’ door, inasmuch as they had not -given the twins sufficiently explicit directions, it did not seem fair -to blame Dick and Dolly. - -And after hearing the story the twins told, Miss Rachel and Miss Abbie -saw that it was their duty to call on Mrs. Hampden, and apologise for -the trouble the children had made for her. - -This was not a pleasant or an easy thing to do, but as it turned out, -Mrs. Hampden was so flattered at having the Dana ladies call on her that -she willingly forgave the children’s escapade, and begged that they -might be allowed to come to see her again. - -This was not promised, for Miss Rachel Dana of Dana Dene was very -careful about making new acquaintances, and considered her present -visiting list quite long enough. The children themselves had no wish to -go again to the house where they had met with such an untoward accident, -and so the incident was closed, and the aunts trusted that Mrs. Hampden -would not return their call. - -“But I do think,” said Aunt Abbie, as they discussed the matter at home, -“that you two children ought to be reproved for spilling that ice -cream.” - -“I think so, too,” said Dick, cheerfully, “but ’course you know, auntie, -that we didn’t mean to do it.” - -“Certainly,” said Aunt Abbie, with some asperity, “I don’t suppose you -poured it down on the people purposely. But you are quite old enough to -know better than to walk about with saucers of food in your hands.” - -“So we are!” said Dolly, as if surprised at the fact. “Aunt Abbie, I do -believe we’re ’ceedingly bad children!” - -“Not exactly that,” said Aunt Abbie, smiling in spite of herself, “but -you are exceedingly thoughtless, and I want you to strive to correct -that fault.” - -“Yes’m,” said Dick, earnestly, “we’ll strive like fury. Honest, we will, -Aunt Abbie. Won’t we, Doll?” - -“Yes, indeedy!” agreed Dolly, with a very affirmative wagging of her -head. “And now, if you’re all through scolding, Aunt Abbie, may we kiss -you?” - -Then, without waiting for the requested permission, both children -tumbled themselves upon Miss Abbie, and gave her the soft answer that -turneth away wrath. For who could continue to reprove two affectionate -small persons, whose chubby arms flew about in wild caresses, and whose -insistent kisses fell just wherever they happened to land? But Miss -Abbie Dana was determined to instil some sense of decorum into her young -charges, so when released from their embraces, she began again: - -“Now that’s another thing, children; I want you to love me, of course. -But it seems to me you needn’t be so—so——” - -“Rampageous?” volunteered Dick. “That’s what Pat says we are.” - -“We can’t help it, auntie,” said Dolly, fixing her big brown eyes -solemnly on her aunt. “You see, we’re so ’thusiastic that when we love -anybody we love ’em fearful! And we just ’dore you and Aunt Rachel. -Don’t we, Dick?” - -“Well, I guess!” and then Miss Abbie had to stand another series of pats -and kisses, which, in view of the recent conversation, the twins made a -little less boisterous. - -“Well, you’re dear little twinsies,” said Aunt Abbie, as at last they -ran away. - -“And,” she added to herself, “I think I can make them improve their -manners by just keeping at it.” - -Poor Miss Abbie wanted to bring the children up rightly, but the work -was so new to her she didn’t know exactly how to conduct it. - -As for Miss Rachel, she vibrated between over-indulgence and -over-severity, an occasion of one being conscientiously followed by the -other. - -So the twins nearly always had their own sweet way, and as, though -sometimes thoughtless, they were not mischievous children, Dana Dene was -brighter and happier for their presence. - -One Monday the aunties were getting ready for the Reading Circle, which -was to meet at Dana Dene in the afternoon. It was very inconvenient for -all the members that the club should meet on washdays, but as it always -had done so, of course that couldn’t be changed. - -Some ladies had the washing put off till Tuesday, but life at Dana Dene -was far too methodical for that. - -So when the club was expected, Delia tried to get her wash all hung out -by noon, and so be ready to help in the afternoon. For, though the club -didn’t assemble until three o’clock, and tea was served at five, there -was much to be done in the way of prinking up the house for the -occasion. The twins were allowed to help, and Dolly dusted, and brought -water for the flower vases, and helped adjust fresh pillow-shams and -bureau covers, until Aunt Rachel declared she didn’t know how she ever -got ready for Reading Circle without Dolly’s help. And Dick’s as well; -for he cut flowers, and ran lots of errands, and did lots of useful -things. - -And when, at about eleven o’clock, he saw the telegram boy coming with a -yellow envelope, he took it and flew to Aunt Rachel with it faster than -any one else could have done. - -“For gracious goodness’ sake!” exclaimed Miss Rachel as she read it; -“Aunt Nine is coming to dinner to-day!” - -“To-day!” said Miss Abbie in a tone positively tragic, as she sank down -in a big chair. “Why, she can’t, Rachel! It’s after eleven now, and the -Reading Circle coming at three, and nothing but cold beef for dinner!” - -“It doesn’t matter whether she can or not; she’s coming,” and Miss -Rachel, who had turned fairly white with dismay, sat down opposite her -sister. - -“Who’s Aunt Nine? What a funny name!” cried Dick, dancing around in -excited curiosity. - -Dolly picked up the telegram, which had fluttered to the floor. - -“‘Will arrive at twelve-thirty,’” she read; “‘meet me at the station.’” - -“Why, it’s signed ‘P. Dana,’” said Dick. “How can P. Dana be Aunt Nine? -How can it, Aunt Abbie?” He squeezed into the big chair beside Miss -Abbie, and patted her cheek to attract her attention. “How can it? How -does P. stand for Nine? Or do you mean nine aunts are coming? Oh, Doll, -wouldn’t that be fun?” - -“Tell me,” urged Dolly, squeezing herself into Aunt Rachel’s lap, “tell -me first, auntie, ’fore Dick knows. Quick, tell me! Who’s Aunt Nine? -What does it mean?” - -“Oh, Dolly, for mercy’s sake don’t bother me now! She’s Aunt Penninah, -your great-aunt, of course. We always call her Aunt Nine. And she’s the -most particular, fussy, pernicketty old lady in the world!” - -“Oh, she’s dreadful!” sighed Aunt Abbie. “We always spend weeks getting -ready for her. She never came so unexpectedly before.” - -“But the house is all in order,” suggested Dolly, anxious to be -comforting. - -“Yes, for the Reading Circle. But not for Aunt Penninah. She looks into -every cupboard and storeroom, and, besides, we’ve nothing for dinner.” - -“I’ll go get something,” offered Dick. “What do you want?” - -“Oh, I don’t know! I don’t know!” groaned Miss Rachel. “Go and send -Hannah here. And it’s wash-day, too! And the Reading Club! Oh, what can -we do?” - -But after the first surprise and bewilderment were over, the Dana ladies -rose to the occasion, and did the best they could. - -Michael was sent to town for supplies, Hannah was instructed to set the -table with special elaboration, and Aunt Abbie herself went into the -kitchen and whisked up a pudding. - -Delia was still at her washing, and Pat was putting finishing touches to -the lawn and flower-beds so they could not be disturbed. - -The twins flew about in earnest endeavours to help, but after their -breaking a cut-glass vase, and upsetting a small table of bric-à-brac, -Aunt Rachel lost patience. - -“Dick and Dolly,” she said, “you go upstairs and stay either in your own -rooms or in your playroom until dinner is served at one o’clock! Do you -understand? No; I’m not scolding, but I’m so put about that you two -simply drive me distracted! Now obey me exactly, for that’s all you can -do to help. Come down to the library at five minutes to one,—not a -minute before. And see that you’re spandy clean, and very nicely -dressed. Put on your blue lawn, Dolly, and tie your hair ribbons -carefully.” - -“Yes’m; Dick’ll tie ’em for me. He does it just lovely.” - -Subdued by Aunt Rachel’s desperate manner, the twins crept away, -resolved to be very good, and do exactly as they were told. - -“It isn’t twelve yet,” said Dick; “no use dressing now. We’d only get -all rumpled up. Let’s go up in the playroom.” - -So up they went, and began to play with Lady Eliza. - -“Hello, ’Liza!” cried Dick, shaking her wax hand cordially. “I haven’t -seen you in some time. Are you well?” - -“Pretty well,” said Dolly in a squeaky voice. It was part of their play -that, whenever either twin spoke to Lady Eliza, the other twin was to -answer for her. - -“Pretty well. But I’m tired of this old frock,—I want a change.” - -“All right,” said Dick; “we’ll fix you up. Let’s rig her up gay, Doll, -and we’ll show her off to Aunt Nine.” - -“All right,” and Dolly flew to the trunk that contained Lady Eliza’s -wardrobe. - -They selected an old-fashioned blue silk dress that Aunt Rachel had -given them, and proceeded to array Eliza in it. Then Dolly dressed her -hair. She loved to do this, for Eliza’s hair was very profuse, if not of -very fine texture, and soon Dolly had built a fine array of puffs and -curls, with a fancy ornament of blue and silver tucked in at the side. - -Then, desiring to make her very grand, Dolly put a necklace of her own -round Eliza’s neck, and added several long strings of beads, hung with -various trinkets. - -“How do I look?” said Dolly in the squeaky voice that always represented -Lady Eliza’s talking. - -“You look gay,” said Dick. “Perhaps this afternoon you’ll meet a grand -lady, Miss Nine Dana. I hope you’ll behave properly.” - -“Oh, I’ll behave lovely,” squeaked Eliza, and then the twins ran away to -dress for dinner. By quarter of one they were all ready. - -Dolly looked very sweet and demure in her frilly blue lawn, and her -beautiful hair was tied with a big white bow which Dick had skilfully -arranged. By practice his deft little fingers had conquered the science -of tying bows, so Dolly’s hair ribbons were always marvels of correct -proportions. - -They had promised not to go to the library until five minutes of one, -and the ten minutes intervening seemed interminable. They drifted back -to the playroom to say good-by to Eliza, when Dick had an inspiration. - -“Let’s take her down,” he said, “and put her in the dining-room to greet -Aunt Nine when we all go out to dinner.” - -“Let’s!” cried Dolly, and in a jiffy they were carrying the Lady Eliza -Dusenbury silently down the back stairs. By good luck they didn’t -encounter Hannah or the aunties, and they reached the dining-room in -safety. - -“Where shall we stand her?” said Dick. “In the bay window?” - -“No,” said Dolly. “Let’s sit her at the table.” - -“She won’t sit.” - -“Well, we’ll sort of slide her under; if we put her in Aunt Rachel’s big -chair she’ll be all right.” - -They propped Eliza into the chair, and though she seemed to be falling -backward in a swoon, her bright eyes and pink cheeks betokened good -health. Her elaborate costume looked fine at the prettily set table, and -Dick moved her arms about until they seemed extended in welcome. - -“That’s fine!” said Dolly, nodding admiringly at the tableau. - -“This is finer!” cried Dick, and taking the large carving-knife from the -table, he thrust it into Eliza’s outstretched hand. This was easily done -by sticking the knife handle partly up her long tight sleeve, and her -effect, as she brandished the glittering steel, was now ferocious. - -“Gay!” cried Dolly; “won’t they be s’prised! Come on, Dick, it’s five -minutes to one.” - -The twins, hand in hand, went into the library, and with their best -curtseys were presented to Aunt Penninah. - -“These are the children, Aunt Nine,” said Miss Rachel, and Dick and -Dolly saw, sitting an a big armchair, the most imposing-looking -personage they had ever met. - -Miss Penninah Dana was a large and very tall woman, with white hair, and -large, piercing black eyes that seemed to see everything. - -“H’m; twins, are you?” she said, looking at them over her eyeglasses. -“You seem very demure. Are you always so quiet?” - -Dick rolled his eyes toward Aunt Rachel. - -“Shall we show her?” he whispered, quite ready to pounce on the new aunt -if desired. - -“Mercy, no!” said Miss Rachel. “Do behave, if you can.” - -“Well,” said Dick, answering Aunt Nine’s question, “we’re _not_ always -so quiet. But to-day we’re trying to be good because you’re here, and -the Reading Circle is coming.” - -“But sometimes we’re good when there isn’t company, too,” put in Dolly, -not wanting to be misjudged. - -“I’m surprised at that!” said Aunt Nine, but there was a merry gleam in -her eye, and somehow the twins began to think they were going to like -her in spite of her majestic appearance. - -Then dinner was announced, and, as the guest arose, the children were -impressed afresh with her evident importance. - -She walked like a duchess, and seemed to expect everybody to dance -attendance upon her. - -Aunt Rachel picked up her handkerchief, and Aunt Abbie her vinaigrette, -for she dropped them both as she rose. - -The twins, greatly interested, walked behind, and they all started -toward the dining-room. - -As they neared the door, the hostesses stepped back and Aunt Penninah -stalked stiffly into the room. - -Perhaps it was not to be wondered at, for the figure at the table was -certainly startling to look at, and the glittering carving knife was -aimed straight at her, but Aunt Penninah threw up both her hands, gave a -fearful shriek, and fainted dead away! - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - - A CORONATION - - -“Oh, Aunt Nine, what _is_ the matter?” cried Miss Rachel, bending over -her, while Miss Abbie fluttered around distractedly. - -They had not yet seen Lady Eliza, as they were so engrossed with their -stricken guest. - -Nor did it occur to Dick and Dolly, at first, that it was their beloved -Eliza that had caused the trouble. - -Aunt Penninah began to revive, as Miss Rachel sprinkled water in her -face, and Miss Abbie held her strong smelling-salts to her nose. - -“Who is it?” she asked, faintly, sitting up on the floor, and pointing -to the dangerous-looking person with the carving knife. - -“Oh,” cried Dolly, “if she wasn’t scared at Lady Eliza! Why, that’s -nobody, Aunt Nine! Only just a wax doll.” - -“Take that thing away!” said Miss Rachel, sternly, as she realised what -had happened. - -Dick and Dolly fairly jumped. Aunt Rachel had never spoken to them in -that tone before, and they suddenly realised that it had been naughty to -put Eliza at the table, though they had thought it only a joke. -Silently, the twins began to lift Eliza from her chair, when Aunt Nine -screamed out: - -“Come away, children! You’ll be killed! Oh, Rachel, who is she?” - -“Nobody, Aunt Nine. It’s a doll, a wax dummy that belongs to the -children. They put her there for fun, I suppose.” - -“Fun!” roared Aunt Penninah, glaring at the twins. “Do you call it _fun_ -to frighten me out of my senses?” - -As her speech and manner nearly frightened the twins out of _their_ -senses, they were pretty nearly even, but apparently the old lady was -waiting for an answer. - -“We _thought_ it would be fun,” said Dolly, truthfully. “You see, we -didn’t know how easily you scared.” - -“Easily scared, indeed! Who wouldn’t be scared to come into a room and -find a strange woman brandishing a carving knife in my very face! A nice -pair of children you are! Leave the room at once,—or else I shall!” - -Dick and Dolly were bewildered by this tornado of wrath, and began to -edge toward the hall door, keeping out of reach of the irate lady. - -But Miss Rachel, though deeply mortified and seriously annoyed at the -twins’ mischief, was a strong stickler for justice, and she well knew, -Dick and Dolly had meant only a harmless joke. - -“Now, Aunt Nine,” she said; “don’t take this so seriously. The children -meant no harm, they wanted to amuse you; and had it not been for the -carving knife, I daresay you would have found the Lady Eliza very funny -indeed.” - -“Funny! that horrible thing with her staring eyes! Take her away so I -can eat my dinner!” - -At a gesture from Aunt Abbie, Hannah and Dick removed the offending -Eliza, and returned the carving knife to the sideboard. As Eliza was a -great friend of both Hannah and Delia, she was allowed to stand in the -butler’s pantry all through dinner time. - -“Well, what do you say, Aunt Nine?” said Aunt Abbie, “may the twins sit -at table, or would you rather have them sent from the room?” - -“Oh, let them stay,” said the old lady, not very graciously. “I’ve no -desire to be too severe, but that awful sight shocked my nerves, and I -may never get over it.” - -This awful outlook grieved Dolly’s tender heart, and she flew to the old -lady and clasped her hand, while she said: - -“I’m _so_ sorry, Aunt Nine! I didn’t know you had nerves, and I thought -you’d be ’mused to see Lady Eliza sitting there. I don’t know _how_ we -happened to give her the carving knife. But we ’most always put -_something_ in her hand. I wish we’d thought of a fan! That would have -been pretty, and it wouldn’t have hurt your nervousness,—would it?” - -“Perhaps not,” said Aunt Penninah, grimly, but she couldn’t help smiling -at pretty little Dolly, who was caressing her be-ringed old hand, and -looking imploringly up into her face. - -Then she turned to Dick. - -“And how about you, sir?” she said. “Did you think it amusing to -threaten a guest with a carving-knife?” - -Dick came over and looked at her with his straightforward eyes. - -“I didn’t mean to threaten you, of course,” he said. “But it _was_ -naughty, and I’m sorry,—we’re both sorry,—and can we do _anything_ to -make you forgive us?” - -“No, you can’t,” said Aunt Penninah, “but when you look at me like -that,—with your father’s very eyes,—there is no question of -forgiveness. You’re all Dana—both of you!” - -And then the strange old lady kissed both the twins and peace was -restored all around. - -Dinner went on smoothly. Miss Abbie and Miss Rachel were secretly -impatient, because there was much yet to be done before the Reading -Circle came, but Miss Penninah’s presence admitted of no scanting of -ceremony. - -Hannah’s service was more punctilious than the twins had ever before -known it, for Hannah had been at Dana Dene many years, and knew the -exactions and demands of a visit from Miss Penninah. - -But at last the lengthy meal reached its close. - -“Will you go to your room for a rest, Aunt Nine?” said Miss Abbie, -hopefully, as they rose from the table. - -“No, I won’t; I’m not tired at all. I’ll make the further acquaintance -of these very astonishing young relatives of mine.” - -“Oh, do, Aunt Nine! Do come and play with us!” cried Dick, with such -unmistakable sincerity that the old lady was greatly pleased. - -“Yes, come out and see our gardens,” said Dolly, dancing by her side, -and to the great relief of the other two aunties, Miss Penninah walked -off with the twins. - -Then Hannah and the two ladies flew ’round like mad. They put leaves in -the table until it was as long as possible; they set it with all the -best china and glass and silver for the Reading Circle’s tea. For the -feast was not a tea at all, but a most elaborate supper, and Aunt Nine’s -coming had sadly delayed the preparations. - -Meantime, that elderly dame was walking round the children’s playground. -She was greatly pleased with their gardens, and was surprised to learn -that they tilled and weeded them all themselves. - -“You’re really very smart little people,” she said, “and quite worthy to -bear the Dana name.” - -The twins were flattered, for they well knew how highly all their aunts -thought of the Dana name, and, too, they had already begun to like the -peculiar old lady who had scolded them so harshly at the very beginning -of their acquaintance. - -When it was nearly time for the ladies of the Reading Circle to arrive, -Aunt Rachel told the twins they must go out to their playground and stay -there all the afternoon. - -“For,” she said, “I cannot run the risk of having some ridiculous thing -happen during our programme. You don’t mean to do wrong, but you’re just -as likely as not to stand Lady Eliza up beside our President when she’s -making her address. So take Eliza with you, and go out to the garden, -and stay there until Delia rings the bell, or Hannah comes to call you.” - -“All right,” said Dick, “and if any of the boys or girls come over, may -Hannah send them out there to us?” - -“Yes, I’ll tell her. Now, run along.” - -They ran along, though slowly, because of Lady Eliza’s difficult -transportation. But at last they reached the playground, and stood Eliza -in a corner, ready for action when they needed her. - -“Jiminy Crickets!” remarked Dick, “but Aunt Nine’s the funny old lady, -isn’t she, Doll?” - -“Yep; but I sort of like her. After she got through blowing us up, she -was real jolly.” - -“Yes, and wasn’t Auntie Rachel the brick to stand up for us at dinner -time?” - -“She was so. I wonder how long Aunt Nine is going to stay.” - -“I dunno. A week, I guess. Hello, here comes Pinkie. Hello, Pinkie!” - -“Hello!” she returned, and then almost before she and Dolly had said -“Hello!” Jack Fuller came. - -This quartette were almost always together on pleasant afternoons, and -as Dana Dene had attractions that the other homes didn’t possess, they -played there oftener than elsewhere. - -“Hello, Lady Eliza Dusenbury,” said Jack, shaking hands with that silent -partner. - -Of course, all the boys and girls knew Lady Eliza now, and indeed the -citizens of the village had ceased to be surprised when the twins rode -to town in the farm wagon, with Eliza accompanying them. - -The servants at Dana Dene took her as a matter of course, and Michael -was fond of bowing politely, and saying, “The top of the mornin’ to ye, -ma’am!” - -“Let’s build a throne and crown Eliza queen,” suggested Jack, and the -rest at once agreed. - -“What shall we make the throne of?” asked Dolly. - -“I’ll ask Michael,” said Dick, “he always helps us out.” - -But Michael was busy with some extra work connected with the visit of -the Reading Circle, and had no time for bothering with youngsters. - -“Throne, is it?” he said; “I’ve no time to be buildin’ ye royal palaces! -Take the wheelbarry fer a throne, shure!” - -It was a chance suggestion, but it served, and Dick returned to the -waiting group, trundling the wheelbarrow. - -“We can’t bother Michael much,” he said, “’cause he has to run that -Reading Circle thing. But I guess we can fix up this wheelbarrow with -flowers and greens and make it do. Hello, Maddy; Hello, Cliff!” - -Madeleine and Clifford Lester had arrived during Dick’s absence, but -greetings were soon spoken, and the more the merrier. - -Then the half dozen went to work with a will, using both heads and hands -to devise ingenious plans for the coronation of Eliza. - -“She ought to be dressed in white,” said Dolly, looking disapprovingly -on Eliza’s blue dress; “but she hasn’t a white frock to her name.” - -“Hasn’t your aunt any?” asked Pinkie, realising the real need of white. - -“I can’t bother her to-day,” said Dolly, decidedly; “she’s got the -Reading Circle and Aunt Nine both at once; and she told me to keep out.” - -“Couldn’t you get a big white apron from Delia,” suggested Maddy Lester. - -“No; queens don’t wear aprons.” - -Then Dolly’s eye lighted on the clothes line, full of the Monday wash, -which busy Delia had not yet taken in, though it was thoroughly dry. - -“I might get something there!” she cried. “Come on, girls!” - -The three girls ran to the big, sunny bleaching ground, where three long -lines of white clothes waved in the breeze. - -[Illustration: LADY DUSENBURY’S PARTY (Page 288)] - -“They’re all too little,” said Pinkie, as she viewed Dolly’s own dresses -and petticoats. - -“No, here’s Aunt Rachel’s nightgown! This will do!” cried Dolly, and in -a jiffy she had the clothespins pulled off, and the voluminous, ruffled -garment in her arms. - -“Just the thing!” cried Maddy, and they raced back to the playground. - -It made a beautiful white robe for Eliza, and when belted with a large -bath-towel, also brought from the clothes line, Eliza looked like an -Oriental princess. - -“Get another towel and make a turban,” said Clifford, and this gave -their queen a still more foreign look. - -“The throne thing ought to be white, too,” said Pinkie, who had an eye -for color effect. “It’ll be a lot prettier to pin the flowers and greens -on, if it’s white first. Let’s get sheets,—shall we, Dolly?” - -“I don’t care,” said Dolly, absorbed in making Eliza’s turban stay on -her head. - -So Pinkie and Madeleine flew for the sheets, and stripped the -clothesline of all there were there. - -“Now!” they exclaimed, coming back triumphantly, with their arms full of -billows of white linen. - -“Now!” cried Dick, and they fell to work, and draped and twisted the -sheets, until the wheelbarrow was a lovely white throne. This they -decked with their flower garlands, and then lifted Queen Eliza up on it. -As she, too, had been decked with blossoms and garlands, it was really a -pretty sight, and the children clapped their hands and danced about in -glee at their own success. - -“Now, we’ll crown her,” said Dick, “but I say, Dollums, we all ought to -be in white, too!” - -“That’s easy,” said Dolly, recklessly; “there’s lots of things on the -clothesline yet.” - -Back there they all ran, and chose costumes to please their varying -tastes. - -The three girls chose more ruffled nightgowns like Eliza’s and looped -them up with flowers on either side, like fancy overskirts. - -The boys selected lace-ruffled petticoats that belonged variously to the -aunts or to Hannah and Delia, and round their shoulders they draped -tablecloths or pillowshams in toga fashion. - -Some table centrepieces and carving-scarfs formed fine head-gear, and by -the time all the costumes were completed, the clotheslines looked as if -the wash had been taken in after all. - -The white-garbed half dozen pranced back to the queen on her throne, and -the ceremonies began. - -“First, we sing a dirge,” said Jack Fuller. - -“Not a dirge,” said Dolly. “Don’t you mean a chant?” - -“Well, some waily kind of a thing, anyway.” - -So they all droned an inharmonious series of wailings that might have -been imitative of Chinese tom-toms, only it wasn’t meant to be. - -“Now we must have a speech,” said Pinkie; “you make it, Dick; you’re -good at that.” - -“All right,” said Dick, and stepping forward, while his tablecloth toga -trailed in the dust, he began: - -“Oh, Queen Eliza Dusenbury, we beg you to accept this crown. We want you -for our beloved queen, and we will obey all your rules and reggilations. -We bow our hominage——” - -“Homage,” corrected Jack. - -“’Taint, it’s hominage! bow, anyway!” - -So they all bowed in token of homage to their queen. - -“Now we have to back away,” said Maddy; “they always do at court.” - -The six backed away from the queen’s throne, but as backing with long -trailing robes is not to be neatly done without practice, they one and -all tripped over their trains and togas and went tumbling around on the -ground. - -“Get up, all of you!” cried Dick, who had scrambled to his feet. “Now we -must sing.” - -“What shall we sing?” - -“I don’t care—‘John Brown’s Body,’ I guess.” - -So they all sang “John Brown’s Body” with great gusto, and then the -coronation ceremonies were declared over. - -And none too soon, for just then they saw Michael coming with a huge -trayful of good things, which he placed on the table in the arbour. - -“Fer the land’s sake!” he exclaimed as the children crowded round. -“Whativer have yez been up to now! The clean clo’es from the line, as -I’m a sinner! Arrah, but ye’ll catch it, ye bad babies!” - -“Wow! they did get dirty, didn’t they?” exclaimed Jack, realising for -the first time how they had tumbled about on the ground. - -“Yes, they’re all dirt and grass stains. Will your aunts mind, Dolly?” - -“I don’t know,” said Dolly, “but anyway it isn’t your fault, any of you. -Let’s take ’em off and eat supper now.” - -It was characteristic of Dolly to spare her guests’ feelings, though she -had herself a sudden uneasy sense of naughtiness at having taken the -clean clothes to play with. But it was also her nature to put off an -evil hour, if possible, so the children gaily scrambled out of their -white raiment and sat down to the feast with good appetites. - -“The girls is waitin’ on the Readin’ ladies,” said Michael, as he came -out with a second trayful, “so ye’re to wait on yerselves with these -things.” - -Then Dolly and Pinkie arranged the table, and soon the group were eating -sandwiches and cakes and strawberries and ice cream, and all the good -things that went to make up a Reading Circle feast. - -“The little raskills!” said Michael, as he gathered up the sheets and -garments they had thrown off. “Whativer is the rayson, I dunno, but Miss -Dolly and Masther Dick is just the baddest little shpalpeens I iver saw, -an’ yet I love ’em, ivery breath they draws!” - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - - PUNISHMENT - - -The Reading ladies had departed, and the younger guests of Dana Dene -had also trotted homeward. - -“It’s too bad to take those things off of Eliza,” said Dolly, “she looks -so pretty in ’em. Let’s take her, wheelbarrow and all, to show to the -aunties.” - -“I’m ’fraid Aunt Nine will faint again,” objected Dick. - -“Oh, no, she won’t; it was the carving knife that scared her.” - -So the twins trundled the white-draped wheelbarrow, and its white-garbed -occupant straight up to the front door of the house. - -“Come out, aunties!” they called. “The queen wants you to salute her -majesty!” - -Hearing the commotion, the three ladies came out on the veranda, and -this time Aunt Penninah did not faint, but seemed greatly interested in -the majestic Eliza. - -“What have you put on her?” the old lady cried. “Why, they’re -clothes,—rough-dry! Did you take them from the clotheslines? Rachel, do -you allow these children to act up like that? I am ashamed of them, and -you, too!” - -Just then Delia came out to the veranda with a clothes-basketful of the -garments the children had played with. Good-natured Delia rarely minded -the twins’ mischief, but it had been a specially hard day, and the extra -work and company had tired her out completely. Also, it _was_ annoying -to find her carefully washed clothes all muddied and grass-stained! - -“Will ye look at this, Miss Rachel!” she exclaimed, her face red and -angry. “It’s too much to ask of a gur-rl to hurry up her wash an’ cook -for comp’ny on a Monday, an’ thin to go fer her clothes, an’ find ’em -like this!” - -Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie looked at the twins. So did Aunt Penninah. -Dick and Dolly looked at the clothes in Delia’s basket. They _were_ a -sorry sight, but the twins seemed surprised rather than ashamed. - -“Why, Delia Maloney!” cried Dick. “Are you sure we spoiled those clothes -like that! Why, we just wore them to the coronation. I didn’t ’spect it -would hurt ’em a bit!” - -“Neither did I!” cried Dolly. “I’m awful sorry, Delia. I s’pose we ought -not to have taken ’em; but truly, I never thought about their getting -dirty. Will you have to wash ’em all over again?” - -“Will I!” said Delia, grimly; “that I will, Miss Dolly; an’ a foine time -I’ll have gettin’ the green stains out, for-bye the mud; an’ to say -nothin’ of their being torn to bits!” - -She held up a sheet and a tablecloth, each of which showed a jagged -tear. - -“I’ll mend those,” said Dolly, cheerfully, “they’ll be good practice, -for Aunt Rachel is just teaching me darning in my sewing lessons.” - -Soft-hearted Delia couldn’t help smiling at the earnest little face; -Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie looked perplexed; but Aunt Penninah was -unable to restrain expression of her feelings. - -“You’re the worst children I ever saw!” she exclaimed; “the very worst! -At nine years old you should know better than to cut up such naughty, -wicked tricks! You must be severely punished. Rachel, if you don’t -punish them, I shall do so myself!” - -Now Dick and Dolly were quite unaccustomed to this sort of scolding. -Aunt Rachel, though severe in principle, was very lenient in practice, -and Aunt Abbie was gentleness itself. So it was with real curiosity that -the twins drew nearer, to look at the reddening face and flashing black -eyes of their great-aunt, and Dick said, very seriously: - -“We _were_ naughty, Aunt Nine; and if you punish us, how are you going -to do it?” - -The question was not at all impertinent, Dick’s round little face showed -only a justifiable interest, and Aunt Penninah looked a little baffled, -as both twins waited eagerly for her answer. - -“Do just what you please in the matter, Aunt Nine,” said Miss Rachel, -who had never quite outlived her youthful awe of the stern old lady. -Miss Abbie clasped her hands in alarm, as if fearing the twins would be -subjected to torture, and they all awaited Miss Penninah’s dictum. - -“I think,” said the old lady, slowly,—and then she paused, a little -disconcerted at the earnest gaze of the four brown eyes, that were so -like those of the children’s father, her favourite nephew. - -“I think,” she went on, more gently, “that I shall forbid you to go -outside the house all day to-morrow.” - -She didn’t say that she had had a far more severe punishment in mind, -but had been deterred from inflicting it by those appealing eyes. - -“Whew!” cried Dick, “stay in the house a whole day!” - -“Yes,” said Aunt Nine, her ire returning as she noted the other aunts’ -sorrowful looks, and Delia’s woe-begone face. “You children need -discipline. It’s terrible the way you’re let to run wild! Rachel, you’ve -no idea of training children properly, and as for you, Abbie, you’re -simply a tool in their hands!” - -Dolly took a step nearer to the old lady. - -“Aunt Nine!” she cried, with flashing eyes, “don’t you talk like that -about my Aunt Abbie, or my Aunt Rachel, either! They know how to bring -up children just splendid! And they’re doing the best they can with me -and Dick, but, as you know yourself, we’re the worst children ever,—so -what can you ’spect?” - -“Yes,” said Dick, taking his sister’s part, as usual. “We’ll do your old -punishment, and we’re sorry we were naughty;—but you can’t jump on our -aunties like that!” - -The youngest inheritors of the celebrated Dana “spunk,” faced bravely -the oldest member of the proud old family, and she realised the justice -of their reproof. - -“The children are partly right,” she said, turning to her older nieces -with a short, sharp laugh; “and the matter must not be discussed further -in their presence. Dick and Dolly, you will obey my orders about -to-morrow, and now come and kiss me, and we will drop the subject.” - -Dick stared at his aunt and hesitated, but quicker-witted Dolly -appreciated that, in Aunt Penninah’s mind, the coming punishment wiped -out even remembrance of the fault, and she willingly kissed her. Not the -spontaneous, loving sort of embraces they gave the other aunties, but a -whole-hearted, honest kiss of truce. - -Dick followed her example, and then the twins were excused, and they -raced out in the kitchen after Delia. - -“The intherferin’ ould lady!” cried Delia, as she snatched the children -in her arms. “Sorra the day I iver wint to Miss Rachel wid thim clo’es; -but I was that put about, Miss Dolly, dear.” - -“Oh, pooh, Delia,” cried Dick; “you were all right, and we’ve come to -’pollergize for spoilin’ your wash all up. We’re awful sorry.” - -“Yes,” chimed in Dolly, as Delia embraced them both; “we’ll never do it -again; but, truly, Delia, we didn’t think!” - -“Av coorse ye didn’t, ye blissid babies! Shure ye niver think! An’ -what’s a wash, more or less? I wish ould Miss Penninah had to do it -hersilf fur teasin’ ye.” - -“Now, Delia,” said Dick, “you mustn’t talk that way. Aunt Nine is our -aunt, and we must love and respect her just as we do the other aunties.” - -“It’s a thrue Dana ye are, Masther Dick; both of yez. An’ ye’re right, -too. Miss Penninah is the grand old lady, and the rale head of the -fambly. So do yez take yer punishment like the shwate childher ye be.” - -And having duly made good their reputation as “true Danas” Dick and -Dolly trotted off to bed. - -The next day proved to be the very loveliest day of the whole Spring. - -The sun incessantly winked an invitation for the twins to come out and -play. The blue sky smiled the same plea, and the soft breeze whispered -it again and again. - -The flowers nodded at them as they looked out of the windows, and the -trees spread their branches, as in a welcoming embrace. - -The birds twittered, “Come, come!” and, though too far away to be heard, -Dolly knew, her pet chicken was peeping the same words. - -But worst of all was to see Pat watering their own flower-beds,—their -pansies and daffodils that had never drank from any hands save the -twins’ own! - -This sight nearly made the tears come, but Dick said bravely: - -“We must make the best of it, Dollums. There’s no use of getting all -weepy-waily when it won’t do any good.” - -“No, but Dick, don’t you s’pose she’d just let us go and water our -plants,—if we came right back?” - -“Sha’n’t ask her; and don’t you ask that, either. Now we’ll both do our -practising,—I guess I’ll practise another hour while you’re doing your -old sewing,—and then let’s go up in the attic to play.” - -Dolly brightened a little. “All right; we’ve always been going to fish -around up there, and we never had a good chance before.” - -So Dolly went to one piano, and Dick to the other, and they practised so -diligently and painstakingly, that Aunt Penninah, who listened at the -doors, was greatly pleased with their thorough work. - -“There’s good stuff in those children, Rachel,” she said; “if you don’t -spoil them by your foolish leniency and over-indulgence.” - -“I don’t mean to, Aunt Nine,” said Miss Rachel, a little meekly, “but -you know they’re never purposely mischievous. The Danas are all -impulsive and thoughtless, and Dick is exactly like his father was at -his age.” - -“Yes, I know all that; but they need a strong hand to rule them, and -though you and Abbie are firm enough in some ways, you give right in to -those twins. Now, I don’t!” - -“No,” said Miss Rachel, grimly, “you don’t. How long are you going to -stay this time, Aunt Nine?” - -“I planned to stay only a day or two; but as I’ve become interested in -John’s children, I shall remain a week at least. I want to learn their -natures, and, incidentally, I can help you with my judgment and advice.” - -Miss Rachel groaned in spirit, but made no audible objection to her -aunt’s decree. - -Dolly’s sewing hour that day was devoted to mending the clothes she and -her little friends had torn, and by dint of much instruction from the -three aunts, and honest industry on her own part, she achieved some very -creditable darns and patches. - -During the sewing hour, Aunt Penninah sought out Dick, and had a talk -with him. She was rather severe, but the clan feeling was strong in -both, and after their conversation Dick felt a loyalty and respect -toward the old lady, if not a deep affection. - -Then, Dolly’s sewing hour being over, the twins scampered for the attic. - -“It’s horrid,” said Dick, “to be shut up in this stuffy old place on a -day like this; but let’s get all the fun we can out of it.” - -“Let’s,” agreed Dolly, and as a starter they rambled through the old, -unused rooms, and looked at the old pictures and discarded furniture -stored there. - -“Awful poky!” said Dick as they sat down on a haircloth sofa, and stared -at each other. - -“Yes,” said Dolly, with a scowl. “I think Aunt Nine is a horrid——” - -“Don’t talk that way, Doll,” said Dick, remembering his conversation -with the old lady; “just forget it,—forget outdoors and flowers and -everything,—and let’s play something nice.” - -“What can we play?” asked Dolly, disconsolately. - -“I dunno; but isn’t it funny why we can’t think of something? If it was -a rainy day and we couldn’t go outdoors, we’d have lots of fun in the -house.” - -“Well, let’s play it’s raining then.” - -This was a distinct suggestion, and Dick caught it at once. - -“Wow!” he cried, looking out of the window; “what a storm! It’s just -pouring!” - -“So it is!” said Dolly, gleefully; “we couldn’t go out to-day even with -umbrellas! Do you s’pose it’ll clear by to-morrow?” - -“Yes, I guess so. But it won’t stop all day to-day.” - -“No, I don’t believe it will. So we’ll play up here to-day.” - -Then the twins went into the big lumber room, where all sorts of old -things were stored away. - -“What’s that big boxy thing, face to the wall?” asked Dolly, looking at -a plain black walnut affair, about as high as herself. - -“Dunno; let’s turn it around.” - -Dick pulled the thing out from the wall, which was quite easy, as it -rolled on casters, and it proved to be entirely open on the other side. - -It was about four feet high, and about three feet wide, and though -something like a small wardrobe, it was divided into six equal -compartments, each of which was lined with wallpaper. - -“Why, Dick!” cried Dolly, “it’s a playhouse! A doll’s house, you know. I -believe it was Aunt Abbie’s when she was a little girl. Do you s’pose -there’s any furniture for it?” - -“Must be; somewheres. Isn’t it gay? See the windows, they have real -glass in ’em. This must be the kitchen with oilcloth on the floor.” - -“Yes; and the other floors are all bare. I s’pose the carpets are put -away somewhere, with the furniture. Let’s hunt them.” - -The twins were not long in discovering three or four good-sized boxes -tied together, which proved to contain the furniture of the doll’s -house. - -“Oh, what fun!” cried Dolly, as they took out little beds and tables and -chairs. “But we can’t put these in place till we find the carpets. Oh, -here comes Aunt Rachel. Auntie, was this your babyhouse when you were a -little girl?” - -“Yes,” said Aunt Rachel, coming toward the twins. “I meant to fix it up -for you some day, Dolly, but perhaps you’ll like to fix it yourselves -just as well.” - -“Yes, we will, Auntie!” cried Dolly, tumbling into her aunt’s arms for a -few caresses before they looked for the carpets. - -“Who made the house, Auntie?” said Dick, snuggling into her other arm, -and patting her cheek. - -“Why, a carpenter, I suppose. Father had it made for me when I was ten -years old, and your father was a toddling baby. He used to creep up to -it, and pull out the things that he could reach.” - -“Did he look like us?” asked Dolly. - -“He looked like Dick. You both have eyes like his, but his hair was in -dark ringlets all over his head, like Dick’s is. Now, let’s find the -carpets, and fix up the house. Wouldn’t you rather have it down in the -playroom?” - -“Oh, yes,” said Dick. “It’s pretty hot and dry up here. The playroom is -lovely and airy, ’most like outdoors.” He gave a little sigh, and Aunt -Rachel remembered that the children were undergoing punishment. - -Her eyes twinkled a little, as she said: - -“Aunt Nine didn’t make any other stipulation, except that you were to -stay in the house all day, did she?” - -“No’m,” said Dick. “And, Auntie Rachel, we’re _awful_ sorry we spoiled -the clean clothes.” - -“Yes, _terrible_ sorry,” added Dolly, while they both fondled their aunt -half-unconsciously. - -“You can be the sorriest pair of twins I ever saw, after your mischief -is accomplished,” said Miss Rachel. “Why doesn’t your sorriness begin -beforehand, I’d like to know?” - -“Well, you see,” said Dolly, “we don’t think——” - -“That’s just it, you never ‘think.’ Now, I’m going to teach you to -think,—somehow; I don’t know how yet, but we’ll manage to make you -thinkers somehow.” - -“After Aunt Nine goes away,” suggested Dick. - -“Yes,” agreed Aunt Rachel, “after Aunt Nine goes away.” - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - - - THE PLAYHOUSE - - -Then they all went down to dinner, the twins holding hands with each -other, round Aunt Rachel’s ample waist. As she had an arm round each of -their necks, locomotion down the stairways was difficult, but they all -accomplished it somehow, and made a triumphal entry at the dining-room -door. - -Aunt Penninah was already in her chair, and looked up sharply, as if -expecting to see a doleful pair of twins. - -But the laughing faces proved that, if not enjoying their punishment, -the children were, at least, making the best of it, and Aunt Nine -sniffed a little, as she asked: - -“What have you been doing all morning?” - -“Oh, having the beautifullest time!” exclaimed Dolly. “We found an old -doll’s house, that used to be Auntie Rachel’s when she was a little -girl.” - -“And my father played with it, too,” said Dick, proudly. - -“Oh, Rachel,” said Miss Abbie, with a disappointed look, “we meant to -keep that for their Christmas!” - -“It doesn’t matter,” said her sister, serenely; “they may as well have -it now. Hannah, tell Michael to bring it down to the playroom while -we’re at dinner.” - -Hannah obeyed, and the twins could scarcely eat their dinner for -anticipation of the fun to come. - -“Your punishment doesn’t seem very hard to bear,” said Aunt Nine, -looking quizzically at the children. - -“Oh, yes it is, Auntie,” said Dick. “We’d ever so much rather run out of -doors in this sunshiny day, and save the playhouse for a rainy day. -Truly, we feel the punishment very much.” - -It somehow seemed to Dick’s queer little brain that it was rude to -defraud Aunt Penninah of her rights. She had evidently expected them to -repine at being kept indoors, and though they hadn’t exactly done that, -she was entitled to know that they really were feeling the punishment. -And it was quite true. Both he and Dolly would have gladly postponed the -playhouse fun, to scamper out for a run in the garden. Aunt Nine nodded -a sort of approval. - -“You’re an honest little chap, Dick,” she said; “I’m beginning to like -you.” - -“Don’t you like Dolly, too?” asked Dick, with the air of one merely -seeking information. - -“Yes, I like you both. If you’d be a little more thoughtful, and——” - -“Oh, we’re going to learn to think,” said Dolly. “Auntie Rachel is going -to teach us.” - -“I wish her joy of her task,” said Aunt Penninah, but her eyes twinkled -just a little mite, and the twins began to think she was really not such -an ogress as she had seemed at first. - -After dinner they all went up to the playroom, and found the playhouse -well placed, in a corner between two windows. - -“Oh,” cried Dolly in rapture, as she saw the boxes full of furniture, -and the bundles of carpet. - -The carpets smelled of camphor as Aunt Rachel unrolled them, for they -had been carefully put away from the moths, and proved to be in perfect -condition. - -The aunties all looked a bit sober, as the small squares were unfolded, -for their thoughts flew back nearly forty years, when Rachel and Abbie -had been little girls, and Penninah Dana had been a beautiful young -woman. - -But no such memories saddened the twins’ hearts, and they capered about -in glee, shaking out the carpets, and holding them up for inspection. - -“This is the parlour one!” cried Dolly, as a light velvety square -appeared. - -She tucked it into place, and it exactly fitted the parlour floor. - -Two bedroom carpets were there; a library and a dining-room,—and the -kitchen already had oilcloth on it. - -Then came the furniture, and both twins fairly squealed with delight -over the funny little things, as they took them from the boxes and put -them in place in the rooms of the playhouse. - -The dining-room furniture was all of iron. - -“That stove,” said Miss Rachel, holding a black iron stove of the shape -known as “cylinder,” “father brought me when I was getting well after -the measles. ‘You can build a real fire in it,’ he said, ‘it’s a real -little stove.’” - -“And did you?” asked Dick. - -“Yes; several times. There’s a tiny tin pipe that goes out through this -hole in the wall of the house. See?” - -The twins saw, but there was so much to see, little time could be spent -on any one thing. The parlour furniture was of satin brocade, of deep -red colour, which was unfaded, and quite as good as new. - -“I helped make those chairs,” said Aunt Nine. “I cut and basted, while -your mother sewed them, Rachel.” - -“They’re beautifully made,” said Miss Rachel. “Dolly, if you want some -more, you can make them in your sewing-hour.” - -“I’ll make you some,” said Aunt Penninah. “If you can find some pretty -bits of stuff, Abbie, I’ll make a few to-day.” - -“Oh, do, Aunt Nine,” cried Dolly. “These chairs are all right, but it -would be so lovely to have some new ones of our very own!” - -“I’m going to make some little wooden chairs and tables,” said Dick. “I -can cut them out with my jigsaw, and glue them together.” - -“Do,” said Aunt Abbie, “and we’ll make satin cushions for them, and tie -them on with little ribbons.” - -The furnishing of the house went on, and it would be hard to say which -were more interested, the twins or the older people. - -When they came up to the bedrooms, they found the tiny sheets and -pillowcases yellow with age. - -“Will you make us some new ones, Aunt Rachel?” asked Dolly. - -“Yes; or Delia can bleach these for you. They’re as good as ever, except -their colour.” - -Then the aunties discovered that the portières for the parlour were -faded, and the lace curtains had turned irretrievably brown, so off went -Aunt Abbie to get some bits of stuff at once, to make new ones. - -And very soon the three aunties were busily engaged in cutting and -sewing all sorts of pretty things for the house. - -The best bedstead was of the sort that requires dimity curtains and -valance to make it complete. - -Aunt Penninah offered to fit this bed out entirely, and her deft needle -flew in and out of the muslins Aunt Abbie brought, until she had made -the little bed the most charming affair imaginable. - -In addition to the curtains, she hemmed tiny sheets; she made a dear -blanket, of a morsel of white flannel bound with ribbon; and lovely -pillowcases, with hemstitched ends. - -Then, to Dolly’s breathless delight, she made a little silk comfortable, -with a layer of cotton-wool in it, and tacked at intervals with -microscopic bows of blue ribbon. - -Of course this work of the aunties took all the afternoon, and indeed, -it wasn’t finished that day. - -But the interest in the house grew more and more absorbing as the days -went by, and though the children loved out of doors best, they often -devoted a few hours of the pleasantest days to “Dana Cottage,” as they -called it. When it was nearly finished, as to furnishing, they began to -prepare a family of dolls to occupy it. Aunt Nine offered to present the -entire family, and afterward assist in making their clothing. - -So one fine afternoon Miss Penninah and the twins drove to town to -select the dolls. It was great fun, and yet it was a responsibility, -too. Dick was quite as much interested as Dolly, for somehow, the house -offered so much boyish work, and play, that it didn’t seem like “playing -with dolls.” - -Besides the twins always did the same things, and Dolly would have lost -her own interest in the playhouse if Dick hadn’t shared it. - -So, after much consultation, they chose a father and a mother doll, an -aunt doll, two small children dolls, and a baby doll. A nurse and two -other servants were added, and then they declared they had enough. - -“Enough? I should think so!” said Aunt Nine, who began to see endless -doll-dressing ahead of her. But her eyes twinkled; and then she let the -twins select from the shop several bits of dolls’ furniture that were -not in vogue when the playhouse was originally furnished. - -Laden with their treasures they all went home, and that very evening the -aunties began on the dolls’ wardrobes. - -“Is this your idea of disciplining the children, Aunt Nine?” said Miss -Rachel, as they sewed, after Dick and Dolly had gone to bed. - -Miss Penninah Dana looked a little confused, but she answered -straightforwardly: - -“I think you were nearer right than I, Rachel. The twins are not what we -used to call ‘good children.’ I mean the meek, mild, priggish little -persons that children were taught to be when I was young. Dick and Dolly -are so full of life and spirits that they do wrong things from sheer -thoughtlessness and gaiety of heart. But they are never wilfully -mischievous, and never deceitful about it afterward. They do need firm -guidance, but they do not need to be taught the difference between right -and wrong, for they already know it. They are true Danas.” - -When Miss Penninah announced that last fact, she felt that she had given -the last word of praise to the twins, and indeed, the other two aunts -thought so too. - -So clannish were they, and so proud of their fine old family, that they -greatly preferred Dick and Dolly to be “true Danas” than to possess many -other admirable traits. And so, the three stitched away, quite agreed, -at last, on the management of the children, and hoping they would grow -up to manhood and womanhood, with the inherited traits of dignity, -honour, and refinement that characterised their family. - -Meanwhile the “true Danas” upstairs were sleeping soundly, and only -awoke when the sun peeped in at their windows and winked and blinked -right into their eyes. - -And when, later, they danced down to breakfast, there in a row on the -sofa sat a smiling and well-dressed family, all ready to take up their -abode in “Dana Cottage.” - -Dolly went into ecstasies over the mother doll, who wore a trailing -house dress of light blue satin trimmed with lace. The aunt, too, was -resplendent in crimson velvet, and the children were in the daintiest of -white or light frocks. - -The father-doll had been difficult to dress, but though a professional -tailor might have taken exception to the cut, the aunties had made his -neat suit fit him very well indeed. - -Dick was interested in the new family, and admired them duly, but he was -already thinking of how he could build a yard around the house itself, -and he confided his plans to Dolly. - -“We’ll fence off a space all round the house,” he said. “I’ll make a -little picket fence with splints. It’s just as e-easy! Then we’ll get -green velvet carpet for the grass.” - -“Oh, carpet isn’t a bit like grass,” objected Dolly. “It’s so thick and -dusty. Let’s have real dirt,—or sand.” - -“I think sand is messy.” - -“Yes, so do I. Oh, I tell you what, Dick! Let’s cut green tissue paper -into fine fringe, and put it round where we want grass,—paste it to -something, you know,—like we made fairies’ wings,—only green.” - -“Yes, that’s the ticket!” exclaimed Dick. “Then we’ll make little paths -of,—of brown paper, I guess,—pasted down.” - -“Yes; take a big sheet of pasteboard first, and then stick everything on -it.” - -“Yes, that’s what I mean. Then bits of evergreen for trees, and perhaps -real flowers, growing in little bits of pots.” - -“Oh, it will be lovely! Dick, you’re splendid to think of it all!” - -The twins joined hands and jumped up and down, as was their custom when -greatly pleased with each other. Then the aunties came in, and they all -went to breakfast. - -The children told their plan for the yard around the house, and the -ladies agreed that it would be lovely. - -“I’ll help you to make a pond, Dickie,” said Aunt Penninah, “like one I -had when _I_ was a little girl. That dates farther back than Aunt -Rachel’s childhood.” - -“How do you make a pond?” asked Dick, not much interested in comparative -dates of past Danas. - -“We must get a piece of mirror,—without a frame, you know,—and put it -in the middle of your grass plot, and then put pretty stones or shells -round the edge of the mirror, and it looks just like water.” - -“And little tin ducks on it,” shouted Dick, “like a real pond! Oh, -Auntie, that will be tip-top!” - -“And I’ll make you a pond on the other side of your house,” put in Aunt -Abbie, “of real water. In a big flat pan, you know; and little sprigs of -fern all round the edge.” - -“All right; we’ll have both,” declared Dick. “I don’t know which’ll be -nicest, they’re both so splendid. And I’ll make a little boat to sail on -the water. I can whittle it out of a stick.” - -“And I’ll make a sail for it.” said Aunt Abbie, “and we’ll rig up a -sail-boat.” - -Such interest did the aunts take in the cottage yard, it was almost as -if they were children too, and Dick and Dolly became more and more -enraptured with the wonderful things they made. - -Aunt Abbie fashioned a little hammock with her crochet needle and some -green and white cord. When she put fringe along its edges, and suspended -it from two evergreen trees in the “yard,” Dolly thought she had never -seen anything so cunning. Two little dolls were put into it, and the -nurse doll was set to swing them until they fell asleep. Michael, who -was greatly pleased with the whole affair, fashioned a tiny arbour just -like their own in their playground outside. It was made of tiny twigs, -and when the gardener brought it in, as his offering to the general -gaiety, it was accepted with hilarious thanks. Very small green vines -were twisted about it, and tiny blossoms of forget-me-not or -lilies-of-the-valley were entwined. But the little flowerets faded so -soon that Aunt Abbie made some diminutive roses of pink tissue paper, -which would stay fresh all summer. - -Many plans were made for future additional beauties, and the little -estate grew rapidly to an elaborate country place, when Michael declared -that he should build a barn for it. This announcement was heralded with -delight, and for many days, Michael spent all his spare time in the -tool-house, Dick and Dolly bobbing about him, and helping or hindering -as best they could. - -The barn, when done, was a grand affair indeed. Not of very elaborate -architecture, but provided with stables, carriage house, feed bins, and -even a chicken coop. - -Again Aunt Nine took the twins to town on a shopping expedition, and -this time they returned with all the four-legged and two-legged toys -necessary to complete the barn’s use and beauty. Also there were -carriages for the dolls to drive in, and sleighs, too, for in doll land -the lack of snow makes no difference in the sleighing season. - -Aunt Penninah’s visit of a week lengthened out to a fortnight, but not -until the last tiny carriage robe was finished, and the last hat and -cape made for the smallest doll, did Aunt Nine make her farewells to -Dana Dene. - -And, then, she went away, promising to return for another visit as soon -as possible, and insisting on a promise that the twins should some day -visit her in her own home. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - - - THE FATE OF DANA COTTAGE - - -Pinkie was enraptured at her first sight of Dana Cottage. She sat down -in front of it and gazed in silence, seemingly unable to take it all in -at once. - -“Well,” she said at last, “it’s a lovely home for dolls, but wouldn’t it -be a fine place for fairies?” - -Dolly laughed, for she hadn’t the firm belief in fairies that Pinkie -had. Dolls were good enough for her, and as Pinkie loved dolls too, they -spent many happy hours with the playhouse. - -Sometimes Dick and Jack played with them, and sometimes the boys went -off on their own sports, while the girls were absorbed in the dolls’ -house. - -One afternoon the boys were busily engaged in making and flying kites, -and the girls, up in the playroom, were having lots of fun with Dana -Cottage, but paused in their play frequently, to run and look out of the -window to see how the kites were flying. - -“I don’t believe they’ll ever make them go,” said Pinkie, as she and -Dolly leaned out of the playroom window. “The kites are too big.” - -“Then they’ll have to trim ’em off, or make smaller ones,” said Dolly, -philosophically. “I don’t see any fun in kite-flying anyway, just -because they ’most never do fly.” - -“Wouldn’t it be funny,” said Pinkie, “if you could fly a kite, -’way—’way up in the air, and then pull it down again, and find a whole -lot of fairies perched on it?” - -“Yes; that would be fine. But fairies don’t live up in the air.” - -“No; they live in the woods, hidden by the ferns and leaves. I wish I -could ever see them.” - -“Well, you can’t, ’cause they only come out at night. You can’t go to -the woods at night, can you?” - -“I will, when I’m grown up. ’Course, mother won’t let me now, but when -I’m big, the first thing I’m going to do is to go to the woods, and camp -out all night, and watch for fairies.” - -“All right; I’ll go with you. We’ll surely see them then.” - -“Yes, indeed, we will. Oh, I wish we could go now!” - -“Well, we can’t. Aunt Rachel wouldn’t let me, and I know your mother -wouldn’t let you. Come on, those kites will never fly; let’s go on with -the party.” - -The doll family in Dana Cottage were giving a very grand party. As there -were no other dolls to invite, Pinkie and Dolly had made a lot of paper -dolls for the guests. These were not elaborate, being hastily cut from -brown paper, but they wanted a lot of guests, so they chopped out a -multitude of dolls, and stood them around in the various rooms of the -doll house. - -“I wish we’d made them prettier,” said Dolly, regretfully, for her -artistic sense was jarred upon by the crude brown paper guests in the -dainty, pretty rooms. - -“So do I,” agreed Pinkie. “Let’s dress them up a little, somehow.” - -So they found colored tissue paper, and bedecked the dolls with floating -sashes and scarfs and head-dresses, until they presented a much more -festive appearance. - -“That’s lots better,” declared Dolly, as they placed the improved ladies -and gentlemen at the party. So many did they have, that the parlour was -filled with dancers, and the dining-room with supper guests at the same -time. - -Pinkie was of a realistic turn of mind, and insisted on having bits of -real cracker or cake or apple in the dishes on the table, and real water -in the pitchers and coffee pots on the sideboard. - -Dolly was quite content to have scraps of paper for cakes, or even empty -dishes filled merely with imagination, but when Pinkie played with her -they usually had real things wherever possible. - -The china dolls of the family, and the paper guests kept up a continuous -conversation, and the voices were either Pinkie’s or Dolly’s as occasion -required. A deep, gruff voice represented a gentleman talking, and a -high, squeaky voice, a lady. - -“What a beautiful party we’re having,” said a brown paper man in Dolly’s -deepest chest tones. - -“Yes,” squeaked a lovely lady, in light blue crinkled tissue paper. -“Please get me a glass of lemonade.” - -The brown gentleman deftly poured about two drops of water from a tiny -pitcher into a tinier cup, and gallantly offered it to the lady. - -It accidentally soaked her tissue paper scarf, as she drank it, but two -drops wouldn’t hurt anybody’s costume seriously, so the incident was -overlooked, and the gay chatter went on. - -“Are you going to opera to-morrow night?” asked one bewitching belle of -another. - -“Oh, yes,” was the reply. “I’m so fond of music. I practise an hour -every day.” - -“So do I. I’m learning to sing, too. That’s why I wear this boa, I have -to take such care of my throat.” - -“Are you warm enough here?” inquired the china hostess, who overheard -her paper guests’ conversation; “because, if you aren’t, we can light a -fire for you.” - -“I do feel a little chilly,” began the paper belle, and then Pinkie’s -voice suddenly resumed its natural tones: - -“Oh, Dolly, let’s make a fire in the little stove,—a _real_ fire. You -said your aunt used to do it.” - -“Yes, she did,” said Dolly. “Do you know how?” - -“Why, yes; you only put in snips of paper and light ’em. The smoke goes -out through the pipe.” - -Carefully, the girls put crumpled bits of paper into the little iron -stove, and then Dolly brought a match. - -“You light it,” she said, and Pinkie struck the match, and touched off -the paper. - -They shut the tiny stove door, and the paper blazed away merrily. Some -smoke came out through the tin pipe, but there wasn’t much of it, and as -the windows of the playroom were all wide open, the smoke soon drifted -away. - -This was a great game indeed, and the guests from the parlour all -crowded down into the dining-room to get warm. - -There was much laughing and chatter, as the paper dolls came down to the -dining-room, and packed themselves in groups against the walls. - -“Oh, how good that fire feels,” exclaimed a lady in pink paper. “Why, -it’s all gone out!” - -It was astonishing how fast the paper in the stove burned itself out, -and the girls had to renew it repeatedly, and light it afresh each time. - -“I’m ’bout tired of playing this,” said Pinkie; “let’s make one more -fire and that’ll be the last. It’s getting awful hot.” - -“Yes, make one more,” said Dolly, “for Mrs. Obbercrombie has just come -down to get warm.” - -“All right; stand her up by the stove.” - -Pinkie touched off the newly-laid fire, and Dolly stood paper Mrs. -Obbercrombie up near the stove; so near, in fact, that the lady fell -over against it. - -Dolly reached out to pick her up, but her finger touched the hot stove, -and she drew it back with an “Ouch!” The little stove, from the burning -of much paper, was nearly red-hot, and when the paper doll fell over -against it, she blazed up immediately. - -Then the paper dolls nearest her caught fire at once, and in two seconds -the paper dolls were all ablaze. The tissue paper scarfs communicated -the flames like tinder; the thicker paper of the dolls themselves burned -steadily, and in a few moments the curtains caught, then the wooden -house itself, and as the breeze from the open windows fanned it, a real -conflagration of Dana Cottage ensued! - -Soon the paper grass in the cottage yard caught fire, and the wooden -animals served as further fuel. - -Dolly, her smarting finger still in her mouth, was too frightened even -to scream, but Pinkie showed real presence of mind. - -She grasped a pitcher of water from the table, and dashed it into the -burning house. This was good as far as it went, but it merely checked -the flames in one room, and there was no more water about. Then Pinkie -seized the big rug from the floor, with intent to throw it over the -house. But it was so anchored with heavy tables and other furniture -that, of course, she could not budge it. - -“Oh!” she gasped at last. “Do something, Dolly! Yell, can’t you? I don’t -seem to have any voice!” - -Sure enough, poor little Pinkie was so frightened that her voice had -failed her, and Dolly was so frightened, she couldn’t _think_ what to -do. - -So, at Pinkie’s suggestion, she yelled, and Dolly’s yell was that of a -young, sound pair of lungs. - -“Auntie!” she screamed. “Michael!” But as the playroom was on the third -floor, and the aunts were down in the library, they did not hear her. -Nor were the servants within ear-shot, so poor Dolly screamed in vain. - -But as the flames grew bigger and threatened the window curtains of the -playroom, Dolly shouted again, and this time a wild, despairing shriek -of “Dick!” seemed to be her last resort. - -And, by chance, the boys, with their kites, were not far from the house, -and they heard the cry ring out of the playroom window. - -“Hello, Dolly!” shouted Dick, back again, not thinking of danger, but -merely supposing Dolly was calling to him. - -His voice reached Dolly’s ears like a promise of hope, and flying to the -window, where the curtains were already scorching, she screamed, “Fire, -Dick! Call Michael! Pat! Bring water! Fire! Fire!” - -Even as Dolly shouted, Dick and Jack saw the flames, and Dick cried out, -“I’ll go for Michael; you go upstairs, Jack, and screech for Aunt Rachel -as you go.” - -So the two Dana ladies were startled from their quiet reading, by seeing -Jack Fuller dash madly in at the front door, and whipping off his cap by -instinct, almost pause, as he said politely, but hastily, “Please, Miss -Rachel,—good-afternoon. Your house is on fire! Excuse me!” and he ran -breathlessly by the library door and up the stairs. - -He couldn’t do a thing when he reached the playroom, for the flames were -beyond the efforts of a ten-year-old boy. - -But Dolly, who had found her wits, cried, “Pull down the curtains,” and -she and Jack bravely pulled down a pair of light muslin curtains that -had already begun to burn. They stamped on these, and so extinguished -their flames, and Pinkie, in her excitement, pulled down another pair -and stamped on them, although they had not caught fire at all, and, -indeed, were in no danger of it. - -But by that time, Michael and Pat had arrived. Passing the trembling -aunties on the lower landing, they tore upstairs, and Dick followed -closely at their heels. - -Michael took in the situation at one glance. - -“Take holt av the table,” he said to Pat, and the two strong men hustled -the big table off the rug. Then they flung aside the chairs and other -furniture that held the rug down, and, picking up the big carpet, flung -it over the burning playhouse. The house toppled over with a crash, and -the men trampled on the whole pile. - -They smashed everything belonging to Dana Cottage, but it was the only -way to conquer the flames, and Michael did not hesitate. - -“Keep it up!” he said to Pat, and as Pat obediently stamped his big feet -about, Michael turned to other parts of the room. - -He stepped on a few smouldering papers, he pinched out a tiny flame in a -curtain ruffle, and he threw a small rug over an already blazing -waste-basket. - -He unceremoniously pushed aside any children who got in his way, for -Michael was very much in earnest. And he had reason to be. His prompt -and speedy action had probably saved the whole house from burning down, -and after he was sure there was no lurking flame left anywhere, he -turned to the two ladies, who stood white-faced and trembling on the -threshold. - -“All right, Miss Rachel,” he said, cheerily; “the baby-house is done -for, but we’ve saved Dana Dene from burnin’ up intirely.” - -“Is everybody safe?” asked Miss Rachel, bewildered with the suddenness -and terror of it all. - -“Safe an’ sound, ma’am. Now, don’t dishturb yersilves further, but you -an’ Miss Abbie an’ the childher go back downstairs, an’ me an’ Pat’ll be -afther cleanin’ up some here.” - -“But Dolly is burned!” cried Miss Abbie, seeing Dolly still holding out -her blistered finger, and screwing her face in pain. - -“No,” said Dolly, “I did that before the fire. It’s nothing.” - -“It’s an awful blister,” said Dick, looking at it. “But how did the fire -start, Dollums? Did you do it?” - -“Yes,” said Dolly, “but I didn’t mean to burn up the cottage.” And then, -as Michael and Pat were removing the big rug, and she saw the dreadful -devastation of the beautiful dolls’ house, she burst into paroxysms of -weeping. - -Pinkie did the same, and as the aunts were both softly crying, too, Dick -and Jack had to be very careful lest they join the majority. - -“Go downstairs, all of yez,” said Michael, again, who had, by reason of -his common sense, assumed dictatorship. “Oh, are ye there, Hannah? Take -the ladies down, and mend up Miss Dolly’s finger. Boys, ye can shtay, if -ye like, but the rest of yez must go.” - -Obediently, the aunties followed Hannah, who led the weeping Dolly, and -with Pinkie trailing along behind, they went downstairs. - -“Now, boys,” said Michael, “ye can help if ye like, an’ ye needn’t, if -ye don’t like. Pat an’ me, we’ll clear out this burnt shtuff, but -Mashter Dick, suppose ye look about now, an’ see if anny of the toys is -worth savin’.” - -So Dick and Jack picked out some few things that the flames hadn’t -destroyed. But only china or metal toys escaped utter destruction, and -these were so smoked and charred, that they weren’t much good. Pinkie’s -hat and jacket were scorched, but Jack laid them aside, and the work of -salvage went on. - -“There now, ye’d betther go,” said Michael; “ye’re good boys, an’ ye’ve -helped a lot, but now, me’n Pat, we’ll cart this shtuff down oursilves. -An’ be the same token, I’m thinkin’ we’ll dump it out the windy,—that -bein’ the quickest way.” - -So Dick and Jack ran downstairs, really anxious to join the girls and -find out how it all came about. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - - A LOVELY PLAN - - -When the boys reached the group assembled in the library, Dolly had -just begun to tell the story of the fire. - -Up to that time, the aunts had been employed in dressing the burned -finger, and in recovering their own mental poise. - -“You see,” Dolly was saying, “it was an accident, Aunt Rachel, but it -_wasn’t_ mischief, for you told me yourself how you used to make a fire -in that little stove.” - -“Oh,” said Aunt Rachel, comprehending at last. “Did you girls make a -fire in the playhouse stove?” - -“Yes’m; the pipe was up, you know, and it burned all right,—it hardly -smoked at all. Then one of the paper dolls fell against it and set fire -to all the rest.” - -“The stove got so awful hot,” observed Pinkie, “and it was trying to -pick up that paper doll that Dolly burned her finger.” - -“And upset the stove?” asked Aunt Abbie. - -“No, Auntie, the stove didn’t upset. But Mrs. Obbercrombie caught -ablaze, and then she fell over against the other paper people, and they -all flared up.” - -“Whew, Dolly!” exclaimed Dick. “Then you kindled that whole fire -yourself! You ought to have known better than to stuff a place with -paper dolls and then set a match to it!” - -“But I didn’t, Dick,” declared Dolly. “The fire was all right at first, -only it kept making the little stove hotter and hotter, until it went -off.” - -“Well, it’s lucky Dick heard you yell,” put in Jack, “or the whole of -the big house would have burned as well as the little one.” - -“I don’t know what to say to you, Dolly,” said Aunt Rachel. “I remember -that I did tell you I used to have a fire in that stove, but I only -burned a tiny bit of paper and let it go right out. I never thought of a -continued fire. And I really think you ought to have realised the danger -of a fire near so much light paper.” - -“Why, I never once thought of that, Aunt Rachel. I never s’posed fire -could jump through an iron stove, and burn up a paper doll! I thought if -we kept the little door shut, the flames would stay inside.” - -“Oh, Dolly,” said Aunt Abbie, smiling a little in spite of herself, “you -should have known better. But you’re not entirely to blame. We did tell -you that we used to have real fire in that stove, but father was always -with us to look after it. Children should _never_ play with fire alone.” - -“Why didn’t you tell me that before, Aunt Abbie?” said Dolly, looking at -her with a gentle reproach in her big dark eyes. “If you had, I’d have -called you up, ’fore we lit it the first time!” - -“Phyllis,” said Miss Rachel, turning to the little guest, “does your -mother let you play with fire.” - -“Why, no, Miss Rachel,” said Pinkie, in surprise. “But then, mother -never lets us do any of the things you let Dick and Dolly do. We haven’t -any garden or arbour or Lady Eliza or playhouse——” - -At this, both Pinkie and Dolly began to cry afresh, for they remembered -that now Dolly had no playhouse either! That beautiful house and barn -and lawn and ponds,—all a mass of black, smoking ruins! - -Dolly flew to her Aunt Rachel and buried her head on her broad, -comforting shoulder as she sobbed out her woe. - -“Oh, Auntie,” she wailed; “isn’t it dreadful! Those lovely little beds -and bureaus, and the dolls Aunt Nine dressed,—and the looking-glass -lake, and that little spotted pig,—he was _so_ cunning,—and the gilt -clock in the parlour,—oh—ooh—o-o-ooh!” - -“There, dearie, there, there,——” soothed Miss Rachel, wondering -whether Aunt Nine would think Dolly ought to be punished, and if so, -what for. - -“I wasn’t naughty, was I, Auntie?” went on Dolly, between her sobs. “I -wouldn’t be so naughty as to burn up my dear playhouse on purpose!” - -“Of course you didn’t do it on purpose, dear; and I don’t believe you -were really naughty. But never mind that, now. Even if you were, you’re -punished enough by the loss of the playhouse.” - -“Yes, I think I am. We were having _such_ fun, Pinkie and I. And, -Auntie, it wasn’t a bit Pinkie’s fault either. We wouldn’t either of us -have thought of making a fire, if you hadn’t said we could. I mean, you -said you used to do it.” - -“Yes, Dolly, dear; I fully realise how it all happened, and I’m not -going to blame either you or Phyllis. I think you should have known it -was a dangerous pastime, but if you’ll promise never to play with fire -or matches again, we’ll count this affair merely as an accident. But it -was a pretty bad accident, and I’m very thankful that only the playhouse -was burned. I shudder to think what might have happened to you two -little girls!” - -“And to the whole house!” said Miss Abbie. “If Dick hadn’t heard you -scream, and if Michael and Pat hadn’t been at home, we might have no -roof over our heads now!” - -Then Phyllis and Jack went home, and the others went up to the playroom, -to see what was left in the ruins. Michael and Pat were still cleaning -up, but the whole room had been more or less affected by the smoke, if -not by the flame. - -The rug, being a thick, Oriental one, had not suffered much, but the -wallpaper and woodwork were sadly marred, the curtains were a wreck, and -the furniture was scratched and broken. - -As to the playhouse, the actual framework was fairly intact, except -where the dining-room had been burned away, but it was blackened and -charred everywhere. - -Miss Rachel directed the men to take it to the cellar, and leave it -there for the present. - -“Sometime,” she said, “we may have it rebuilt and re-decorated, but I -can’t seem to think about it just now. Do you want to keep any of these -things, Dolly?” - -Dolly looked over the half-burned toys that Dick and Jack had picked out -of the ruins, and more tears came as she recognised what had been the -blue satin sofa, and the baby’s crib. - -“No, I don’t want them,” she said; “they only make me feel worse.” - -Then they found the little stove, that had been the immediate cause of -the catastrophe. It was unharmed, except that it looked dull instead of -shiny, as before. - -“I think you’d better set this on the mantel, Dolly,” said Aunt Abbie, -“to remind you not to play with fire.” - -“I’ll never play with fire again, Auntie,” said Dolly. “But I will put -it on the mantel, to remind me of my dear playhouse. Oh, I did love it -so!” - -Dolly had a great fondness for all her belongings, and the playhouse, -with its myriad delights was her dearest and best beloved possession. - -“It’s too bad, Dollums,” said Dick. “If Aunt Rachel ever does decide to -have the house done over, I’ll do the yard all over again for you.” - -“An’ I’ll make yez a new barn,” said Michael, who was just removing the -burned remnants of the old one; “but I can’t be doin’ it this summer; -there’s too much other wurrk. Next winter, when the wurrk is lighter, -I’ll have a thry at it.” - -And none of them felt like doing right over again the work they had done -so recently, so the burned-out cottage was put in the cellar, and stayed -there for a long time. The playroom itself had to be done over at once. - -A carpenter had to come first, and replace the burned window sill, where -the curtains had blazed up; then the paper-hangers and painters; so that -it was several weeks before the room could be used. - -Meantime, Dick and Dolly played out in their out-of-doors playground. - -It was now late in May, and the flowering vines had almost covered the -long arbour, making a delightful place to sit and read, or make things -at the table. The twins loved to make things, and often they thought -they’d make furniture for the renovated playhouse, but it’s hard to do -things so far ahead, and so they didn’t get at it. - -Fortunately Lady Eliza had been on the other side of the playroom during -the fire, so had escaped without even a scorch. - -But Dick and Dolly played she was a great heroine, and often -congratulated her on her narrow escape from the fearful conflagration. -They never grew tired of Lady Eliza. She was useful for so many games, -and all the children who visited the twins learned to look upon Eliza as -one of their own crowd. - -“Let’s have a party for Eliza,” said Dolly, one day, as she and Dick -were working in their gardens. “Oh, Dick, there’s a thrush! Sh! don’t -frighten him.” - -Silently the children watched, as a thrush perched on a nearby branch, -and sang his best musical selection. There is more sentiment in a -thrush’s song than in that of any other of our birds, and though the -twins didn’t recognise exactly that fact, they loved to listen to the -thrush. - -It was their habit, after carefully watching a bird, to look it up in -their big, illustrated “Birds of North America,” and learn its name and -habits. - -“That’s a Hermit Thrush,” whispered Dolly. “See the lots of spots on his -chest.” - -“Maybe,” said Dick, softly; “but I think it’s the Olive-Backed Thrush. -See how brown his back and tail are.” - -“Yes, perhaps it is. Listen to his call,—he says ‘Whee-oo! Too-whee!’ -We must look him up to make sure. Oh, there comes a robin after him! Now -they’ll fight!” - -“Go ’way, you horrid thing!” called Dick to the big, fat Robin -Redbreast, but unheeding, the robin flew at the thrush, and bothered -him, until the thrush flew away, and Dick and Dolly saw it no more. - -“I think it’s too bad robins are so cross,” said Dolly, “and they’re so -pretty, too. I’d love them, if they wouldn’t pick-peck at the other -birds.” - -“They are horrid,” said Dick; “but if we didn’t have robins, we wouldn’t -have much of anything. There are so few of the other birds,—’ceptin’ -sparrows.” - -“That’s so; well, as I was saying before the thrush came, let’s give -Lady Eliza a party.” - -“Let’s ask Aunt Rachel first,” said Dick. - -The twins were learning to ask permission beforehand, when they planned -anything out of the ordinary. This had already saved them trouble, and -the aunts were already congratulating themselves that the children were -learning to “think.” - -“Yes, we will. But don’t let’s go in now. Let’s plan it, and then we’ll -ask auntie before we really do anything about it.” - -“Well, who’ll we invite?” - -“That’s ’cordin’ how big the party is. If Auntie Rachel ’grees, let’s -have a big party, ’bout a dozen, you know. And if she thinks bestest, -we’ll only have Pinkie and Jack.” - -“But what’ll make it Eliza’s party?” - -“Why, we’ll ask each child to bring a doll or something, so’s to be -comp’ny for her.” - -“Boys can’t bring dolls.” - -“I know; I’m thinking. Well, the boys can bring Teddy bears, or rocking -horses or anything that isn’t alive, and that part of it’ll be ’Liza’s -party, and the people part will be ours.” - -“Sounds good enough. Where’ll we have it?” - -“Here, of course; in the playground. We’ll fix it all up partified, and -have Japanese lanterns and everything.” - -“We can’t have ’em lighted. It’ll have to be a daytime party.” - -“I don’t know. Maybe auntie will let us have it ‘four to seven.’ We can -light the lanterns by six. It’s ’most dark then.” - -“All right. Let’s go ask her now, ’fore we plan any further. It’d be -horrid to get it all fixed up and then have her say ‘No.’” - -The twins clasped hands and ran toward the house. Dolly’s golden tangle -of curls bobbed up and down in the breeze, and Dick’s dark ringlets -clustered tighter on his brow, as his face flushed with the exercise, -but they ran evenly and swiftly together, keeping perfect step as they -flew over the ground. - -Bang! In at the library door they went, and tumbled upon Aunt Rachel, -who sat in her usual chair, placidly holding her hands. - -“Oh, Auntie, may we——” gasped Dick, and, “Oh, Auntie, the loveliest -plan!” panted Dolly, when they suddenly realised their aunt was not -alone. - -A lady was calling, a lady very much dressed up and formal-looking, who -eyed the children with some severity and much curiosity. - -But Dick and Dolly had not proved dull pupils in the matter of etiquette -as taught in Heatherton households. By no means. As quickly as a soldier -stands “at attention,” they stood up straight, advanced decorously to -the lady, and Dolly made her most careful courtesy, while Dick bowed -correctly. - -“How do you do, Mrs. Witherbee?” they said, in decorous tones, and -though they were flushed and warm from their run, and just the least -mite out of breath, they reflected no discredit on their aunts by -boisterous or informal behaviour. - -Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie sat proudly watching them, silently grateful -for the twins’ exhibition of good manners, for Heatherton matrons were -critical of other people’s children, and Mrs. Witherbee was one of the -most particular of all. - -“You may go,” said Aunt Rachel to the twins, after they had been duly -questioned by the visitor, and with proper ceremonies of farewell, the -twins noiselessly left the room. - -“Well, I ’spect we behaved all right that time,” said Dick, as they -strolled back to the garden. - -“Yes, I promised Aunt Rachel I’d ’member my manners carefuller ’n ever. -She does love to have us be polite.” - -“I know it; and it isn’t much trouble, after you get used to it.” - -It seemed as if Mrs. Witherbee never would finish her call, but it was -really only about ten minutes later, when the twins saw her carriage -drive away. Again they raced to the house, this time to find the aunties -alone and expecting them. - -“Well, what’s it all about?” said Miss Abbie, after both ladies had been -treated to a fine demonstration of regard and esteem. - -“Why, we want to have a party,” began Dick. - -“For Lady Eliza,” broke in Dolly; “she’s never had a party, and she’d -just love one. How many do you think we’d better ask?” - -“A party! For Eliza!” said Aunt Rachel, helplessly. “What do you mean?” - -“Yes, a party. Girls and boys, you know, and Teddy Bears, and dolls, and -everybody bring something.” - -“Bring something! to eat?” exclaimed Aunt Abbie, in dismay, for it -sounded like a general picnic. - -“Oh, no, not to eat!” explained Dolly; “but to be company for Eliza, -’cause it’s her party. And if you say so, we’ll only have Pinkie and -Jack, but we’d like to have more.” - -“Tell us about it more slowly,” suggested Aunt Abbie; “and don’t both -talk at once.” - -“You tell, Dick,” said Dolly. “You can talk slower ’n I can.” - -“Well,” said Dick, “we thought it would be fun to have a party of about -a dozen boys and girls, but have it for Lady Eliza’s party,—just for -fun, you know.” - -“And what’s this about bears?” - -“Yes; have each boy and girl bring a doll or a bear, or a hobby horse or -a Jack-in-the-box, or anything like that, so it will be Eliza’s party -too.” - -“Oh, I begin to see,” said Aunt Rachel. “I like the party idea; I’ve -been thinking you children might have a little party. But the Eliza part -of it is crazy.” - -“Oh, no, it isn’t, Auntie,” said Dolly, who was patting her aunt on both -cheeks as she talked. “You see, all the boys and girls love Lady Eliza -’most as much as we do. And they’d be glad to have it be her party, -too.” - -“Well, we’ll have to talk it over, and see about it,” said Miss Rachel; -“but now it’s time for you to run and get ready for tea.” - -“All right, Auntie. But _do_ decide soon, for Eliza is _so_ impatient to -know.” - -“Tell her she’ll have to wait, Dolly. But I’ll let her know by -to-morrow, if that will do.” - -“Yes, Auntie, that will do, I’m sure;” and with a final pat and a kiss, -Dolly skipped away. - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - - - THE BIG CHIEF - - -After further discussion, and some coaxing on the part of the twins, -Miss Rachel decided that the party, though of course for Dick and Dolly, -might be nominally for Lady Eliza. And so they made up an invitation -like this, and Miss Abbie wrote them in her neat hand: - - Miss Dolly Dana - Master Dick Dana - and - Lady Eliza Dusenbury - request the pleasure of - Miss Phyllis Middleton’s - company - on Thursday afternoon - from four to seven o’clock - at Dana Dene. - You are invited to bring a friend whose - company will be congenial to - the Lady Eliza. - -“Aren’t they the greatest ever!” exclaimed Dick, dancing about the table -where Aunt Abbie was writing the notes. - -“I doubt if those who are invited will know what that last clause -means,” said Aunt Abbie. - -“Oh, yes, they will, for we’ll tell them,” said Dolly. “Of course we’ll -see them all between now and the party. There’s a whole week, you know. -I’ll tell every one to bring a doll or something for Eliza’s part of the -party. And she must have a new dress, auntie.” - -“Yes; something gay and festive, of course. What would you like?” - -“Pink tarlatan,” said Dolly, promptly. “With lots of ruffles, and a lace -bertha, and a pink sash, and let her wear my pink coral beads. Oh, -Auntie! won’t she look just sweet!” - -“And flowers in her hair,” chimed in Dick; “and a big, big bouquet, in -her hand. Whew! She’ll be a stunner!” - -As tarlatan was an inexpensive material, and easy to make up, Aunt Abbie -humoured Dolly’s whim, and Lady Eliza had a beautiful new frock for the -occasion. - -Dolly herself picked out just the right shade of watermelon pink, and -she helped a little, too, gathering flounces, and running up breadths, -but Aunt Abbie made most of the pretty gown, and it didn’t take very -long either. - -It was to be worn over one of Aunt Abbie’s own lace-trimmed petticoats, -and two whole days before the party, Eliza was dressed and set away in -the guest room to await the hour. - -“I believe I’ll send an invitation to Aunt Nine,” said Dolly, as they -were making out the list of those who were to be invited. “I don’t -s’pose she could come, but I think it would be nice to ask her, don’t -you, Aunt Rachel?” - -“Why, yes, dear; send one, if you like. Though, as you say, of course -she won’t come, yet I think she’ll appreciate your thought of her.” - -So one invitation was sent to Miss Penninah Dana, and twelve more were -sent to boys and girls in Heatherton. - -Every one of the dozen accepted, and after conversation on the subject -with Dick and Dolly, they quite understood about the extra guests they -were to bring. - -But they were very secret about them. - -“I won’t tell you,” said Jack Fuller, giggling, “but I’m going to bring -the funniest person you ever saw! Oh, I know Lady Eliza will be -pleased!” - -And Pinkie declared that her guest would be the “belle of the ball.” - -All these secrets greatly whetted the twins’ curiosity, and they could -think of nothing but the coming party. A few days before the event they -received a letter from Aunt Penninah, expressing her regret that she -could not be with them. In it was also a letter addressed to Lady Eliza -Dusenbury. Chuckling with glee, the twins tore it open and read: - - “LADY ELIZA DUSENBURY: - - “Most charming and beautiful lady, I salute you. To your party I - come, and there with you at Dana Dene will I ever after remain. - As your friend and protector I will stand ever by your side. - Unless, however, you should attack me with a carving knife (as - is sometimes your playful habit), in which case, I will run away - and never return. Expect me on Thursday, by express. Your true - friend, - - “SASKATCHEWAN.” - -“Oh,” cried Dick, “it’s an Indian doll! Saskatchewan is an Indian name, -you know. Won’t it be fun?” - -“Yes,” cried his twin. “And do you suppose Aunt Nine dressed it herself, -in wigwam and feathers?” - -“Ho, ho! Dolly. You mean wampum, not wigwam!” - -“Well, it’s all the same; I don’t care. Oh, I wish Saskatchewan would -come. I’m crazy to see him!” - -“So’m I. Do you s’pose the box’ll come addressed to Lady Eliza -Dusenbury, Dana Dene?” - -“No, I guess it’ll be addressed to Aunt Rachel, or maybe to us. What -does Dene mean, auntie?” - -“Dene?” - -“Yes, Dana Dene, you know?” - -“Why, Dana Dene is the name of our place, you know. Not only the house, -but the whole estate.” - -“Yes’m; I know it. But what does Dene mean? Just as a word?” - -“Oh, well, it doesn’t mean anything nowadays, just as a word. But in old -times, long ago, it meant den or cave.” - -“Well, this house isn’t a cave.” - -“No,” said Miss Rachel, laughing. “We’re not cave-dwellers. But long -ago, there was another house where this stands now. You know, this -estate has been in our family for many generations.” - -“And was the other house a cave?” asked Dick, with vague visions of -primitive ancestors floating through his mind. - -“No, of course not! The name cave came from the fact that there was a -deep den or cave somewhere on the place.” - -“Where is it?” - -“I don’t know, Dicky. It may be only tradition, or there may have been a -real cave, now filled up or covered over. I suppose it is in the -woodland part, if it’s anywhere.” - -“But it must be somewhere, Aunt Rachel,” persisted Dick. “If they, my -great-grand-fathers, I mean, named the place Dana Dene because of a big -den, the den must be here yet.” - -“Well, perhaps it is, child, but it hasn’t been seen or heard of for -many years, anyway. You may hunt for it, if you like, but I doubt if -you’ll find it.” - -“Come on Dollums,” cried Dick, jumping up. “Let’s go and look for it. It -would be lots of fun if we could find it in time for the party!” - -“Indeed it would not!” returned their aunt. “Find it if you want to, but -don’t play in it on the day of the party. I’d like you to keep -yourselves tidy on that occasion, and not go burrowing in caves. But -I’ve no idea you’ll find it. For, a cave that hasn’t been used for over -a hundred years, is likely to be filled up with earth and leaves. It -has, probably, entirely disappeared.” - -“Well, we’ll have the fun of hunting,” said Dick, and away went the -twins on their new quest. - -Michael and Pat were first interviewed. - -“Did you ever see a cave or a den anywhere about the place?” they -inquired. - -“Cave, is it?” said Michael. “Faith an’ I didn’t. Whativer are yez up to -now?” - -“Oh, think!” cried Dick, impatiently. “Didn’t you see one, Pat, when you -were mowing the grass, or anything like that? Digging, you know.” - -“I did not. There’s no cave around these diggin’s, unless so be it’s in -the woods. There may be a dozen caves in thim six acres of woodland.” - -The twins were disappointed. It seemed a forlorn hope to try to -investigate six acres of doubtful territory. - -“But do yez go and look,” said Michael. “It’s jist what ye need to use -up yer extry energy. Yer so cockylorum about yer party, that ye need a -scape valve fer yer overflowin’ sperrits. Go, now, an’ hunt yer cave.” - -“Come on, Dolly,” said Dick. “We can’t do anything for the party, -there’s nothing for us to do. So we may as well go to the woods.” - -“All right. I’d just as lieve go, and if the cave is there, I should -think we’d see it.” - -“Av coorse ye will,” said Michael, grinning. “First, ye’ll see a -signboard, wid a finger pointien’ ‘This way to the Big Cave,’ thin ye go -right along to the entrance.” - -“An’ pay yer quarter to the gateman, an’ walk in,” supplemented Pat. - -The twins never minded the good-natured chaff of these two Irishmen, and -they only laughed, as hand in hand they trotted away. - -They had been often to the wood, but heretofore they had noticed only -the trees and the stones and the low-growing vegetation. Now they -carefully examined the formation of the ground, and any -suspicious-looking hollow or mound. - -“Maybe it was a smuggler’s cave,” said Dick, “and in it perhaps are lots -of things they smuggled and hid away.” - -“Yes, I s’pect so,” said Dolly, who was of an amiable nature, and quite -willing to agree with Dick’s opinions, whenever she had no knowledge to -the contrary. - -“Or maybe it’s a fairy cave,” she added. “That would be more likely, -’cause I think these are awful fairyish woods.” - -“Why do you? You’ve never seen a fairy in ’em.” - -“No, but I ’most have. I’ve seen lots of places where they come out and -dance at night. Pinkie shows ’em to me.” - -“Pooh, she doesn’t know for sure.” - -“No, not for sure. Nobody does. But she says most prob’ly that’s where -they dance. Do fairies ever live in caves, Dick?” - -“Not ’zactly fairies. But dwarfs do, and gnomes and things like that?” - -“Sprites?” - -“Yes, I guess so. And brownies,—real brownies, I mean; not the -picture-book kind. Hello, Doll, here’s a place that looks cavy!” - -Dick paused before a rough mass of soil and stones and mossy overgrowth, -that did seem to bear some resemblance to the blocked-up mouth of a -cave. - -But it was just as much like a mere natural formation of ground, and -after digging and poking around with sticks, the children concluded it -was not a cave, after all. - -“Oh, pshaw, we’ll never find a real cave, Dick; let’s go home. I’m -getting hungry.” - -“So’m I. We can come back and hunt some other time. Aunt Rachel wouldn’t -let us play in it on party day, anyway.” - -So back they went, and no one seemed surprised that they hadn’t -discovered a long-forgotten cave, perhaps full of hidden treasure. - -The day before the party, Aunt Rachel and Aunt Abbie drove to town to -order the feast from the caterer’s. - -The twins accompanied them, for the selection of the goodies was to be -partly left to their choice. - -The caterer’s was a fascinating place, and Dick and Dolly exercised -great care and discretion in choosing the prettiest forms for the ices, -and the loveliest kinds of little fancy cakes, and the gayest sort of -snapping crackers. - -The sandwiches and lemonade would be made at home, but all the rest of -the feast must be ordered, and Dick and Dolly were overwhelmed with -delight, as the aunties kept on adding bonbons, fruits, nuts, and all -sorts of delectable things to the long list. - -“We never had such lovely parties at Auntie Helen’s,” said Dick, -reminiscently, as they drove home. - -“We never had a real party there, anyway,” rejoined Dilly; “just only -little play-teas of an afternoon. This is different.” - -“Yes,” said Miss Rachel, complacently, “this is a real party. It will be -one of the prettiest children’s parties ever given in Heatherton. That -is, if your foolish Eliza performance doesn’t spoil it.” - -“Oh, that won’t spoil it, auntie,” said Dolly, confidently; “that will -only make it nicer.” - -“Sure!” said Dick. “Just a boys’ and girls’ party wouldn’t be near so -much fun. Why, Auntie, Bob Hollister says he’s going to bring his Punch -and Judy, and Lucy Hollister has an awful big rag doll she’s going to -bring.” - -“I think it will be funny,” said Aunt Abbie. “But you must leave all -those creatures out in the playground when you come in to supper.” - -“Yes’m, we will,” agreed the twins. - -The very morning of the party day an immense box came by express. - -“Shure, it’s a big sofy, like your aunts has in the droring-room,” said -Michael, as he and Pat helped the expressman to take it from the wagon. - -“No, it’s Saskatchewan!” shrieked Dick and Dolly, as they danced round -the box in glee. “Open it, Michael; oh, do hurry up!” - -“Arrah, now, wait till I can get me sledgehammer,” and Michael went to -the tool-house for his strongest tools. - -But after some diligent prying and hammering, the box was opened, and -buried in a nest of old newspaper and excelsior, was “Big Chief -Saskatchewan,” as a card tied to his wrist announced. - -And if you please, instead of an Indian _doll_, he was a big wooden -Indian, of the kind that stands out in front of cigar stores. The -children screamed with glee, and even Michael and Pat exclaimed in -admiration as the heavy figure was finally set upright on his own -wheeled pedestal. - -“Where do you suppose she ever got it?” said Aunt Rachel, as the two -aunts came out to view the new arrival. - -“I don’t know, I’m sure,” said Miss Abbie, “but he does make a fine -companion for Lady Eliza.” - -Saskatchewan, though a trifle weather-worn, was not marred or broken, -and the bundle of cigars had been cut away from his hand, and instead, -he held an Indian basket. But this was removable, and the twins saw at -once that they could put anything into his outstretched hand, from a -tomahawk to a pipe of peace. His blanket wrapped round him was painted -gorgeous red and yellow, and high-standing feathers surmounted his noble -brow. His expression was ferocious, but that was Indian nature, and Dick -and Dolly were so delighted with their new toy, that they embraced him -with the same vigorous affection they often showed their aunts. Then, -clasping hands with the aunties, the four danced round Saskatchewan and -bade him welcome to Dana Dene. - -The Indian was too heavy to be moved around much though he could be -dragged, owing to the casters on the pedestal. But Aunt Rachel said she -thought he’d better be placed in the playground as a permanent -inhabitant thereof. For wind and weather would not hurt him, as it would -the more delicate Lady Eliza. - -So Michael and Pat trundled the chief off to the playground, followed by -the admiring family. - -He was given a choice position in a pleasant corner, and the twins said -they would build a bower over him some day. - -“But we must make it big enough for two,” said Dolly, “so Lady Eliza can -stand beside him to receive their guests.” - -“All right,” agreed Dick. “But I wish we could have it for this -afternoon. They’d look lovely under a bower.” - -“So ye shall, thin,” said Michael. “Me an’ Pat, we’ll fix ye up a -timporary bower, that’ll gladden the eyes of ye,—that we will.” - -So, the two kind-hearted men, anxious to please the children, hastily -erected a “bower” by making an arch of two-foot width “chicken-wire.” -This, when decorated with vines and flowers, was as pretty a bower as -one would wish to see, and Saskatchewan was placed beneath it, or rather -the bower was built over the Indian, where he stood awaiting the Lady -Eliza. - - - - - CHAPTER XX - - - A GAY PARTY - - -After dinner, the final preparations for the party were made. - -The day was perfect, bright with sunshine, and not too warm. - -Lady Eliza was taken out to the playground and introduced to her new -companion. - -Her large blue eyes showed no especial emotion as she was placed beside -him, under the bower, nor did Saskatchewan seem at all embarrassed by -the presence of the lovely lady. - -Eliza, in her ruffled pink tarlatan, and wreath of pink blossoms, was a -charming creature indeed, and she held gracefully a massive bouquet, -tied with pink ribbons, while her cavalier, held his Indian basket, -which had also been filled with flowers. - -So entrancing were the pair, that Dick and Dolly could scarcely leave -them, to go and get on their own party raiment. - -The playground, of course, had been specially adorned for the occasion. - -Japanese lanterns hung from the trees, and rugs were laid here and -there, extra seats were provided, and everything was decked with flowers -and made gay with flags and bunting. - -Truly, the Dana ladies knew how to arrange a gala occasion, and this -bade fair to be a fine one. - -The twins at last scampered back to the house to dress, and Dolly was -beautifully arrayed in a new white frock of fine muslin and a broad -Roman sash. - -Her curls were tied up with a Roman ribbon to match, and white stockings -and white slippers completed her costume. - -Dick, too, had a new summer suit, and the twins promised the aunties not -to roll on the grass or do anything naughty or ridiculous. - -“I know you mean to do just right,” said Aunt Rachel, as she kissed the -two beaming little faces, “but you know, you ‘don’t think,’ and then you -cut up some absurd dido, that makes a lot of trouble.” - -The twins vowed they _would_ think, and they would _not_ “cut up -didoes,” and then they danced away to receive their guests, for it was -nearly four o’clock. Pinkie came first, of course. - -She brought her biggest wax doll, which she had dressed up as a fairy. -The doll had a spangled white tulle frock on, and gauzy wings, and a -gilt paper crown, sparkling with diamond-dust. She carried a long gilt -wand, and was really a beautiful fairy. - -A row of seats had been placed for Lady Eliza’s guests, and the fairy -was the first to be seated there. Jack Fuller came next, and he brought -a funny creature, which his mother had fashioned for him out of a -feather bolster. She had tied a string about it to form a head, and -this, covered with a pillowcase, had features worked in it with colored -embroidery cotton. Then the doll was dressed in a white dress of Mrs. -Fuller’s, and a huge frilled sunbonnet adorned its head. Jack came, -lugging his somewhat unwieldy guest, and the bolster lady was made to -bow politely to Lady Eliza. - -“Why! who’s that?” exclaimed Jack, looking with admiration at the wooden -Indian. - -“That’s Big Chief Saskatchewan,” announced Dick, proudly. “He’s ours. -Aunt Nine sent him to us. Isn’t he great?” - -“Gorgeous!” assented Jack. “How do you like Betty Bolster?” - -“Oh, she’s just lovely,” declared Dolly, kissing Betty’s soft, white -cheek. “Set her down there, next to Pinkie’s fairy.” Then the other -children began to flock in. - -Maddy Lester brought a big Teddy bear, with a huge ribbon tied round his -neck, and a bunch of flowers held in his paw. He made profound obeisance -to Lady Eliza and her friend, and then he was seated next to Betty -Bolster. - -Clifford Lester had a fine personage to introduce as his guest. He had -taken his father’s clothes-tree, and on the top had fastened a smiling -mask and a wig made of curled hair. This he had dressed up in some -nondescript garments, and though the strange-looking lady could not sit -down, she stood beautifully, and seemed quite worthy of Lady Eliza’s -approval. - -One boy brought a rocking-horse, and one a ’possum. - -Roguish Lily Craig brought a Jack-in-the-box, which she sprang in the -very face of Lady Eliza and the Big Chief, without, however, scaring -them a mite. - -The Punch and Judy, too, created great amusement, and Spencer Nash -raised shouts of laughter, when he arrived, proudly carrying a scarecrow -from his father’s cornfield. - -This scarecrow was of the conventional type, with flapping coat tails, -and old, soft felt hat, jammed down over his face. - -When all had arrived, the fourteen children were in gales of merriment -at the strange collection of creatures that made up Lady Eliza’s part of -the party, and they made a procession to march round the grounds. - -Saskatchewan was too heavy to travel, so they left him standing guard, -but took lovely Lady Eliza, who was easily carried by two of the boys. - -The reviewing stand was the front veranda, where the two aunties sat, -and greatly did they enjoy the parade that came rollicking, frolicking -by. - -Then the guests, both animate and inanimate, went into the big parlour -for a dance. Aunt Abbie played the piano, and though some of the -children had been to dancing school, many had not, and the dance was -really more of a frolic. - -The scarecrow, carried by Spencer Nash, politely asked Lady Eliza to be -his partner, and Dolly, in behalf of the lady, consented. So these two, -assisted by Spencer and Dolly, took their places, and opposite them were -the clothes-tree lady and the big Teddy bear, each guided in their steps -by their laughing owners. - -Bolster Betty was partner to Jack-in-the-box, and the fairy danced with -the ’possum. - -Aunt Rachel guided the uncertain figures of this quadrille, and the -others all danced round as they chose. Then, fearing the new member of -the Dana family would be lonesome, they all trooped back to the -playground, where Saskatchewan stood, meekly holding his basket of -flowers. - -“You dear old thing!” cried Dolly, throwing her arms round him. “Did we -leave you all alone? Well, here we are back again, and now we’ll play -with you.” - -So they played “Copenhagen,” and “Oats, Peas, Beans, and Barley Grows,” -and as Lady Eliza’s guests were chosen to step inside the ring, their -absurd appearance made uproarious fun and laughter. - -Then, by way of quieting them down, Aunt Abbie suggested that all the -dolls and bears be set aside, while the children played some games by -themselves. - -So, ranged in a semicircle, the queer guests sat or stood on either side -of Lady Eliza’s bower, and the children grouped themselves on the rugs -on the ground. - -First, Aunt Abbie read them one or two lovely stories, and then she -proposed some guessing games and some forfeit games, and it was six -o’clock before they knew it. - -So then it was time for the feast, and, leaving Lady Eliza and the Big -Chief to entertain their guests, Dick and Dolly led their own guests to -the house. - -The dining-room table, extended to its full length, was a gay and -festive sight. In the centre was a big pyramid, built of macaroons and -fancy cakes and bonbons, and surmounted by a sugar Cupid holding a big -red balloon by its string. - -At every plate was a little sugar figure, bird or animal, holding the -string of a red balloon, and the balloons, themselves bobbing above the -table, made a jolly effect. - -The two aunties assisted Delia and Hannah to wait on the guests, whose -appetites proved to be of the normal nine-year-old variety. Sandwiches -disappeared as if by magic; chicken croquettes seemed to meet with -general approval, and lemonade was willingly accepted. - -Then the ice cream came, in the various shapes that Dick and Dolly had -selected,—a different design for each one. Pinkie had a fairy, of -course. Jack Fuller, an automobile, because he was so anxious for his -father to get one. - -Spencer Nash had a fish, because he liked to go fishing, and Maddy -Lester a boat, because she loved the water. Each had some appropriate -joke or allusion, and, as the fun was appreciated, the ices were all the -more enjoyed. - -Cakes and bonbons followed, and, last of all, the snapping German -crackers. - -These each held a tissue paper cap, which was donned by its owner, and -Dolly’s little Dutch bonnet proved becoming to her rosy face and sunny -curls. - -Pinkie’s was a crown, and after it was put in place, Aunt Rachel -declared she looked like a fairy herself. The boys had sailor caps, and -soldier caps, and Scotch caps, and when all were be-hatted, they -adjourned to the parlour for a final game. - -This proved to be “Stick and Ball.” - -From the middle of the wide arched doorway hung, suspended by a single -cord, a large ball, apparently of white paper. A long, light stick or -wand, was supplied by Aunt Abbie, who then blindfolded one of the little -girls, and asked her to take the wand, turn round three times, and then -hit at the ball. - -Geraldine did so, but by the time she had turned three times, she was -standing almost with her back toward the ball, though she didn’t know -it. - -So, when she struck, she hit only empty air. - -A shout of laughter arose, but the children were surprised to find, as -one after another tried it, that it was far from easy, to turn three -times, and then stand facing in the right direction. - -So it was not until nearly all had attempted it, that at last one of the -boys hit the ball a smart, sharp, _whack!_ which burst the paper, and -down tumbled a lot of neat white paper parcels tied with red ribbons. - -A name was written on each, and as the children scrambled for them, they -were quickly exchanged until each had his or her own. The parcels -contained pretty little gifts which were souvenirs of the party to take -home. - -Though not of great value, they were all attractive presents, and the -young guests were greatly pleased. - -The party was over now, except for one last visit to the playground to -recover their dolls and strange creatures who still waited out there. -But as they neared the spot, a delighted “Oh!” burst from the children. - -Michael had lighted the Japanese lanterns and turned the place into what -looked like fairy-land. - -It was dark now, and the lanterns cast shadows of Lady Eliza and her -guests, as well as of the trees and hedges. - -“Isn’t it beautiful!” whispered Pinkie to Dolly. “I wish we could stay -here awhile.” - -“We can’t,” returned Dolly. “Aunt Rachel says it’s too damp to stay out -here in the evening. So she just let us have the lanterns lighted for a -few minutes to see how pretty it is.” - -“It’s lovely!” declared everybody. - -And Dick said, “Perhaps in summer, when it’s real warm, we can stay out -here after dark, and have the lanterns again.” - -The twins put this question to Aunt Rachel, after all the party guests -had gone home. - -“Perhaps,” she replied, “when it’s really warm weather. But now, you -must scurry to bed, and we’ll discuss the subject some other time.” - -“But we must bring in Lady Eliza,” said Dick, and with Michael’s help, -Lady Eliza, with her pretty pink frock and ribbons quite unharmed, came -smilingly in at the front door. - -But Big Chief Saskatchewan stood grimly on guard, all through the night, -looking steadily ahead at the stars just above the horizon, and holding -firmly his Indian basket of gay blossoms. - - THE END - - * * * * * - - CAROLYN WELLS BOOKS -May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap’s list. - - * * * * * - - THE MARJORIE BOOKS - - Happy Books For Happy Girls - -Marjorie is a happy little girl of twelve, up to mischief, but full of -goodness and sincerity. In her and her friends every girl reader will -see much of her own love of fun, play and adventure. - -This series is the American Girl’s very own. Each book is attractively -bound in cloth, and wrapped in a charming colored individual wrapper. - -Marjorie’s Vacation -Marjorie’s New Friend -Marjorie’s Maytime -Marjorie’s Busy Day -Marjorie in Command -Marjorie at Seacote - - THE TWO LITTLE WOMEN SERIES - -Miss Carolyn Wells here introduces Dorinda Fayre—a pretty blonde, -sweet, serious, timid and a little slow, and Dorothy Rose—a sparkling -brunette, quick, elf-like, high tempered, full of mischief and always -getting into scrapes. - -Two Little Women -Two Little Women on a Holiday -Two Little Women and Treasure House - - THE DICK AND DOLLY BOOKS - -Dick and Dolly are brother and sister, and their games, their pranks, -their joys and sorrows, are told in a manner which makes the stories -“really true” to young readers. - -Dick and Dolly -Dick and Dolly’s Adventures - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - * * * * * - - THE POLLY BREWSTER SERIES - - By LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY - - Durably Bound. 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She gets aboard just in -time and away it floats out into the big wide world. - -THE MAGIC SOAP BUBBLE - -The king of the gnomes has a magic pipe with which he blows a wonderful -bubble and taking Ed with him they both have a delightful time in -Gnomeland. - -THE ICEBERG EXPRESS - -The Mermaid’s magic comb changes little Mary Louise into a mermaid. The -Polar Bear Porter on the iceberg Express invites her to take a trip with -him and away they go on a little journey to Happyland. - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - * * * * * - - THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS - - For Little Men and Women - - By LAURA LEE HOPE - - Author of “The Bunny Brown” Series, Etc. - - 12mo. DURABLY BOUND. ILLUSTRATED. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING - -Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. 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They had many adventures, some comical in -the extreme. - -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA’S FARM -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUS -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP REST-A-WHILE -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU’S CITY HOME -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODS -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOUR -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONY -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOW -BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVE - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - * * * * * - - SIX LITTLE BUNKERS SERIES - - By LAURA LEE HOPE - - Author of “The Bobbsey Twins Books,” - “The Bunny Brown Series,” - “The Make-Believe Series,” Etc. - - Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding. - -Delightful stories for little boys and girls which sprung into immediate -popularity. To know the six little Bunkers is to take them at once to -your heart, they are so intensely human, so full of fun and cute -sayings. Each story has a little plot of its own—one that can be easily -followed—and all are written in Miss Hope’s most entertaining manner. -Clean, wholesome volumes which ought to be on the bookshelf of every -child in the land. - -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDMA BELL’S -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT AUNT JO’S -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COUSIN TOM’S -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDPA FORD’S -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT UNCLE FRED’S -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT CAPTAIN BEN’S -SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COWBOY JACK’S - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - - - - * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -Hyphenation has been retained as in the original. - -Punctuation has been corrected without note. Other errors have been -corrected as noted below: - -page 22, their seevrity, yet now ==> their severity, yet now - -page 79, and he consideerd it his ==> and he considered it his - -page 140, too creap for this ==> too cheap for this - -page 144, “Yes, I’ll help yez ==> “Yis, I’ll help yez - -page 157, little voice sad: ==> little voice said: - -page 182, and ran of errands, ==> and ran lots of errands, - -page 208, Eliza’s difficult transportantion ==> Eliza’s difficult - transportation - -page 209, I’ll have getttin’ ==> I’ll have gettin’ - -page 260, when the suddenly ==> when they suddenly - -page 268, suppose Aune Nine ==> suppose Aunt Nine - -page 293, journey to Hapyyland ==> journey to Happyland - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK AND DOLLY*** - - -******* This file should be named 53166-0.txt or 53166-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/3/1/6/53166 - - -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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