CHAPTER I
THE
BROOKDick
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
ARRIVALIn
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.