Читать книгу The Blue Birds at Happy Hills - Lillian Elizabeth Roy - Страница 3

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“We are ready to start, but where are the twins?” exclaimed Jinks impatiently. Jinks was Meredith Starr’s chum who lived next door to the Starrs.

“Why, they were here but a moment ago!” said Mete.

“Perhaps they ran on to Mossy Glen without us,” came from Lavinia Starr, two years older than the twins, who were eight.

A shrill whistle from the woods then told the three waiting children that Don and Dot Starr were half-way to the meeting place. The Blue Birds and Bobolinks were going to meet at the barn, known now as the Publishing Offices, to start thence for the ten-forty train to New York.

“Hurry up, we’ve wasted three minutes waiting for those awful twins!” sighed Vene—the nickname for Lavinia.

At the Publishing Offices on the Mossy Glen estate, the three late arrivals found all the members assembled. Ruth and Ned Talmage had not far to walk as their home was at Mossy Glen, and the Starr children including Jinks were now accounted for. Besides these two groups, there were the other girl-members of the Blue Bird Club, or Nest, and the boys who founded the society called Bobolinks, that published the magazine and other important printed matter—such as tickets, notices, programmes, etc.

“Here come Ike and Jim—can we all crowd into those two autos, do you think?” asked Ned, anxiously.

“It will not be the first time they’ve carried such a load,” laughed Jinks.

Just as the children climbed eagerly into the two cars, Mrs. Talmage appeared hurrying along the path from the house.

“Now Ned—remember! Don’t allow anyone to go other than the way I’ve directed you. This is the first time that we grown-ups consented to have you children go to New York alone, and you must be careful to follow all advices from us,” declared Mrs. Talmage, with a note of anxiety in her tone.

“Oh, we’ll be all right, mother; don’t worry. Aren’t Mete and Jinks and I almost grown up?” said Ned, soothingly.

“No, you’re not! You three boys are just as full of mischief as Don Starr, and everyone knows what we have to endure from him!” sighed Mrs. Talmage.

The children all laughed—Dot Starr the twin, laughing loudest, but Don looked as dark as a thunder-cloud at his friends.

“Guess you all got out of bed with a left foot, this morning! That accounts for the grouches!” grumbled Don.

Another laugh failed to bring harmony into Don’s discordant heart just then, so Mrs. Talmage turned again to Ned:

“When you get off the train at Hoboken, you take the tube uptown—remember now, uptown! Don’t get on the cars that go to Newark or Cortlandt Street. Ask a guard which is the right train to carry you to 23rd Street.

“Then walk across from the 23rd Street exit to Fourth Avenue, and up Fourth to Uncle Ben’s address. You have it written on the letter, Ned, so you simply can’t go wrong!”

“We won’t go wrong, Mother. You only think we may!”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake—hurry up! We’ll miss that train,” complained Don, who now had an opportunity to give vent to his ire.

“Good-by, children! I wish you would telephone me as soon as you arrive at Uncle Ben’s offices, so I will know you are all right!” said Mrs. Talmage as the cars rolled away.

The party had ample time to board the train at the little station of Oakdale, and soon they found themselves in Hoboken—the terminal for the Jersey suburban trains.

As they were passing the news-stand at the foot of the steps that led to the tubes under the river, Don saw a variety of tempting candies.

“I’ve got my week’s allowance with me, Dot—do you want some chewing-gum?” asked her twin.

“S-sh! They’ll hear you! And you know Vene won’t let us have chewing-gum,” warned Dot, glancing at the other children. But they had not heard Don, as they were interested in buying the tickets to New York.

This was a perplexing matter, as tickets for Dot, Don, and Tuck Stevens were to be at half-price, and those of the other children at full-price. The twins took advantage of the problem to buy a box of gum and a roll of chocolate disks.

“Oh! Looka here! We’ve got ten pieces of gum for a nickel!” chuckled Don, delightedly, as he emptied the box into his palm.

“You take five and I’ll take five,” suggested Dot.

“Why, no! Didn’t I pay for them? You take one and when you want another I’ll give it to you.”

“But I always go even shares with you when I get anything at home,” argued Dot.

“That’s different! You don’t pay out your hard-earned money for it, and I had to. Why, just think how many times last week I had to be at school on time! Didn’t that mean getting out of bed so early that I ’most got insomnia from it?”

Dot had an inspiration. She hastily began chewing the single piece of white-candied gum and determined to ask for a second piece soon, as Don had promised to give her another one when she wanted it.

Don now hastened in front of his sister, to join the other children, but he was too preoccupied with the gum to notice where he went. He heard a guard call: “All aboard!” and he rushed in dragging Dot after him—just in time! The door was closed and away sped the train.

“Where’s Ned—and Jinks, and the others?” gasped Dot, the moment they found themselves safe on the moving train.

Don could not reply. He seemed to have a great obstruction in his mouth. Finally he shoved the obstacle over in the hollow of a cheek and gurgled out:

“Guess they went in the car ahead to be nearer the exit gate when we get there.”

“Don Starr! What have you got in your mouth?” demanded Dot, suspecting the truth.

“Gum, of course! What have you got?” retorted Don.

“I’ve got one piece! How many have you?”

“I’ve got what I paid for!” snapped Don, but he had the grace to blush at his selfishness.

“I—I just wish you’d swallow it! So there!” cried Dot, who had unwisely thrown away the gum she had, to induce her twin to give her a new piece.

Don glared only—he could not speak comfortably. Dot was so offended that she started to walk through the forward car in search of her friends. “Where’er yeh goin’, Missy?” asked a guard, stopping her.

“To find the others. They must be in front,” said Dot.

“Got your ticket? I didn’t see you drop one in the box back yonder, cuz I was watchin’ the two of yuh,” was the astonishing reply from the guard.

“Ticket! Don, have you got a ticket?”

“No—Ned got all of them,” replied Don, but he was so hasty in moving the gum out of his tongue’s way to permit him to speak, that it almost slipped down his throat.

A tremendous coughing and choking spell caught Don, and his face turned as red as a poppy, while Dot hammered his back exultantly—now she had a chance to get even with him!

“Where’er yeh goin’—Jersey City?” now asked the guard.

“Jersey City! Why—no. We are to get off at 23rd Street,” explained Dot, surprised for the time.

“This is a Newark train,” announced the guard, wondering what he could do with two stray children.

“Oh, my goodness! Maybe Ned isn’t on this train. Was there another train in the same station?” gasped Dot.

“Sure—one on either side of the platform, but we’re always hollerin’ out where we go so folks won’t get mixed,” returned the guard.

Don couldn’t allow Dot to take the lead in this exciting adventure, but he could not speak with his mouth full, so he slyly dropped the gum in one palm and held his hand in his pocket. Then he was free to take his part.

“Which is the nearest stop to 23rd Street?” asked he.

“Well, we will now stop at the Erie Station; next is Jersey City, and so on till we reach Newark. Why?” replied the man.

“I’m thinking we could get off and take some car back.”

“That’s what you’ll have to do anyway, ’cause you haven’t any ticket to show. But I don’t see how you are goin’ to ride back again widdout payin’ at all!” explained the man.

Then a light seemed to break in upon them at the same time! They caught hold of the guard’s coat and laughed:

“Don’t you see! Ned had all the money and tickets, so he dropped them for us when he went through the gateway!”

“And diden’ you’se spend your ticket money for candy?” asked the guard, suspiciously, as he knew the weakness of youngsters, having a brood at home.

“Cross my heart, we didn’t! I used my week’s spending money. Last week I didn’t earn any cuz I owed it all!” said Don, anxiously.

“All out for Erie Railroad!” now yelled the guard, as the train pulled in and it was his duty to open the doors.

“Git off here and wait fer a train what comes in on th’ other side the platform!” called he, shoving Don and Dot out from blocking the doorway.

“Much obliged! Good-by!” called Don, about to wave his hand that had been hidden in his pocket. The other hand grasped Dot’s sleeve.

The door slammed, the train moved out, and the twins were left standing alone. Don found he could not withdraw his hand readily, and discovered that the gum had not only stuck fast to his fingers but had also clutched a hold on various articles a boy always carries in his pocket.

“Dot you go and ask the newspaper man how long before a New York car comes in?” suggested Don, as he wished to be alone when that gum came forth.

Dot, proud to be trusted by her brother with such an important mission, ran away and Don hurriedly set to work. After much tugging the gum came out and with it came a marble, a broken jackknife, a fish-hook, a brass button, a sling-shot, and a few other treasures.

Don did his best to extricate his personal property from the gum without wasting too much of the rare treat. So he carefully chewed off every bit that clung to each article as he pulled it forth. He replaced the treasures in his pocket and thrust the gum in his mouth just as Dot came back.

“See that red sign—up there?” said she, pointing to an electric sign overhead.

“Well, that reads where the trains go. This one just coming in is uptown the man said.”

With that she dragged her twin aboard without ceremony—was he not chewing that gum again, and did she have any? No, sir!

Dot refused to speak a word to Don as they were whisked along to the Hoboken terminal. Here they jumped off and stood and looked about anxiously for their friends. Not a child was to be seen besides themselves.

“Did they go back to the train to find us?” asked Dot.

“No, they got on the New York cars and thought we were on, too. When they get to 23rd Street they’ll miss us and wait there till we come,” explained Don, taking the gum from his mouth again to speak.

“What shall we do?”

“Get on the first train for uptown,” replied Don.

“There’s one—I’m going to ask the man where it goes,” announced Dot, running to a guard standing by his platform.

“Where do you go?” asked the little girl.

“Downtown, New York.”

“Thank you,” and Dot walked away.

Another string of cars pulled in, and other guards got off after the passengers had left. Dot ran up to one and said:

“Where do you go?”

“Jersey City, Manhattan Junction, Harrison, and Newark!” called the man, without paying any attention to the child.

“Guess that isn’t it, yet,” thought Dot, giving the man a scornful look because he would not notice her.

The twins waited and waited, and then another train came in where the downtown train had pulled out.

“Hurrah!—Read the sign in the windows! ‘Uptown New York,’ Dot!” cried Don, crowding on before anyone could get in ahead of him.

Thus it happened that Don walked into a car without waiting for Dot, and she, being small, was pushed back by the grown-ups till the last. Just as she was about to step on, Jinks caught her skirt.

“Thank goodness! Here you are! We’ve all been hunting high and low for the two of you.”

“Why—where did you come from?” questioned Dot.

“Just came in on that car over there—I saw you waiting, before my train stopped, and tried to hurry out to prevent you from leaving us.”

As he spoke, Dot stepped back beside Jinks, and the guard shut the door and pulled the signal cord. Instantly the train moved and carried Don uptown alone. He had not seen Jinks and thought Dot was behind him as he walked through the sections looking for his friends.

“There now! Don is gone!” cried Dot, stamping her foot.

“On that car!” gasped Jinks, trying hard to choke back a laugh.

“Yes, and now he’ll get losted, too!”

“Not if he gets out at 23rd! We left Vene there to grab you if you reached that far,” explained Jinks.

“Where’s Ned and Mete, and the others?”

“Ned went to Cortlandt Street and agreed to meet me at Hoboken again. Mete went to Jersey City and other stations to ask for you. We left Ruth with the other Blue Birds and Bobolinks in care of Vene at 23rd Street station. Here comes a downtown train.”

It stopped and Ned stepped off. He glowered at Dot and asked: “What under the sun do you twins think we are, anyway?”

“Nuthin’ much, if you can’t take charge of a few children!” retorted Dot, glowering as darkly as he.

Jinks burst out laughing. “No use feeling upset about it, Ned. No one yet has been able to scold the twins!”

Another train now pulled in and Mete got off.

“I’d just like to know what right you trouble-makers had to leave us and wander around by yourselves?” demanded he, angrily.

“We didn’t wander—we rode! And what’s more you just got off the same kind of train we got on, so you went the same route!” exclaimed Dot, scornfully.

Now the train from uptown came in on its last stop at Hoboken. Off stepped Vene. She hurried over to join her friends with the exclamation:

“Oh, I saw Don on the train, but he didn’t get off at 23rd Street where I waited. Before I could call or get his attention, the cars moved on. I waited but he didn’t come back and I don’t know what to do!”

“What did you come here for?” demanded Mete, impatiently.

“I knew you would be here and could tell me what to do.”

“Yes, and most likely, by the time we all get back to 23rd Street, those other nuisances will have escaped! Then we’ll waste a whole day in hunting them up, instead of visiting Uncle Ben on time!” cried Mete, beside himself.

“No, no! I left them sitting in a row on the bench with a colored porter to guard them. I promised him some money if he would keep them right where they sat!”

“Fine! I tell you boys—Vene is a true suffrage girl! She uses her wits as well as we men do!” exclaimed Jinks, approvingly, for he was Lavinia’s chief admirer those days.

“Pooh! If she was your sister you wouldn’t think so!”

“All aboard—uptown train!” now bawled a guard, and all else was forgotten in the scurry to get on.

Dot felt worried about her twin, but being in such disgrace already, she did not add to her troubles by asking for Don.

Soon the guard announced “23rd Street” and the children trooped off. There sat the members of the Blue Birds and Bobolinks in a row on a bench, and a negro man standing beside them was apparently enjoying himself, as he listened to an orator standing at one end of the long bench. It was Don who held forth with such a flow of rhetoric.

“Say you, Don Starr! How came you here?” shouted half a dozen voices, as as many individuals ran over and caught hold of the boy.

At the sudden shaking, Don dropped something. Dot saw it fall and gave it a vicious kick. It was a huge ball of gum. Don saw it and knew what had caused it to roll away. He glared at Dot, and then turned to the boys.

“Mighty good thing I got my wits about me! You boys aren’t worth a cent to look after a bunch of youngsters! I know how to travel, all right! I’ve been to Jersey City, Hoboken, Erie, and Christopher Street, Ninth Street, Fourteenth Street, Eighteenth, Twenty-third, Twenty-eighth and Thirty-third Streets, all in an hour—and here I am as fresh as ever!”

“Fresh—of course you are! And I’m going to have Uncle Ben take a lot of it out of you just as soon as we get to his office!” threatened Mete.

“No you won’t either! I telephoned him from the 33rd Street station to ask him what to do and he said: ‘Go and wait at 23rd Street station as planned, and bring them all over here as soon as possible. You are almost an hour late for the appointment!’ so I am to take charge now, and see that we all get over to the office as quickly as you can travel!”

The children laughed at the order from Don, and then started up the steps to the street, but did not see Don stoop to catch up the ball of gum. He planned to wash it well at a drinking place he knew of in his uncle’s office.

Without further mishap, they all reached the 18th floor where Uncle Ben’s office was located, and Don slipped away. The gum was soon washed, and he chewed as noisily as ever as he ran after the last one to enter the door leading from the main hall to the offices.

“Don Starr! what are you chewing?” demanded Vene, in a disgusted tone.

“Nawthin’!”

“Yes, you are, too! Ned, see what he’s chewing! I just know it’s gum!” from shocked Vene.

“Don, are you chewing gum?” asked Ned.

“I’m not chewing a thing—can’t you see my jaws are as quiet as yours—quieter, cuz you’re talking!”

“Were you chewing gum?” now came severely from Mete.

“Not that you noticed it!” said Don, saucily.

“Open that mouth of yours!” demanded Mete.

“Can’t—my tooth is hooked!” replied Don, a faint twinkle beginning to wrinkle his eyes.

“I’ll yank the tooth out—open your mouth!” and Mete caught hold of his younger brother’s shoulders and shook him.

A choking, a sputtering, and a great confusion followed as Don was forced to give up the gum.

“Oh—you! you—you——” but Vene had no words to convey her horror at the untruth she felt Don had told.

“Good gracious—what a chunk! How could you crowd it in at one time!” gasped Mete, when he saw the size of the gum.

“He chewed nine pieces at once!” eagerly attested Dot.

“Did you chew the tenth?” was the unexpected query from Ned.

“Only the teeniest bit—just to get the flavor, then I threw it away!” admitted Dot.

“Oh, really!” from several voices.

“And she got angry when I wouldn’t give her five even!” added Don, scowling at everyone.

“Why did you say you couldn’t open your mouth ’cause your tooth was fast? Didn’t you know you were fibbing?” asked Ned.

“I didn’t say one word that was a lie! Now you think! My tooth was hooked. I had to use that gum to keep my tooth from getting cold and aching again. The dentist told me always to keep the nerve covered when I went outdoors. He said it was an exposed nerve that made a tooth jump. So I did as he advised me, that’s all!” explained Don.

Not another word was said about the gum then, as the inner door to Uncle Ben’s offices was reached and the Publishers went in where all was quiet, and such a thing as gum was never thought of!