Then Mrs. Ramsey broke in with, "And the best of it is we have not hunted in vain."
This all sounded so very mysterious that everyone began asking questions until Mrs. Ramsey cried, "Do be quiet all of you and we"ll try to tell you." So everyone subsided into expectancy and she began.
"The house is for Miss Newman and Miss Eloise, and it is the Duncan"s bungalow."
"Oh, Mother," Jennie broke in, "that dear cunning little place at the edge of the woods? You don"t mean that."
"That is just what I do mean and it has all come about in the loveliest way, but I am not going to tell anything more till after lunch. You have had sauce enough for your curiosity and you can wait."
"It all sounds so bewildering that I am not sure whether I am awake or not," said Miss Eloise. "Either I am dreaming or I shall have to believe in fairies. I think I would rather believe in fairies, for I am sure a very good one has been at work."
Luncheon was disposed of in such short order that Mrs. Ramsey declared that everyone would have an attack of indigestion on account of such hasty eating, but she agreed to gratify the curiosity so very apparent and led the way to the porch where they all usually settled for a little talk after meals.
"Shall I tell or will you, Miss Newman?" she asked.
"You, please, for you can begin further back of the facts than I can who did not come into them till this morning."
"Well, then," began Mrs. Ramsey, "it all began with Jennie."
"With me?" came in a surprised voice from Jennie.
"Yes, you," Mrs. Ramsey nodded. "It was when we were out in the automobile yesterday afternoon and were talking of how soon Miss Newman and Miss Eloise must end their visit, and you said you wished they could stay and wasn"t there some little cottage they could take. Then you further set the ball rolling by adding that you wished there were a school that kept open all summer so Miss Newman could be occupied there. That was the very beginning, for it set me thinking.
I remembered that Mrs. Duncan had said to me the last time I saw her, that she was afraid Rudolph wouldn"t be able to enter college this fall as he had lost so much time on account of his illness last spring, but that she did not want to send him away anywhere to prepare for his examinations as he needed the sea air and the attention he would get at home. Moreover, her husband objected to his having a resident tutor for various reasons, and they thought Rudolph would overtax his strength if he went into Boston every day. All this suddenly came up to me and I said to myself, Why shouldn"t Miss Newman be as capable of coaching him as a tutor? That was the first thought, and then I remembered the little bungalow. I knew the Duncans had met with some losses this year, that their two eldest sons, for whom the bungalow was built, had gone abroad, and that maybe they would let Miss Newman have it in exchange for coaching Rudolph. That is what took me over there last evening."
Miss Eloise"s face was lit up as with a flame and her lovely eyes were like stars. "Oh," she breathed, "didn"t I say I had to believe in a good fairy?"
"So," Mrs. Ramsey went on, "I had a most satisfactory interview with Mrs. Duncan who promised to talk over the matter with her husband when he should come home last evening, and I went away promising to go over this morning with Miss Newman. Mr. Duncan stayed at home to see her and we talked and talked, first with Mrs. Duncan, then with Mr.
Duncan and last of all with Rudolph, and before we came away it was all settled. Miss Newman is to have the bungalow and Rudolph is to have the coaching."
"Good! Good!" cried Jennie clapping her hands. "Did Miss Newman see the bungalow?"
"Yes, we went all through it."
"Isn"t it a dear little place? I went all through it, too. Oh, Miss Eloise, it is so cunning. There are just four rooms: a living room with a big fireplace, two bedrooms and a cunning kitchen. The boys used to have spreads there, and would cook all sorts of messes. There is a bath-room, too. You can have either salt water, or fresh water, just as we have."
Miss Eloise put out her hand to clasp her sister"s. "It sounds too good to be true," she whispered.
"But, Mamma," cried Jennie suddenly, "have you forgotten the porch party? It is almost time for the children to come."
"Dear me!" exclaimed Mrs. Ramsey, "I very nearly forgot, though I told Emma what preparations to make, and I am sure it will be all right.
Still, you little girls had best go change your frocks so as to be ready."
The three flew upstairs chattering like magpies, and when up they flew around excitedly so as to get down again to ask more questions, though this they were not able to do as the very first relay of guests arrived before they were quite dressed. These happened to be the Potters. They were followed by Louis and two other boys from the hotel, and then the arrivals did not cease till twenty children were established around Miss Eloise. For an hour they were delighted listeners, for it seemed as if this teller of tales had never been in better spirits nor had she ever told a more entrancing story, and when at last it came to an end there were many long drawn "Ahs" which showed that no one was ready to have her stop.
Then the carriages and automobiles began coming up and the children were whirled away, though in several cases the mothers who had come for them remained to speak to Miss Eloise, and one or two remained in earnest conversation with Mrs. Ramsey long after the others had gone.
It had been such an exciting day for Miss Eloise that she retired very early, and the little girls sat by themselves in a corner of the living-room while Mrs. Ramsey and Miss Newman talked in a low tone before the open fire. The evening was cool and it was not only too chilly to sit on the porch, but none too warm for the fire. The little girls themselves, though animated enough at first, soon began to grow drowsy and presently Edna"s head was in Jennie"s lap while Jennie"s head was on Dorothy"s shoulder, and Dorothy herself was propped up against the wall trying in vain to keep her eyes open. The murmur of voices went on and in a few minutes Jennie, finding that her prop was beginning to sway over toward a chair, roused up to hear her mother say:
"Are you sure she will not find it too much of a task, Miss Newman?"
"I am quite sure she will not, for she has her Children"s Hour every day in the city, and she will be so rejoiced at the idea of earning something that she will be more than ever eager to do it. Then, consider, Mrs. Ramsey, how much stronger she is."
Of course this must be about Miss Eloise, but what could she be going to do to enable her to earn money? Jennie was wide awake at once. She had more than once heard Miss Eloise long to be earning something, and now she was going to do it. Rather unceremoniously Edna"s head was transferred to Dorothy"s lap and Jennie got up to go to the two by the fire.
"Oh, Mamma," she said, "I do so want to know what you are talking about. Is it Miss Eloise and what is she going to do?"
"Dear me," said Mrs. Ramsey, "I thought you children had gone into the other room, you were all so quiet."
"I think we were all half asleep. I know Edna is in Dreamland, and I think Dorothy is, too."
"Well, my dear," spoke up Miss Newman, "I am sure Eloise will not object to your knowing that when we get into our little bungalow she is to have a porch party of her own every day. Several of the ladies who were here this afternoon, said they would be so pleased if she would agree to give an hour each day to the telling of tales to a certain number of children, and offered to pay very liberally for it. Many of the ladies are boarding, and would like a quiet hour when they could be sure their restless little children were not annoying anyone by their noise, and when this plan was proposed they were more than pleased."
"And what did Miss Eloise say?" asked Jennie. "Does she know?"
"Oh, yes, for she had to be consulted, of course. I have seldom seen her so pleased."
"Then I am very glad," said Jennie. "May I tell the other girls?"
"Certainly you may."
"And since you are all tired out I think you"d better run up to bed,"
said her mother. "It has been a very full day and we shall all turn in early."
Thus charged Jennie went over to rouse the others who, though still sleepy, were ready to show interest in what Jennie had to tell them, and were heard talking of it all the way up the stairs.
A more careful examination of the little bungalow showed that there would be some things wanted for the entire comfort of the Newman sisters, but these Mrs. Ramsey insisted upon furnishing, or at least lending from her own home, so the next week saw the inmates happy as two birds in a nest. Cap"n Si"s grand-daughter was engaged to come over every morning to do up the dishes and help get dinner and the rest was easy enough, Miss Newman declared. Everyone missed Miss Eloise from her place on the porch, but she was so happy in her new surroundings, that all rejoiced for her. The little girls found amus.e.m.e.nt enough and managed to get along very well indeed when only the three were together, but when Louis appeared there was nearly always sure to be discord.
Therefore one morning when Louis was seen coming in the gate, Dorothy gave an impatient "Oh, pshaw! I thought we were going to have a nice pleasant time to-day, and here comes Louis."
"I wish you wouldn"t talk that way about my cousin," said Edna, her loyal spirit rising within her.
"I can"t help it if he is your cousin, he is always doing or saying something to stir up a fuss. I don"t see why he likes to play with girls, anyhow. I should think he would much rather play with boys."
"There aren"t any but very big boys or very little ones at the hotel,"
explained Edna.
"Then why doesn"t he go play with Billy Potter?"
"Billy Potter, that stick?" Edna spoke in great contempt. "Why he is such a lump that he couldn"t play with anyone."
"Well, at least he wouldn"t fuss with them. We were going to play dolls, this morning, and Louis will never do that."
"I"m going to play dolls, whatever Louis does or says," spoke up Jennie.
"So am I then," declared Dorothy. "What are you going to do, Edna?"
"I don"t know," said Edna doubtfully. She dearly loved dolls, but she did not intend to desert Louis.
"Well, if you want to play with Louis you can," continued Dorothy; "but unless he will play with dolls he cannot come with us."