"I wish I could eat something," said Dotty, with a solemn face; "but I"m too sick."
"So"m I," groaned Flyaway. "I couldn"t eat noffin"--"cept cake."
"If you are in such a condition as that," said the captain, "it is certainly high time we landed. And here comes a pilot boat with a signal flying. We will take the pilot on board," added she; drawing in another little girl. "And look! here we are now in Liverpool."
"We must go to the Adelphi," said Octavia; "that is where Rollo went, and found his father, and mother, and Thannie. But the kitten didn"t ever get there--did it, Miss Percival?"
The voyage being ended, and with it the fearful seasickness, the children went to swinging, with their teacher to push them.
"Miss Percival," said aunt Maria, shaking hands with that excellent young lady, "I wish you joy of your n.o.ble employment. It is a blessed thing to be able to give so much pleasure to these dear little children."
"So it seems to me," replied Miss Percival. "They are always grateful, too, for every little kindness."
"They look very good and obedient," said Mrs. Clifford, in a low voice.
"So they are. Sometimes I think they are better than children who have eyes; perhaps because they cannot see to get into so much mischief,"
added Miss Percival, pinching Emily"s cheek.
"Aunt "Ria," said Dotty, in raptures, "_don"t_ they have good times here?"
"Yelly good times," said little Flyaway, clutching at her mother"s dress.
"Mamma, I wish _I_ was blind-eyed, too."
"You, my darling baby! Mother hopes that will never be. But if you cannot be blind-eyed yourself, perhaps you may make some of these little ones happy. Is there anything you would like to give away?"
Flyaway winked slowly, trying to think what she had at home that she no longer wished to keep.
"Yes, mamma," said she at last, with a smile of satisfaction, "I"ve got a old hat."
"O, fie, Katie! I dare say you would be very glad to part with that, for I remember you cried the other day when I asked you to wear it. Your old hat would not be a pretty present."
"Then I can"t fink of noffin" else," said Katie, shaking her head; at the same time having a guilty recollection of several beautiful toys, and ""most a hunnerd bushels of canny;" that is to say, a small box of confectionery her uncle Edward had given her.
Mrs. Clifford had observed of late that her little daughter was not as generous as she could wish. Both Katie and Dotty were peculiarly liable to become selfish, as they were much petted at home, and had no younger brothers or sisters with whom to share their treasures. Mrs. Clifford did not insist upon Katie"s making any sacrifice. The little one did not pity the blind children at all. They seemed so happy that she almost envied them. So did Miss Dimple. It was not, after all, very grievous to be blind, she thought, if one could live at this Inst.i.tute and have such nice plays.
"Aunt "Ria thinks I ought to give them something, I s"pose. When I get home I mean to ask mamma and grandma to dress a beautiful doll, and I"ll send it to Emily. She"ll keep it to remember me by; and it won"t cost any of _my_ money if papa buys the head."
"Good by, Emily," said she, as she parted from her. "I hope there won"t any more bad things happen to you."
"But I s"pose there will," replied Emily, cheerfully.
Mr. Parlin and Horace were waiting in the hall, and the latter was impatiently watching the tall clock. They had been in the greenhouse, looking at the flowers, and in the shop, where the blind boys learn to make brooms and brushes.
"Well, ladies, are you ready to go?" asked Mr. Parlin, taking Flyaway by the hand.
"Yes, we ladies is ready," replied she. So this was the end of their visit at the Inst.i.tute.
After they had gone away, the little blind girls said to one another,--
"What nice children those are! Which is the prettiest, Alice or Katie?"
For they always spoke of people and things exactly as if they could see them.
CHAPTER IV.
A SPOILED DINNER.
Next morning, Dotty Dimple and her father started for Maine. Flyaway did not like this at all. Her cousin had been so pleasant and so entertaining that she wished to keep her always.
"What _for_ you can"t stay, Dotty Dimpwil?"
"O," said Dotty, tearing herself away from the little clinging arms, "I must go home and get ready for Christmas."
"No, you musser," persisted Katie; "we"ve got a Santa Claw in _our_ chimley; you musser go home."
"It isn"t for Santa Claus at all, darling it is for my papa and mamma"s wedding. To stand up, so they can be married over again. Now kiss me, and let me go."
"Her"s goin" home to Kismus pie," remarked Katie, as she took her mournful way with her mamma to the house where they were visiting. She did not know what a wedding might be, but was sure it had pies in it.
"There goes a right smart little girl," said Horace, with a sweep of his thumb towards the Cleveland cars. "If it wasn"t for Prudy, I should like her better than any other cousin I have in the world."
"She is an engaging child," replied his mother, "and really seems to be outgrowing her naughty ways."
Thus, you see, Dotty Dimple, in coming away from Indiana, had left in the minds of her friends only "golden opinions." Perhaps she was rather overrated. Everything had gone well with her during her visit; why should she not be pleasant and happy? I am inclined to think there was the same old naughtiness in her heart, only just now it was asleep. We shall see.
Nothing remarkable occurred on the homeward journey, except that Mr.
Parlin bought some gold-fishes in Boston, and carried them home as a present to Mrs. Read. They travelled one night in a sleeping-car, and by that means reached Portland a day earlier than they were expected.
Dotty hardly knew whether to be glad or sorry for this. There was a great deal to be said on both sides of the question. She had antic.i.p.ated the pleasure of being met at the depot by Susy and Prudy, and now that was not to be thought of; but it would be delightful to give the family a surprise. On the whole, she was very well satisfied.
As they drove up to the new home, however, what was their astonishment to find it closed! There was not even a window open, or any other sign that the house was inhabited. Dotty ran to every door, and shook it.
"Why, papa, papa, do you s"pose there"s anybody dead?"
"The probability is, Alice, that they have gone away. I will run over to Mrs. Prosser"s, and see if she knows anything about it."
Mrs. Prosser was the nearest neighbor on the left. Her little daughter came to the door in tears, having hurt herself against a trunk in the hall.
"Miss Carrie," said Mr. Parlin, "can you tell me where Mrs. Parlin and the rest of the family are gone?"
"Yes, Caddy Prosser, the house is shut up," added Dotty, "and I"m afraid they"re dead."
"I don"t know where they"re gone, nor anything," sobbed Carrie. "I didn"t know the trunk was in the entry, and I came so fast I fell right over it."
"I am very sorry you are hurt," said Mr. Parlin. "Is your mother at home?"