Another moment and the reporter had slipped from his saddle and had caught up the little girl, more glad on his own part than he would have once thought possible to have her once more beside him.
"Yes, captain, here we are! But did you expect us--or me? And how could you tell that we were not strangers?"
"Why, don"t you suppose I"d know the step of any horse for ours? And though Nimrod is yours now I know him like--like a brother. Don"t I, dear fellow?" and from Ninian"s clasp she ran to embrace the down-bent head of the thoroughbred.
On his side, Nimrod was equally rejoiced. His velvet nostrils caressed the little girl"s cheeks and flowing hair, while his dainty forefoot gently pawed the ground in expression of delight and not impatience.
Prince stood looking on, unmoved. He was not Sobrante raised and seemed to feel it; or so Jessica fancied, as she left off petting Nimrod and pa.s.sed to Prince"s side, to stroke his head also, and to murmur words of praise for good behavior in bringing Ephraim safely home.
Then "Forty-niner" led the beast away, while Jessica sped after Ninian, who had been greeted--almost grasped--by Aunt Sally. She had drawn him indoors, laughing, crying, whispering, entreating, all in a breath:
"Oh, oh, oh, land of Goshen! My suz! If you ain"t the gladdest sight I"ve seen this dog"s age! How are you, how are you? Slim? You certainly do look slim," she declared, as she led him into the radiance of the lamp and critically peered into his face, both through and above her spectacles.
"Well, my good friend, I never was anything but slim, as I remember.
And I have been just a bit ailing, if that"s your meaning. However, I"m all right now, most delighted to be here, and wholly at your service or that of anybody else who needs me. How are the children?
Ephraim said that they were ill. And Mrs. Trent?"
As if in answer to his questions, there was a patter of bare feet on the stairs and in came Luis, his great dark eyes looking twice their normal size and his voice shrill with excitement, as he tried to say:
"Ned--Ned"s gone and got--and got--Ned"s gone got gone roof. Oh, oh!"
Mrs. Benton dropped Ninian"s hand which she had continued to hold and shake up and down, much in the manner of one pumping water, and caught up the child to also shake him vigorously:
"Hi! What"s that you say? Don"t you dare to tell auntie a story.
What"s Neddy----Oh, my land! all the catnip"s gone out of my life, seems if!"
The reporter and Jessica looked at each other and burst into laughter. It was impossible to help it, Aunt Sally"s manner had been so droll and yet so dramatic; and, oddly enough, over Ninian there stole again the feeling that he had come home, and that the griefs and perplexities of this household had become his own. With that his merriment was over, for the fear Mrs. Benton"s face had betrayed was sincere.
Jessica, also, had sobered instantly, and catching her guest"s hand hurried him impulsively upward, crying:
"He"s done it again! Oh, if mother sees him it will frighten her to death!"
They reached the upper floor and the end of the hall which divided it into two sections, and from whence a ladder ran upright to a trapdoor opening on the sloping roof. The scuttle had been left open for ventilation, and up this steep stairway Luis was pointing with wild gestures.
Again Aunt Sally caught and shook the little fellow, but he could make no better business of talking than before. Jessica had not waited for more than one glance into the empty chamber where the sick children had been cared for, since it was more quiet than the customary bed-room below; and that glance, added to Luis" gesticulations, told her story.
"Oh, he"s walking in his sleep again! He"s gone on the roof!"
The next the reporter realized she had climbed the ladder and disappeared through the scuttle. He forgot that he was, or had been, ill, and followed her, only to pause at the sight which met him as his head protruded through the opening. It was a house of many gables, and upon the peak of the farthest one poised Ned in his night-clothes, slowly swinging his arms in the circular fashion children adopt preparatory to a leap or spring.
"One!" counted the childish voice. "Two!"
Ninian closed his eyes, as if by so doing he might shut his ears to the final "Three!" which would mark the fatal leap.
CHAPTER XVI.
JESSICA GETS HER WISH
Ninian Sharp had closed his eyes against a catastrophe which, seemingly, nothing less than a miracle could prevent. When he opened them again the miracle had been performed.
Love had lent to Jessica a strength and swiftness almost incredible even to her active body, and she had crossed the steep, slated roof just in time to clasp Ned"s feet and to drag him backward with her as she rolled down upon the broader portion. Yet even here was imminent danger, for the lad was struggling, in his sudden awakening, and the pair were slipping hopelessly toward the eaves.
But now was the reporter"s chance and the test of his athletic training. He threw himself p.r.o.ne upon the slippery slates, worming his lean person over them till he caught the girl"s frock, and bidding her "hold fast!" drew both the children slowly toward the scuttle. When his feet had found the edge of this the danger was past; and they were presently down upon the hall floor, laughing and sobbing together in one excited group. That is, the sister was sobbing and Ninian was laughing in a nervous way that had grown upon him with his illness, and that told to Aunt Sally"s keen ear how really frail he still was.
But Master Ned, the cause of all this emotion, looked calmly upon the stranger, and demanded:
"Where"s that printing press you promised, hey? I can say five, ten letters now, and I can spell cat backwards!"
"Is it possible? Before such erudition I bow my humble head!" laughed the visitor, grateful for any, even nonsensical, words that would relieve the tension of the moment.
But here Aunt Sally caught up the boy and looked him over anxiously; then joyfully declared:
"He"s got his senses back. Oh! Gabriella, where are you? Neddy"s all right!"
"Oh, auntie, hush! There"s no need to tell mother anything of this last danger, and if you"ll only please put Ned back to bed she won"t have to know."
"Ain"t goin" to bed. Been a-bed "nough," protested the supposed invalid. "Want my clothes. Want to go downstairs and get my supper."
"Get my supper," a.s.sented Luis, creeping forward from the corner where he had hidden in fear of he knew not what.
"h.e.l.lo, echo! You on hand again? How"s business?" demanded Ninian, drawing the child towards him.
"First rate," answered Ned, for his comrade, who promptly echoed: ""Strate."
But now came the mother, hurrying up the stairs, with a bowl of gruel she had gone to prepare, and interest in which had opportunely prevented her knowing either of the reporter"s arrival or her son"s peril. And the visitor sprang to his feet again, while she welcomed him as cordially and gracefully as if she had been sitting in state, expectant, within her own pretty parlor.
One flash of her eyes toward her boy, safe in Mrs. Benton"s arms again and carefully wrapped about in her capacious ap.r.o.n, relieved any anxiety she might have felt in coming upon this unexpected group, and she asked, with a little burst of laughter:
"Is it possible that Ned was so quick to welcome you? Well, son, it might have been more courteous to have gone downstairs; but I"m sure our friend will pardon a little lad who"s been ill. He"s really better, isn"t he, Aunt Sally? He looks quite natural."
"Yes, honey, he"s better. I reckon he"s pa.s.sed the turnin" point now, if nothin" new sets in. You take Mr. Sharp down into the settin"-room, "cause he"s seen the children and I"ll set with them a spell. Wun Lung can get the supper well"s I can, if he"ll put his heatheny mind to it.
Eh? What is it, sonny?"
Fortunately, Ned, like most sleepwalkers, was wholly unconscious of his actions while in that abnormal state, and made no comments on anything save his own reluctance to go to bed while so interesting a gentleman was in the house; but was finally coaxed to do so by the promise of Luis sharing his cot as well as his porridge; whereupon Mrs. Trent kissed him good-night and invited the guest below.
His protestations against another supper, after the excellent one he had taken at Aleck McLeod"s, met with nothing but the hospitable rejoinder:
"Oh! but you can surely manage a light refreshment, since you"ve ridden thirty miles from Marion."
To which the little captain added her entreaties, saying:
"I"m hungry, anyway. I"m always so, I guess, but I couldn"t think of breaking bread before you unless you share it."
Therefore sleepy Wun Lung came with the tray, and was gratified by the friendly notice of the stranger; and Mrs. Trent made tea in the little swinging kettle over her alcohol lamp, her daughter declaring that it always tasted better served in that way. Ninian found that, in spite of his protestations, the simple refreshments were very acceptable, and the trio were quietly enjoying their reunion when Jessica suddenly remembered Ephraim and sprang up to go in search of him, exclaiming: