With the sun shining brightly, and the beautiful autumn coloring in the foliage, the journey was most enjoyable.
About six o"clock the car reached Mason"s farm and Ruth told her aunt that there the first little city children lived all summer. Next, the car pa.s.sed Betty"s home, but no one was in sight, although Ruth watched for Betty to appear. Mrs. Catlin"s beautiful home on the hill was pointed out to the interested old lady, and then Ike turned off of the main road and drove along the woodland road that ran by the swimming pool. Ruth told all about it, and hoped the Nest in the cherry-tree could be seen in the twilight.
Ike stopped under the old tree and Ruth spied all of the Blue Birds in the Nest. She jumped out to greet them and they ran down the steps to crowd about her. Aunt Selina was introduced and received a quaint little curtsey from each child. Then the children said good-night and Ike drove on to the house.
There, on the lower step, stood the long-looked-for father, and the moment Ruth saw him, she gave a cry of joy. Mrs. Talmage and Ned stood back in the shadow to enjoy Ruth"s first sight of her father.
After the greetings were over, Aunt Selina was made to feel quite at home in the cheery library until dinner was announced. The travelers were too tired to dress for dinner, so they were soon seated about the table and the conversation naturally turned to Blue Bird talk.
Ruth went to bed soon after dinner, for the day had been tiresome, and Aunt Selina also felt the need of rest. She admitted that she enjoyed the trip very much, but her old bones felt the strain of the long day.
CHAPTER III
THE BLUE BIRDS" INSPIRATION
School was to re-open on Thursday, and the Blue Birds had but one day more of vacation in which to meet and plan for the Winter Nest. Of course, they could meet after school, or Sat.u.r.days, but it seemed more like a meeting to be able to have the whole day for planning.
By nine o"clock on Wednesday, therefore, they gathered in their Nest while Mrs. Talmage entertained Aunt Selina on the veranda with past doings of the children.
Mr. Talmage had to go to the city, and he said that Uncle Ben might come back with him for a few days" visit. Uncle Ben was his only brother, the one who had given Ned the printing outfit for a Christmas gift.
Ruth told the Blue Birds all about Happy Hills and Aunt Selina"s plan for the city children.
"Now, how shall we manage to find the children that will need the country next summer?" asked Ruth.
"Did your aunt say who would look after so many children?" asked Norma.
"No, that is one of the things we shall have to talk over. We only got as far as deciding that the farm was great!" said Ruth.
"Indeed, it is a fine offer," said several little girls.
"I think we will have to get the opinion of the grown-ups about the whole plan," ventured Betty.
"Mrs. Talmage and Miss Selina are on the porch now--let"s run over and ask them what they have thought of," suggested Edith.
As the others were of the same mind the Nest was deserted. Upon reaching the veranda, the Blue Birds were pleased to see that Mrs. Catlin was sitting there with the other ladies. As Mrs. Catlin was a powerful ally, she was always welcome when planning was to be done.
While the group on the piazza was deeply concerned talking over winter work and next summer"s plans, Ned came out of the house and went down the woodland path toward the Starrs" home.
Meredith Starr and his chum, Jinks, were under an old apple-tree in the garden orchard, and Ned joined them.
"Aunt Selina"s at the house, and what do you think?"
Meredith and Jinks shook their heads and Ned continued solemnly, "She"s given Happy Hills to the Blue Birds for their poor children next summer."
"She has! My goodness, but they will have more than they can look after if they ever accepted such a place," cried Jinks.
"Oh, they accepted it, all right! They"re just crazy about it. But the grown-ups will have to help it along. I suppose they"ll have to have so much printing done that we"ll be out of it after this winter,"
complained Ned.
"If you think that why can"t we have some organization of our own?"
asked Meredith.
"Yes! why wait to be invited out of the way by the Blue Birds? Get some club of our own going, and surprise them if they find us in the way,"
added Jinks.
"Oh, it takes a grown-up to help along such things?" objected Ned. "Why, where do you suppose these girls would have been if it hadn"t been for mother"s ideas and help?"
"I guess you"re right," admitted the other boys, rolling over in the gra.s.s again, whence they had popped up their heads at Meredith"s suggestion.
After a few moments" silence, however, Meredith sat up again and said tenaciously: "I don"t see why we can"t! Daddum would help us with his advice and your father, too, Ned. Jinks hasn"t any grown-ups, but he can get some of the fathers of the Blue Birds interested in us."
"What could we do, or where would we start?" asked Ned.
"Well, first of all, don"t let"s call it "The Owls!" That name may be all right for the editor of a paper, but I don"t like it for a club,"
complained Meredith.
"We need a name that will sound so respectable that every mother will consent to having her boy join us," said Ned.
"We might call it "Junior Boy Scouts,"" suggested Jinks.
"Then everyone"ll expect us to do just as the Boy Scouts do, and the fact is we won"t! We will have a sort of club for boys under twelve for the purpose of having a nice time, and helping them with their work or suggesting plans for outdoor sports," said Ned.
"If we could think of some name that would appeal to the mothers who are so interested in the Blue Birds!" said Jinks.
After many names had been laughed down, Meredith said, "Why not call ourselves "The B. B. Club." Everyone likes a secret society and the mothers can believe we are so fond of the Blue Birds that we wanted to keep their name for ourselves."
"Oh, but they will think we had to steal their name for want of finding one for ourselves," scorned Ned.
"Well, if you can find anything better, tell it!" exclaimed Meredith, vexed at his friend"s laughter.
Just then, Jim, the handy man about Oakwood, joined the boys. He saw some signs of trouble and asked what they were doing.
Ned explained about Miss Selina and the Blue Birds, and his plan for the younger boys. Jim pondered for a few moments and then muttered, "Is there any bird you know that goes by those same initials--"B. B."?"
Ned thought rapidly for a few minutes, then said, "Blue Jay, no, not that--Black Bird!"
"Bull Finch!" replied Jinks, laughing.
"Neither! What bird whistles like this?" and Jim imitated so naturally the notes of the Bobolink that the boys knew.
"Ho! Bobolink, eh?" shouted Ned, slapping Jim on the back.
"Where would the "B. B." come in on that?" asked Jinks.