Maggie and the waiter rushed down, down and down, the many flights of stairs, never stopping to take an elevator, and then ran breathlessly up to the desk to stammer hoa.r.s.ely:
"Children gone! Clothes laying everywhere, and kidnappers carried them off!"
It caused a tremendous commotion. Every one within hearing crowded up to the clerk and wanted to know who was gone, where the thieves went, what floor the burglary took place on, and many other exciting questions.
The proprietor was called out to quell the disturbance, but long before he reached the lobby, dozens of guests and callers streamed up the endless flights of steps to examine the vacant suite of rooms.
Some of the guests, who had not heard distinctly on which floor the kidnappers had found the children, climbed to the top flight. Suddenly a nervous woman clutched her husband"s arm.
"Oh, oh! Those wicked men are on the roof with the dears! Hear them shouting and things b.u.mping about up there?" cried she.
Instantly the man, who had powerful lungs, leaned over the stair-rail and bawled down:
"Come up! Come up! The thieves are on the roof ready to throw the children down to the street if they don"t stop crying!"
That brought the endless line of excited folks up and up the remaining flights of stairs, until all could quite plainly hear the noise on the roof overhead.
Suddenly a voice yelled: "Surrender! I got you cornered."
The words were ominous, but the voice was boyish. Maggie recognized it as the leader of the party of children, and she ran recklessly up to grapple with the fierce kidnappers, should it be necessary to help Mister George capture the rascals.
The guests followed closely after the brave maid, and as the crowd pushed out upon the roof, they beheld a stacked-up rampart of tables and chairs and five bellboys in a close struggle with each other.
"Where are the stolen children?" cried Maggie, rushing over to the boys, with whom she was quite at home, and, in fact, felt she was their superior.
At the unexpected interruption, the contending forces separated and looked about. To their consternation, scores of wondering people stood near the door of the roof, staring at the five boys. The cap and hairpins of one had slipped from his (or her) head, and yellow curls blew about her head in the breeze.
George never lost his presence of mind for an instant, although he feared this surprise meant the total collapse of both armies. He called to the four children:
"Attention!"
Instantly the four stood erect and took up their arms.
"Shoulder arms!"
The four obeyed.
"Form line!"
This was also done, to the unbelief of the audience.
"Forward--March!" cried George, taking his place at the head of the line.
They started and marched directly for the door leading to the roof, where crowds of curious guests stood gaping. As the army reached the doorway, the people fell back on both sides and the victorious general led his men down the stairs, down, down, down, followed by the throng, now laughing and gesticulating as wildly as any New Yorker can when he has been well fooled!
Along the corridor of the floor where their own suite was located, George led his army, and once safely inside that friendly door, he quickly slammed and locked it.
The five sank down on the floor, and rocked back and forth in hysterics of fun.
"Oh! That was the best fight we"ve ever had!" finally cried Martha.
An imperative knock at the door made them all jump, however.
"Run to your rooms and tear off these uniforms! Fire them in the closets or anywhere and jump in bed. Cover yourselves with the bedclothes before Maggie comes in with a pa.s.s-key!" ordered George quickly.
A second rap on the door found them all quickly removing the uniforms, and before Maggie could get her pa.s.s-key, the five quiet, dear little darlings were snugly tucked in five beds snoring soundly.
The proprietor stood in the parlor wonderingly, but Maggie crept to the doors and held up a warning hand for quiet.
"They is all fast asleep, sir!" whispered she.
The dazed man shook his head, and went out thinking deeply over the queer occurrence. Could five bellboys have played that joke? But no, there was one with curls, and the maid had said the five children were not in the rooms when she sought for them!
As soon as the crowd had dispersed, Maggie went to the room where the two little girls slept in twin beds.
"That ice cream will all be melted to nuthing," said wily Maggie.
Instantly the girls were out of bed. "Where is it?"
"Ha! Tell me the truth and I"ll give you the cream!" said Maggie coaxingly.
The boys heard the word "cream" and they fell into their clothes and appeared at the parlor door about the same time the two girls and Maggie came from the room.
The story was told, and Maggie, finding herself as much at fault as the soldiers, promised to put the uniforms back in the closet, while the children sat down and enjoyed a double portion of ice cream.
CHAPTER V
SOME OF WASHINGTON"S HEADQUARTERS
An automobile was hired for the day, and as early as was practical, the party started for Bronx Park. Here they took a quick survey of the horticultural gardens and stopped a short time at the zoo, then on to the historic points of Fordham and the Bronx. Then they visited the stately mansion of the old Morris family on the Harlem River, where Washington had made his headquarters during the time he was in New York with his army.
From this place, the party went to White Plains, and saw the places still remaining to mark the points of historic interest. Thence to Dobb"s Ferry, where the fine old house used by Washington for his headquarters had been purchased by a rich American, and restored to its original state.
The visitors crossed the river at this place and went to Fort Lee, but nothing of interest could be found here.
"It is much like the man himself! General Lee ruined his character and honor when he permitted the British to capture him in dressing gown and slippers!" scorned Mrs. Parke, who had always felt the utmost contempt for this disobedient American.
"I wish we had time to cross from here and visit Morristown--it is not so far in distance, but have we time to-day?" ventured Mrs. Davis.
"I have an idea!" exclaimed Mr. Parke. "What do you say if we wire the garage in New York that we will not return till to-morrow? We can then go to Newburgh and West Point, and later on to Morristown, and remain there for the night at some first-cla.s.s hotel. It will be a relief to get away from the din of the New York streets, and rest in the quiet peace of a suburban town."
"We would not reach Morristown till long after dinner," said Mrs.
Parke, thinking of the tiresome ride for the children.
"Well, ask the chauffeurs about it--they ought to know the distance and time it would take to go from Newburgh to Morristown," said Mrs. Davis.