Five Little Peppers Abroad
X
DANGER
Well, the box that went home across the seas to the Pepper boys was amarvel, stuffed in every nook and cranny where there was a possibilitythat the tiniest parcel could be tucked, until Phronsie, who keptbringing up more bundles, had to be told by Polly and Jasper, who didthe packing, that no more could go in.
"They are very small," sighed Phronsie, curling up on the floor by theside of the big box, almost overflowing with billows of the soft whitepaper on top, and holding up two pudgy little bundles.
"So you've said for the last hour, Phronsie," exclaimed Polly, indespair, and sitting quite straight, her hands in her lap. "Jasper,what _shall_ we do?" He was over by the window laying out the longnails that were to fasten the cover on; for no one must touch thisprecious box, but the loving hands that got it ready.
"Oh, we can't," began Jasper. Then he turned and saw Phronsie's face."Perhaps one might be crowded in," he added, with a look at Polly."Which one would you rather have Polly make a try at, Phronsie?"
"This one," she said, holding up the pudgiest bundle, "because this isthe china cat, and I want Joel to have that."
Down went Polly's head on the edge of the box. Jasper dropped the longnails and hurried over to her.
"I can't help it." Polly's shoulders were shaking, and she addedgustily, "O dear me--and Joel does so hate cats!"
"Phronsie, I think I can tuck in that parcel," Jasper made haste tosay. "There, give it to me, child," and he took it out of her hand."For Joel" was written across it in unsteady letters.
"Is Polly sick?" asked Phronsie, wonderingly, as she resigned her catinto his hands.
"No, only a bit tired, I think," answered Jasper. "Well, now, Phronsie,I think there is just room enough to tuck that parcel in this corner,"said Jasper, crowding his fingers down in between the various bundlesto make a space. "There, in it pops!" suiting the action to the word.
"I am so very glad," said Phronsie, smoothing her brown gown in greatsatisfaction; "for then Joel will know that I sent it all by myself."
"He'll know that nobody else sent it," said Polly to herself. "And Iknow it's a perfectly awful cat, for Phronsie always picks out the veryugliest she can find."
Well, the box was off, at last, the Pepper children and Jasper seeingit till the very last minute. And old Mr. King was nearly as excited asthe young folks, and the Parson and Mrs. Henderson said it remindedthem of Christmas times over again, and Mother Fisher and the littledoctor were in a great state of happiness.
And that night when Polly was in bed, and Mother Fisher came into herroom and Phronsie's, which opened into her own, to say "Good night,"Polly turned on her pillow. "Mamsie," she said, "I do so very much wishthat we could send a box to the Henderson boys. They must be sohomesick for their mother and father."
Mrs. Fisher stopped and thought a bit, "A very good idea, Polly," shesaid, "and I'm glad you thought of it. I'll speak to your father andsee if he approves, before we say anything to Mr. King."
"You see," said Polly, rolling over to get hold of one of MotherFisher's hands, and speaking very fast, "of course the Henderson boysare having a good time at dear Deacon Blodgett's, but then their motherand father are away off. Oh, Mamsie!" She reached over and threw botharms around her mother and hugged her tightly.
"Yes, I know, Polly," said Mother Fisher, holding her big girl to herheart, "and we must look out for other people's boys; that's what youmean to say, isn't it?"
"Yes," said Polly, happy that Mamsie always understood, "and now thatBen's and Joel's and David's box is off, why, I wish we could, Mamsie,send the other one."
"I really think it can be done," said Mrs. Fisher, "but I must ask yourfather first. And now, daughter, go to sleep, like Phronsie." Sheglanced over at the other little bed, where Phronsie's yellow head waslost in dreams.
"You know we are going to Marken tomorrow."
"I know," said Polly, with a happy little wriggle under the bedclothes.
"And it never would do for you to be all tired out in the morning. Thatwould be very unkind to dear Mr. King, who is trying so hard to make usall happy," continued Mrs. Fisher.
"I know," said Polly, again. "Well, good night, Mamsie." She set threeor four kisses on Mother Fisher's cheek, then turned over, with herface to the wall.
"I'll shut the door until you get to sleep, Polly," said Mrs. Fisher,"then I will open it again," as she went out.
As Mother Fisher had said, they were going to the Island of Markento-morrow; and Polly tumbled asleep with her head full of all thestrange things they were to see there, and that Jasper and she had beenreading about,--how the people wore the same kind of funny costume thattheir great-great-ever-so-many-times great-grandfathers andgrandmothers had worn; and how the houses were of different colours,and built in different layers or mounds of land, with cunning littlewindows and scarcely any stairs; and how they were going in the hayingseason when everybody would be out raking up andgleaning--and--and--Polly was completely lost in her happy dreams.
Somebody seemed to be pulling her arm. What! Oh, she remembered theywere going to Marken, and she must hurry and get her bath and fly intoher clothes. "Yes, Mamsie!" she cried, flying up to sit straight in thebed. "I'll get right up and dress; oh, won't we have fun!"
"Polly," said Mother Fisher. She had on a dressing-gown, and her blackhair was hanging down her back. She looked pale and worried; Pollycould see that, although she blinked at the sudden light. "It isn'tmorning, but the middle of the night. You must get up this minute. Pullon your shoes; don't stop for stockings, and slip into your wrapper.Don't ask questions," as Polly's lips moved.
Polly obeyed with an awful feeling at her heart. She glanced atPhronsie's little bed; she was not there! Mrs. Fisher threw the pinkwrapper over her head; Polly thrust her arms into the sleeves, feelingas if she were sinking way down. "Now come." And Mamsie seized her handand hurried her through her own room without another word. It wasempty. Father Fisher and Phronsie were nowhere to be seen. And now forthe first time Polly was conscious of a great noise out in thecorridor. It seemed to spread and fasten itself to a number of othernoises, and something made Polly feel queerly in her throat as if sheshould choke. She looked up in her mother's eyes, as they sped throughthe room.
"Yes, Polly," said Mother Fisher, "it is fire. The hotel is on fire;you will be brave, my child, I know."
"Phronsie!" gasped Polly. They were now in the corridor and hurryingalong.
"She is safe; her father took her."
"Oh, Mamsie, Jasper and Grandpapa!"
"They know it; your father ran and told them. Obey me, Polly; come!"
Mrs. Fisher's firm hand on her arm really hurt Polly, as they hurriedon through the dense waves of smoke that now engulfed them.
"Oh, Mamsie, not this way; we must find the stairs." But Mrs. Fisherheld her with firmer fingers than ever, and they turned into a narrowerhall, up toward a blinking red light that sent a small bright spark outthrough the thick smoke, and in a minute, or very much less, they wereout on the fire-escape, and looking down to hear--for they couldn'tsee--Jasper's voice calling from below, "We are all here, Polly," and"Be careful, wife, how you come down," from Dr. Fisher.
"Oh," cried Polly, as the little group drew her and Mamsie into theirarms, "are we all here?"
"Yes, Polly; yes, yes," answered Jasper. And "Oh, yes," cried old Mr.King, his arm around Phronsie, "but we shouldn't have been but for thisdoctor of ours."
"And Mr. and Mrs. Henderson?" cried Polly, shivering at Grandpapa'swords.
"We are here, dear child," said the parson's wife, pressing forward,and then the crowd surged up against them this way and that, and morepeople came down the fire-escape, and some were screaming and sayingthey had lost everything, and they must go back for their jewels, andone woman brought down a big feather pillow, and set it carefully onthe grass, she was so crazed with fright.
"O dear, dear, can't we help them?" cried Polly, wringing her hands,"Look at that girl!"
She was about as old as Polly, and she rushed by them plunging into thethickest of the crowd surging up against the fire-escape. "I'm goingup," she kept screaming.
Polly remembered her face as she flashed by. She sat at the next tableto theirs in the dining room, with a slender, gentle, little old ladywhom she called "Grandmamma." "O dear!" groaned Polly, "we _must_ helpher!"
Jasper dashed after the girl, and Polly ran, too. He laid his hand onthe arm of the flying figure as she broke through the crowd, but sheshook him off like a feather. "She's up there," pointing above, "and Imust get her."
One of the firemen seized her and held her fast. Jasper sprang for thefire-escape. "_Jasper!_" called Polly, hoarsely, "it will killGrandpapa if you go--oh!" She turned at a cry from the girl, whose armswere around a bent, shaking, little figure, and they had both sunk tothe ground.
"I brought her down long ago," said another fireman, who could speakEnglish, pointing to the white-haired old lady, who, on hearing hergranddaughter's voice, had pushed her way through the crowd, as Dr.Fisher hurried up.
And then Mr. King and his party gathered his group, and they hurried toanother hotel close by, Jasper and Mr. Henderson and Mother Fisherwaiting to see to the belongings of the party; for the fire was nowsubdued, although the guests had to go elsewhere for shelter, and thelittle doctor was in his element, taking care of the old lady, and thenhe rushed off to look after a score or more of other fainting women.
But nobody was really hurt--the smoke and the panic had been the worst,only the poor thing who had dragged down the feather pillow sat by ittill the little doctor, discovering her, called two stout men, who tookher up in their arms--she screaming all the while for her treasure--andbore her to a neighbouring house that kindly opened its doors to someof the people so suddenly thrown out of shelter. And it wasn't tillnear breakfast time that the little doctor came to the hotel that wasnow their home.
"Brain-fever patient," he said briefly. "Wife, I must get a coldplunge, or I'll be having it next." And when breakfast was really setbefore their party, he appeared with the others fresh from his bath,and as cheery as if nothing had happened to break his good night's rest.
"O dear me! How did you ever get so many things over here, in all thisworld, and why didn't you let me stay with you?" Polly had exclaimed inone breath, looking at the array of dresses, sacks, and hats disposedaround the room. And Mamsie was kneeling before an open trunk to takeout more.
"It wasn't best, Polly," said her mother, who had longed for Polly asno one knew better than did Mother Fisher herself. "You were reallyneeded here with Grandpapa and Phronsie. You truly were, my dear."
"I know," said Polly. "Well, do let me take those out, Mamsie; you'retired to death, already. Oh, and you've brought my dear little Americanflag!" She seized it and hugged it with delight.
"Did you suppose I could come back without that flag," exclaimed MotherFisher in a reproving tone, "when you've put it up in your room everyplace where we've stopped?--why, Polly!"
"No, Mamsie, I really didn't think you could," answered Polly, quickly,and running to her, little silk flag and all, to throw her arms aroundher neck, "only it's so good to see the dear thing again."
"You may take the things from me, and hang them up somewhere," said hermother; "that will help me the most," giving her an armful. "I don'tsee how you ever thought of so many things, Mamsie!" exclaimed Pollygoing off with her armful.
"I brought all I thought we needed just at first," said Mother Fisher,diving into the trunk depths again.
"How did you ever do it?" cried Polly, for the fiftieth time, as shesorted, and hung the various garments in their proper places.
"Oh, Jasper helped me pack them, and then he got the hotel porter tobring over the trunks," answered Mother Fisher, her head in the trunk."I've locked up our rooms, and got the keys, so I can get the rest byand by."
"But how did you first hear of the fire?" asked Polly, when they wereall finally seated around the breakfast table, little Mrs. Gray--for sothe white-haired old lady was called--and her granddaughter Adela beinginvited to join, "do tell me, Mamsie, I don't understand," she added ina puzzled way.
"No, you were talking about Marken in your sleep," said Mother Fisher,"when I went to call you, and how you would be ready in the morning."
"Marken?" repeated old Mr. King, looking up from the egg he wascarefully breaking for Phronsie so that she might eat it from theshell. "So we were going there this morning. Well, we won't see thatisland now for a good many days; at least, till we get over thisfright. Beside, we have things to settle here, and to get comfortablyfixed. But we'll have that excursion all in good time, never fear."
"Well, how did you, Mamsie," Polly begged again, "first hear of thefire? Do tell me."
"Somebody made a good deal of noise down in the corridor," said MotherFisher, "and your father went out to see what was the matter, and thenhe came back and told me what to do, and he took Phronsie and went forold Mr. King. But he had sent a porter to warn them in 165, and theywould tell the Hendersons in the next room, before he ran upstairs tome." It was a long speech for Mother Fisher.
"Mamsie," asked Polly, suddenly, after she had leaned across her motherand beamed at the little doctor, which so delighted him that his bigspectacles nearly fell off in his plate, "how _did_ you know where thefire-escape was?"
"Oh, that was your father's doings, too," said Mother Fisher. Shecouldn't help but show her pride. "He told me all about it the firstday we got to the hotel. He always does; he says it's better to knowthese things."
"Wife--wife," begged the little doctor, imploringly.
"I'm going to tell, Adoniram," said Mother Fisher, proudly, "the wholestory; they ought to know."
"Indeed we had; and so you shall," commanded Mr. King, from the head ofthe table.
"I can't help it! I really must!" exclaimed Polly, hopping out of herchair,--there were no other people in the breakfast room beside theirparty, so really it wasn't so very dreadful after all,--and she ranback of her mother's chair, and threw her arms around the littledoctor's neck. "Oh, Papa Fisher," she cried, setting ever so manykisses on his cheeks under the big spectacles, "you've saved all ourlives."
"There--there, Polly," cried the little doctor, quite overcome.
"And ours, too," said little Mrs. Gray, in a shaking voice.