A Pair of Schoolgirls: A Story of School Days

  CHAPTER XI

  Alison's Uncle

  Not very long after the events narrated in the last chapter, Alisonentered the train one morning in quite a state of excitement, and couldscarcely wait to greet Dorothy before she began to pour out her news.

  "Mother had a letter yesterday by the afternoon post. It was from UncleDavid, and he's actually on his way home to England. He's not going backto India at all; he wants to settle down near Latchworth. He'll get herebefore Easter, and he's coming straight to stay with us. Isn't itlovely?"

  "Are you fond of him?" enquired Dorothy.

  "Oh, he's just ripping! He's so jolly, you know, always having jokes andfun with me. He's the only uncle I possess, so of course I make the mostof him; but he's as good as a dozen."

  "And I don't possess even one," thought Dorothy. "Have you any cousins?"she added aloud.

  "Only seconds and thirds once removed. They're so distant, I canscarcely count them as relations. My one first cousin died when she wasa baby, and Aunt Madeleine died too--out in India--so poor Uncle Davidhas been alone ever since. But he's always fearfully busy; he goes aboutsuperintending railways and building bridges. He has a whole army ofcoolies under him sometimes, and they have to take the lines throughjungles where there are tigers, and snakes, and things. He writes us themost tremendously interesting letters. Oh, I'm just longing to hear allhis stories! When I can get him in the right mood and he starts, heyarns on for hours, and it's so fascinating, I never want him to stop."

  "So he is to stay at your house?"

  "Rather! We'd be fearfully cross with him if he didn't. He's coming tous first, and then he and Mother and I are all going away somewhere forthe Easter holidays. It will be such fun! I wish the time would flyquicker."

  "It's only a fortnight to the end of the term now," said Dorothy.

  "I know, but a fortnight is fourteen days, my dear. Mother says UncleDavid will probably arrive at the end of next week, though; she thinkshe may come overland from Marseilles. She wants to arrange to go away onthe Wednesday before Easter at latest. I don't expect I shall come toschool for the last day--perhaps not in the last week at all. Mothercan't bear travelling when the trains are crowded, so we may start onthe Monday or Tuesday."

  "What place are you going to?"

  "I don't know. We're leaving that for Uncle David to decide."

  It must be delightful, thought Dorothy, to have the anticipation of sucha pleasant holiday. Alison was much to be envied, not only for thepossession of so desirable an uncle, but because he seemed disposed tospend his time in the company of his niece, and to entertain her withtales of adventure.

  "I don't suppose I shall see him," she said to herself. "They won't askme to Lindenlea; but I should like to hear some of the stories aboutIndia. Well, luck never comes my way. Nobody's going to take me awayfrom home this Easter."

  Sometimes when we are railing our hardest at Fate, and calling her byopprobrious names, she astonishes us by twisting round her mystic wheeland sending us an unwonted piece of good fortune. Dorothy had oftenbemoaned the fact that nobody ever asked her away; yet only a weekafterwards she received an invitation, and that from a most unexpectedquarter. She had always been rather a favourite with Dr. Longton, whohad attended her in measles, bronchitis, and the few other ailments inwhich she had indulged; and also with Mrs. Longton, a kind-hearted,elderly lady, whose daughters were all married and living inColeminster. On the Saturday before Easter Mrs. Longton called on MissSherbourne, mentioned that she and the doctor were going to the Dalesfor a little holiday, and asked if Dorothy might be allowed to accompanythem.

  "We had arranged to take my niece," she explained, "but her mother isunwell, and she cannot leave home at present. We had engaged a bedroomfor her at the Hydro., so we shall be delighted if Dorothy will occupyit instead. We are both fond of young people, and it will be a pleasureto have her with us. Would you care to come, my dear?"

  Dorothy's face was such a beaming advertisement of joy that her instantacquiescence seemed superfluous. Aunt Barbara readily agreed, and in afew minutes the whole plan was discussed and fixed.

  "Isn't it too lovely!" cried Dorothy, exulting over her invitation whenMrs. Longton had gone. "I've never in my life stayed at a hydro. And togo to Clevedale, too! I suppose it's splendid. Bertha Warren was atRingborough last summer, and she raved over it. Auntie, don't you thinkfor once I'm in luck's way? I believe it's because I bought a swastikaat the bazaar, and have worn it ever since, though you told me I wassilly to spend my sixpence on it."

  Aunt Barbara laughed.

  "I don't believe in charms. I remember I found a horseshoe on the veryday I sprained my ankle, long ago, and the biggest cheque I everreceived came immediately after I had spilt a whole salt-cellar full ofsalt. But I certainly agree that you're a lucky girl. It's extremelykind of the Longtons to take you."

  "And we're starting next Thursday! Hip, hip, hooray!" sang Dorothy,hopping into the kitchen to tell Martha her good news.

  It was really a very great event for Dorothy to go from home. Everydetail of her preparations and packing was interesting to her. It wasdelightful to be able to take out the new nightdress-case, and the bestbrush and comb, which had been lying for so long a time in her bottomdrawer, waiting for an occasion such as this; to put fresh notepaper inher writing-case, and to replenish the sewing materials in her blue silk"housewife". There were great debates over her clothing, for she wasstill growing at such express speed that any garments which had been putaway were hopelessly short, particularly the white dress that was to doduty for evening wear.

  "I believe it has shrunk!" she exclaimed ruefully.

  "No; it's you who have shot up so fast. I wish the clothes grew withyou! I must try if I can lengthen it."

  Miss Sherbourne had clever fingers, and she contrived to make thenecessary alterations so skilfully that nobody would have detected them;and Dorothy declared that, far from being spoilt, the dress wasimproved.

  "I've bought you some new hair ribbons, and you can wear your chain ofgreen Venetian beads," said Aunt Barbara. "Where are your Prayer Bookand hymn-book? And your stockings? Bring them here with the otherthings; we'll pack in my bedroom."

  The College broke up for the holidays on the Wednesday before Easter.Alison did not appear at school all that week, so Dorothy supposed thatthe uncle must have arrived, and that they had gone from home.

  "Alison doesn't know I'm having a jaunt too," she thought. "We shall beable to compare notes when we meet again."

  On the longed-for Thursday Dorothy, feeling very important and grown-up,met Dr. and Mrs. Longton at the station, and found herself "off andaway". The trains were crowded and late, but she enjoyed the journeynevertheless. She had seen so little of the world that it was a delightto her to watch the landscape from the carriage windows; and the bustleof the busy station where they changed amused her, however it mightdistract Dr. Longton, who was anxious about the luggage. Theirdestination was Ringborough, a beautiful spot in Clevedale muchcelebrated for its bracing air and its splendid mountain views. Thehydropathic establishment where they were to stay was situated on apine-clad hillside, and its extensive grounds sloped to a turbulentnorthern river that swirled along, brown with peat from the moors.

  Dr. Longton, who was an enthusiastic angler, and had come armed with avariety of fishing tackle, looked at the condition of the water with acritical eye as he passed.

  "Well, when I can't fish I can golf," he remarked. "The links here areamong the best in the kingdom. Dorothy, do you feel inclined to actcaddy?"

  "I'd rather carry your baskets of fish," laughed Dorothy.

  "You little impudence! Do you mean to hint that my catches will provesuch a light weight? Just wait and see. I'll make you earn your salt,young lady. Perhaps you'll be staggering under a creel like a Newhavenfishwife before you return. Here we are at last. Now, I hope they'vereally kept the rooms I asked for. I stipulated for a south aspect."

  The hydropathic, it appeared, was very full,
and the doctor, greatly tohis dissatisfaction, was not able to have the particular accommodationfor which he had written.

  "We must put up with what we can get, I suppose," he grunted. "At thisseason everybody swarms out of town for a breath of mountain air and atry at the trout."

  Dorothy, at any rate, was not disposed to grumble at the little bedroomwhich fell to her share, though it was on the top story. She liked goingup and down in the lift, and her window looked directly out on to thewoods at the back. There was a delicious smell of pines in the air, andwhen she leaned out she could catch a glimpse, round the corner, of apiece of brown river. In the highest spirits she unpacked and changedher dress, and Mrs. Longton came to take her downstairs.

  The ways of a hydropathic were unknown to Dorothy; it seemed new andstrange to her to enter the large public drawing-room, full of peoplewaiting for the dinner gong to sound. She looked round with keeninterest at the other visitors. A large party of gentlemen stood nearthe piano, discussing fishing prospects; some golfers, collected roundthe fire, were comparing notes and relating experiences; a few of theladies were busy with fancy work, and some were reading. Standing by thebookcase, turning over the volumes, was a familiar little figure with around, rosy face.

  "By all that's marvellous, it's Alison!" gasped Dorothy.

  The recognition between the two girls was a mutual astonishment. Alisonrushed to welcome her friend in great excitement.

  "Dorothy, is it really you? Oh, how delightful! Mother, Dorothy'sactually staying here! Uncle David, this is my very greatest friend! Oh,what a perfectly lovely surprise! When did you come? We've been heresince Monday."

  Mrs. Clarke greeted Dorothy coldly, but the pleasant-faced,brown-bearded gentleman addressed as Uncle David smiled as he shookhands.

  "So this is your school chum, Birdie? Well, it's a piece of luck for youthat she's turned up here. There'll be high jinks now, I expect."

  "Rather!" declared Alison, with a beaming look. "It's the one thing thatwill make the holiday complete."

  Though Mrs. Clarke might not share her daughter's enthusiasm at themeeting, she found it impossible to prevent the intimacy between the twogirls. She made a struggle at first to keep them apart, but Alison hadbeen spoilt too long not to know how to wheedle her mother and get herown way.

  "I can't be rude to Dorothy," she pleaded. "It will seem soextraordinary if I mayn't speak to her."

  "I don't forbid you to speak to her, only there is no need for you tospend your whole time together. I don't wish you to be on such familiarterms," replied Mrs. Clarke.

  "Nonsense, Cecily!" put in Uncle David, interfering on behalf of hisniece. "You're quite absurd over Birdie. The poor child must have someyoung friends; you can't expect her to be content with us middle-agedpeople. I like this Dorothy What's-her-name. She has a bright, takinglittle face. It can't possibly do Birdie any harm to associate with her.You can't bring up the girl in cotton wool. You coddle her enough on thesubject of health, so at least let her enjoy herself in other ways. I'mgoing fishing to-morrow with Dr. Longton--he's a bluff old Yorkshireman,but he's capital company, and he's a member of the North Riding Anglers'Club. He's promised to give me some hints."

  With her uncle's influence on her side, Alison felt an official seal hadbeen placed on her friendship; and as Mrs. Longton was pleased forDorothy to have found a companion, the two girls were much together.Ringborough Hydropathic was a favourite resort for Coleminster people,and two other girls from the College happened to be staying there withtheir families--Hope Lawson and Gabrielle Helm, who was in the LowerFifth. Hope did not look particularly pleased to meet her classmates;she gave them each a cool little nod, and took no further notice ofthem. She was much occupied with her own set of friends, and did notseem disposed to trouble herself with her schoolfellows; nor were theyanxious to push themselves under her notice. Gabrielle Helm, on thecontrary, claimed acquaintance with Dorothy and Alison, and introducedher brothers, Percy and Eric, who attended the Coleminster Boys'College. The young people were keen on golf, and from them Dorothyreceived her first lessons on the links, laughing very much over hermistakes and false strokes, and enjoying every moment of the time. Shehad never spent such holidays, or dreamed that they were even possible;and the days did not seem half or a quarter long enough for all thedelightful things there were to do in them.

  "It was good of you to bring me," she said sometimes to Mrs. Longton.

  "It's a pleasure to see your bright face, my dear," replied her kindchaperon. "You're so rosy, your aunt will hardly know you when youreturn."

  "Dorothy is growing quite pretty," said Gabrielle Helm to Alison. "Iused to think her rather a scrawny-looking girl, but she's suddenlydeveloped into almost a beauty. Percy said last night he thought herripping, and he's a fearful old 'hard-to-please'."

  "Yes," said Alison contemplatively, "Dorothy has changed. Of course, hereyes were always lovely, but her face has filled out lately, and shedoes her hair more becomingly. That's made a difference. And that bluedress suits her. I think she's prettier now than Hope Lawson."

  "Hope wouldn't allow that."

  "Rather not!" laughed Alison.

  Dorothy was indeed having "the time of her life", and very greathappiness is often an aid to good looks. Though she found Mrs. Clarkerather chilly and distant, she liked Alison's Uncle David immensely.Sometimes the two girls would accompany him and the doctor on a fishingexpedition, or a walk through the pine woods, where he proved thepleasantest and most humorous of companions; or, better still, theywould catch him in the half-hour before dinner, decoy him into one ofthe small sitting-rooms generally empty at that time in the evening, andthen cajole him into telling some of his experiences in the jungle. ToDorothy these Indian stories were thrilling; she was never tired ofhearing about tigers and elephants, ruined temples, fakirs, coolies, andmidnight adventures.

  "Of course, Uncle David draws the long bow considerably," laughedAlison. "He expects one to take ten per cent discount off all histraveller's yarns. But they're very fascinating, even if they're nottrue! He likes you, because you're a good listener. Dorothy, what shallwe do without you when the holiday's over?"

  "Don't speak of it! I'm living in the present from hour to hour,"declared Dorothy.