Ben Pepper

  IX

  WHAT A HOME-COMING

  Van sprang off the car steps and rushed up tumultuously to Polly in themidst of the group come down to the railroad station to meet the boys.

  "O dear," he grumbled in a loud voice, "now we can't have any Christmasat all."

  "Hulloa, Van--Hulloa, Percy." Pickering Dodge tried his best to coverthis remark by an extra amount of hilarity, as he clapped each of theboys smartly on the back. "Well, you're an awful long time in gettinghere--I should say half an hour late."

  "For shame, Van!" cried Percy at his heels, and edging off toward Polly.

  "For shame?" repeated Van, hotly; "well, that's no more than you've beensaying on the train,--'we can't have any Christmas,'--and you know it,Percy Whitney."

  "Stop that, you little beggar." Pickering's long arm got possession ofVan, who, instead of occupying the vantage-ground of first arrival, hadnow the vexation of seeing Percy in that coveted position.

  "Why did you pull me back?" he cried in a small fury at hearing thebustle and excitement of the group he had just left so summarily.

  "Because you were making yourself a nuisance. Fancy such a way to comehome for the holidays, Van."

  "There aren't to be any holidays," howled Van, his face very red. "Letme go, Pick," struggling violently to free himself from Pickering's longfingers.

  "No, indeed." Pickering wound his fingers into a still tighter hold."Not much, sir, until you stop those whines. How you can go on so, Idon't see!"

  By this time, Pickering, over his shoulder, had the ill luck to seeClare take the first place in marshalling off the party, a position hehad fully expected to occupy himself whenever Jasper and Ben were away.All this didn't in the least add to his satisfaction. "Well, I wishyou'd stayed back in your school," he declared in extreme irritation.And Alexia, running up, only made matters worse by crying out: "Come on,Van, I'm sure it's bad enough to bear all these dreadful things withoutcoming clear down here for a boy like you. Do come on, we're all waitingfor you." So it was a very gloomy party that finally became settled inthe two carriages.

  "I'm not going to sit with him," declared Van, having freed himself fromPickering, and bolting for the second carriage.

  "No, you're coming with me," said Alexia, hurrying after him. "Come,Polly, here's a seat. Here," and she waved frantically.

  But Polly was already in the other carriage. And seeing this, Alexia wasabout to desert her charge, when Thomas, on the box of the forwardconveyance, whipped up and off it went.

  "O dear me!" cried Alexia; "somebody stop it. Why, Polly Pepper wasgoing with me," and she was just about to jump out.

  "No use, Alexia," said Pickering, who at the last moment had foundhimself crowded out of carriage number one, and putting her to one sideas he helped Cathie in, and then David, at last he got in himself."Don't you see they're a good bit on the way home already?"

  "Yes, and here I am shut up in here with all of you, whom I don't wantin the least to go with," cried Alexia, in the greatest dismay, sittingdown in her corner too suddenly for comfort, as the horses started up,and waving her hands frantically.

  "Thank you," said Pickering, with a low bow, "I'm sure we all feel muchobliged to you."

  "Well, I don't," said Cathie, in a dudgeon, "feel obliged a single bit,and I'm sure I didn't want to come with you, Alexia, only there wasn'troom in the other carriage, so I had to."

  "And I thought Polly Pepper was surely coming in this carriage," ran onAlexia, too vexed to stop herself, and turning anything but a sweetcountenance upon the rest of the carriage-load. "She started for it."

  "Don't look so at me, Alexia," said Pickering. "I'm not to blame; Claretook her off."

  "It's just like Clare--always meddling," said Alexia, thoroughly out oftemper. "Van Whitney, you're sitting all over my coat, and it's my bestone, too," and she turned and twitched it away with an angry hand.

  "I didn't sit all over it," retorted Van, "and I didn't want to comewith you, but you made me."

  "Well, because you and Pickering were having such a fight. O me, I wishI'd let you alone," she added, sinking back into her corner.

  But Van, much preferring Alexia to Pickering, couldn't say the same, sothe carriage rolled on to a gloomy silence within.

  "Oh, I say," began Pickering, after this had gone on for some minutes,"this is a sweet way to go to Mr. King's, isn't it?"

  "Well, we can't help it," cried Alexia, flying up from her corner; "I'msure, Pickering, you can't blame any of us. And I haven't got PollyPepper; you know she was coming in here with me, and everything is justas bad as it can be."

  "You're always tagging on to Polly Pepper; I'm glad you haven't got herthis time," declared Cathie, in venom from her corner.

  "Of course I'm always after Polly," said Alexia, decidedly, "when she'smy very dearest friend. O my, don't I wish I could get out!"

  "Well, you will pretty soon," said Pickering, coolly; "we'll all getout, for we'll be there in a minute. And then how we'll look, for we'resupposed to be helping Mr. King's family, and they're in such trouble."

  "O dear me!" exclaimed Alexia, in great distress, whirling aroundsuddenly to look out of the window, her long, fight braids flying overher shoulder. "Pickering Dodge, we aren't near Mr. King's yet," shedeclared, peering out; "we haven't got to--oh, yes we have--O dear me,what shall we do?" and she flew back again into her corner.

  "We've just got to do something," said Pickering, in a determined voice.Little David had been past speaking for some time, and, wedged inbetween Cathie and Pickering, had been chiefly occupied in twisting hishands, and trying not to think how very dreadful it all was, and howMamsie would feel to see them all come in.

  "We can't do anything," said Alexia, despairingly; "it's all as dreadfulas it can be, and we can't help it," and she ran her long arms as far asshe could into her muff, and hugged it up tightly.

  "Well, we've got to help it," said Pickering. "There's Jasper," he brokeoff suddenly, for it was as much as he could do to think about theaccident that had summoned Mr. King and Ben away from home, let alonetrying to talk about it, and he swallowed hard and looked out of hiswindow.

  "O dear me!" exclaimed Alexia, faintly from her corner.

  Then she sat up straight. "Oh, I know, let's look pleasant, that's whatthe man says when he takes my photograph, and he won't throw back hisold woollen cover from the machine till I smile, so I'm going tonow,"--which she did with such surprising effect, that Pickering,turning around, couldn't help but join all the others in the generallaugh that set up; even little David forgot everything else for thatmoment.

  The consequence was that when the carriage drew up to the door of thebig stone house, the occupants tumbled out and ran up the steps in quitegood humor, to join the other half of the party, in the centre of whichwere Mother Fisher and Mrs. Whitney.

  "Now that's very nice and cheerful," said Mother Fisher, beaming on themall. Mrs. Whitney, her arms around her two boys, was beyond speaking."You must all stay and have luncheon with Percy and Van; they'll enjoyit so much more," and she led the way to the dining room.

  "Ugh, O dear me!" Alexia ran after her. "Oh, don't ask me; I can't stay,Mrs. Fisher, truly I can't."

  "Why, Alexia,"--Mother Fisher turned on her in great surprise,--"it willhelp to make things pleasanter," she said slowly.

  "Oh, I can't; don't ask me," mumbled Alexia, wildly, and twisting herhands together. One thing only she now really longed for, and that wasto stay for the dear little luncheon party she knew Polly's mother hadmade ready. But she had lost it all; and she darted back and, clutchingPolly's arm a moment in passing, "I'm going home," she said.

  "What?" cried Polly, flying around to seize her. "Oh, no, indeed, youare not, Alexia. Why, you are all to stay; didn't you hear Mamsie sayso?"

  "Well, I can't," said Alexia. "O dear me, I'm going to cry, and I can'tget my handkerchief. Polly Pepper, do let me go!"

  But instead, Polly held very fast indeed to her, and the next momentAlexia found hers
elf in the big dining room, in the midst of thedelightsome luncheon party made for the two schoolboys' home-coming.

  "Well, I shan't sit down, anyway," declared Alexia, desperately, "andI'm going to tell Mrs. Fisher." With that she darted away from Polly andran over to her mother. "I haven't been cheerful, and I was just as badas I could be coming up in the carriage," she said as fast as the wordswould come, "so you see I can't stay."

  "This is your seat, Alexia," said Mother Fisher, just as if she hadn'theard a single word, and laying her hand on a chair, she pulled it outfrom the table; "hurry and sit down, dear, for those two boys must bevery hungry after their journey," and Alexia obeyed and slipped into herchair, for once in her life not waiting to get Polly Pepper next to her.

  And after the little luncheon was over,--and it didn't seem to have madea bit of difference that every one besides the two hungry boys hadalready had a midday meal, for it all tasted so good,--why, things beganto get a bit more cheery. And Mother Fisher and Mrs. Whitney even smiledover to each other. But Van, his hunger appeased, slipped out after hismother when at last the feast was over.

  "Oh, Vanny, my boy, it is so good to get you home," she cried,affectionately throwing her arm around him, as they went down the hall.

  "I'm going to your room," announced Van, without any preamble.

  "How good that is," she declared as he hugged up close to her. "Youdon't know, Van, how I have wanted to see you and Percy."

  "O dear," said Van, but he crowded closer than ever.

  "And--well, here we are," and Mrs. Whitney hurried into her pretty roomwith the haste of a girl, and turned her face with its little pink glowof happiness on him. "Oh, Van!"

  "I've been bad," said Van, not looking at her, but dropping his eyes tothe floor.

  "Oh, Van!" Mrs. Whitney laid her hand on her heart, and all the prettyflush died from her cheek. "What--" but she couldn't get any farther,for somebody fumbled at the door, and, without any further announcement,walked in.

  "O dear me!" exclaimed Percy, withdrawing when he saw Van.

  "Come in, Percy," called his mother, before he could beat a retreat. Itwould be some relief to have both of her boys, but what could havehappened!

  So Percy walked in, and he stood just like Van, only worse, for hedidn't seem to know what to do with his hands.

  "Why, what is it? What can it be?" cried their mother. "Oh, do tell me,boys; don't be afraid."

  Van turned off on his heel till he got his back to Percy. Then he foundhis tongue. But it was only to say again, "I was bad."

  "Well, so was I," Percy got the words out with great difficulty, staringgloomily at the carpet, and thrusting his hands in his pockets to pullthem out as suddenly.

  "You must just tell me what you have done," said Mrs. Whitney, lookingdesperately first at one and then at the other, "or I shall go for Mrs.Fisher," and she started for the door.

  "Oh, no, no, Mamma!" they cried together, and Van whirled around andheld her gown.

  "I certainly shall," declared their mother, firmly, "unless you tell meat once what is the matter," and she took another step toward the hall.

  "I fretted about--" began Van.

  "Not having any Christmas," said Percy, coming in as a finish. "O dear!"

  "Oh, boys!"

  "Don't look so, Mamma, don't!" implored Van, clutching her gown withdesperate fingers.

  "And I did, too," said Percy. His hands now seemed to have no comfort inhis pockets, so he twisted them miserably together.

  "You mean when you were coming home in the carriage?" asked Mrs.Whitney, a sorrowful little droop coming in her pretty mouth.

  "Yes," said Van, his head hanging. "O dear me,"--he had hard work not tocry, but he wagged his head from side to side, and somehow kept thetears back,--"I did, anyway."

  "Well, I did, too," said Percy, hastily; "that is, on the train. Odear!"

  "Well, this is very bad," said their mother. But her voice was quitegentle, and she put her arm around each of them. "When we know how happywe ought to be that Jasper is really better, although he can't come homeuntil after Christmas, how can we think of a holiday, and fret becausewe lose it?"

  "We won't fret," said Percy, eagerly. "Oh, we won't, Mamma, ever again."

  "No," said Van, "we won't, truly, Mamma."

  While this was going on in Mrs. Whitney's room, there was a small clamorraised downstairs. Where in the world were the two boys just come homefrom school?

  "I know," declared Alexia, who had recovered her spirits. "Polly," andshe drew her off into the library, "they went upstairs with Mrs.Whitney," she said with a loud whisper in her ear.

  "I heard you," cried little Dick, creeping in back of the two girls,"and I shall just go up to Mamma's room," and he began to skip offjoyously.

  "Oh, no, you mustn't," cried Alexia, deserting Polly to race after himand seize his blouse. "The very idea--Polly, come and help me hold thisdreadful boy."

  "I shall go up and see my Mamma," said Dick, in a small fury, andpulling and kicking violently. "She is my very own Mamma, and I _shall_see her."

  "But you mustn't," said Alexia, very red in the face. "O dear me, whydid I speak! Polly, do help me," for just then Phronsie had run inbetween the two girls, and before any one had a chance to hardlybreathe, a dreadful sound struck their ears.

  "There, see what you have done!" exclaimed little Dick, in a wrathfulkey. Alexia's fingers fell away, and he held up a dangling end of lace,all frayed and ragged. "You've torn my blouse, and I _shall_ see myMamma." With that he set out on a run for the stairs.