Meg of Mystery Mountain

  CHAPTER VIII. ALL ABOARD

  There had been such a whirl at the last moment that it was not until theywere on the train and had located their seats on the Pullman, that thechildren realized what had happened. Luckily Jane was too much occupiedreadjusting her own attitude of mind, and trying to think hastily whatshe should do before the train was really on its way, to notice thedisappointment which was plainly depicted on the faces of Julie andGerald. They gazed at each other almost in dismay when they heard thattheir big sister was to accompany them, but the joy in their brother'sface and manner was all that was needed to reconcile the younger boy.

  In the confusion caused by passengers entering the car with porterscarrying their luggage, Gerald managed to draw Julie aside and whisper toher: "Don't let on we didn't want Jane, not on your life! Dan wanted her,and this journey's got just one object, Dad says, and that's to help Danget well."

  But Julie was too terribly disappointed to pretend that she was not. "Iknow all that," she half sobbed and turned toward the window across theaisle, "but I was so happy when I s'posed I was to cook for Dan, and whenyou and I were to be the ones to take care of him. But now Jane will getall the honor and everything, and we'll have to be bossed around worsethan if we were at home, for Dad's there to take our part."

  Gerald's clear hazel eyes gazed at his sister rebukingly. "Julie," hesaid, with an earnestness far beyond his years, "the train hasn't startedyet and if you'n I are going to think of ourselves we'd better go backhome. Shall we, Julie?"

  The little girl shook her head vigorously. "No, no. I don't want to gohome." She clung to the back of a seat as though she feared she weregoing to be taken forcibly from the train.

  Gerald leaned over to whisper to her, but he first gave her a little kisson the ear, then he said: "Julie, you'n I will have oodles of fun upthere in the mountains. If Jane isn't too snappish, I'll be glad she'salong, because, of course, she'll be able to take care of Dan better thanwe could." Then suddenly he laughed gleefully.

  "I've got it!" he confided to the girl, who had looked around curiously.She could not imagine how Gerald could laugh when such a tragic thing hadhappened. "You're dippy about pretending, Julie. You once said you couldpretend anything you wanted to, and make it seem real. Well, here's yourchance. Every time Jane is snappy, pretend she has said somethingpleasant. That'll be a hard one, but for Dan's sake, I'm willing to giveit a try."

  Julie's mania had always been "pretending," and she had often wished thatGerald would play it with her, but he was a matter-of-fact sort of a lad,and his reply had been that real things were fun enough for him. Thelittle girl's face brightened. At last her brother was willing to playher favorite game.

  "That will be a hard one," she agreed. Then, as she was lunged againstthe boy, she also laughed. "Oh, goodie!" she whispered. "Now the train isreally started--nobody can send us back home. Honest, I was skeered Janemight want to. She thinks we're so terribly in the way."

  Happy as Dan was, because the sister he so loved was to accompany him tothe West, he did not forget the two who had been willing to go with himand care for him in the beginning, and, as soon as the train was wellunder way, he called to the children. "Come here, Julie. I've saved thewindow side of my seat for you, and I'm sure Jane will let Gerald sit bythe window on her seat. Now, isn't this jolly?"

  The children wedged into the places toward which he was beckoning them.Julie glanced almost fearfully up at the older girl she had accidentallyjostled in passing, but Jane was gazing out of the window deep in dreams.Dan noticed his sister-pal's expression. How he hoped she was notregretting her hasty decision.

  His fears were soon dispelled, for Jane turned toward him with a tenderlight in her beautiful dark eyes. "Brother," she said, "I have just beenwondering how I can communicate with Marion Starr. She expects to meet meat the Central Station at four. It is now nearly noon. I should have leftsome message for her."

  "We must send a telegram to her home when we reach Albany, or sooner, ifwe make a stop. I'll ask the conductor. Suppose you write out what youwish to say." And so Jane took from her valise the very same littleleather covered notebook in which, less than a week before, she hadwritten a list of the things she would need for a wardrobe to be worn atthe fashionable summer resort at Newport.

  Of this Jane did not even think as she wrote, after a thoughtful moment,the ten words that were needed to tell her best friend that she was onher way West with her brother Dan, who was ill and who needed her.

  The conductor took the message and said that he expected to have anopportunity to send a telegram in a very short time. The train soonstopped at a village, where it was evidently flagged, and the youngpeople saw the station master running from the depot waving a yellowenvelope. The conductor received it, at the same time giving him thepaper on which Jane's message was written. "Please send this at once."The sound of his voice came to them through Gerald's window. Then thetrain started again and had acquired its former speed when the kindlyconductor entered their car. He was reading the telegram he had justreceived. Stopping at their seats, he asked: "Are you Daniel Abbott,accompanied by Jane, Julie and Gerald?"

  "We are," the tall lad replied in his friendly manner. "Have you amessage from our father?"

  The conductor shook his head. "No, not that. This telegram is from thepresident of the railroad telling us that four young people named Abbottare his guests, and he wishes them to receive every courtesy, and now, asit is noon, if you will come with me, I will escort you to the diner."

  "Oh, but I'm glad," Julie, who treated everyone with frank friendliness,smiled brightly up into the face of the man whom she just knew must be afather, he had such kind, understanding eyes. "I'm awful hungry; aren'tyou, Gerry?" she whispered, a moment later, as they filed down the aislein procession, the conductor first, Jane next, with Dan at the end asrear guard. Julie tittered and Jane turned to frown at her. Gerry pokedhis young sister with the reminder, "Pretend she smiled."

  But frowns could not squelch Julie's exuberance when they were seatedabout a table in the dining car, which was rapidly filling with theirfellow travelers.

  "Ohee, isn't this the jolliest? I'm going to pretend I'm a princessand----" But the small girl paused and listened. The head waiter wasaddressing Jane. "As guests of Mr. Bethel's," he told them, "you mayselect whatever you wish from the menu. Kindly write out your orders." Hehanded them each an order slip and a pencil and then went on to anothertable. Julie gave a little bounce of joy. The "_real_" was so wonderful,she would not have to pretend. She and Gerald bowed their heads over atyped menu; and then they began to scribble. Dan, glancing across atthem, smiled good naturedly. "What are you doing, kiddies, copying theentire menu?" he asked. But Jane remarked rebukingly, "Julie Abbott, doyou wish people to think that you have been starved at home? Tear thoseup at once. Here are two others. If you can't make them out properly,I'll do it for you."

  Dan saw a rebellious expression in Julie's eyes, so he suggested, "Letthem try once more, Jane. They can't learn any younger. Just order a fewthings at first, Gerry, and then, if you are still hungry, you can havemore."

  Such a jolly time as the children had! When the train turned sharply at acurve and the dishes slid about, Julie laughed outright. She purposelydid not look at Jane. She could pretend her big sister was smilingeasier, if she didn't see the frown. But their fun was just beginning.