CHAPTER XII
THE HURLY-BURLY
Patty and Cousin Tom reached the Grand Central station in New York aboutsix o'clock, and leaving the train, went in search of any member of theBarlow family who might be there to meet them.
They hadn't walked a dozen steps before they were confronted by threebroadly smiling faces.
These faces belonged to a tall, large man with his arms full of bundles,and a boy and girl who seemed both to be about Patty's own age.
"You're Patty, I know it,--I know it!" cried the girl, and she flung herarms round Patty's neck and kissed her heartily. "I am Bumble, and this isBob, my twin; oh, I'm so glad to get you."
By this time Bob was shaking Patty's hand vigorously, and Mr. Barlow wastrying to squeeze all of his bundles into one arm, that he might have ahand free to offer his niece.
Then Patty introduced Cousin Tom, and the party all went into thewaiting-room together.
"But who sent me that telegram? and who is Helen?" inquired Patty, as shewalked along with one of her twin cousins clinging to either arm.
"Oh, that's me," said Bumble. "My real name's Helen, but nobody ever callsme it."
"Because she's like a bumble-bee," explained Bob. "She's always tumblingabout and knocking into people, and she's so buzzy and fat."
"Yes," said Bumble, good-naturedly, "I am; I'd like to be slim and gracefullike you, but I'm not, so I just put up with myself and have all the fun Ican."
Mr. Barlow gave Mr. Fleming a cordial invitation to continue his journeywith Patty, and spend the night at "The Hurly-Burly," as his country-placeon Long Island was called, but Cousin Tom declined, saying he had businessin New York.
"But, Patty," he said, "your new-found relatives seem to be in no immediatedanger of drowning."
"No," said Patty, who was consumed with curiosity to know what the telegramcould have meant.
"Drowning!" exclaimed Mr. Barlow, "what are you talking about? The bathingis very safe at our place; there's really no danger at all, unless one ispositively foolhardy."
"No," said Patty, "but my telegram said--"
"Oh, I know," broke in Bumble. "Papa left it to me to send you word to cometo-day, and I didn't get at it until it was too late to write, so Itelegraphed,--and I was so afraid you wouldn't get here before the kittenswere drowned, that I mentioned it to make you hurry up."
"Kittens!" exclaimed Patty, laughing, "you didn't say kittens."
"I know it, but the ten words gave out too soon. I just had room to get inthat we'd meet you at five o'clock. Oh, the kittens are such dears! Twoblack ones and a white one and a spotted one--The white one is theprettiest, but she's an idiot, poor thing."
Cousin Tom was relieved to learn that no human beings were in jeopardy oftheir lives, but he secretly thought that Patty's new home was to be amongvery erratic people.
He bade his small cousin good-bye with real regret, for he and Patty hadbecome firm friends during her Boston visit. After Mr. Fleming had leftthem, Mr. Barlow picked up all his bundles and packages, and telling thethree children to follow him, he stalked away at a rapid pace.
Bob took Patty's satchel and Bumble took her umbrella, then they eachgrasped her arm and marched her along after their father.
"You see," explained Bob, "dad walks so very fast that we have to scurry tokeep him in sight. So we'll boost you along,--it'll only be a minute."
And sure enough in a moment Mr. Barlow stopped at a street-car, and turnedaround expecting to find the children at his elbow, and there they were. Heput them on the car, jumped on himself, and they all went over to theferry.
A ride across the East River on the ferry-boat, and then a short ride inthe cars brought them to the station of Sandy Cove.
Here Mr. Barlow expected his own carriage to be awaiting them, but nocarriage was in sight. As it was growing dusk, and their home was still twomiles distant, this was very annoying.
"I'll walk over home, and bring the carriage back for you," volunteeredBob; "it must be that Dil has forgotten to come for us."
"No," said his father, "you needn't do that,--we'll all jog along togetherand probably we'll meet Dil on the way."
"Dil is the man who takes care of our horse," said Bumble, as they walkedalong. "That's short for Dilatory, and we call him that 'cause he's soslow. In fact, we never know whether he's coming for us, or not."
And, apparently, this time Dilatory was not coming, for the travelerswalked all the way without meeting the carriage. As they walked up thepath, Patty was somewhat surprised to see that what Mr. Barlow called acottage was in reality a large house. Wide verandas ran all the way roundit on both the first and second stories, and magnificent trees waved theirbranches around and over it.
"This is the Hurly-Burly, Patty," said her uncle, "and if anything isn'tquite in order, you must pardon it, for we're scarcely settled yet, andhaven't had time to get everything to rights; and your Aunt Grace had themisfortune to sprain her ankle yesterday, so she can't attend to things asshe otherwise would. But whatever you want just you come straight and tellyour Uncle Teddy, and you shall have it, if it's a roc's egg."
Patty laughed, for she well knew what happened once when a roc's egg wasasked for.
Then they entered the main front door, and Patty found herself in a widehall that ran straight through the house with a door at either end.
There were large rooms on both sides of the hall, and following her uncleinto one of these rooms, which was the sitting-room or general living-roomof the family, Patty saw a remarkable sight. In a large armchair sat asweet-faced lady, with an ottoman in front of her, on which her bandagedfoot was resting on a pillow. She was reading a book, which she laid downas she heard people approaching, and over her head she held an openumbrella.
This was a wise precaution, for a drenching rain was pouring on theumbrella, and water dripped steadily from the ends of its ribs.
"Why, Grace," exclaimed Mr. Barlow, "what are you doing? What hashappened?"
"The tank must have burst," returned his wife, placidly, "but fortunately Ihad this umbrella by me, so I opened it, and as you see, I am scarcely wetat all. Is this Patty? Come here, my dear. I am your Aunt Grace, yourmother's sister, and I am prepared to love my little niece very much."
Patty returned very willingly her aunt's loving caress, and the two nestledtogether under the big umbrella, while Bob and Bumble laughed at the funnypicture they made.
Uncle Ted had hastily dropped all his bundles on the hall table, and hadrun up-stairs to see what was the matter with the tank.
"I have a sprained ankle, Patty," said her aunt, by way of explanation ofher predicament, "and I can't move a step. So I keep a cane near me toknock on the floor when I want anybody to fetch me things, but the cane gotmislaid somehow, so I had this umbrella in its place. And wasn't itfortunate? For when the water began to drip down I just put up the umbrellaand protected myself perfectly. The only trouble was, I couldn't close itto knock on the floor without getting myself drenched, so, as I had aninteresting book I just waited patiently for somebody to come. The servantshave gone on an excursion and Nan is away, too, so there was no one toknock for except old Dilatory, and he wouldn't have heard me anyway. Now,Bob, if you'll get another umbrella to hold over yourself while you move meto dryer quarters I'll be truly grateful."
"Take mine," said Patty, running to fetch it, and then she held her openumbrella over Bob while he wheeled his mother's chair across the hall andinto the music-room.
Bumble moved the ottoman at the same time, and though she meant to be verycareful, she bumped the wounded foot terribly when going over thedoor-sills, but Mrs. Barlow pretended it didn't hurt her, and thanked thechildren lovingly for their assistance. "Now, Bob," she said, "run and helpyour father, I suppose he's up in the tank-room investigating the source ofthat waterfall. Tell him he'd better send Dil for a plumber at once; andBumble, you go and see if cook has returned yet, for if not, I don't knowwhen we'll get any dinner. Patty, dear, take off your hat and jacket
andthen come and sit here by me, and we'll have a little talk. You remind mevery much of your mother at your age. Do you remember her at all?"
"No, Aunt Grace; I wish I could, but she died when I was only three, youknow. I have a beautiful picture of her."
"Have you? you must show it to me when your trunks come. You are like yourmother in form and feature, and I hope your disposition is like hers. Shewas the loveliest woman I ever knew. So sweet and gentle, and sounselfish."
"I think you look like her picture, Aunt Grace," said Patty, gazingearnestly at her aunt.
"Oh, no, child; she was a hundred times more beautiful than I. And she wasso neat and dainty, and always did the right thing at the right time. I wasthe harum-scarum of the family, and I'm sorry to say, my children seem tohave inherited my traits of character. They are so careless, forgetful andunsystematic. But they're dear sweet children, and I hope, Patty, you willlearn to love your Barlow cousins."
"I don't need to learn, Aunt Grace, I love them already. Bob is such afrank, pleasant boy, and Bumble is a dear; so witty and bright."
"Yes, they are intelligent; and if you will be patient with ourshortcomings, I think we will be very happy together. And our household, atpresent, contains another member. Nan Allen, who is visiting here, is aneighbor of ours in Philadelphia, and though several years older than you,she is a most charming young woman, and I'm sure you will like her.Gracious! how the water is pouring down in the sitting-room yet. I wish Icould get up on my feet. Run up-stairs, Patty, and find your Uncle Ted, andask him what is to be done about it?"
Although unacquainted with the house, Patty ran up-stairs, and throughvarious rooms, but without finding her uncle.
Anxious to do her aunt's bidding, she ran on up to the third story, and ina large attic room she found her uncle standing before a largeold-fashioned bookcase, eagerly reading a volume which he held in hishands.
"What about the water, Uncle Ted?" said Patty.
"Yes,--in a minute,--I'm going to attend to it. I'm so surprised to findall these books here. We rented this cottage furnished, you know, and Ihaven't been up here before. I'd no idea these books were here. Yes,--I'llsee about the water at once."
Patty went with her uncle to what he called the tank-room, and there Mr.Barlow discovered that the leak was in a supply pipe which could easily beshut off. This he did, and the downpour was immediately stopped, althoughno water could be drawn through the house until the plumbers should comeand repair the pipes.
"Ted," said Mrs. Barlow, as her husband and Patty returned, "I don'tbelieve Hopalong will be home in time to cook dinner, so suppose we have apick-up supper? It's getting late, and Patty must be nearly starved afterher journey from Boston."
"All right," said Uncle Ted, cheerily; "is there anything in the house toeat? Where's Bumble?"
"Go and hunt her up, please, and tell her I want her. And did you get thecheese and fruit as I asked you to?"
"Yes, I bought out the whole market and carried it all home with me."
"Very well, then we won't starve. Now wheel me into the dining-room andI'll see what we have on hand."
Just then Bob and Bumble appeared, each carrying two kittens, and thesefour sprawling bits of animal life were deposited in Mrs. Barlow's lap,while Patty was called upon to admire them.
"They are very cunning," said she, stroking them rather gingerly, for theyseemed very small and frail.
"Oh, you can't hurt them," said Bob; "see, pick 'em up this way," and hegrasped one by the back of its neck and held it sprawling in the air.
"No, hold one this way," said Bumble, cuddling a little ball of fur in thepalm of her hand. "But, mumsey, I'm awful hungry; aren't we going to haveany dinner? Where's Hopalong?"
"She's gone on the excursion, my dear. Poor thing, she works so hard I'mglad for her to have a little outing."
"H'm, she gets one about twice a week," said Bob; "Hopalong's the cook,Patty. We call her that 'cause she isn't very lively, and she just shufflesabout. But she's a good-natured old thing, and such a good cook--"
"Here, children, take this flock of cats," said Mrs. Barlow, "and we'llsoon have something to eat, cook or no cook."
Bumble gathered up the kittens, beginning with the white one. "This is theidiot," she said, "but isn't it a pretty cat? You can see she'shalf-witted, 'cause only one eye is open, and she has such a general air ofstupidity."
"She might turn out to be the smartest of the lot," said Patty.
"I wish I could keep her and see, but dad says they must all be drownedto-morrow. I neglected the last kitten I had, and didn't feed herregularly, so the poor thing died. Daddy, if you'll let me keep this one,I'll never, _never_ forget to feed her--honest I won't. Please let me keepjust this one," and Bumble rubbed the furry ball on her father's cheek.
"Well, take them away now, and we'll see about it," said her father, andBumble danced off with the kittens feeling almost sure that she had gainedher point.
Then Bob and his father moved Mrs. Barlow with her chair and footstool outto the dining-room.
"I don't know what there is, myself," she said, "but we'll forage in thesideboard and pantry and see."
The foraging resulted in a pair of cold roasted ducks, plenty of plum-cakeand a cherry-pie.
"I'm sorry there isn't any bread," said Mrs. Barlow, apologetically; "Itold Hopalong to order it as she went by the baker's, but I fear she forgotit."
"Never mind," said Bob, "I don't care much for bread, anyhow, do you,Patty? Mother, here's a lot of cold potatoes. Can't you make a salad?"
"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Barlow; so the children brought the ingredients,and a fine salad was soon concocted.
While this was going on, Miss Allen came running in.
"Oh," she exclaimed, "I'm as hungry as a hunter. We've been out sailing,and I've _such_ an appetite. Who is this pretty child?"
"This is Patty Fairfield," said Bumble, "my cousin, from the South."
"Oh, yes, of course, I knew you expected her to-day. How do you do, Patty?I'm very glad to see you. I am Nan Allen, and I want you to like me betterthan you do any of the Barlows. Do you hear?"
"Yes," said Patty, "but I'll wait until I see if you like me."
Miss Allen was a very pretty young lady, of about twenty, with sparklingblack eyes, and a lot of curly golden hair, which she wore massed high onher head. She was extremely vivacious and Patty liked her at once.
Then Bumble set the silver basket on the table, and Nan brought a pile ofplates and everybody helped himself or herself to such viands as theywished.
There was much laughter and gay talk, and Patty enjoyed the informal mealimmensely.