CHAPTER IV
TRANSPLANTED
Nora was too surprised now to even think coherently. That Vita should beup in her attic!
"Down, down Cap!" the housekeeper was ordering, while the dog, evidentlyrealizing something very unusual was occurring, added his part to theconfusion.
"Vita!" called Nora in a subdued voice, "Come over this way!"
"Hush! Don't wake the folks," cautioned the maid, now beside Nora's bed."I--just--come to--shut the window----"
"Oh, is there a window over there?"
"A little one," evaded Vita. "But why do you come up to this dirtyplace?"
"It isn't dirty, and I like attics." Nora's was confident now and hervoice betrayed some resentment.
"You like it?" Vita sniffed so hard the candle almost choked to death.
"Why yes; why shouldn't I? I'm romantic you know."
"Roman----"
"Oh, you don't understand. I'm sort of booky, like a story, you know,"explained Nora loftily. "I love things that are like the parts of astory."
It was difficult to make certain that this lusty Italian understood; buteven in the dim light, her dark eyes seemed kind and full of smilingglints, and her ruddy cheeks dimpled all over like a big tufted pincushion, giving Nora a feeling of security mingled with curiosity.
Why did Vita come up? There was no draft from any window. Was there evena window?
"I tell you, baby," the woman began, as if answering Nora's silentquestions, "you be a very good little girl and go down to the prettysun-gold room; yes?"
The big warm arm was cuddling the little form in the bed, and Cap was sohappy he put both paws gingerly on the coverlet, snapping a very shortbark of a question right into Nora's face.
"Quiet, boy!" whispered Nora. "We are having a lovely party but we mustnot wake our neighbors."
The big shaggy head burrowed down into the covers, and Nora felt like alittle queen on a throne with her servants bowing at her feet.
"Go on, Vita," she ordered grandly.
"I tell you a nice little story, then you go downstairs on tippy toes,yes?"
"But Vita dear, I did so want to stay up here," pouted Nora.
"It is no good up here. All crazy like, and make you scared--awful."This was said in a very positive tone.
"Why? What should I be afraid of? I slept alone at boarding school andthe winds made dreadful noises sometimes." protested Nora.
"Never mind. You be Vita's good baby and Vita give you nice--very goodcake tomorrow," coaxed the woman, who now seemed anxious to leave theattic herself. She stirred uneasily.
"Well," sighed Nora, "I suppose I can't have any peace if I don't." Shethrew down the coverlet. "But see, my little clock says eleven, and Idon't want to disturb anyone on my very first night. You go downwhatever way you came up, Vita; and I'll creep down the front way."
The woman's relief was so evident Nora scarcely knew whether to begrateful or suspicious.
"Now everything be all right," whispered Vita happily, "and you sleepjust like the angel. Here Cap, you go very still," and she patted thedog with a little shove that urged him toward the door. He understood,evidently, for very quietly indeed he shuffled down, his four feetsofter than velvet slippers, as he carried his huge body down thedarkened stairway.
Nora first poked her head out to make sure the coast was clear, thenwith a motion to Vita, who stood with candle in hand at the attic door,she swept down the stairs and entered the yellow room, into which a softlight from the hall fell in a welcoming path.
The bed covers were turned down--Vita must have been determined thatNora should use that bed, and the window was properly opened, for thesoft breeze stirred the scrim curtains, and a wonderful woodland scentstole into the room.
"It is much better down here," Nora was forced to admit as she snuggledinto the gold and blue coverlet. "I guess I was a nuisance to be soobstinate."
A few minutes later a step in the hall glided to the electric lightbutton, and the click that followed turned off the light.
That must have been Ted, of course, and she must have known that Norawas now safely tucked in the comfortable bed in the guest room.
"She was waiting for me too," mused Nora with a twinge of compunction."I do wonder why they made such a fuss about me staying in the attic?"It was delicious to have every one anxious about her,--so short a timeago no one but the Circle Angel at the Baily School seemed to carewhether she slept in her bed or out on the old, tattered hammock, thatBarbara wanted to make a tree climber out of; and now in this lovelylittle bungalow, called The Nest, there were so many beds for her shecouldn't choose.
All the same, with the insistence of her fancies, visions of goblins andgoo-gees up in the attic pranced through her excited brain and made thequeerest pictures. She shivered as she remembered them.
"But Vita is nothing like a spirit worker," mused the child. "And she isso kind and seems so fond of me." Then she had an inspiration.
"I have it," she all but exclaimed aloud. "Vita knows what is wrong andis afraid I will find out. She is not frightened at it or she would notgo prowling around in the dark," continued the reasoning, "but she has asecret and it is in that attic."
As if this conclusion settled all disturbing doubts, Nora humped overonce or twice and then gave in to the sleep her tired little self was sosorely in need of.
It was the end of a long and too well filled day. She had left theselect school with all the instructions of the Misses Baily fairlyhissing in her ears. Then there was Barbara's fun making, in the way ofa train letter with all sorts of wild premonitions (they were funny butsomehow the train incidents took on the threats of danger Barbara hadoutlined). But after all, no one had kidnapped her and here shewas--yes, asleep in the big fluffy bed in the lovely yellow room.
A whistle--Jerry's--brought her back. The daylight was streaming inthrough that wonderful dew laden vine. And oh, the scent!
It was not flowers but woodlands. A bird chirped a polite good morning,and without the usual eye rubbing Nora was sitting up straight andsilently thanking the Maker of good things for such a wonderful day.
For the first time in her life she felt that her clothes were notappropriate, and it was some moments before she could decide just whichlittle gown to appear in. They really seemed out of place in that ruggedcountry--her laces and ribbons and fine fussings.
"I suppose the Girl Scouts do wear practical things," she reflected,"but that horrid khaki!" The thought sent a little shudder through thesmall, frail shoulders, and Nora, donning her Belgian blue, with brownsandals and two colored socks, was ready, presently, to meet her newlyadopted relations. Cap was at her door when she opened it, and this,more than anything else, sent a thrill of joy to her heart. Even awonderful big dog to welcome her when any dog would surely want to beout doors with Jerry on such a morning!
"Come along, Bob," called a man's voice from the lower hall. "We canhardly spare time to eat--there is so much to see this morning."
Nora was beside him as he continued:
"The kittens are tumbling out of their box, the puppies are fightingover a feather, the chicks are testing their strength on a nice, lively,fat little worm, and oh yes! the calf jumped over the moon--the moonbeing Ted's home made gate," he finished, with that boyish laugh thatalways made the house ring merrily.
Vita was just coming into the dining room with the muffins as Norapassed her. There was no mistaking the sly wink--the big dark eyesfairly sparkled glints as the maid signalled Nora not to say anythingabout the attic episode. Nora smiled and nodded, and then the muffinswere placed before Mrs. Ted.
"Sleep well, dear?" asked that lady presently.
"Wonderfully," replied Nora, just a bit cautiously.
"I heard you come down stairs and was rather glad you changed yourmind," continued the hostess, while she poured Jerry's coffee. "It ismuch pleasanter on the second floor."
For a moment Nora wondered whether this was being said to disguise thereal happening. Did Mrs. Manto
n know that Vita had gone up to rouse her?
"Maybe rain today," interrupted the maid, although the sun shonebrightly at the moment.
"Now Vittoria!" objected Jerry. "You ought to know better than to sayrain when I have to go away out to the back woods, and I want to havesome real work done today." He glanced over his shoulder at thestreaming sunlight. "You're a fraud, or else you are not awake yet," hewent on. "There is no more sign of rain than of snow."
"I agree with you for once, Jerry," chimed in Ted. "The grass wasknitted with cobwebs, the sun came up grey, and besides all that thejelly jelled. Now Vita, you see you are completely left. It is not goingto rain."
Vita laughed good naturedly. "Then I say it is goin' to shine," sheadded, and Nora now felt certain her talk had been made to interrupt thecomment on the night before.
Breakfast passed off in a gale of pleasantries. The home of the Mantonsseemed jollier every moment, to Nora.
"How about the woods?" asked Jerry, while they lingered over the coffee.
"I'm ready," replied Ted, "and I'm sure Nora will want to come."
"Oh yes," with a glance at her inadequate costume. "Will this dress beall right?"
"If it's the strongest you have with you," replied Ted. "But we havesome very saucy briars and brush. We must see about a real woodsy outfitfor you." She paused a moment, then continued, "I am sure you will likethe Girl Scouts when you get to know more about them. I know a group ofthe girls and to my thinking they are the real thing in girls."
Nora flushed slightly. One point she had made up her mind on. She wasnot going to lose her identity by joining in with a group of girls who,she imagined, just did as they were told, and apparently had no ideas oftheir own. Nora had seen some of the Girl Scout literature and it hadnot impressed her favorably. It was plain and practical, while shelonged for novelty.
"Well, Bob is going to be my scout, at any rate," chimed in Jerry, quickto sense possible embarrassment. The shade of Nora's cheeks gave him hiscue. "We won't talk about the regular Scouts until--well, until later,"he finished, in the foolish way he had of making a boy of himself. Itwas rather foolish, but so jolly. He would wind up everything in justthe way Nora never expected, as if his words said themselves.
The visitor was conscious now of something unpleasant stealing in uponher. Would Mrs. Manton oblige her to be different? Couldn't she dreamand play and fancy all the wonderful things she had been storing up forso long? Wasn't this her dream vacation?
Nannie, that play mother of hers, _she_ knew would not want her tochange her peculiar characteristics.
This sort of reasoning flashed before her mind as the party prepared fora day in the woods.
So the little girl in Belgian blue went along with the big man in hisknickers and brown blouse, and with the young woman in her serviceuniform.
Nora made an odd little figure, but she was, as she had always been, apicture of a girl.