CHAPTER II--THE GIRL IN THE WHITE MIDDY
When Doctor John Hyde Hillman started a modest school for boys, on thebank of the Hudson River, at Orstead, the town barely crept to the onebrick building that contained dormitory and recitation-rooms. But thatwas nearly twenty years ago, and to-day the place is no longer isolated,but stands well inside the residence section of the village. There arefour buildings, occupying most of an unusually large block. School Hall,four stories in height, is a red-brick, slate-roofed edifice, whoseunloveliness has been mercifully hidden by ivy. It faces Summit Streetand contains the class-rooms, the offices, and, at one end, theprincipal's quarters. Flanking it are the two dormitories, East Hall andWest Hall. These, while of brick too, are modern and far moreattractive. Each contains sleeping-rooms to accommodate forty students,two masters' studies, a recreation-hall, dining-room, kitchen, andservice-rooms. Behind East Hall is the gymnasium, a picturesquestructure of random-set stone, gray stucco, and much glass. Here,besides the gymnasium proper, is an auditorium of good size, a modestswimming-tank, locker-room and baths, and a commodious office presidedover by Mr. Wells, the physical director. From the gymnasium steps onelooks across an attractive, well-kept quadrangle of shaded turf,vegetable and flower gardens, and tennis-courts.
Doctor Hillman occupies an apartment at the west end of the School Hall,gained from the building by way of the school offices, and from withoutby way of a wide porch, vine screened in summer and glassed in winter,an outdoor living-room where, on seasonable Friday afternoons, thedoctor's maiden sister, Miss Tabitha, who keeps house for him, servesweak tea and layer-cake to all comers. Miss Tabitha, I regret to say, isknown among the boys as "Tabby," with, however, no more intention ofdisrespect than in alluding to the doctor as "Johnny." Miss Tabitha'sthin body holds a warm heart, and her somewhat stern countenance beliesher kindly ways.
On this fifteenth day of September, shortly after twelve o'clock, MissTabitha was seated on the vine-shaded porch in an erect anduncompromising attitude, her knitting-needles clicking busily. Near by,but a few moments before released from the office, the doctor wasstretched in a long wicker chair, a morning paper before him. At theother end of the porch, a gate-legged table was spread for the mid-daymeal, and a middle-aged colored woman--who, when it pleased her,answered to the name of Aunt Persis--shuffled in and out of sight atintervals. It was Miss Tabitha who, hearing the sound of steps on thewalk, peered over her glasses and broke the silence.
"Two more of the boys are coming, John," she announced.
The doctor grunted.
"I think they are new boys. Yes, I am sure they are. And bless my soul,John, they're alike as two peas!"
"Alike?" The doctor rustled the paper to indicate interest. "Well, whyshouldn't they be? Probably they're brothers. Let me see, weren't thosetwo boys from California brothers? Of course. Turner's the name."
"Well, I never saw two boys so much alike in all my born days," MissTabitha marveled. "Do you suppose they can be twins, John?"
"It's quite within the realm of probability," was the reply. "I believethat twins do occur occasionally, even in the--er--best-regulatedfamilies."
"Well, they certainly _are_ twins!" Miss Tabitha laid down her work,brushed the front of her immaculate dress, and prepared to rise. "Isuppose I had better go and meet them," she added.
"I don't see the necessity for it, my dear," the doctor protested."Cummins may, I think, be relied on to deal even with--er--twins."
"Of course; but--still--California's such a long way--and they may feelstrange--or lonesome--"
The doctor laughed gently. "Then by all means go, my dear. If you like,have them out here for a few minutes. If the resemblance between them isas striking as you seem to think, they must be worth seeing."
When Miss Tabitha had tripped into the house, the doctor dropped hispaper, stretched luxuriously, and, with a sigh of protest, sat up. Hewas several years younger than his sister--which is to say, in theneighborhood of forty-seven. He was a smallish man, compactly built,with a pleasant countenance on which a carefully-trimmed Vandyke beardmade up to an extent for the lack of hair above. He wore shell-rimmedglasses and was very near-sighted, a fact emphasized by his manner ofthrusting his head forward to eke out the deficiencies of his lenses.This trick was apparent a minute later when, following in the trippingfootsteps of Miss Tabitha, the two boys emerged on the porch. They wereamazingly alike, the doctor decided: same height, same breadth at hipand shoulder, same coloring, same leisurely, yet confident, ease ofmovement, same expression of lively curiosity twinkling through analmost depressingly respectful solemnity.
"These are the Turner boys," announced Miss Tabitha. "This is Edward andthis is--" She halted to look doubtfully from one to the other. "Or--orperhaps _this_ is Edward and--Dear me!"
"I'm Edward, ma'am," said the boy in blue.
"Well, I don't see how you can ever be _certain_ of it!" sighed MissTabitha, doubtfully. "This is Doctor Hillman."
They shook hands, and in a moment the boys found themselves seated sideby side and replying to the doctor's questions.
"You are entering with certificates from your high school principal, Ibelieve, young gentlemen. What year were you?"
"Second, sir," answered Ned.
"And your home is in--"
"Santa Lucia, sir," replied Laurie.
"California," added Ned.
"Well, you're quite a ways from home. Did you make the trip alone?"
"Yes, sir. Dad was coming with us as far as Chicago, but somethinghappened so he couldn't. We didn't have any trouble, though."
"Really? Well, I believe you have the distinction of residing fartheraway than any of your fellows here. I don't recall any one who lives asfar away as California; do you, sister?"
Miss Tabitha looked doubtful and hesitated an instant before shereplied, "George Watson comes from Wyoming, I think, John."
"So he does," assented the doctor, gravely; "but measured in a straightline, my dear, California is slightly farther than Wyoming."
"Is it?" asked Miss Tabitha, untroubled. "I never could remember wherethose western States are."
"You remember many more important things, however. My sister, boys,fancied that she detected a certain resemblance between you, and evensurmised that you might be--er--twins. Doubtless she's mistaken."
"No, sir," answered Ned, more than a trace of surprise in his voice. "Imean, we are twins, sir."
"Why, now that's interesting! Looking closer--" the doctor leanedforward and craned his head--"I believe I detect a certain slightsimilarity myself!"
There was a perceptible twinkle behind the glasses and Laurie dared alaugh, in which the doctor and Ned joined, while Miss Tabitha murmured:"Well! I should think you _might_!"
"I hope you are both going to like the school," continued the doctor."Of course, you'll find our ways a little different, but we'll try tomake you feel at home. You are the first representatives of your Statewho have attended our school, and I trust that both in conduct andindustry you will bring honor to it. Mr. Cornish, your hall master, willadvise you in all matters pertaining to your studies, Other questionsmay be taken to Mr. Cummins, the school secretary, whom you havedoubtless already met. But I want you always to feel at perfect libertyto come to me at any time on any matter at all. And," added the doctor,with a twinkle, "if we fail you, there is still my sister, who, I assureyou, possesses more wisdom than all of us."
Miss Tabitha acknowledged the compliment with a little wry smile, andNed and Laurie arose.
"Yes, sir," said the former.
"Thank you, sir," said Laurie.
"Luncheon is served at one in West Hall," continued the doctor. "That'sthe dormitory behind you there. Beginning with supper to-night, you willtake your meals in your own hall, but only a few of the students havearrived as yet, and so only one dining-room is open. I'm very glad tohave met you, young gentlemen. Mr. Cummins will direct you to your room.Good morning."
Five minutes later, the Turner twins
set their suitcases down on thefloor of Number 16 East Hall and looked about them. Number 16 was notpalatial as to size, but it was big enough to hold comfortably the twosingle beds, the study-table, the two narrow chiffoniers, and the fourchairs that made up its furnishing. There was a generous-sized closet ateach side of the door, and two windows set close together between thebeds. Under the windows was a wide seat, lacking only pillows to make itinviting. From the casements the boys looked over or through the topmostbranches of the maples that lined Washington Street and followed SummitStreet as it continued its ascent of the hill and presently leveled outbetween a thick wood on one side and an open field on the other.
"That must be the athletic field," said Laurie. "See the stand there?And the goal-posts? How do you like it?"
"The field? Looks all right from here."
"I mean the whole outfit, you simp; the school and Doctor Hillman andMiss Frosty-Face and everything."
"Cut out calling names, Laurie. Miss Hillman's all right. So's thedoctor. So's the school. I like it. Wonder when our trunks will gethere."
"Half an hour ago you had a hunch you weren't going to like it," jeeredLaurie. "Changed your mind, haven't you?"
"Yes, and I'm going to change more than my mind." Whereupon Ned openedhis bag and selected a clean shirt. "What time is it?"
"What do you wear a watch for if you never look at it?" grumbled hisbrother. "It's ten to one, Lazy. I'm going to find a place to wash up. Ichoose this side of the room, Ned."
Ned studied the room a moment. "No, you don't," he challenged. "I'lltake this side. I'm the oldest." "There isn't any difference, you chump.One side's as good as the other."
"Then you won't mind taking the other," answered Ned, sweetly. "Runalong and find the lavatory. I think it's at the head of the stairs.Wonder why they put us up two flights."
"Guess they knew you were naturally lazy and needed the exercise."
Laurie dodged a pair of traveling slippers in a red-leather case anddisappeared into the corridor.
Some ten minutes later they descended the stairway together and set outfor West Hall. Laurie drew attention to the gymnasium building, but Ned,who had recovered his appetite, only deigned it a glance. Two boys,luggage laden, evidently just arrived, came down the steps of SchoolHall as the twins passed, and stared curiously.
"Guess they've never seen twins before in this part of the world,"grumbled Laurie. "Those chaps nearly popped their eyes out!"
West Hall proved an exact duplicate of their own dormitory, and thedining-room occupied all the right end of it. There were about fifteenboys there, in age varying from fourteen to eighteen, and there was aperceptible pause in the business of eating when the newcomers entered.A waitress conducted them to seats at a table already occupied by threeother lads, and asked if they'd have milk or iced tea. Ned, as usual,answered for both.
"Iced tea, please, and lots of lemon."
A very stout boy, sitting across the table, sniggered, and then,encountering Ned's inquiring regard, said, "Guess you think you're inthe Waldorf!"
"What's the Waldorf?" asked Ned. "Don't you get lemon with iced teahere?"
"Sure! but you don't get much. Say, are you fellows--twins, or what?"
"Twins?" repeated Laurie. "Where do you get that stuff? This fellow'sname is Anderson and mine's Stenman. What's yours?"
"Crow. Honest, is that a fact?" Crow looked appealingly at the otheroccupants of the table. These, however, two rather embarrassed-lookingyoungsters of fourteen or thereabouts, fixed their eyes on their plates,and Crow turned his regard incredulously back to the twins. "Gee, youfellows look enough alike to be--be--" He swallowed the word. "Aren'tyou even related?"
Ned gazed speculatively at Laurie and Laurie gazed speculatively at Ned."We might be," hazarded the latter.
Laurie nodded. "If we went back far enough, we might find a commonancestor."
The arrival of luncheon caused a diversion, although Crow, who was around-faced, credulous-looking youth of perhaps seventeen, continued toregard them surreptitiously and in puzzlement. At last, making thepassing of the salt an excuse, for further conversation, he asked,"Where do you fellows come from?"
"California," said Ned.
"Santa Lucia," said Laurie.
"Well, but," sputtered Crow, "isn't California in Santa--I mean, isn'tSanta--Say, you guys are joking, I'll bet!"
"Methinks," observed Ned, helping himself gravely to mustard, "his wordssound coarse and vulgar."
Laurie abstractedly added a fourth teaspoon of sugar to his iced tea."Like Turk or Kurd or even Bulgar," he murmured.
Crow stared, grunted, and pushed his chair back. "You fellows thinkyou're smart, don't you?" he sputtered. "Bet you you are twins--both ofyou!"
Ned and Laurie looked after him in mild and patient surprise until hisbroad back had disappeared from view. Then a choking sound came from oneof the younger lads, and Ned asked gently, "Now what's your trouble,son?"
The boy grew very red of face and gave way to giggles. "I knew all thetime you were twins," he gasped.
"Did you really?" exclaimed Laurie. "Well, listen. Just as a favor tous, don't say anything about it, eh? You see, we're sort of--sort of--"
"Sort of sensitive," aided Ned. "We'd rather it wasn't generally known.You understand, don't you?"
The boy looked as if he was very far indeed from understanding, but henodded, choked again, and muttered something that seemed to indicatethat the secret was safe with him. Laurie thanked him gratefully.
After luncheon they went sight-seeing about the school, snooped throughthe dim corridors and empty class-rooms of School Hall, viewed thegymnasium and experimented with numerous apparatus, and finally, afterbrowsing through a flower and vegetable garden behind the recitationbuilding and watching two boys make a pretense of playing tennis,returned to Number 16 in the hope of finding their trunks. But thebaggage had not arrived, and presently, since the room was none toocool, they descended again and followed the curving drive to the rightand past a sign that said "Exit Only" and wandered west on SummitStreet.
For the middle of September in the latitude of southern New York theweather was decidedly warm, and neither grass nor trees hinted thatautumn had arrived. In the well-kept gardens across the way, scarletsage and cosmos, asters and dahlias made riots of color.
"Hot!" grunted Ned, running a finger around the inside of his collar.
"Beastly," agreed Laurie, removing his cap and fanning his heated face."Wonder where the river is. If we had our bathing-suits, maybe we couldgo for a swim."
"Yes, and if we had a cake of ice we could sit on it!" responded Ned,sarcastically. "This place is hotter than Santa Lucia."
At the next corner they turned again to the right. Morton Street, likeso many of the streets in Orstead, refused to go straight, and after afew minutes, to their mild bewilderment, they found themselves on WalnutStreet once more, a block below the school.
"I'm not going back yet," said Laurie, firmly. "Let's find a place wherewe can get something cool to drink."
As Walnut Street was unpromising, they crossed it and meandered alongGarden Street. The houses here appeared to be less prosperous, and thefront yards were less likely to hold lawn and flowers than dilapidatedbaby-carriages. At the first crossing they peered right and left, andwere rewarded by the sight of a swinging sign at a little distance.
What the sign said was as yet a mystery, for the trees intervened, butLaurie declared that he believed in signs and they made their way towardit. It finally proved to be a very cheerful little sign hung above alittle white door in a little pale-blue two-story house, the lower floorof which was plainly devoted to commercial purposes.
L. S. DEANE BOOKS, TOYS, AND CONFECTIONERY CIRCULATING LIBRARY LAUNDRY AGENCY TONICS
That is what the sign said in red letters on a white background. Thewindow
s, many paned, allowed uncertain glimpses of various articles:tops of red and blue and green, boxes of pencils, pads of paper, jars ofcandy, many bottles of ink, a catcher's glove, a dozen tennis-balls,some paper kites--
Laurie dragged Ned inside, through a screen door that, on opening,caused a bell to tinkle somewhere in the farther recesses of the littlebuilding. It was dark inside, after the glare of the street, andrefreshingly cool. Laurie, leading the way, collided with a bench,caromed off the end of a counter, and became aware of a figure, dimlyseen, beyond the width of a show-case.
"Have you anything cold to drink?" asked Ned, leaning across theshow-case.
"Ginger-ale or tonic or something?" Laurie elaborated.
"Yes, indeed," replied the apparition, in a strangely familiar voice."If you will step over to the other side, please--"
Ned and Laurie leaned farther across the show-case.
It was the girl in the white middy dress.