It was a bright, cheerful party that gathered about the Viamede
breakfast table the next morning.
"Southern air seems to agree finely with my young patient thus far,"
remarked Dr. Harold, looking smilingly at Ned, who was partaking of the
good fare provided with an appetite such as he had not shown before
since the beginning of his illness.
"Yes, uncle doctor, I'm hungry this morning, and everything tastes
good," laughed Ned. "But Viamede victuals always were ever so nice."
"And home victuals poor and tasteless?" queried the lad's mother,
feigning a look of grieved surprise.
"Oh, no, mamma; home victuals are good--very good--when one is well, so
as to have a good appetite," returned Ned reassuringly.
"Very true, son," said his father; "and you used to show full
appreciation of them. So mamma need not feel hurt that you so greatly
enjoy your present fare."
"And p'raps his good appetite will make the little chap strong enough
for a row on the bayou a bit arter gittin' done his breakfast," said a
rough voice, seemingly coming from an open doorway into the outer hall.
"Now, who are you talking that way about me?" queried Ned, turning half
way round in his chair in an effort to catch sight of the speaker.
"Who am I? Somebody that knows a thing or two 'bout boys an' what they
can do, an' what they like; an' I guess you're not much different from
other fellows o' your age an' sect. Be ye now?"
"No, I guess not," laughed Ned. "I don't belong to any sect, though.
But I suppose you mean sex. I'm of the male kind."
"Oh, you are. Then I s'pose you're brave enough to venture a row on
the bayou without fear o' bein' drowned?"
"Yes, indeed, with all these grown-up folks along to take care of me,"
laughed Ned. Then looking across the table at Mr. Lilburn, "Now that
was just you talking, Cousin Ronald, wasn't it?"
"Why, Neddie boy, do you think that is the kind of English I speak?"
queried Mr. Lilburn in a hurt tone, as if he felt insulted by such a
suspicion in regard to his knowledge and use of the English tongue.
"No, Cousin Ronald, I didn't mean any harm; but haven't you different
kinds of voices for different times and occasions?" returned Ned. "And
weren't you kindly trying to make a bit of fun for me?"
"Ah, little chap, you seem to be good at guessing," laughed Mr.
Lilburn; "a bit of a Yankee, aren't you?"
"No, sir; I'm a whole one," cried Ned, echoing the laugh. "But, papa,"
turning to his father, "can't we get in a boat and have a row on the
bayou?"
"Well, Ned, I suppose that might be possible," was the smiling
rejoinder. "Suppose we take a vote on the question. All in favor of the
proposition say aye."
At that there was a simultaneous aye from the voice of each one at the
table.
Then Grandma Elsie said, "I think it would be enjoyable, but probably
the cousins may be coming in to make their party calls before we get
back."
"I think not, mamma, if we start early and do not go too far," said
Violet; "and we can leave word with the servants that our absence will
be short, so that any one who comes will be encouraged to wait a bit."
"I should think they well might," smilingly added Mrs. Lilburn, "seeing
what a delightful place they would have to wait in, and plenty of
interesting reading matter at hand."
"Yes, I think we really might venture it," said Dr. Harold,
"especially as the little jaunt will probably be for the health of all
taking part in it."
So it was decided upon, and the plan carried out shortly after leaving
the table.
Every one, especially the younger folk, seemed delighted with the idea
and eager for the start. Ned was well wrapped up under the supervision
of his mother and uncle, and seated in a part of the boat where there
could not be any danger for him of even a slight wetting.
All found it a delightful trip, and returned refreshed and
strengthened, the younger ones full of mirth and jollity.
It so happened that they were just in time to greet an arrival of
cousins from Magnolia Hall and the Parsonage, presently followed by
those from Torriswood. Cordial greetings were exchanged and an hour
or two spent in pleasant intercourse, in which plans were laid for
excursions here and there through the lovely surrounding country and
entertainments at one and another of their homes.
"Don't wait for the coming of the rest of your party of relatives,"
said Dr. Percival. "We will look forward to the pleasure of having you
all again, with that agreeable addition to the company."
"Thank you, Dick," returned Grandma Elsie with her own sweet smile, "we
can hardly have more than would be agreeable of these lovely excursions
or the delightful visits to the hospitable homes of our kith and kin
in this region. And the oftener any or all of you visit us here at
Viamede, the better."
"And please understand that we all echo in our hearts the sentiments
just expressed by our mother," supplemented Violet in her sprightly way.
"Yes," laughed the captain; "I can vouch for the correctness of my
wife's strange and strong assertion."
"And I," added Harold, "join with my brother physician in recommending
for the health, as well as present enjoyment of us all, the taking of
an unlimited number of these delightful excursions by land and water."
"Now let's follow that good prescription," laughed Elsie Dinsmore, and
the other young people received the suggestion with clapping of hands
and words of most decided approval.
A merry, enjoyable fortnight followed before the expected increase
in their numbers, during which Cousin Ronald often entertained them
with exhibitions of his skill as a ventriloquist. It did not mystify
and puzzle them as it had done when they first made his acquaintance,
but, nevertheless, was the exciting cause of much mirth and hilarity.
Especially when there happened to be some neighbor present who was
ignorant of the old gentleman's peculiar talent; and that often made
the call of such casual acquaintances the more desirable and welcome.
The relatives from Magnolia Hall, Torriswood and the Parsonage were
often visitors at Viamede, sitting with its family on the veranda in
the afternoons and evenings, and quite frequently callers, more or less
intimate, would be there with them; and if Mr. Lilburn felt in the mood
or was urged by one or more of the young folks of the family to try his
skill, he would kindly do so.
Early one evening, when the gathering was larger than usual, Ned crept
to Cousin Ronald's side and whispered in his ear an urgent request for
a bit of the fun he alone could make. "Perhaps, sonny boy, if an idea
comes to me," replied the old gentleman in the same low key. "Go back
now to your mother and be quiet and easy for your health's sake."
Ned obeyed, and leaning on his mother's lap, with her arm around him,
listened eagerly for he hardly knew exactly what.
Presently a voice was heard, seemingly coming from a clump of bushes
not far away, "Ladies and gentlemen, young folks too, what good times
you're having! While I'm but a poor fellow, wandering and homeless in a
strange land, no roof to cover me, no bed to sleep in, and nothing to
eat. Ah, woe's me! What can I do but lie down and die?"
"No, you needn't," called out Ned. "Go round to the kitchen and ask
politely for something to eat, and you'll get it."
"I don't believe they'd give me a bite. I'm not a beggar, either,
an' to take to that trade wad be worse nor dying an honest, upright,
self-supporting man."
"Why, who is it, and what does he want?" queried one of Viamede's
visitors in tones of surprise and disgust.
"Let's go down and see; give him some money, if he'll take it, to buy
himself some supper and pay for a night's lodging," said another guest,
jumping up and moving toward the veranda steps.
"Tell him we will give him something to eat--send it out there to him,
if he wishes," said Grandma Elsie, speaking very soberly, though she
felt pretty certain they would find no one there.
The lads hurried down to the bushes that seemed to hide the stranger,
and Ned clapped his hands in ecstasy over the idea that they had been
so easily and completely duped.
"They'll be greatly surprised and disappointed," said Elsie Dinsmore,
"and it's almost too bad, for they seem very kind-hearted and ready to
help one in distress."
The other young folks were laughing in an amused way.
"And it was just you, Cousin Ronald, wasn't it?" asked Elsie Raymond.
"Why, what a strange idea!" exclaimed the old gentleman. "I haven't
been down there on the lawn for hours."
"But maybe your voice has," laughed Elsie.
"Oh, here they come to tell us about it," exclaimed Alie Leland, as the
lads were seen hurrying back in a very excited way.
"There's nobody there!" cried one. "We searched all about and couldn't
find a soul."
"No, indeed, we couldn't, and it's very mysterious, I think," added the
other.
"Looks as if he'd run off before you got there," said Ned.
"He couldn't. There wasn't time," panted the foremost lad as they came
up the steps of the veranda.
"Well, then, it's his own fault if he misses getting something to eat,"
said Ned, trying hard to keep from laughing.
"Strange how blind some folks are," remarked the same strange voice,
seeming now close to the veranda, and followed by a profound sigh.
"Why, there he is again, and nearer than before!" cried one of the
lads who had been trying to find him, and both peered eagerly over the
railing; but to their evident astonishment, could see no one.
"Dear me, where in the world is he?" exclaimed again the boy who had
first spoken. "His voice sounded even nearer than before and yet he's
nowhere to be seen."
"Oh, let's look under the veranda," suggested the other. "Perhaps he
may have crept in there."
"Oh, yes, if Mrs. Travilla is willing," returned his companion.
"I have no objection," she said pleasantly, and they proceeded to look,
but soon announced that there was no one to be found there.
"And it certainly isn't worth your while to take such trouble to find
so good for naught a scamp," returned Mr. Lilburn in his natural voice.
"I wadna try it any more, lads."
"Ha, ha, ha. I knew you couldn't find me!" laughed the invisible
speaker, the voice this time apparently coming from the roof of the
veranda.
"Well," cried Ned, "how in the world did he get up there? What a famous
climber he must be!"
At that the mystified stranger boys hurried down the veranda steps
again and some little distance down the path leading across the grounds
from the front of the dwelling, turned there and stood looking up at
the veranda's roof.
"Why, there's nothing and nobody there!" they exclaimed breathlessly as
they hurried back again.
"It certainly is a most mysterious thing," panted one. "How a fellow
could be so close by and then disappear so suddenly and completely I
can't imagine."
"Well, well, lads, such a slippery ne'er-do-weel isna worth worrying
about," said Mr. Lilburn. "And we needna trouble oursel's if he goes
hungry."
"But I should be sorry indeed to have any of my guests do that," said
Grandma Elsie as just at that moment servants appeared carrying silver
salvers laden with fruit and cakes.
That seemed a welcome interruption to even the sorely puzzled stranger
boys, and when that feasting was over the captain called for music, and
his wife, going to the piano, played "Yankee Doodle" with variations,
then "Star-Spangled Banner," in the singing of which all joined
heartily. Just as the last strain died away the strange voice was heard
again from the far end of the veranda.
"That's a grand old song. Just the kind for every American to sing,
whether he's rich or poor."
"Oh, there he is again!" cried the stranger lads, springing to their
feet and looking eagerly in the direction of the sounds.
"But just as invisible as ever," gasped one. "How on earth does he
manage to disappear so quickly?"
At that there was a half-suppressed titter among the young folks of
the house, while Mr. Lilburn said in his own natural tones, "Tut, tut,
young fellows; I'd pay no attention to him. He isn't worth minding."
"No, indeed," said Dr. Harold, "he isn't, and wouldn't attempt to harm
any one of us, even if he wanted to, as we are so many and he but one."
"No," said the voice, "I'm not worth minding, not at all dangerous,
for I wouldn't hurt anybody if I wanted to, and wouldn't dare do it if
I had sic a wicked inclination."
"Well, sir, it's very, very queer how you can be so plainly heard and
not seen at all," remarked one of the puzzled young fellows. Then
pulling out his watch, "But it's high time for me to go home now."
"For me, too," said his companion, and bidding good-night to their
hostess and the company, they went away together.
"Good! They didn't find out anything," chuckled Ned when they were
beyond hearing.
Then began plans for the next day's outing, and conjectures as to when
they might look for the expected addition to this Viamede party from
their more northern homes. That was brought about in a few days, and
added pleasure to their picnics, excursions and family gatherings at
Torriswood, Magnolia Hall, the Parsonage and Viamede itself.