_Home Again._
EARLY next morning the family started back to the farm, leaving with
regret the beautiful valley, to which they promised themselves they
would certainly return at some future day.
Beautiful indeed was the homeward drive in the freshness of the
morning, and when the Bungalow was reached the children found a most
delightful surprise awaiting them. For there on the piazza was Papa
Doctor, who had come down, unannounced, by an early train. Busy as he
was, he declared that he could no longer exist without a peep at his
family, and moreover announced his intention of carrying them all off
home with him.
Indeed the little folk were so glad to see him that they raised no very
serious objections to the home-going plan. So it fell out that after
luncheon trunks were packed, and the whole party, including Tim in a
large wicker cage, returned to town by a late afternoon train.
The children knew that Dr. North’s patients could not spare him, and
so uttered not a single word of disappointment at the rather abrupt
termination of their outing.
The Teddy bears were greatly delighted to get home again. They had
been hugely bored by the visit to the farm where there was not very
much for them to do in the way of making mischief. Nor did they delay
their plans for a single night, but that evening, as soon as everything
was quiet in the nursery, Peter Pan proceeded to put into execution
the scheme that he had concocted one afternoon, while being carried
through the house in Sally’s arms, when he had been seized with a great
curiosity to investigate the whole place. To be sure, Rough House was
asleep by Sally’s bed, but Peter Pan moved cautiously, and silently
marshalling his little family they crept out of the nursery and down
the first flight of stairs. In the lower hall they paused to take
breath and decide what to do next.
The big drawing-room was the nearest at hand and into this they
scurried, somewhat awed by the thick darkness that was broken only by
a few stray moonbeams drifting in through the lace curtains. Guided
by these, Peter Pan at last found the inevitable button, and all the
beauties of the fine, large room lay revealed to the admiring gaze of
the Teddy bears.
There were beautiful gilt chairs with elegantly carved frames and backs
and seats of tufted satin; elegant, spindle-legged tables inlaid with
pearl; curio cabinets that contained precious mementos of a recent trip
abroad; beautiful paintings and one or two fine bits of statuary; and
in one corner a grand piano upon which Bedelia instantly longed to lay
her devastating paws. But tug as they might, their united efforts were
inadequate to lift the heavy carved lid. So, much disappointed, they
turned their attention to the curio cabinets.
These they found to be easy of access, as the keys had not been removed
from the locks, and they were soon enjoying the costly trifles with
which they were filled, and many of which they succeeded in breaking
before they grew tired.
When at last they had exhausted the resources of the drawing-room, they
all trailed into the library which lay just beyond and was separated
from it by heavy silk portieres.
Here were rows upon rows of books behind glass doors, but there were
keys in the locks and a library step-ladder was in evidence.
The whole family swarmed up the steps, dragging out the books and
tumbling them over in their eager haste to find pictures. Only pictures
of animals interested them. At last they discovered a set of Natural
History and here they found representations of creatures that resembled
themselves and with these they were greatly delighted.
So eager were they to get at them, each one wishing to have the same
book at the same time, that they flung the volumes about, tearing the
pages and soiling the rich bindings.
[Illustration]
One of the twins even tore off a piece and tasted it to try if it were
good to eat, for by this time he was growing hungry. He regretted his
meal later on, however, for it made him very ill indeed.
At length, wearied of examining the heavy books, they turned their
attention to Dr. North’s desk, a splendid specimen of carved oak and
Spanish leather. Here they upset the ink, tore up whatever paper they
could lay paws on and broke in two or three pieces a costly eastern
dagger with which they attempted to pry open the drawers of the desk.
Luckily, however, these were fast locked, and finding nothing else to
engross their attention decided that it was time to look for something
to eat. Peter Pan was very much disappointed at not finding anything of
that description in the library, as only the day before he had heard
Sally’s governess remark that she fairly devoured her books. And he
had imagined that they would find a great feast awaiting them in the
library.
However, it was finally decided to invade the dining-room and thither
the hungry group proceeded without delay, leaving the library looking
as if a whirlwind had swept through it.
Here they found everything in excellent order and the table laid for
breakfast, which was contrary to all rules and regulations. But the new
maid was lazy and found that she could sleep a little longer in the
morning by laying the table the night before.
The Teddy bears immediately made a rush for the table, falling over
each other in their eagerness to get to the chairs, into which they
climbed, pulling the napkins out of the rings and confident that a fine
meal was awaiting them. Great, therefore, was their dismay, when they
were unable to discover the smallest evidence of anything to eat.
This was more amazing than their experience in the library. If people
did not eat in the dining-rooms where on earth did they eat?
Bedelia could find no answer for this conundrum propounded by her
husband with a tragic gesture. But she was far too hungry to be
staggered by conundrums and started on a voyage of discovery, with the
result that on the sideboard she espied a silver fruit dish filled with
grapes and oranges and a plate filled with biscuits. The grapes they
left severely alone as belonging religiously to nurse’s bonnet. But on
the oranges and biscuits they feasted until well nigh ready to burst,
and finally departed leaving a sorry mess behind them.
Of course they never for a moment thought of turning out the lights,
but left them flaring in all the rooms they had visited.
After their hearty meal they were not quite as lively as they had been
when hungry and were forced to conduct themselves in a more leisurely
manner.
They now decided to mount to the top floor and look into things from
the attic down.
Cautiously they toiled up the first flight, for it was a much more
difficult task to climb up than it was to hop down from step to step.
And at the very top they were confronted by a sight that made them
ready to stand on their heads for pure joy.
Now a Teddy bear is the most inquisitive of all created creatures and
is usually quite ready to risk his neck in order to find out something
that has piqued his curiosity. During all their stay in the house there
was one room the door of which they had never seen open, although it
was directly opposite Sally’s and they had been filled with the most
burning curiosity and speculation as to what it might contain. Of
course they could not understand that the room belonged to the dear
little absent son, and was being kept closed up, having been swept and
garnished, against his return.
[Illustration]
However, the door, which so long remained a locked mystery, now
stood wide open, inviting them, as it were, to enter. And you may
be sure that they were anything but slow in availing themselves of
the invitation. Into the room they tumbled pell mell, in their usual
unseemly manner, each one trying to be first regardless of any respect
for their elders. Only the baby cub, Little Breeches, who was beginning
to feel tired, hung on to his mother’s hind leg and so was dragged into
prominence without any effort at all on his own part.