THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE.
Yet theirs the joy
That lifts their steps, that sparkles in their eyes;
That talks or laughs, or runs, or shouts, or plays,
And speaks in all their looks, and all their ways.
Crabbe.
Next day after the fire, Laura could think of nothing but what she was
to do with the shilling that uncle David had given her; and a thousand
plans came into her head, while many wants entered her thoughts, which
never occurred before; so that, if twenty shillings had been in her hand
instead of one, they would all have gone twenty different ways.
Lady Harriet advised that it should be laid bye till Laura had fully
considered what she would like best; reminding her very truly, that
money is lame in coming, but flies in going away. "Many people can get a
shilling, Laura," said her grandmama; "but the difficulty is to keep it;
for you know the old proverb tells that 'a fool and his money are soon
parted.'"
"Yes, Miss! so give it to me, and I shall take care of your shilling!"
added Mrs. Crabtree, holding out her hand to Laura, who fell that if her
money once disappeared into that capacious pocket, she would never see
it again. "Children have no use for money! that shilling will only burn
a hole in your purse, till it is spent on some foolish thing or other.
You will be losing your thimble soon, or mislaying your gloves; for all
these things seem to fly in every direction, as if they got legs and
wings as soon as they belong to you; so then that shilling may replace
what is lost."
Mrs. Crabtree looked as if she would eat it up; but Laura grasped her
treasure still tighter in her hand, exclaiming,
"No! no! this is mine! Uncle David never thought of my shilling being
taken care of! He meant me to do whatever I liked with it! Uncle David
says he cannot endure saving children, and that he wishes all money were
turned into slates, when little girls keep it longer than a week."
"I like that!" said Harry, eagerly; "it is so pleasant to spend money,
when the shopkeeper bows to me over the counter so politely, and asks
what I please to want."
"Older people than you like spending money, Master Harry, and spend
whether they have it or no; but the greatest pleasure is to keep it. For
instance, Miss Laura, whatever she sees worth a shilling in any shop,
might be hers if she pleases; so then it is quite as good as her own. We
shall look in at the bazaar every morning, to fix upon something that
she would like to have, and then consider of it for two or three days."
Laura thought this plan so very unsatisfactory, that she lost no time in
getting her shilling changed into two sixpences, one of which she
immediately presented to Harry, who positively refused for a long time
to accept of it, insisting that Laura should rather buy some pretty
plaything for herself; but she answered that it was much pleasanter to
divide her fortune with Harry, than to be selfish, and spend it all
alone. "I am sure, Harry," added she, "if this money had been yours, you
would have said the same thing, and given the half of what you got to
me; so now let us say no more about that, but tell me what would be the
best use to make of my sixpence?"
"You might buy that fine red morocco purse we saw in the shop window
yesterday," observed Harry, looking very serious and anxious, on being
consulted. "Do you remember how much we both wished to have it?"
"But what is the use of a purse, with no money to keep in it!" answered
Laura, looking earnestly at Harry for more advice. "Think again of
something else."
"Would you like a new doll?"
"Yes; but I have nothing to dress her with!"
"Suppose you buy that pretty geranium in a red flower-pot at the
gardener's!"
"If it would only live for a week, I might be tempted to try; but
flowers will always die with me. They seem to wither when I so much as
look at them. Do you remember that pretty fuchsia that I almost drowned
the first day grandmama gave it me; and we forgot for a week afterwards
to water it at all. I am not a good flower doctor."
"Then buy a gold watch at once," said Harry, laughing; "or a fine pony,
with a saddle, to ride on."
"Now, Harry, pray be quite in earnest. You know I might as well attempt
to buy the moon as a gold watch; so think of something else."
"It is very difficult to make a good use of money," said Harry,
pretending to look exceedingly wise. "Do you know, Laura, I once found
out that you could have twelve of those large ship biscuits we saw at
the baker's shop for sixpence. Only think! you could feed the whole
town, and make a present to everybody in the house besides! I dare say
Mrs. Crabtree might like one with her tea. All the maids would think
them a treat. You could present one to Frank, another to old Andrew, and
there would still be some left for these poor children at the cottage."
"Oh! that is the very thing!" cried Laura, running out of the room to
send Andrew off with a basket, and looking as happy as possible. Not
long afterwards, Frank, who had returned from school, was standing at
the nursery window, when he suddenly called out in a voice of surprise
and amazement,
"Come here, Harry! look at old Andrew! he is carrying something tied up
in a towel, as large as his own head! what can it be?"
"That is all for me! these are my biscuits!" said Laura, running off to
receive the parcel, and though she heard Frank laughing, while Harry
told all about them, she did not care, but brought her whole collection
triumphantly into the nursery.
"Oh fancy! how perfect!" cried Harry, opening the bundle; "this is very
good fun!"
"Here are provisions for a siege!" added Frank. "You have at least got
enough for your money, Laura!"
"Take one yourself, Frank!" said she, reaching him the largest, and
then, with the rest all tied in her apron, Laura proceeded up and down
stairs, making presents to every person she met, till her whole store
was finished; and she felt quite satisfied and happy because everybody
seemed pleased and returned many thanks, except Mrs. Crabtree, who said
she had no teeth to eat such hard things, which were only fit for
sailors going to America or the West Indies.
"You should have bought me a pound of sugar, Miss Laura, and that might
have been a present worth giving."
"You are too sweet already, Mrs. Crabtree!" said Frank, laughing. "I
shall send you a sugar-cane from the West Indies, to beat Harry and
Laura with, and a whole barrel of sugar for yourself, from my own
estate."
"None of your nonsense, Master Frank! Get out of the nursery this
moment! You with an estate indeed! You will not have a place to put your
foot upon soon except the topmast in a man-of-war, where all the bad
boys in a ship are sent."
"Perhaps, as you are not to be the captain, I may escape, and be dining
with the officers sometimes! I mean to send you home a fine new India
shawl, Mrs. Crabtree, the very moment I arrive at Madras, and some china
tea-cups from Canton."
"Fiddlesticks and nonsense!" said Mrs. Crabtree, who sometimes enjoyed a
little jesting with Frank. "Keep all them rattle-traps till you are a
rich nabob, and come home to look for Mrs. Frank,--a fine wife she will
be! Ladies that get fortunes from India are covered all over with gold
chains, and gold muslins, and scarlet shawls. She will eat nothing but
curry and rice, and never put her foot to the ground except to step into
her carriage."
"I hope you are not a gipsey, to tell fortunes!" cried Harry, laughing;
"Frank would die rather than take such a wife."
"Or, at least, I would rather have a tooth drawn than do it," added
Frank, smiling. "Perhaps I may prefer to marry one of those old wives on
the chimney-tops; but it is too serious to say I would rather die,
because nobody knows how awful it is to die, till the appointed day
comes."
"Very true and proper, Master Frank," replied Mrs. Crabtree; "you speak
like a printed book sometimes, and you deserve a good wife."
"Then I shall return home some day with chests of gold, and let you
choose one for me, as quiet and good-natured as yourself, Mrs.
Crabtree," said Frank, taking up his books and hastening off to school,
running all the way, as he was rather late, and Mr. Lexicon, the master,
had promised a grand prize for the boy who came most punctually to his
lessons, which everybody declared that Frank was sure to gain, as he had
never once been absent at the right moment.
Major Graham often tried to teaze Frank, by calling him "the
Professor,"--asking him questions which it was impossible to answer,
and then pretending to be quite shocked at his ignorance; but no one
ever saw the young scholar put out of temper by those tricks and trials,
for he always laughed more heartily than any one else, at the joke.
"Now show me, Frank," said uncle David, one morning, "how do you advance
three steps backwards?"
"That is quite impossible, unless you turn me into a crab."
"Tell me, then, which is the principal town in Caffraria?"
"Is there any town there? I do not recollect it."
"Then so much the worse!--how are you ever to get through life without
knowing the chief town in Caffraria! I am quite ashamed of your
ignorance. Now let us try a little arithmetic! Open the door of your
understanding and tell me, when wheat is six shillings a bushel, what is
the price of a penny loaf. Take your slate and calculate that."
"Yes, uncle David, if you will find out, when gooseberries are two
shillings the pint, what is the price of a threepenny tart. You remind
me of my old nursery song--
'The man in the wilderness asked me,
How many strawberries grew in the sea;
I answered him, as I thought it good,
As many red herrings as grew in the wood.'"
Some days after Laura had distributed the biscuits, she became very
sorry for having squandered her shilling, without attending to Lady
Harriet's good advice, about keeping it carefully in her pocket for at
least a week, to see what would happen. A very pleasant way of using
money now fell in her way, but she had been a foolish spendthrift, so
her pockets were empty, when she most wished them to be full. Harry came
that morning after breakfast into the nursery, looking in a great
bustle, and whispering to Laura, "What a pity your sixpence is gone! but
as Mrs. Crabtree says, 'we cannot both eat our cake and have it!'"
"No!" answered Laura, as seriously as if she had never thought of this
before, "but why do you so particularly wish my money back to-day?"
"Because such a very nice, funny thing is to be done this morning. You
and I are asked to join the party, but I am afraid we cannot afford it!
All our little cousins and companions intend going with Mr. Harwood, the
tutor, at twelve o'clock, to climb up to the very top of Arthur's Seat,
where they are to dine and have a dance. There will be about twenty boys
and girls of the party, but every body is to carry a basket filled with
provisions for dinner, either cakes, or fruit, or biscuits, which are to
be eat on the great rock at the top of the hill. Now grandmama says we
ought to have had money enough to supply what is necessary, and then we
might have gone, but no one can be admitted who has not at least
sixpence to buy something."
"Oh! how provoking!" said Laura, sadly, "I wonder when we shall learn
always to follow grandmama's advice, for that is sure to turn out best
in the end. I never take my own way without being sorry for it
afterwards, so I deserve now to be disappointed and remain at home; but,
Harry, your sixpence is still safe, so pray join this delightful party,
and tell me all about it afterwards."
"If it could take us both, I should be very happy, but I will not go
without you, Laura, after you were so good to me, and gave me this in a
present. No, no! I only wish we could do like the poor madman grandmama
mentioned, who planted sixpences in the ground that they might grow into
shillings."
"Pray! what are you two looking so solemn about?" asked Frank, hurrying
into the room, at that moment, on his way to school. "Are you talking of
some mischief that has been done already, or only about some mischief
you are intending to do soon?"
"Neither the one nor the other," answered Laura. "But, oh! Frank, I am
sure you will be sorry for us, when we tell you of our sad
disappointment!"
She then related the whole story of the party to Arthur's Seat,
mentioning that Mr. Harwood had kindly offered to take charge of Harry
and herself, but as her little fortune had been so foolishly squandered,
she could not go, and Harry said it would be impossible to enjoy the fun
without her, though Lady Harriet had given them both leave to be of the
party.
All the time that Laura spoke, Frank stood, with his hands in his
pockets, where he seemed evidently searching for something, and when the
whole history was told, he said to Harry, "Let me see this poor little
sixpence of yours! I am a very clever conjuror, and could perhaps turn
it into a shilling!"
"Nonsense, Frank!" said Laura, laughing; "you might as well turn Harry
into uncle David!"
"Well! we shall see!" answered Frank, taking up the sixpence. "I have
put the money into this box!--rattle it well!--once! twice!
thrice!--there, peep in!--now it is a shilling! I told you so!"
Frank ran joyously out of the room, being much amused with the joke, for
he had put one of his own shillings into the box for Harry and Laura,
who were excessively surprised at first, and felt really ashamed to take
this very kind present from Frank, when he so seldom had money of his
own; but they knew how generous he was, for he often repeated that
excellent maxim, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
After a few minutes, they remembered that nothing could prevent them now
from going with Mr. Harwood to Arthur's Seat, which put Laura into such
a state of ecstacy, that she danced round the room for joy, while Harry
jumped upon the tables and chairs, tumbled head over heels, and called
Betty to come immediately that they might get ready.
When Mrs. Crabtree heard such an uproar, she hastened also into the
room, asking what had happened to cause this riot, and she became very
angry indeed, to hear that Harry and Laura had both got leave to join in
this grand expedition.
"You will be spoiling all your clothes, and getting yourselves into a
heat! I wonder her ladyship allows this! How much better you would be
taking a quiet walk with me in the gardens! I shall really speak to Lady
Harriet about it! The air must be very cold on the top of them great
mountains! I am sure you will both have colds for a month after this
Tom-foolery."
"Oh no, Mrs. Crabtree! I promise not to catch cold!" cried Harry,
eagerly; "and, besides, you can scarcely prevent our going now, for
grandmama has set out on her long airing in the carriage, so there is
nobody for you to ask about keeping us at home, except uncle David!"
Mrs. Crabtree knew from experience, that Major Graham was a hopeless
case, as he always took part with the children, and liked nothing so
much for old and young as "a ploy;" so she grumbled on to herself, while
her eyes looked as sharp as a pair of scissors with rage. "You will come
back, turned into scare-crows, with all your nice clean clothes in
tatters," said she, angrily; "but if there is so much as a speck upon
this best new jacket and trowsers, I shall know the reason why."
"What a comfort it would be, if there were no such things in the world
as 'new clothes,' for I am always so much happier in the old ones," said
Harry. "People at the shops should sell clothes that will never either
dirty or tear!"
"You ought to be dressed in fur, like Robinson Crusoe, or sent out
naked, like the little savages," said Mrs. Crabtree, "or painted black
and blue like them wild old Britons that lived here long ago!"
"I am black and blue sometimes, without being painted," said Harry,
escaping to the door. "Good-bye, Mrs. Crabtree! I hope you will not die
of weariness without us! On our return we shall tell you all our
delightful adventures."
About half an hour afterwards, Harry and Laura were seen hurrying out of
the pastry-cook, Mrs. Weddell's shop, bearing little covered baskets in
their hands, but nobody could guess what was in them. They whispered and
laughed together with very merry faces, looking the very pictures of
happiness, and running along as fast as they could to join the noisy
party of their cousins and companions, almost fearing that Mr. Harwood
might have set off without them. Frank often called him "Mr.
Punctuality," as he was so very particular about his scholars being in
good time on all occasions; and certainly Mr. Harwood carried his watch
more in his hand than in his pocket, being in the habit of constantly
looking to see that nobody arrived too late. Mail-coaches or steamboats
could hardly keep the time better, when an hour had once been named, and
the last words that Harry heard when he was invited were, "Remember!
sharp twelve."
The great clock of St. Andrew's Church was busy striking that hour, and
every little clock in the town was saying the same thing, when Mr.
Harwood himself, with his watch in his hand, opened the door, and walked
out, followed by a dozen of merry-faced boys and girls, all speaking at
once, and vociferating louder than the clocks, as if they thought
everybody had grown deaf.
"I shall reach the top of Arthur's Seat first," said Peter Grey. "All of
you follow me, for I know the shortest way. It is only a hop, step, and
a jump!"
"Rather a long step!" cried Robert Fordyce. "But I could lead you a much
better way, though I shall show it to nobody but myself."
"We must certainly drink water at St. Anthony's Well," observed Laura;
"because whatever any one wishes for when he tastes it, is sure to
happen immediately."
"Then I shall wish that some person may give me a new doll," said Mary
Forrester. "My old one is only fit for being lady's maid to a fine new
doll."
"I am in ninety-nine minds what to wish for," exclaimed Harry; "we must
take care not to be like the foolish old woman in the fairy tale, who
got only a yard of black pudding."
"I shall ask for a piebald pony, with a whip, a saddle, and a bridle!"
cried Peter Grey; "and for a week's holidays,--and a new watch,--and a
spade,--and a box of French plums,--and to be first at the top of
Arthur's Seat,--and--and--"
"Stop, Peter!--stop! you can only have one wish at St. Anthony's Well,"
interrupted Mr. Harwood. "If you ask more, you lose all."
"That is very hard, for I want everything," replied Peter. "What are you
wishing for, Sir?"
"What shall I ask for?" said Mr. Harwood, reflecting to himself. "I have
not a want in the world?"
"O yes, Sir! you must wish for something!" cried the whole party,
eagerly. "Do invent something to ask, Mr. Harwood!"
"Then I wish you may all behave well till we reach the top of Arthur's
Seat, and all come safely down again."
"You may be sure of that already!" said Peter, laughing. "I set such a
very good example to all my companions, that they never behave ill when
I am present,--no! not even by accident! When Dr. Algebra examined our
class to-day, he asked Mr. Lexicon, 'What has become of the best boy in
your school this morning?' and the answer was, 'Of course your mean
Peter Grey! He is gone to the top of Arthur's Seat with that excellent
man, Mr. Harwood!'"
"Indeed!--and pray, Master Peter, what bird whispered this story into
your ear, seeing it has all happened since we left home!--but people who
are praised by nobody else, often take to praising themselves!"
"Who knows better!--and here is Harry Graham, the very ditto of
myself,--so steady he might be fit to drill a whole regiment. We shall
lead the party quite safely up the hill, and down again, without any
ladders."
"And without wings," added Harry, laughing; "but what are we to draw
water out of the well with?--here are neither buckets, nor tumblers, nor
glasses!"
"I could lend you my thimble!" said Laura, searching her pocket. "That
will hold enough of water for one wish, and every person may have the
loan of it in turn."
"This is the very first time your thimble has been of use to anybody!"
said Harry, slyly; "but I dare say it is not worn into holes with too
much sewing, therefore it will make a famous little magical cup for St.
Anthony's Well. You know the fairies who dance here by moonlight, lay
their table-cloth upon a mushroom, and sit round it, to be merry, but I
never heard what they use for a drinking cup."
Harry now proceeded briskly along to the well, singing as he went, a
song which had been taught him by uncle David, beginning,
I wish I were a brewer's horse,
Five quarters of a year,
I'd place my head where was my tail,
And drink up all the beer.
Before long the whole party seated themselves in a circle on the grass
round St. Anthony's Well, while any stranger who had chanced to pass
might have supposed, from the noise and merriment, that the Saint had
filled his well with champagne and punch for the occasion, as everybody
seemed perfectly tipsy with happiness. Mr. Harwood laughed prodigiously
at some of the jokes, and made a few of his own, which were none of the
best, though they caused the most laughter, for the boys thought it very
surprising that so grave and great a man should make a joke at all.
When Mary Forrester drank her thimbleful of water, and wished for a new
doll, Peter and Harry privately cut out a face upon a red-cheeked apple,
making the eyes, nose, and mouth, after which, they hastily dressed it
up in pocket handkerchiefs, and gave her this present from the fairies,
which looked so very like what she had asked for, that the laugh which
followed was loud and long. Afterwards Peter swallowed his draught,
calling loudly for a piebald pony, when Harry in his white trowsers, and
dark jacket, went upon all-fours, and let Peter mount on his back. It
was very difficult, however, to get Peter off again, for he enjoyed the
fun excessively, and stuck to his seat like Sinbad's old man of the sea,
till at last Harry rolled round on his back, tumbling Peter head over
heels into St. Anthony's Well, upon seeing which, Mr. Harwood rose,
saying, he had certainly lost his own wish, as they had behaved ill, and
met with an accident already. Harry laughingly proposed that Peter
should be carefully hung upon a tree to dry, till they all came down
again; but the mischievous boy ran off so fast, he was almost out of
sight in a moment, saying, "Now for the top of Arthur's Seat, and I
shall grow dry with the fatigue of climbing."
The boys and girls immediately scattered themselves all over the hill,
getting on the best way they could, and trying who could scramble up
fastest, but the grass was quite short, and as slippery as ice,
therefore it became every moment more difficult to stand, and still more
difficult to climb. The whole party began sliding whether they liked it
or not, and staggered and tried to grasp the turf, but there was nothing
to hold, while occasionally a shower of stones and gravel came down from
Peter, who pretended they fell by accident.
"Oh, Harry!" cried Laura, panting for breath, while she looked both
frightened and fatigued, "If this were not a party of pleasure, I think
we are sometimes quite as happy in our own gardens! People must be very
miserable at home, before they come here to be amused! I wish we were
cats, or goats, or any thing that can stand upon a hill without feeling
giddy."
"I think this is very good fun!" answered Harry, gasping and trying not
to tumble for the twentieth time; "you would like perhaps to be back in
the nursery with Mrs. Crabtree."
"No! no! I am not quite so bad as that! But Harry! do you ever really
expect to reach the top? for I never shall; so I mean to sit down
quietly here, and wait till you all return."
"I have a better plan than that, Laura! you shall sit upon the highest
point of Arthur's Seat as well as anybody, before either of us is an
hour older! Let me go first, because I get on famously, and you must
never look behind, but keep tight hold of my jacket, so then every step
I advance will pull you up also."
Laura was delighted with this plan, which succeeded perfectly well, but
they ascended rather slowly, as it was exceedingly fatiguing to Harry,
who looked quite happy all the time to be of use, for he always felt
glad when he could do any thing for anybody, more particularly for
either Laura or Frank. Now, the whole party was at last safely assembled
on the very highest point of Arthur's Seat, so the boys threw their caps
up in the air, and gave three tremendous cheers, which frightened the
very crows over their heads, and sent a flock of sheep scampering down
the mountain side. After that, they planted Mr. Harwood's walking-stick
in the ground, for a staff, while Harry tore off the blue silk
handkerchief which Mrs. Crabtree had tied about his neck, and without
caring whether he caught cold or not, he fastened it on the pole for a
flag, being quite delighted to see how it waved in the wind most
triumphantly, looking very like what sailors put up when they take
possession of a desert island.
"Now, for business!" said Mr. Harwood, sitting down on the rock, and
uncovering a prodigious cake, nearly as large as a cheese, which he had
taken the trouble to carry, with great difficulty, up the hill. "I
suppose nobody is hungry after our long walk! Let us see what all the
baskets contain!"
Not a moment was lost in seating themselves on the grass, while the
stores were displayed, amidst shouts of laughter and applause which
generally followed whatever came forth. Sandwiches, or, as Peter Grey
called them, "savages;" gingerbread, cakes, and fruit, all appeared in
turn. Robert Fordyce brought a dozen of hard-boiled eggs, all dyed
different colours, blue, green, pink, and yellow, but not one was white.
Edmund Ashford produced a collection of very sour-looking apples, and
Charles Forrester showed a number of little gooseberry tarts, but when
it became time for Peter's basket to be opened, it contained nothing
except a knife and fork to cut up whatever his companions would give
him!
"Peter! Peter! you shabby fellow!" said Charles Forrester, reaching him
one of his tarts, "you should be put in the tread-mill as a sturdy
beggar!"
"Or thrown down from the top of this precipice," added Harry, giving him
a cake. "I wonder you can look any of us in the face, Peter!"
"I have heard," said Mr. Harwood, "that a stone is shown in Ireland,
called 'the stone of Blarney,' and whoever kisses it, is never
afterwards ashamed of any thing he does. Our friend Peter has probably
passed that way lately!"
"At any rate, I am not likely to be starved to death amongst you all!"
answered the impudent boy, demolishing every thing he could get; and it
is believed that Peter ate, on this memorable occasion, three times more
than any other person, as each of the party offered him something, and
he never was heard to say, "No!"
"I could swallow Arthur's Seat if it were turned into a plum-pudding,"
said he, pocketing buns, apples, eggs, walnuts, biscuits, and almonds,
till his coat stuck out all round like a balloon. "Has any one any thing
more to spare?"
"Did you ever hear," said Mr. Harwood, "that a pigeon eats its own
weight of food every day? Now, I am sure, you and I know one boy in the
world, Peter, who could do as much."
"What is to be done with that prodigious cake you carried up here, Mr.
Harwood?" answered Peter, casting a devouring eye upon it; "the crust
seems as hard as a rhinoceros' skin, but I dare say it is very good. One
could not be sure though, without tasting it! I hope you are not going
to take the trouble of carrying that heavy load back again?"
"How very polite you are become all on a sudden, Peter!" said Laura,
laughing. "I should be very sorry to attempt carrying that cake to the
bottom of the hill, for we would both roll down, the shortest way,
together."
"I am not over-anxious to try it either," observed Charles Forrester,
shaking his head. "Even Peter, though his mouth is constantly ajar,
would find that cake rather heavy to carry, either as an inside or an
outside passenger."
"I can scarcely lift it at all!" continued Laura, when Mr. Harwood had
again tied it up in the towel; "what can be done?"
"Here is the very best plan!" cried Harry, suddenly seizing the
prodigious cake; and before any body could hinder him, he gave it a
tremendous push off the steepest part of Arthur's Seat, so that it
rolled down like a wheel, over stones and precipices, jumping and
hopping along with wonderful rapidity, amidst the cheers and laughter of
all the children, till at last it reached the bottom of the hill, when a
general clapping of hands ensued.
"Now for a race!" cried Harry, becoming more and more eager. "The first
boy or girl who reaches that cake shall have it all to himself!"
Mr. Harwood tried with all his might to stop the commotion, and called
out that they must go quietly down the bank, for Harry had no right to
give away the cake, or to make them break their legs and arms with
racing down such a hill: but he might as well have spoken to an east
wind, and asked it not to blow. The whole party dispersed, like a hive
of bees that has been upset; and in a moment they were in full career
after the cake.
Some of the boys tried to roll down, hoping to get on more quickly.
Others endeavoured to slide, and several attempted to run, but they all
fell; and many of them might have been tumblers at Sadler's Wells, they
tumbled over and over so cleverly. Peter Grey's hat was blown away, but
he did not stop to catch it. Charlie Hume lost his shoe, Robert Fordyce
sprained his ancle, and every one of the girls tore her frock. It was a
frightful scene; such devastation of bonnets and jackets as had never
been known before; while Mr. Harwood looked like the General of a
defeated army, calling till he became hoarse, and running till he was
out of breath, vainly trying thus to stop the confusion, and to bring
the stragglers back in better order.
Meantime, Harry and Peter were far before the rest, though Edward
Ashford was following hard after them in desperate haste, as if he still
hoped to overtake their steps. Suddenly, however, a loud cry of distress
was heard over-head; and when Harry looked up, he saw so very alarming a
sight, that he could scarcely believe his eyes, and almost screamed out
himself with the fright it gave him, while he seemed to forget in a
moment, the race, Peter Grey, and the prodigious cake.
Laura had been very anxious not to trouble Harry with taking care of her
in coming down the bank again; for she saw that during all this fun
about the cake, he perfectly forgot that she was not accustomed every
day to such a scramble on the hills, and would have required some help.
After looking down every side of the descent, and thinking that each
appeared steeper than another, while they all made her equally giddy,
Laura determined to venture on a part of the hill which seemed rather
less precipitous than the rest; but it completely cheated her, being the
most difficult and dangerous part of Arthur's Seat. The slope became
steeper and steeper at every step; but Laura always tried to hope her
path might grow better, till at last she reached a place where it was
impossible to stop herself. Down she went, down! down! whether she would
or not, screaming and sliding on a long slippery bank, till she reached
the very edge of a dangerous precipice, which appeared higher than the
side of a room. Laura then grappled hold of some stones and grass,
calling loudly for help, while scarcely able to keep from falling into
the deep ravine, which would probably have killed her. Her screams were
echoed all over the hill, when Harry seeing her frightful situation,
clambered up the bank faster than any lamplighter, and immediately flew
to Laura's assistance, who was now really hanging over the chasm, quite
unable to help herself. At last he reached the place where poor Laura
lay, and seized hold of her by the frock; but for some time it seemed an
equal chance whether she dragged him into the hole, or he pulled her
away from it. Luckily, however, by a great effort, Harry succeeded in
delivering Laura, whom he placed upon a secure situation, and then,
having waited patiently till she recovered from the fright, he led her
carefully and kindly down to the bottom of Arthur's Seat.
Now, all the boys had already got there, and a violent dispute was going
on about which of them first reached the cake. Peter Grey had pushed
down Edward Ashford, who caught hold of Robert Fordyce, and they all
three rolled to the bottom together, so that nobody could tell which had
won the race; while Mr. Harwood laboured in vain to convince them that
the cake belonged neither to the one nor the other, being his own
property.
They all laughed at Harry for being distanced, and arriving last; while
Mr. Harwood watched him coming down, and was pleased to observe how
carefully he attended to Laura, though still, being annoyed at the riot
and confusion which Harry had occasioned, he determined to appear
exceedingly angry, and put on a very terrible voice, saying,
"Hollo! young gentleman! what shall I do to you for beginning this
uproar? As the old proverb says, 'one fool makes many.' How dare you
roll my fine cake down the hill in this way, and send everybody rolling
after it? Look me in the face, and say you are ashamed of yourself!"
Harry looked at Mr. Harwood--and Mr. Harwood looked at Harry. They both
tried to seem very grave and serious, but somehow Harry's eyes glittered
very brightly, and two little dimples might be seen in his cheeks. Mr.
Harwood also had his eye-brows gathered into a terrible frown, but still
his eyes were likewise sparkling, and his mouth seemed to be pursed up
in a most comical manner. After staring at each other for several
minutes, both Mr. Harwood and Harry burst into a prodigious fit of
laughing, and nobody could tell which began first or laughed longest.
"Master Graham! you must send a new frock to every little girl of the
party, and a suit of clothes to each of the boys, for having caused
theirs to be all destroyed. I really meant to punish you severely for
beginning such a riot, but something has made me change my mind. In
almost every moment of our lives, we either act amiably of unamiably,
and I observed you treat Miss Laura so kindly and properly all this
morning, that I shall say not another word about
"THE PRODIGIOUS CAKE."