A VISIT TO MR. CARFORD
"Freddie, what in the world are you doing?"
"Flossie! Oh dear! You children! You have the place all upset!"
Mrs. Bobbsey, who had come into the big living room, to see the two
younger twins engaged in some strange proceedings, paused at the doorway
to look on. Indeed the place was upset, for the chairs had been dragged
out from against the walls and from corners to be placed in a row before
a large sofa. From one corner of this to a side wall was stretched a
sheet, and in another corner, in a pen made of chairs, could be seen the
wagging tail of Snap, the trick dog.
"What in the world are you doing?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, dear, how I
do dread a rainy day!" for it was pouring outside, and the older, as
well as the younger twins had to stay in doors.
"We're playing circus," explained Freddie gravely, as he peered between
the "bars" of the cage made of chairs. "Snap is a lion," went on the
little fellow. "Growl, Snap!"
And Snap, always ready to have fun, growled and barked to satisfy the
most exacting circus lover.
"Oh dear!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "I'll never get this room straightened
out again."
"Oh, we'll fix it, mamma, after the circus," said Flossie sweetly. "Sit
down and see the show. I'll make Snoop do some of the tricks the fat
circus lady taught her," and Flossie lifting up one corner of the sheet,
showed the black cat curled up on a cushion, while back of her, tied by
one leg, was Downy the pet duck.
"This was going to be the happy family cage," explained Flossie, "only
when we had Snap in here he kept playing with Downy, and Downy quacked
and that made Snoop nervous so we couldn't do it very well."
"So we made Snap the lion, and part of the time he's going to be the
tiger," said Freddie. "Dinah is going to give us some blueing that she
uses on the clothes, and I'm going to paint stripes on Snap."
"Don't you dare do it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "The idea of painting blue
stripes on poor Snap! Whoever heard of a blue-striped tiger?" and she
tried hard not to laugh.
"Well, this is a new kind," said Freddie. "Sit down, mamma, and we'll
make Snoop do a trick for you. Make her chase her tail, Flossie."
"No, I'll make her walk a tight rope," said the little girl. "That's
more of a trick."
Flossie got her jumping rope, which she had little use for now, and tied
it from the back of one chair to the back of another, placed some
distance away. Then she pulled the rope tight between them, and, taking
Snoop up in her arms, placed the cat carefully on the stretched rope.
Snoop stood still for a minute, meowing a little and waving her tail
back and forth. Poor Snoop! The black cat did not like to do tricks as
well as did Snap. No cats do. But Snap, when he saw what was going on,
was eager to show off what he could do.
He leaped about in his chair "cage," barking loudly, much to the delight
of Freddie who liked to hear the "lion" roar.
"Go on, Snoop!" called the twins, and gave the cat a gentle shove. Then
Snoop did really walk across the rope, for it was almost as easy as
walking the back fence, which Snoop had often done. Only the rope was
not as steady as the fence. But the fat circus lady had trained the
black cat well, and Snoop performed the trick to the delight of the
children.
"That is very good," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, see! Snap is turning a
somersault in his cage. Poor dog, let him out, Freddie; won't you?"
"He isn't a dog--he's a lion," insisted the little boy. "I dassen't let
out a lion, or he might bite you."
But Snap had no idea of playing the lion all the while. Suddenly Downy,
the duck, with a loud quack, got her leg loose from the string and flew
out across the room. This so surprised Snoop, who had started back over
the tight rope, that he fell off with a cry of alarm.
This was too much for Snap, who evidently did not think he was having
his share of the fun. With a loud bark and a rush he burst from his cage
of chairs, intent on playing with Snoop, for he and the cat were great
friends.
Just at that moment fat Dinah, the colored cook, came into the room to
ask Mrs. Bobbsey something. Snoop, seeing the open door, and being tired
of doing tricks for the children, made a dash to get out, darting under
Dinah's skirts.
Snap, thinking this was part of the game, rushed after his friend the
cat, but when he tried to dive underneath Dinah's dress there was an
accident.
He knocked the feet from under the fat cook, and she sat down on the
floor with a force that jarred the whole house, just missing sitting on
Snap.
"Fo' de lub ob goodness what am de mattah?" cried Dinah. "Am it an
earfquake Mrs. Bobbsey?"
"I don't know, Dinah!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, wanting to laugh, and yet
not wishing to hurt Dinah's feelings. "The children said it was a
circus, I believe. Here, Snap!" she called, as the dog rushed on after
Snoop.
Just then Downy, the duck, sailed back across the room, and lighted
squarely on Dinah's black and kinky head, where the fowl perched
"honking" loudly.
"Good land ob massy!" murmured Dinah over and over again. "Mo' trouble!"
Flossie and Freddie were so surprised at the sudden ending of their
circus that they did not know what to do. Then they both raced to
capture the duck.
"One of the dining-room windows is open!" called Freddie. "If Downy
flies out he'll freeze. Grab him, Dinah!"
"Chile!" cried the colored cook slowly, "I ain't got bref enough lef to
ketch eben a mosquito. But yo'-all don't need to worry none about dish
yeah duck gittin loose. His feet am all tangled up in mah wool, an' I
guess you'l hab t' help git 'em loose, chilluns!"
It was indeed so. Downy's webbed feet were fast in Dinah's kinky hair,
and it took some time to disentangle them. Then the cook could get up,
which she did with many a sigh and groan.
"Are you hurt, Dinah?" asked Flossie. "If you are you can come to our
circus for nothing; can't she, Freddie?"
"Yes," he answered, "only we haven't got a circus now. It's all gone
except Downy."
"Well, I think you have played enough circus for to-day," said Mrs.
Bobbsey "Straighten up the room now, and have some other kind of fun."
The dog and cat, satisfied to get out of their cages, had gone to the
kitchen, where they could generally find something good to eat. Then
Flossie and Freddie were kept busy putting back the chairs, and setting
the room in order.
It was a day or so after the return of Mr. Bobbsey from his business
trip, and though Bert had asked his father about Mr. Carford, the lumber
dealer had not yet had time to give any explanation.
"It is quite a little story," he said. "I'll tell you about it some
time, Bert. But now I have a lot of back work to catch up with, on
account of being away so long, and I'll have to go to the office early,
and I'll be late getting home."
So the little incident had not yet been explained. The Christmas
holidays were drawing nearer, and there were busy times in the Bobbsey
household. Flossie and Freddie were expecting a visit from Santa Claus,
and they wrote many letters to the dear old saint, telling what they
wished to receive.
"But have you thought of what you are going to _give?_" asked Mrs.
Bobbsey one day, a short time before Christmas. "It is more fun to give
things than it is to get them, you know."
"Is it?" asked Flossie, who had never heard of it in that way before.
"Indeed it is," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You just try it. If you have any
toys you don't care for any more, or even some that you do, and wish to
give away, or books or other playthings, and if you will gather them up,
I'll see that they are given to some poor children who may not have a
very good Christmas."
The smaller twins thought this would be very nice, and they were soon
busy over their possessions. Bert and Nan heard what was going on, and
they insisted on giving their share also, so that quite a box full of
really good toys were collected.
A day or so later, when the weather had cleared, Bert came in from
coasting, and said,
"Mother, couldn't Nan and I take a ride over to Mr. Carford's house? He
is out in front in his sled, and he says he'll bring us back before
dark. May we go?"
"Why, I guess so," said Mrs. Bobbsey, slowly. "I don't believe your
father would object. But wrap up well, for it is chilly."
"And can't we go, too?" begged Flossie
"Yes, we want to," added Freddie. "Please, Mamma!"
"Well, I guess so," agreed Mrs. Bobbsey, "Will you look after them, Bert
and Nan?"
"Oh, yes," promised the two older twins, while Bert explained that he
had met Mr. Carford, who was on his way home from the store, and had
been given a ride. The invitation had followed.
"I'll take good care of them, Mrs. Bobbsey," said the elderly gentleman,
as Mrs. Bobbsey went out to tuck in Flossie and Freddie "I've got to run
into Newton and back again this afternoon, so I thought they'd like the
ride."
"Indeed it is very kind of you," said the children's mother. "I hope
they will be no trouble."
"Of course they won't. Remember me to Mr. Bobbsey when he comes home.
Ask him to come and see me when he has time. I want to talk to him about
a certain matter."
"All right," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and Bert wondered if it had to do with
the secret.
The drive out to Newton, which was a few miles from Lakeport, was much
enjoyed by the Bobbsey twins. The speedy horses pulled the sled over the
white snow, the jingle of the strings of bells around them mingling with
other musical chimes on sleds that they met, or passed.
They saw Danny Rugg out driving with his mother in a stylish cutter, and
Danny rather "turned up his nose" at the old bob sled in which the
Bobbseys were riding. But Bert and his sisters and brother did not mind
that. They were having a good time.
"Here we are!" called Mr. Carford after a fine ride. "Come in and get
warm. I guess my sister has a few cookies left," for a maiden sister
kept house for the old gentleman.
Into the big old-fashioned farmhouse the children tramped, to be met by
a motherly-looking woman, who helped them brush the snow from their
feet. Then she bustled about, and brought in a big pitcher of milk, a
plateful of molasses cookies, and some glasses. The children's eyes
sparkled at the sight of this fine lunch.
"There you are!" cried Mr. Carford heartily, as he passed around the
good things. "Eat as much as is good for you. I've got to go out to the
barn for a while. Emma," he asked his sister, "have you got any more
packages made up?"
"James Carford, are you going to give away more stuff?" demanded his
sister. "Why, you'll be in the poorhouse first thing you know."
"Oh, I guess not," he said with a laugh, "We can afford it, and there's
many who can't. It's going to be a hard winter on the poor. Put up a few
more packages, and I'll tie up some bags of potatoes!"
"I never saw such a man--never in all my born days!" exclaimed Miss
Carford, shaking her head. "He'd give away the roof over us if I didn't
watch him."
"What is he doing?" asked Bert.
"Oh, the same as he does every Christmas," said the sister-housekeeper.
"He makes up packages, bundles, baskets and bags of things to eat, and
gives them to all the poor families he can hear of. He was poor once
himself, you know, and he never can forget it."
"He is very kind," said Nan, in a low voice.
"Yes, he is that," agreed Miss Carford, "and I suppose I oughtn't to
find fault. But he does give away an awful lot."
She went out to look after matters in the kitchen, leaving the children
to eat their lunch of milk and cookies alone for a few minutes.
Presently Mr. Carford came back, stamping the snow from his boots.
"Ha!" he cried, as he went close to the stove to warm his hands. "This
reminds me of the winters I used to spend at Snow Lodge on Lake Metoka.
Were you ever up there?" and he looked at Bert.
"No, sir."
"Ha! I thought not. It's a fine place. But I don't go there any
more--never any more," and he shook his head sadly.
"Did it burn down?" asked Freddie, who was always interested in fires
and firemen. "Couldn't they put it out?"
"No, Freddie, it didn't burn down," said Mr. Carford. "Sometimes I
almost wish it had--before my trouble happened," he added slowly. "Yes,
I almost wish it had. But Snow Lodge still stands, though I haven't been
near it for some years. I couldn't go. No, I couldn't go," and he shook
his head sadly. "I just couldn't go."
The Bobbsey children did not know what to think. Mr. Carford seemed very
sad. Suddenly he turned away from the fire that blazed on the hearth,
and asked:
"Did I ever tell you about Snow Lodge?"
"No," said Bert, softly.
"Then I will," went on the aged man. "I don't tell many, but I will you.
And maybe you could make some use of the place now that the holidays are
here. I used to spend all my Christmas holidays there, but I don't any
more. Never any more. But I'll tell you about it," and he settled
himself more comfortably in the big chair.