UP HILL--AND DOWN
The next day was just the sort that everybody had been hoping for on
Mountain Day,--crisp and clear and cool, with the inspiriting tang in
the air, the delicious warmth in the sunshine, and the soft haze over
the hills, that belong to nothing but a New England October at its best.
The Chapin house breakfast-table was unusually lively, for each girl
wanted to tell what she thought about the reception and how she was
going to spend Mountain Day; and nobody seemed anxious to listen to
anybody's else story.
"Sh--sh," demanded Mary Brooks at last. "Now children, you've talked
long enough. Run and get your lunch boxes and begin making your
sandwiches. Mrs. Chapin wants us to finish by ten o'clock."
"Ten o'clock!" repeated Katherine. "Well, I should hope so. Our horse is
ordered for nine."
"Going to be gone all day?" inquired Mary sweetly.
"Of course," answered Katherine with dignity.
"Well, don't kill the poor beast," called Mary as she ran up-stairs for
her box.
Mary was going off in a barge with the sophomore decorating committee,
who wanted a good chance to congratulate and condole with one another
over their Herculean labors and ultimate triumph of the day before. The
Rich sisters had decided to spend the holiday with an aunt who lived
twenty miles down the river; Eleanor had promised early in the fall to
go out with a party of horseback riders; and Helen, whose pocketbook had
been prematurely flattened to buy her teakettle, had decided to accept
the invitation of a girl in her geometry division to join an economical
walking party. This left Rachel, Katherine, Roberta and Betty, who had
hired a horse and two-seated trap for the day, invited Alice Waite,
Betty's little friend from the Hilton House, to join them, and were
going to drive "over the notch."
"I haven't the least idea what a notch is like," said Katherine. "We
don't have such things where I come from. But it sounds interesting."
"Doesn't it?" assented Rachel absently, counting the ham sandwiches. "Do
you suppose the hills are very steep, Betty?"
"Oh, I guess not. Anyhow Katherine and I told the man we were going
there and wanted a sure-footed horse."
"Who's going to drive?" asked Roberta.
"Why, you, of course," said Katherine quickly. "You said you were used
to driving."
"Oh, yes, I am," conceded Roberta hastily and wondered if she would
better tell them any more. It was true that she was used to horses, but
she had never conquered her fear of them, and they always found her out.
It was a standing joke in the Lewis family that the steadiest horse put
on airs and pranced for Roberta. Even old Tom, that her little cousins
drove out alone--Roberta blushed as she remembered her experience with
old Tom. But if the girls were depending on her--"Betty drives too," she
said aloud. "She and I can take turns. Are you sure we have enough
gingersnaps?"
Everybody laughed, for Roberta's fondness for gingersnaps had become
proverbial. "Half a box apiece," said Rachel, "and it is understood that
you are to have all you want even if the rest of us don't get any."
When the horse arrived Roberta's last fear vanished. He was meekness
personified. His head drooped sadly and his eyes were half shut. His
fuzzy nose and large feet bespoke docile endurance, while the heavy trap
to which he was harnessed would certainly discourage all latent
tendencies to undue speed. Alice Waite, Rachel and Katherine climbed in
behind, Betty and Roberta took the front seat, and they started at a jog
trot down Meriden Place.
"Shall we go through Main Street?" asked Roberta. "He might be afraid of
the electric cars."
"Afraid of nothing," said Betty decidedly. "Besides, Alice wants to stop
at the grocery."
The "beastie," as Katherine called him, stood like a statue before Mr.
Phelps's grocery and never so much as moved an eyelash when three
trolley cars dashed by him in quick succession.
"What did you get?" asked Katherine, when Alice came out laden with
bundles.
"Olives----"
"Good! We forgot those."
"And bananas----"
"The very thing! We have grapes."
"And wafers and gingersnaps----"
Everybody laughed riotously. "What's the matter now?" inquired Alice,
looking a little offended. Rachel explained.
"Well, if you have enough for the lunch," said Alice, "let's keep these
out to eat when we feel hungry." And the box was accordingly stuffed
between Betty and Roberta for safe keeping.
Down on the meadow road it was very warm. By the time they reached the
ferry, the "beastie's" thick coat was dripping wet and he breathed hard.
"Ben drivin' pretty fast, hain't you?" asked the ferryman, patting the
horse's hairy nose.
"I should think not," said Katherine indignantly. "Why, he walked most
of the way."
"Wall, remember that there trap's very heavy," said the ferryman
solemnly, as he shoved off.
Beyond the river the hills began. The "beastie" trailed slowly up them.
Several times Roberta pulled him out to the side of the road to let more
ambitious animals pass him.
"Do you suppose he's really tired?" she whispered to Betty, as they
approached a particularly steep pitch. "He might back down."
"Girls," said Betty hastily, "I'm sick of sitting still, so I'm going to
walk up this next hill. Any of you want to come?"
Relieved of his four passengers the horse still hung his head and lifted
each clumsy foot with an effort.
"Oh, Roberta, there's a watering trough up here," called Betty from the
top of the hill. "I'm sure that'll revive him."
By their united efforts they got the "beastie" up to the trough, which
was most inconveniently located on a steep bank beside the road; and
while Betty and Alice kept the back wheels of the trap level, Katherine
unfastened the check-rein. To her horror, as the check dropped the bits
came out of the horse's mouth.
"How funny," said Alice, "just like everything up here. Did you ever see
a harness like that, Betty?" Betty left her post at the hind wheel and
came around to investigate.
"Why he has two bits," she said. "Of course he couldn't go, poor
creature. And see how thirsty he is!"
"Well, he's drunk enough now," said Roberta, "and you'll have to put the
extra bits in again--that is, if you can. He'd trail his nose on the
ground if he wasn't checked."
The "beastie" stood submissively while the bits were replaced and the
check fastened. Then he chewed a handful of clover with avidity and went
on again as dejectedly as ever. Presently they reached a long, level
stretch of road and stopped in the shade of a big pine-tree for a
consultation.
"Do you suppose this is the top?" asked Rachel.
Just then a merry tally-ho party of freshmen, tooting horns and singing,
drew up beside them. "Is this the top of the notch?" asked Betty, waving
her hand to some girls she knew.
"No, it's three miles further on," they called back. "Hurrah for 190-!"
"Well?" said Betty, who felt in no mood for cheering.
"Let's go back to that pretty grove two hills down and tie this apology
for a horse to the fence and spend the rest of the day there," suggested
Katherine.
Everybody agreed to this, and Roberta backed her steed round with a
flourish.
"Now let's each have a gingersnap before we start down," she said. So
the box was opened and passed. Roberta gathered the reins in one hand,
clucked to the horse, and put her gingersnap into her mouth for the
first bite. But she never got it, for without the slightest provocation
the "beastie" gave a sudden spring forward, flopped his long tail over
the reins, and started at a gallop down the road. Betty clung to the
dashboard with one hand and tried to pluck off the obstructing tail with
the other. Roberta, with the gingersnap still in her mouth, tugged
desperately at the lines, and the back seat yelled "Whoa!" lustily,
until Betty, having rearranged the tail and regained her seat, advised
them to help pull instead. They had long since left the little grove
behind, had dashed past half a dozen carriages, and were down on the
level road near the ferry, when the "beastie" stopped as suddenly as he
had started. Roberta deliberately removed the gingersnap from her mouth,
handed the reins to Betty to avoid further interruption, and began to
eat, while the rest of the party indulged in unseemly laughter at her
expense.
"We've found out what that extra bit was for," said Rachel when the
mirth had subsided, "and we can advise the liveryman that it doesn't
work. But what are we going to do now?"
"Murder the liveryman," suggested Katherine.
"But the horse is sure-footed; he didn't lie," objected Alice so
seriously that everybody burst out laughing again.
"He told the truth, but not the whole truth," said Rachel. "Next time
we'll ask how many bits the horse has to wear and how it takes to hills.
Now what can we do?"
"We can't go back to the woods, that's sure," said Katherine. "And it's
too hot to stay down here. Let's go home and get rid of this sure-footed
incubus, and then we can decide what to do next."
The ferryman greeted them cheerfully. "Back so soon?" he said. "Had your
dinner?"
"Of course not," replied Katherine severely. "It's only twelve o'clock.
We're just out for a morning drive. Do you remember saying that this
horse was tired? Well, he brought us down the hills at about a mile a
minute."
"Is that so!" declared the ferryman with a chuckle. "Scairt, were you?
Why didn't you git them young Winsted fellers, that jest started up, to
rescue yer? Might a ben quite a story."
"We didn't need rescuing, thank you," said Katherine. "Did you see any
men?" she whispered to Betty.
Betty nodded. "Four, driving a span. They were awfully amused. Miss King
was in another of the carriages," she added sadly. Then she caught sight
of Roberta and began to laugh again. "You were so funny with that cookie
in your mouth," she said. "Were you dreadfully frightened?"
"No," said Roberta, with a guilty blush. "I always expect something to
happen. Horses are such uncertain creatures."
They drove back through the meadows at a moderate pace, deposited the
horse and a certified opinion of him with an apologetic liveryman, and
carried their lunch down to Paradise. "For it's as pretty as any place
and near, and we're all hungry," Alice said.
Paradise was deserted, for the girls had preferred to range further
afield on Mountain Day. So the five freshmen chose two boats, rowed up
stream without misadventure, spread out their luncheon on a grassy
knoll, and ate, talked, and read till dinner time. As they crossed the
campus, they met parties of dusty, disheveled pedestrians, laden with
purple asters and autumn branches. A barge stopped at the gateway to
deposit the campus contingent of the sophomore decorating committee, and
in front of the various dwelling-houses empty buckboards, surreys and
express wagons, waiting to be called for, showed that the holiday was
over.
"I don't think our first Mountain Day has been so bad after all, in
spite of that dreadful horse," said Rachel.
"So much pleasant variety about it," added Katherine.
"Let's not tell about the runaway," said Alice who hated to be teased.
"But Miss King saw us," expostulated Betty, "and you can trust Mary
Brooks to know all about it."
When Mary, who was late in dressing, entered the dining-room, she gave a
theatrical cry of joy. "I'm so glad you're all safe," she said. "And how
about that cookie, Roberta?"
"I'm sorry, but it's gone. They're all gone," said Roberta coolly. "Now
you might as well tell us how you knew."
"Knew!" repeated Mary scornfully. "The whole college knows by this time.
We were lunching on the notch road, near the top, when four Winsted men
came up, and asked if they might join us. They knew most of us. So we
said yes, if they'd brought any candy, and they told us a strange story
about five girls--very young girls, they said," interpolated Mary
emphatically, "that they'd seen dashing down the notch. One was trying
to eat a cookie, and another was pulling the horse's tail, and the rest
were screaming at the top of their lungs, so naturally the horse was
frightened to death. Pretty soon three carriage loads of juniors came
along and they confirmed the awful news and gave us the names of the
victims, and you can imagine how I felt. The men want to meet you, but I
told them they couldn't because of course you'd be drowned in the
river."
"I hope you'll relieve their minds the next time they come to see you,"
said Katherine. "Are they the youths who monopolize our piazza every
Wednesday and Saturday afternoon?"
"Two of them help occasionally."
Katherine winked meaningly at the rest of the Mountain Day party. "We'll
be there," she said, "though it goes against my conscience to receive
calls from such untruthful young gentlemen."
The next Saturday afternoon Betty and Katherine established themselves
ostentatiously on the front piazza to await the arrival of Mary's
callers, Rachel had gone to play basket-ball, and Roberta had refused to
conspire against Mary's peace of mind, particularly since the plot might
involve having to talk to a man. Promptly at three o'clock two gentlemen
arrived.
"Miss Brooks is that sorry, but she had to go out," announced the maid
in tones plainly audible to the two eavesdroppers. "Would you please to
come back at four?"
Katherine and Betty exchanged disappointed glances. "Checked again.
She's too much for us," murmured Katherine. "Shall we wait?"
"And is Miss Wales in--Miss Betty Wales?" pursued the spokesman, after a
slight pause.
The maid looked severely at the occupants of the piazza. "Yes, sor, you
can see that yoursilf," she said and abruptly withdrew.
The man laughed and came quickly toward Betty, who had risen to meet
him. "I'm John Parsons," he said. "I roomed with your brother at
Andover. He told me you were here and asked me to call. Didn't he write
to you too? Miss Brooks promised to present me, but as she isn't in----"
"Oh, yes, Will wrote, and I'm very glad to meet you, Mr. Parsons," Betty
broke in. "Only I didn't know you were--I mean I didn't know that Miss
Brooks's caller was you. Miss Kittredge, Mr. Parsons. Wasn't your friend
going to wait?"
"Bob," called Mr. Parsons after the retreating figure of his companion,
"come back and hear about the runaway. You're wanted."
It was fully half-past four when Messrs. Parsons and Hughes,
remembering that they had another engagement, left their escorts by
request at the gymnasium and returned from a pleasant walk through
Paradise and the campus to Meriden Place, where a rather frigid
reception awaited them. Betty and Katherine, having watched the finish
of the basket-ball game, followed them, and spent the time before
dinner in painting a poster which they hung conspicuously on Mary's
door. On it a green dragon, recently adopted as freshman class animal,
charged the sophomores' purple cow and waved a long and very curly
tail in triumph. Underneath was written in large letters, "Quits. Who
is going to the Kappa Phi dance at Winsted?"
"I'm dreadfully afraid mother won't let me go though," said Betty as
they hammered in the pins with Helen's paper-weight. "And anyhow it's
not for three whole weeks."
When the drawing was securely fastened, Betty surveyed it doubtfully. "I
wonder if we'd better take it down," she said at last. "I don't believe
it's very dignified. I'm afraid I oughtn't to have asked Mr. Parsons to
call his friend back, but I did so want to meet both of them and crow
over Mary. And it was they who suggested the walk. Katherine, do you
mind if we take this down?"
"Why, no, if you don't want to leave it," said Katherine looking
puzzled. "I'm afraid Mr. Hughes didn't have a very good time. Men aren't
my long suit. But otherwise I think we did this up brown."
Just then Eleanor came up, and Katherine gave her an enthusiastic
account of the afternoon's adventure. Betty was silent. Presently she
asked, "Girls, what is a back row reputation?"
"I don't know. Why?" asked Eleanor.
"Well, you know I stopped at the college, Katherine, to get my history
paper back. Miss Ellis looked hard at me when I went in and stammered
out what I wanted. She hunted up the paper and gave it to me and then
she said, 'With which division do you recite, Miss Wales?' I told her at
ten, and she looked at me hard again and said, 'You have been present in
class twelve times and I've never noticed you. Don't acquire a back row
reputation, Miss Wales. Good-day,' and I can tell you I backed out in a
hurry."
"I suppose she means that we sit on the back rows when we don't know the
lesson," said Helen who had joined the group.
"I see," said Betty. "And do you suppose the faculty notice such things
as that and comment on them to one another?"
"Of course," said Eleanor wisely. "They size us up right off. So does
our class, and the upper class girls."
"Gracious!" said Betty. "I wish I hadn't promised to go to a spread on
the campus to-night. I wish---- What a nuisance so many reputations
are!" And she crumpled the purple cow and the green dragon into a
shapeless wad and threw it at Rachel, who was coming up-stairs swinging
her gym shoes by their strings.