BACK TO THE LAKE
Their attic home was a bare-looking place by the next evening. All day
long the little mice had trotted down the dark subway, carrying their
treasures to the entrance near Mr. Giant's back doorstep. Here was hidden
the cart which Grand-daddy had made from a stout box and four big spools.
It was piled high with furniture, boxes of food and clothing, and all
sorts of supplies.
Dot and Silver Ears had rummaged in Mrs. Giant's trunk and chosen pretty
pieces of cloth from which they could make dainty summer gowns. Aunt
Squeaky and Mother Graymouse had spent the day baking ginger cookies,
jelly tarts, and other goodies. Granny Whiskers had helped Grand-daddy
make a stout bag and packed it with his precious medicines.
Near their furniture cart stood the wonderful automobile which Limpy-toes
had invented and built in the long winter evenings. He had taken the
wheels and springs from an old clock in the attic. The whole family was
quite proud of Limpy-toes' automobile. Early the next morning, he meant to
make a trial trip and take Dr. Grand-daddy to the Lake.
"Please let me ride with you and Grand-daddy, Limpy-toes?" begged Buster.
"Better not, Buster Boy," grinned Uncle Squeaky. "There's a whole load of
goodies on our cart. Mammy and Aunt Belindy baked lots of good stuff to
eat."
"Mammy will give me some cakes in my pocket. I want to ride in the
automobile. Please let me, Limpy?"
"All right," agreed Limpy-toes good-naturedly. "Cousin Nimble-toes may
ride also."
Nimble-toes opened his eyes wide.
"Excuse me, if you please, Limpy-toes," he said quickly. "I will help
Uncle Squeaky pull the cart. I'm sort of scared of a cart that'll go
without pulling or pushing. It may run away with you."
"And it may have to be pushed or pulled," teased Uncle Squeaky.
"It is every bit as good as Mr. Giant's automobile," insisted Buster. "I'm
not the leastest bit scared. I know it will go whizzing. Ah, what sport we
will have!"
"Grand-daddy will start very early, for he must find a house near his
patients. If you wish to ride with Limpy-toes, you must trot off to bed
right now, Buster," decided Mother Graymouse. "Aunt Belindy and I are
going down cellar to say good-by to Polly Scrabble and her babies."
Next morning, while the Giant family were sound asleep, Grand-daddy,
Limpy-toes and Buster tip-toed softly down to the entrance.
"Do not make too much noise cranking your automobile, Limpy-toes,"
whispered Grand-daddy. "We do not wish to disturb Mr. Giant." Limpy-toes
pushed in the key and began to wind the stiff spring.
"See if you can turn it any more, Grand-daddy. Perhaps your paws are
stronger than mine."
Grand-daddy gave it several twists. Then Limpy-toes hopped upon the seat
and grasped the wheel.
"All aboard for Pond Lily Lake!" he called gaily. Grand-daddy and Buster
scrambled in. The automobile made a dash through the chrysanthemum bushes
into the driveway. On and on they sped, past the new barn, by the poultry
houses and the sweet apple tree. Grand-daddy pulled his cap closer.
"Ah!" cried Buster, "this is fun. But is it running away, Limpy-toes?"
"Oh, no, I am steering it and can stop any minute," answered Limpy-toes.
"A wonderful invention," praised Grand-daddy. "Now if any creature is
sick, Dr. Whiskers will be there in a jiffy. Ah! What is the trouble,
Limpy-toes?"
The automobile had come to a sudden stop at the edge of Mr. Giant's
orchard.
"It has stopped," explained Limpy-toes.
"So I see," chuckled Grand-daddy.
[Illustration: _"All aboard for Pond Lily Lake!" he called gaily._]
"I'll crank it up." So Limpy-toes pushed in the key and wound, and wound,
and wound. Then they started on again.
"Runs fine," said Grand-daddy.
"'Most takes my breath away," gasped Buster. "Say, Limpy-toes, why are we
stopping?"
"Run down again, I guess," sighed Limpy-toes.
"Must we stop every few minutes and wear our paws out cranking it up
forty-'leven times?" grumbled Grand-daddy.
Again they were off--and again they stopped. This time they were in the
middle of Mr. Giant's clover field.
"Sakes alive, Limpy-toes! Suppose I was on my way to see a sick mouse?
He'd die maybe, or else be all cured, before I could ever get there."
"Automobiles need lots of twistity," argued Buster. "Mr. Giant has to
twist his automobile. I heard Robert Giant say there was twistity in the
batteries."
"Why doesn't it go this time?" demanded Grand-daddy.
"The key must have bounced out when we struck that big stone near the ash
heap," said Limpy-toes. "I will trot back and find it."
"And I'll take my stout cane and my own strong legs and trot toward the
Lake, if you don't mind," decided Grand-daddy. "You and Buster can finish
your pleasure trip a little at a time, but I have business to look after
and a house to hire before the rest of the family catch up with us."
He started off at a brisk pace. Buster sat on the front seat and nibbled
ginger cookies, while Limpy-toes limped back to find the lost key.
By-and-by, Buster's cookies were all eaten, so he strolled off to help
Limpy-toes.
"Never mind, Limpy," he said, looking up into his big brother's sad face.
"It is a fine automobile, if you do have to twist it often. We can have
nice rides around the Lake."
But Limpy-toes would not be comforted.
"I wanted an automobile that would fetch Dr. Grand-daddy to his patients
very quickly. I must study until I make better power than this clock
spring. Ah, here is the key! We must hurry, or Uncle Squeaky will catch up
and laugh to find us by the roadside."
Grand-daddy and Pa Field-Mouse were standing on the bungalow steps talking
earnestly together when Limpy-toes drove up.
"A fine automobile, Pa Field-Mouse," said Grand-daddy, waving his paw. "My
grandson is a great inventor; he will be famous some day."
"Ah!" cried Buster, "how good our Gray Rock Bungalow looks! See the pretty
hemlocks and sweet ferns, Limpy."
"Wait until you see the fine house the neighbors have built for me!"
exclaimed Grand-daddy. "They felt sure that I would come. Silvy would call
it Wild Rose Cottage. It is a real bower of roses. Here come our folk,
now. Wait and I'll tell you all about it."
The heavy furniture cart was pulled down the last hill and stopped at the
door of Gray Rock Bungalow. Grand-daddy held up his paw and hushed the
merry chatter of the travellers.
[Illustration: _The heavy furniture cart was pulled down the last
hill._]
"Listen!" he cried. "Do not unload my belongings. These kind woodfolk have
made me a splendid house right at the center of their village. I want
Limpy-toes to be my helper and stay with me. If Dot teaches school, she
must come with us, for her scholars live near by. Granny needs Silvy to
help with the housework. She and Dot can be together and when I need a
nurse, Silvy will be right handy."
"A fine plan," agreed Uncle Squeaky, "only our family at the Gray Rock
will be rather small."
"Limpy-toes will fetch us all over in the automobile every evening,"
smiled Silver Ears. "I shall love to help Granny and be with Dot. May
Limpy-toes and I go, Mammy? You will not mind?"
"Surely you may go, dearie," smiled Mother Graymouse bravely. "You will be
happiest where you can do the most good, and Granny needs you just now."
"With such a small family, Betsey and I can manage the work nicely," said
Aunt Squeaky.
"Ah, it is good to get back to our woodland home!" cried Uncle Squeaky.
"Many paws will soon set our rooms in order. Then we will trot over to
Wild Rose Cottage and help Dr. Whiskers get his pine-needle beds ready
before moon-rise."