Part 43 (1/2)
”Oh, oh,” cried the stricken three, ”what shall we do. All winter--and we can't have any fun--if Anne isn't here, nor you, Judy, and we had planned so many things.”
”Will you really miss _me_?” Judy asked a little wistfully, and at that Nannie's hand was laid on hers, as the little girl murmured, ”We shall miss you awfly, Judy,” while Amelia sighed a great, gusty sigh, as she said, ”Oh, dear, now everything's spoiled!”
”Do you want me to come to your birthday dinner, too?” asked Tommy, anxiously, when the first shock of the coming separation was over, ”or ain't you goin' to have any boys.”
”Yes, I want you and Launcelot,” said Judy, who had debated the question of being friendly with Tommy, for he hadn't seemed worth it, but Anne had pleaded for him. ”He really means well, Judy,” she had protested, ”and I think he is going to turn over a new leaf.”
”Well, I hope he will,” said Judy, and forgave him.
When the big gate was reached, Nannie and Amelia and Tommy went on, and as Judy and Anne went into the old garden, they found the Judge and the Captain, both still semi-invalids, sitting there, amid a riot of late summer blossoms.
As he greeted them, Captain Jameson's eyes went from the rosy, fair face of little Anne to the pale but happy one of his daughter. ”Father is right,” he thought, ”Anne does her good.”
”Isn't it lovely here,” said Judy, dropping her great golden bunch with a sigh as she sat down on the bench under the lilac bush. ”It's so cool.”
”What a lot of goldenrod,” said the Judge. ”Aren't you tired?”
”A little,” said Judy, as she took off her hat.
”Launcelot couldn't go,” Anne started to explain, when Terry, who had been investigating the hedge, barked.
”What's the matter with him?” asked Judy, as the small dog growled in what might be called a perfunctory fas.h.i.+on, for he was so good natured that he was in a chronic state of being at peace with the world.
She went to the gate and looked over.
”Why, it's a cow,” she cried, ”a beautiful little brown-eyed cow.”
Terry barked again, and then a voice outside the hedge said: ”Yes, and I've just bought her.”
”Launcelot,” screamed both of the girls, delightedly, and opened the gate wide.
CHAPTER XXVI
JUDY PLAYS LADY BOUNTIFUL
”Down, Terry,” commanded the Captain, as the little dog went for the mild-eyed cow, but the mild-eyed cow seemed perfectly able to take care of herself, and as she lowered her horns, Terry retired discreetly to a safe place between the Captain's knees, where he wagged an ingratiating tail.
Launcelot and the cow stood framed in the rose-covered gateway.
”Yes, I've bought a cow,” explained the big boy, who was dusty but cheerful, ”and we are going to have our own b.u.t.ter and milk, and if there is any over, I'll sell it.”
”You have my order now,” said the Judge, handsomely.
”Thank you, sir,” said Launcelot, and Anne cried:
”Oh, Launcelot, make it in little pats stamped with a violet, and label it, 'From the Violet Farm.'”
”That's not a bad idea,” commended the Captain, ”novelties like that take, and if the b.u.t.ter is good, you may get a market for more than you can make.”