Part 34 (1/2)

We took it in turns to watch the house and drive away organ-grinders. We told them they must not play in front of that house, because there was an Australian lady who had to be kept quiet. And they went at once. This cost us expense, because an organ-grinder will never consent to fly the spot under twopence a flight.

We went to bed early. We were quite weary with being so calm and still.

But we knew it was our duty, and we liked the feel of having done it.

The day after was the day Jake Lee got hurt. Jake is the man who drives about the country in a covered cart, with pins and needles, and combs and frying-pans, and all the sort of things that farmers' wives are likely to want in a hurry, and no shops for miles. I have always thought Jake's was a beautiful life. I should like to do it myself. Well, this particular day he had got his cart all ready to start and had got his foot on the wheel to get up, when a motor-car went by puffing and hooting. I always think motor-cars seem so rude somehow. And the horse was frightened; and no wonder. It s.h.i.+ed, and poor Jake was thrown violently to the ground, and hurt so much that they had to send for the doctor. Of course we went and asked Mrs. Jake if we could do anything--such as take the cart out and sell the things to the farmers'

wives.

But she thought not.

It was after this that d.i.c.ky said--

”Why shouldn't we get things of our own and go and sell them--with Bates' donkey?”

Oswald was thinking the same thing, but he wishes to be fair, so he owns that d.i.c.ky spoke first. We all saw at once that the idea was a good one.

”Shall we dress up for it?” H.O. asked. We thought not. It is always good sport to dress up, but I have never heard of people selling things to farmers' wives in really beautiful disguises.

”We ought to go as shabby as we can,” said Alice; ”but somehow that always seems to come natural to your clothes when you've done a few interesting things in them. We have plenty of clothes that look poor but deserving. What shall we buy to sell?”

”Pins and needles, and tape and bodkins,” said Dora.

”b.u.t.ter,” said Noel; ”it is terrible when there is no b.u.t.ter.”

”Honey is nice,” said H.O., ”and so are sausages.”

”Jake has ready-made s.h.i.+rts and corduroy trousers. I suppose a farmer's s.h.i.+rt and trousers may give at any moment,” said Alice, ”and if he can't get new ones he has to go to bed till they are mended.”

Oswald thought tin-tacks, and glue, and string must often be needed to mend barns and farm tools with if they broke suddenly. And d.i.c.ky said--

”I think the pictures of ladies hanging on to crosses in foaming seas are good. Jake told me he sold more of them than anything. I suppose people suddenly break the old ones, and home isn't home without a lady holding on to a cross.”

We went to Munn's shop, and we bought needles and pins, and tapes and bodkins, a pound of b.u.t.ter, a pot of honey and one of marmalade, and tin-tacks, string, and glue. But we could not get any ladies with crosses, and the s.h.i.+rts and trousers were too expensive for us to dare to risk it. Instead, we bought a head-stall for eighteenpence, because how providential we should be to a farmer whose favourite horse had escaped and he had nothing to catch it with; and three tin-openers, in case of a distant farm subsisting entirely on tinned things, and the only opener for miles lost down the well or something. We also bought several other thoughtful and far-sighted things.

That night at supper we told Mrs. Bax we wanted to go out for the day.

She had hardly said anything that supper-time, and now she said--

”Where are you going? Teaching Sunday school?”

As it was Monday, we felt her poor brain was wandering--most likely for want of quiet. And the room smelt of tobacco smoke, so we thought some one had been to see her and perhaps been too noisy for her. So Oswald said gently--

”No, we are not going to teach Sunday school.”

Mrs. Bax sighed. Then she said--

”I am going out myself to-morrow--for the day.”

”I hope it will not tire you too much,” said Dora, with soft-voiced and cautious politeness. ”If you want anything bought we could do it for you, with pleasure, and you could have a nice, quiet day at home.”

”Thank you,” said Mrs. Bax shortly; and we saw she would do what she chose, whether it was really for her own good or not.