Part 9 (1/2)

”Who--who?” demanded Mrs. Vanderburgh in a bewildered way.

”I did not know it till this morning,” Mr. King was explaining, ”but our fellow-pa.s.senger, Mr. Selwyn, chose to cross over keeping his real ident.i.ty unknown, and I must say I admire his taste in the matter; and anyway it was his affair and not mine.” It was a long speech, and at its conclusion Mrs. Vanderburgh was still demanding, ”Who--who?” in as much of a puzzle as ever.

”The Earl of Cavendish,” repeated Mr. King; ”Mr. Selwyn is the Earl of Cavendish. As I say, he did not wish it known, and--”

”f.a.n.n.y--f.a.n.n.y!” called her mother, sitting helplessly on the first thing that presented itself, a box of merchandise by no means clean.

”Fan-ny! the--the Earl of Cavendis.h.!.+” She could get no further.

Little Dr. Fisher, who administered restoratives and waited on Mrs.

Vanderburgh and her daughter to their London train, came skipping back to the Liverpool hotel.

”I hope, wife, I sha'n't grow uncharitable,”--he actually glared through his big spectacles,--”but Heaven defend us on our travels from any further specimens like that woman.”

”We shall meet all sorts, probably, Adoniram,” said his wife, calmly; ”it really doesn't matter with our party of eight; we can take solid comfort together.”

The little doctor came out of his ill temper, but he said ruefully, ”That's all very well, wife, for you and the Hendersons; for you steered pretty clear, I noticed, of that woman. Well, she's gone.” And he smiled cheerfully. ”Now for dinner, for I suppose Mr. King has ordered it.”

”Yes, he has,” said his wife. ”And you have a quarter of an hour. I've put your clothes out all ready.”

”All right.” The little doctor was already plunging here and there, tearing off his coat and necktie and boots; and exactly at the time set, he joined the party, with a bright and s.h.i.+ning face, as if no Mrs.

Vanderburgh, or any one in the least resembling her, had ever crossed his path.

”Jasper,” cried Polly, as they hurried along out of the Harwich train to the steamer that was to take them to the Hook of Holland, ”can you really believe we are almost there?”

”No, I can't,” said Jasper, ”for I've wanted to see Holland for such a time.”

”Wasn't it good of Grandpapa,” cried Polly, ”to take us here the first thing after London?”

”Father always does seem to plan things rightly,” answered Jasper, with a good degree of pride. ”And then 'it's prime,'” ”as Joel used to say,”

he was going to add, but thought better of it, as any reference to the boys always set Polly to longing for them.

”Indeed, he does,” exclaimed Polly, in her most earnest fas.h.i.+on; ”he's ever and always the most splendid Grandpapa. Oh, I wish I could do things for him, Jasper,” she mourned; ”he's so good to us.”

”You do things for him all the while, Polly,” Jasper made haste to say, as they ran along to keep up with the Parson and Mrs. Henderson's comfortable figures just before them; ”you are all the while doing something for him.”

”Oh, no, I don't,” said Polly, ”there isn't anything I can do for him.

Don't you suppose there ever will be, Jasper?” she asked imploringly.

”Yes, indeed,” said Jasper; ”there always are things that hop up to be done when people keep their eyes open. But don't you worry about your not doing anything for him, Polly. Promise me that.” Jasper took her hand and stopped just a minute to look into her face.

”I'll try not to,” promised Polly, ”but, oh, Jasper, I do so very much wish there might be something that I could do. I do, indeed, Jasper.”

”It was only yesterday,” said Jasper, as they began to hurry on once more, ”that father said 'you can't begin to think, Jasper, what a comfort Polly Pepper is to me.'”

”Did he, Jasper?” cried Polly, well pleased, the colour flying over her cheek, ”that was nice of him, because there isn't anything much I can really do for him. O dear! there is Grandpapa beckoning to us to hurry.” So on they sped, having no breath for words. And presently they were on the boat, and little Dr. Fisher and Mr. Henderson went forward into the saloon, where the rooms reserved beforehand were to be given out, and the rest of the party waited and watched the stream of people of all ages and sizes and nationalities who desired to reach Holland the next morning.