Part 43 (1/2)

”That's three times that boy has gone out,” announced Adela, ”and he joggles the table awfully when he starts. And he made me cut clear into that edge. See, Polly.” She was tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the third strip of paper, for the Round Robin was to be pasted together and rolled up when it was all done.

”He seems to accomplish something every time he goes,” observed Jasper, drily. ”Halloo, just look at him now!”

In came Tom with a rush, and turned a small box he held in his hand upside down on the table.

”O dear me!” exclaimed Adela, as her scissors slipped, ”now you've joggled the table again!” Then she caught Polly's eye. ”Aren't those pictures pretty?” she burst out awkwardly.

”Aren't they so!” cried Tom, in satisfaction, while Polly oh-ed and ah-ed, and Phronsie dropped her pen suddenly making a second blot; only as good fortune would have it, it was so near the edge that they all on anxious examination decided to trim the paper down, and thus get rid of it.

”I don't see how you got so many,” said Jasper, in admiration, his fingers busy with the heap.

”Oh, I've picked 'em up here and there,” said Tom. ”I began because I thought the kids at home might like 'em. And then it struck me I'd make a book like yours.”

”Well, do save them now,” said Jasper, ”and we'll give some of our pictures, though the prettiest ones are in our books,” he added regretfully.

”Rather not--much obliged,” Tom bobbed his thanks. ”I want to donate something to granddaddy, and I tell you I'm something awful at a letter.”

”All right, seeing you wish it so,” said Jasper, with a keen look at him, ”and these are beauties and no mistake; we couldn't begin to equal them.”

When the letter was finally unrolled and read to Grandpapa, who strayed into the reading room to see what Phronsie was doing, it certainly was a beauty. Picture after picture, cut from railroad guide books, ill.u.s.trated papers, and it seemed to Jasper gathered as if by magic, with cunning little photographs, broke up the letter, and wound in and out with funny and charming detail of some of their journey.

”I wrote that all myself,” hummed Phronsie, smoothing her gown, in great satisfaction, pointing to the opening of the letter.

”O dear me!” exclaimed Polly, softly, for she couldn't even yet get over that dreadful beginning.

”The rest of it is nice,” whispered Jasper, ”and I venture to say, he'll like that the best of all.”

Mr. King thought so, too, and he beamed at Phronsie. ”So you did,” he cried; ”now that's fine. I wish you'd write me a letter sometime.”

”I'm going to write you one now,” declared Phronsie. Since Grandpapa wanted anything, it was never too soon to begin work on it.

”Do,” cried old Mr. King, in great satisfaction. So he put down the Round Robin, Adela crying out that she wanted her grandmother to see it; and Polly saying that Mamsie, and Papa-Doctor, and the Parson and Mrs. Henderson must see it; ”and most important of all,” said Jasper, breaking into the conversation, ”Mrs. Selwyn must say if it is all right to go.”

At that Polly began to have little ”creeps” as she always called the s.h.i.+vers. ”O dear me!” she exclaimed again, and turned quite pale.

”You don't know my mother,” exclaimed Tom, ”if you think she won't like that. She's got lots of fun in her, and she always sees the sense of a thing.”

”But she's so nice,” breathed Polly, who greatly admired Mrs. Selwyn, ”and so elegant.”

Tom bobbed his head and accepted this as a matter of course. ”That's the very reason she understands things like a shot--and knows how to take 'em,” he said; ”and I tell you, Polly,” he declared with a burst of confidence that utterly surprised him, ”I'd rather have my mother than any other company I know of; she's awful good fun!”

”I know it,” said Polly, brightly, with a little answering smile.

”Well, I hope she'll like it.”

”Never you fear,” cried Tom, seizing the Round Robin; and waving it over his head, it trailed off back of him like a very long and broad ribbon. ”Come on, now, all fall into line!”

”Take care!” cried Jasper, as he ran after with Polly and Adela, ”if you dare to tear that, sir!” while Phronsie at the big table laboured away on her letter, Grandpapa sitting by to watch the proceedings, with the greatest interest.