Part 36 (1/2)
This time he had such an imperative manner that, thoroughly bewildered, Mrs. Keep stepped back into her seat and motioned Eleanor to obey.
”Isn't he awfully funny!” said Eleanor, turning in at the driveway, more puzzled, if possible, than her mother.
”Yes,” said Mrs. Keep, ”he is, but then I suppose he has a good deal on his mind. You know they say his practice is getting to be tremendous. Well, we must run in and see him,” as they drove down to the stable. ”And you can go afterward to see Mary Taylor.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Yes, sir,” called Joel back, from the alcove.]
”All right,” said Eleanor, and one of the stable boys coming out to meet the pony, they both jumped out of the runabout and ran up the back veranda steps.
”It's funny he didn't come down this way, if he wanted us to drive to the stable,” cried Eleanor. ”Mamma, do say you think it's queer. It would be some comfort if you would.”
”Well, I will, then,” laughed Mrs. Keep, and there stood Doctor Fisher at the dining-room door, and the minute she saw his face she knew that something dreadful had happened.
”Well, Joel, my boy.” Old Mr. King, who had been consulting his watch every five minutes, whirled around in his big chair. ”Time to lay down the work,”
he called cheerily.
”Yes, sir,” called Joel back, from the alcove.
”And I'm sure if ever an hour was long, this last one has been,” the old gentleman was saying to himself. Joel, who was rather stiff in the joints when first getting up from his work on the carpet, now came out feeling his arms, and then indulging in a good long stretch.
”It seems rather good--eh, Joe?--to swing your arms,” cried Grandpapa with a laugh, and a keen glance into the black eyes.
”Yes, _sir,_” declared Joel, with another stretch, and wondering if ever anything was so good in this world as to be told the hour was up.
”Take care,” warned the old gentleman; ”those long arms of yours will have things off from my table. My goodness, Joe! you must really go out of doors and stretch, you make such a sweep,” and he laughed again.
”I can reach so far.” Joel ran all around the table and stretched out his brown arms. ”See, Grandpapa,” he cried; then he got on his tiptoes and leaned over to achieve greater and more astonis.h.i.+ng results.
”You'll be over on your nose, if I don't rescue you and the things on my table,” said Mr. King, bursting into a heartier laugh than ever. ”Come on, Joey, my boy, let's get out of doors, in a larger place.” So he gathered up one of the sprawling sets of fingers, and summarily marched him out.
”Now I suppose the next thing in order is to race after Frick and those boys,” observed old Mr. King, when the garden walk was attained.
”Yes, sir,” cried Joel, his black eyes alight and his feet dancing.
”Well, be off with you.”
No need to say more; Joel's heels beat the hastiest of retreats, as he scuttled off at the liveliest pace of which he was capable.
Old Mr. King, left alone, nodded to himself two or three times, and smiled in a pleased way. ”The very thing,” he said at last, and in as great satisfaction as if he had been talking to a good listener.
XVII
JOEL'S ADVENTURE
Joel rushed along at a breakneck pace to make up for lost time. How good it was to sniff the fresh air, and to be free, and then to think of that hour put into solid work over the book-list! Why, he glowed all over with delight at the very thought.
”Whoopity-la!” Down the bank of Spy Pond into one of the curves most frequented by the boys of his set, he ran. ”My! but I'm glad to get here, though! Hey, there?”
There was no response as Joel dashed into what the boys called their camp, a rough enclosure the wealthy men who owned the pond on the outskirts of the town had allowed to be built. As some of the boys were their own sons, every indulgence in the way of using the pond had been granted, and Mr.