Part 3 (1/2)

CHAPTER III

AUNT POLLY

Aunt Polly was short and stout with merry blue eyes and curly dark hair that, where it showed under her pretty hat brim, was just touched with gray.

”h.e.l.lo, Blessings!” she greeted the children, as they spilled out of the car to meet her. ”Every one of you here? That's fine. How do you do, Sam? I've two bags there on the platform, if you will get them.”

When they were all stowed away in the car, Sam put the bags in the front where he and Bobby sat, and backed the car out of the station driveway.

”Well, have you decided to come home with me?” Aunt Polly put the question to them bluntly.

The four little Blossoms glanced uncertainly at each other.

”Polly Hayward,” said Mother Blossom gayly, ”you know perfectly well no one could get four children ready to take a journey in three days.

Why, Dot has absolutely nothing to wear!”

”Oh, I'll lend her something,” smiled Aunt Polly.

The children laughed at the idea of Auntie lending any dress of hers to small Dot.

”We'll fix it somehow,” declared Aunt Polly comfortably. ”I simply have to have those youngsters for a visit at Brookside. We're all getting so fat and lazy with no one to stir us up. Even the dog and cat need rousing.”

”We have a dog, Aunt Polly,” announced Meg, her eyes s.h.i.+ning. ”His name is Philip.”

Before she had a chance to describe Philip the car reached the Blossom house and stopped at the side door.

”Here I am again, Norah,” said Aunt Polly, as Norah came out to receive her.

”And 'tis glad I am to see ye, Mrs. Hayward,” responded Norah heartily. ”I'll take the bags, Sam. The guest room's all ready, ma'am.”

The four children went as far as the guest-room door with Aunt Polly, and then Mother Blossom waved them back.

”Auntie and I have a great deal to talk over,” she said. ”You run away and amuse yourselves till lunch time, like good little Blossoms.”

”Wait till I give them what I've brought them,” hastily interposed Aunt Polly. ”Bobby, you open that black bag and the four parcels on top are for you children.”

Bobby opened the bag and took out four packages neatly wrapped in paper and tied with cord.

”How'll we know which is which?” he asked.

”That's for you to find out,” returned his aunt, giving him a kiss.

Mother Blossom sat down on the bed and began talking in a low tone to Aunt Polly and the four children raced downstairs and out to the garage to open their presents. They liked the garage because there was plenty of s.p.a.ce to play in, where, indeed, they had four empty rooms above the first floor for their own uses.

This morning they rushed upstairs so fast that they never thought of Philip till, as they reached the top step, Meg looked back and saw the little dog painfully hobbling after them on his three good legs.

”He wants to come, too,” she said. ”Here, Philip, come on up, good doggie.”

Philip managed to finish his climb and then lay down on the floor, panting, but satisfied to be where his friends were.