Part 27 (1/2)

”What about the measles? You don't think you're getting them, do you?

Have you been exposed?”

”You don't have to be exposed to get the measles.”

”Oh, but you do, I know. Else why is mother always so careful to keep us away from any one who has measles?”

”Oh, I suppose you can catch them from somebody else, but you can get them without being exposed, too, because Edward's mother said he hadn't been exposed, so there.”

”She said she couldn't find out that he'd been exposed,” corrected Jane.

”But I'd like to know what difference it makes now, Kit Baker. Do you feel as if you were getting the measles?”

”Not exactly, only-why, don't you see? If one of us was to get the measles, we couldn't go back to town so soon. And whichever one of us had 'em would have a bully time, with presents and sweetbreads and things,” he added hastily, as if offering an inducement.

Jane considered. She felt sure that there was something behind Christopher's words-something he was trying to make her understand; but she could not make out what it was.

”Well, anyway,” she announced finally, ”I haven't the measles, nor anything else. I don't know about you, but if you are coming down with anything you'll have plenty of time to get over it before we go home.”

Which practical speech ended the conversation for the present.

Whatever Christopher's deep-laid schemes were, he decided that the time was not yet ripe to unfold them. Then, too, there might be no necessity.

He would wait and see.

But immediately after breakfast, two days before the steams.h.i.+p ”Metric”

was due to arrive in New York, he came upon his grandparents as they were ending a private consultation. Christopher overheard grandmother say:

”It will have to be Monday, then, two days after they get here.”

The words set Christopher thinking. As usually happens when one overhears something intended for other ears, he misunderstood grandmother's meaning and jumped to the conclusion that the Monday to which grandmother referred was the day set for their return to the city.

To leave Sunnycrest and all its joys, the freedom, the open air, country life! To leave on Monday and this was Thursday! Clearly there was no time to be lost. He rushed off to find Jane, carried her to the most remote corner of the orchard and there they sat a good hour or more, quite beyond the reach of ears, however sharp, but showing, had any one been interested enough to watch, that the topic under discussion was very weighty-and with two sides to it, to judge from Jane's determined att.i.tude and Christopher's of persuasion.

It had been arranged that grandfather and grandmother were to go to the city on Friday afternoon, sleep there overnight, meet the s.h.i.+p which was to dock very early in the morning and bring the twins' parents back with them to Sunnycrest on Sat.u.r.day.

Grandmother, who believed in being punctual always, had already packed her bag and was in readiness for the journey quite soon after breakfast, although they did not have to start until after an earlier dinner than usual.

But shortly after eleven o'clock Jane came into the house looking very much flushed and complained of not feeling well. Even as she spoke, she turned white and became very ill. Christopher, who had followed her to the door of grandmother's room, looked on with deep concern.

”Why, Kit,” exclaimed grandmother, ”what have you and Janey been doing?”

”Playing,” answered Christopher briefly. He seemed to have lost his usual too-ready tongue. ”We were just playing.”

”Was Janey swinging in the hammock or anything that could have made her so seasick?”

”We weren't near the hammock,” answered Christopher frankly. ”Are you going to send for the doctor, grandmother?”

”I hope it won't be necessary,” replied grandmother anxiously. ”Please ask Huldah to come up-stairs, Kit. I'll get Janey to bed.”

Jane appeared so limp and miserable that grandmother decided (greatly to her secret disappointment) to give up her journey to town and stay at home with her, letting grandfather go by himself.

”And it will be a melancholy meeting with such anxious news for the children's father and mother,” she added regretfully.