Part 12 (1/2)

It was already full of pots of mignonette seeds and fairy-roses, cyclamen and lilies of the valley, which she was hoping to bring on to sell through the winter, when flowers would be scarce.

For once Tom stood by, and paid no heed. He was absorbed in a new idea that had come to him. ”Bella,” he said at last, ”do you know what I've a good mind to do?”

Bella could see from his face that, whatever it was, he was pleased and excited about it, so she was prepared to back him up. ”What is it?

Do tell!”

”I've a good mind to ask old Mrs. Wintle to let us have her donkey and cart on Sat.u.r.day; then we could carry in potatoes and vegetables enough to make it worth while.”

”Wouldn't she charge a lot?” asked Bella doubtfully. ”Doesn't she ask half-a-crown a day and his food? That would be a lot out of what we make, and Aunt Emma would grumble like anything!”

”Of course it would cost something, but see what a lot more stuff we could take in to sell. I believe it would pay, and I've a good mind to chance it. I tell you what I'll do. I'll pay for the donkey for a week or two, out of what I've saved, and then we shall see if it's worth it or not, and if it isn't, well, Aunt Emma won't be any the worse off.”

”But you will!”

”I am going to risk it; I'd rather spend my money on that than anything.

I believe it'll answer. Anyway, we shan't know till we try. Think of the time we shall save too! We needn't start so early by an hour or two, and we shall get back in time to do a bit of work out here too.”

”That would be fine,” agreed Bella, ”and we shouldn't be so dreadfully tired either.” The long walk had begun to be rather a trial to her.

”Will you tell Aunt Emma about it, Tom? She takes things better from you.”

To the surprise of both of them, Miss Hender 'took the news' very well indeed, and fell in with the plan at once instead of opposing it.

”You'll save ever so much in shoe leather,” she said, ”and any amount of time and trouble. And look here,” holding out her ap.r.o.n, in which were a number of large brown eggs, ”couldn't you carry in some of these and sell them? There's some to go to your father, but there's a-plenty more, and they're fine ones too.”

Bella's face brightened. ”Why, of course we could! However didn't we think of it before? It'll be fine, Aunt Emma,” and she longed to skip for joy.

”If we'd had them, you couldn't have carried them, you'd got load enough already; but with the donkey-cart it'll be different.”

When Sat.u.r.day came, and they began to load up the cart, the wisdom of Tom's plan was only too plain. There were baskets of flowers and herbs, one of eggs, and one of pears, a large hamper of apples, a sack of potatoes, and hampers of turnips and carrots, beets, and onions, leeks, and parsnips; not to mention a box of celery and one of tomatoes.

Bella laughed delightedly. ”We shall be taking fowls and ducks too, some day, perhaps!”

”And why not?” asked Tom.

”Yes, why not?” said Miss Hender quickly. ”What a good thing! Why didn't you think of it before, Bella? I could see to all that, and I could make pretty nearly as much by them as all the fruit and flowers put together.

If I'd only thought of it,”--growing more and more enthusiastic--”I might have got a pair of fowls ready to send in to-day. Never mind, I'll be ready another time!” And from that chance word of Bella's began what they later on laughingly called 'Aunt Emma's Poultry Farm.'

Charlie and Margery watched the proceedings that Sat.u.r.day morning with eyes full of envy and longing. They wanted so much to go too, and it did seem hard to stay behind for the whole long, dull day.

”You must come to meet us,” whispered Bella, ”and you shall have a drive home. We shan't be any earlier, for we're going to the hospital to see father; then, if he's better, you and Charlie are to come in with us next week to see him; Aunt Emma says so.”

Bella in her pink frock, and Tom in his holland coat, clambered up into the cart, and while Tom gathered up the reins Bella picked up the two most precious of the baskets, and away they started.

Once clear of the lane, and out on the level high road, Rocket broke into a smart little trot, and carried them along in fine style. To Bella it seemed the very height of luxury and enjoyment to be getting over the ground so quickly, and with no heavy load to carry. The first milestone seemed to be reached in no time, but when they came to it Bella had to turn away her head and blink hard, to keep the tears out of her eyes, so vividly did the sight of it bring back the happy meetings there, and the thought that not for weeks and weeks, if ever, would they all meet there again.

It was a good thing for them both that they were not walking that day, for the drive, the donkey, and the excitement of the new venture, helped to lift their thoughts off their trouble, and helped them through.

Some of the people they met stared wonderingly at the little pair of market-gardeners in the gay green cart. Some smiled and nodded encouragingly, others called out cheerily, ”h.e.l.lo, young market-gardeners, you're getting on! That's good, stick to it, and you'll do yet!”

By this time the regular market-folk who arrived early in the day had come to know the two children who were so regular and so punctual.

They both felt very pleased with the attention they received, but they felt very self-conscious indeed when they drew up at the house by the church, where their first customer, Mrs. Watson, lived, and even more so when they went on to Mrs. Adamson, whose little invalid daughter Joan had bought flowers of them every week since that first meeting.