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Mother, and Susy, and Prudy had gone to Willowbrook, to grandpa Parlin's of course they had, and left grandma Bead all alone in the house, with nothing to eat. How strange! How unkind! "Grandma!" she called out under Mrs. Read's window. There was no answer. Dotty fancied the white curtain moved just a little; but that was because a fly was balancing himself on its folds.
"I think likely I may go to Boston next week," said she; "and if I do, this is the last time we shall go strawberrying together this summer." "O, is it?" said Dotty. After this the two little creatures trudged on in silence till they reached Mr. Parlin's gate. Jennie ran home in great haste as soon as she was free from her limping companion; and Dotty entered the side-door dripping like a naiad.
It was delightful to be at grandma Parlin's once more. The summer-house, the seat in the tree, and the swing, were all in their old places, and had been waiting a whole year for the children. A few things had been added: a hennery, called by Dotty "a henpeckery" and a graceful white boat, named the Water-Kelpie.
"What did Horace want of squash seeds?" "He eated 'em; I sawed him!" "There, you're the funniest baby, Katie Clifford! Now you've been and made Mrs. Gray think your brother's carried to jail." This was not quite true. Mrs. Gray had no idea Horace had been taken to jail; but she did fancy something had gone wrong at Mrs. Parlin's. She put on her bonnet and ran across the road to Mrs.
Here their progress in useful knowledge was cut short by the disappearance of Dotty. Looking out of the window, they saw the little rogue driving ducks with a broomstick. These ducks had a home not far from Mrs. Parlin's, and if Dotty Dimple had one temptation stronger than all others, it was the sight of those waddling fowls, with their velvet heads, beads of eyes, and spotted feathers.
Freddy's ears must be forever shut out from pleasant sound; but his bright eyes were wide open, seeing all that was made to be seen. He loved to go to Mrs. Parlin's, for there he was sure to be greeted pleasantly; and he understood the language of smiles as well as anybody. When grandma Read saw him coming she would say,
At last, when Dotty supposed it must be midnight, though it was only nine o'clock, there came a loud knocking at the side door. She hid her face under the coverlet, feeling sure it was either a wild Indian or a highway robber. "Don't be afraid," said Mandoline, rousing herself. "It is somebody after beer, and mother has locked up the store." No, it was Mr. Parlin's voice which spoke.
"O, my shole!" cried she, clapping her hands, "the sun's camed again! A little bit o' sun. I sawed it!" Inspired with new courage, she and Dinah concluded to start for home; that is to say, they turned round three or four times, and then struck off into the woods. Now you may be sure all this could not happen without causing great alarm at grandpa Parlin's.
Parlin heard nothing, for the din of the egg-beating drowned both the shrill little voices. A sudden idea came to Jennie. Whose money was this? Mrs. Parlin's? No; hadn't Mrs. Parlin looked over the rags once, and said the children might have what was left? "'You are welcome to all the treasures you can find; that was what she said," repeated Jennie to herself.
"It wasn't everywhere," she said, "that she saw such thick cream as rose to the tops of Mrs. Parlin's pans." She poured it freely over the strawberries and into her own tea, which it made so delicious that she drank three cups.
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