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But it was all right, for at the foot of the bed rested the little red and blue sleigh and the tiny reindeer, just as still as still could be. And at the side of the bed stood Father and Mother and the Toyman. They seemed very happy. Of course Marmaduke grew well again, and back from Uncle Roger's came Jehosophat and Hepzebiah.
In the barn Teddy, and Hal, and Methuselah, and Black-eyed Susan, and all the four-footed friends of the three happy children, rested from the cares of the day. Hepzebiah never stirred in her crib, and Jehosophat lay dreaming of something very pleasant.
Mother would always send Jehosophat and Hepzebiah into the spare room to sleep, and she would come herself and lie down in Jehosophat's bed, right next to the little sick boy, right where he could reach out his hand and place it in hers. That was "most worth" all the aches and the pains. It was all right to have Father near, but somehow Marmaduke felt better if it was Mother that lay by his side.
And the Toyman held Marmaduke on one shoulder and Hepzebiah on the other. He was very strong. From their high perch they could look right over the heads of all the people at that great circus parade. Hark! They were coming! First the band. They were dressed in gay uniforms of red and blue, with gold tassels too, and bright brass buttons.
Then he lifted Marmaduke into a big seat on top of Jumbo, the big elephant. And out they marched under the tent and round and round the ring. Marmaduke could look down on all the rows of people. He was up quite high and their faces looked small, but he could tell Jehosophat, and Hepzebiah, and Sammy Soapstone, and Sophy, Lizzie Fizzletree, and Fatty Hamm, too.
But when it grows late, even if Frank does not come, they know it is supper time and leave the pasture. When they reach the barnyard fence they stand outside calling to be let in. Then Frank comes and lets down the bars. They walk into the yard and through the doors into the big red barn. There are ten cows but Jehosophat, Marmaduke, and Hepzebiah love four of them better than the rest.
Sometimes farther out they saw larger rings, and a fish feeling pretty happy, because of the cool September weather, would jump out of the water and turn a somersault through the air. Then all of a sudden the blue and yellow floater went under and little Hepzebiah caught a sunfish, too. Jehosophat felt disappointed because he was the oldest and hadn't caught any fish at all.
And he wrote "White Swan" on one chip, "Peacock" on another, and "Arrow" on the last. Then he held them towards the children. "The smallest must choose first," he said, and Hepzebiah took one of the little white pieces of wood from the Toyman's hand. He turned it over and read: "White Swan." "We'd go a good ways before we'd get a better name," he decided.
"Well," his Mother explained, "your Father has dug the ground for you. You must rake it first, make it smooth and even. Mind, no hard lumps now!" So the three happy children set to work with their three shiny rakes. Father had to help Hepzebiah, of course. Then when the earth was smooth and fine, like brown powder, they made little furrows or lines in the earth.
Marmaduke is five, "going on six," he always says. Little Hepzebiah, who toddles after her brothers, tells everyone who comes to visit that she is "half-past three." She heard her brother say this once and she imitates all he does and says. Perhaps that is why her father calls her a "little monkey." These happy children all live in the country.
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