CHAPTER XX.
AN EXCHANGE.
Though the cold-water system had acted as a sedative with Master Fred,during the afternoon and evening of May Day, and though every precautionhad been used to prevent any serious effects afterwards from thewetting, yet the boy did take cold; and so feverish and restless did hebecome, that the good Dr. Maddox, who had attended Mabel, was sent forwithout delay. His prescription, however, was not a very alarming one:namely, castor oil and some spirits of sweet nitre.
'Don't frighten yourself, dear madam,' said the doctor: '_this_ is not acase of rheumatic fever; nothing but a slight influenza cold. But youmust take care to give him the medicine.' The doctor laid great stresson this.
Of course the medicine was procured, but, alas! papa was not at home,and no amount of persuasion or coaxing would induce the obstinate littlefellow to take it. It was in vain that mamma promised all sorts of toys,and produced preserves and lumps of sugar to take the taste out of hismouth, or threatened him with severe illness and more nauseous stuff, ifthis were not taken. It was no use, poor Mrs. Ellis was obliged to giveit up; and heartily did she wish that her good sister Mary would call inthe course of the day, for she dreaded her husband's coming home, andfinding that the doctor's advice had not been followed. It was aboutthree o'clock in the afternoon when the anxiously-expected visitorarrived at Camden Terrace. Of course she knew nothing about Fred beingpoorly; she had merely come to make general inquiries, and to see thatMrs. Ellis was no worse for the fatigue of May Day.
'Oh, I am better than usual, dear Mary,' she replied to the kindinquiry; 'but I am troubled about Fred now. He is very poorly, in bed,and the doctor has ordered medicine for him, which I cannot get him totake. I have been longing for you to come; will you try if you caninduce him to take it?'
Aunt Mary smiled, as she said: 'Do you remember, dear, a former trialthat I had with this young tyrant of yours, when, being very determinedmyself, I held him fast and pressed the glass to his mouth, whereupon heactually bit a great piece out of it, at the same time kicking me soviolently that I was fain to let him go, with, I believe, a mentalpromise that I would never again subject myself to such an indignity?'
Mrs. Ellis could not help laughing; she had not forgotten thecircumstance, but she pleaded now that Fred was two years older, and wasnot likely to repeat his exploit.
'I know he is two years older,' said Aunt Mary, 'but I don't feel at allcertain that he is two years better than he was; though he may be somuch stronger as to increase my difficulty.'
'Oh, do try, Mary dear,' urged Mrs. Ellis; 'I must get him to take itbefore his papa comes home.'
'Oh, Ada, Ada!' exclaimed her sister, 'how is it that you have allowedthis boy to gain the mastery over you, to your own great sorrow, and tohis great disadvantage? But, come,' added the kind friend, 'give me themedicine, and I will try what I can do.'
'Now, Freddy,' said his aunt, as she came into the bedroom, cup in hand,'I am come to see you, and to make you better if I can. I suppose youare not fond of lying in bed this fine day,' she added.
'Oh no, aunt; I want to get up, but mamma won't let me.'
'Well, dear, you know, you must always try to do as mamma wishes you,because she knows what is best for you; but I have brought somethingfrom the doctor that is sure to do you good, and it is to be takenimmediately.'
'I can't take it, aunt, it is such nasty stuff,' said the boy, withdisgust.
'I know it is very nasty stuff, Freddy, and, like you, I can't bear totake medicine; but when I know that it is to make me well, I am not sofoolish as to refuse it. So now sit up like a man, and take the cup inone hand, and this little mint-drop in the other; drink off the nastystuff in a moment, and pop the mint-drop into your mouth at once; youwill never feel the taste of the medicine after that.'
Whether it was the decisive manner in which Aunt Mary spoke, or thebelief in the efficacy of the mint-drop, or the appeal to the manlinessof the patient, we cannot say, but a magical effect had been produced,for the contents of the cup had been swallowed; and Fred, greatlyrelieved in mind, if not yet in body, laid down his head on the pillowand listened, evidently with much pleasure, to his aunt's commendations.
This short illness of Freddy's was followed by a much more serious oneof his mamma's. It had been a long time coming on, and it was thedoctor's opinion that it might be of some months' continuance; rest andquiet were ordered, but they are not easily obtained where there arerefractory children at Freddy's age. It would be easy enough to keep thelittle ones quiet, but Mrs. Ellis had permitted this turbulent boy ofhers to make appeals to her on every trifling occasion, and to stand andwhine and cry until he obtained what he wanted, because mamma was wornout with his teasing. Now that she was really so ill as to be more thanusually affected by any disturbance, it became a question with Aunt Mary(though it was to her a very painful one) whether it would not beexpedient, and the right thing to do, to make an exchange in favour ofthe invalid, and to substitute Mabel for her brother Fred, taking theresponsibility of that rather notorious rebel upon herself, and givingher dear sister the benefit of a tender nurse, who had grown wise beyondher years, through much suffering and good teaching.
If there had been the shadow of a doubt on the kind lady's mind as towhat course she should pursue, her visit to Camden Terrace the day afterthe doctor had given his opinion respecting Mrs. Ellis, would havedetermined her; for on the front-door being opened, she heard a violentscreaming and kicking, sufficient to disturb the nerves of a much lesssensitive person than Mrs. Ellis.
'Oh, that is Fred making that noise,' said Mabel, who had come with heraunt to visit mamma. 'Shall I go up to him?' she inquired.
'No, my dear; go to the sick-room. I will myself encounter the rebel;'and Aunt Mary went straight upstairs, just as nurse opened the room-doorto remonstrate with the unruly boy, who was quickly and unceremoniouslycaught up from the floor, and made to stand on his feet.
'Let me not hear another sound from you while I am here,' said his aunt.'And, Jane,' she added, speaking to the nurse, 'please to put up in asmall basket this young gentleman's night-clothes. I intend to take himhome with me; he must not remain here to make his poor mamma worse thanshe is.' So saying, Miss Livesay left the nursery, and proceeded to hersister's bedroom, where she found Mabel arranging the pillows, andmaking the bed rather more comfortable for her poor mamma.
Master Freddy had been completely taken by surprise, and he seemed at aloss at first how to give vent to the suppressed passion that wasswelling within; but when nurse said, 'I am very glad indeed that youraunt is going to take you away, for then we shall have some peace in thehouse,' he jumped off the stool on which he had been sitting, and wouldhave struck her with a brush which he took from the table, had she notforcibly held both his hands, and threatened to take him at once to theroom where Aunt Mary was.
'You needn't put up my night-shirt,' said passionate Fred, 'for I shan'tgo with that nasty old thing!' This was, however, uttered in a subduedtone, and elicited 'Shame, shame!' from nurse, and even from littleGerty.
'I think,' added Jane, 'you are the very worst boy I ever did see, and Iwouldn't stop here if you was obliged to be kept in the nursery, which Isuppose you would be, now your mamma's so poorly, for it isn't to beexpected that you will be allowed to go teasing her about every littlething. I _am_ glad, very glad, you are going away; and I hope MissLivesay will keep you a very long time,' added nurse, while Fred, notdaring to explode, on account of his aunt's being so near, vented hispassion on the poor kitten by kicking it violently from under the stool,where he had again seated himself.
'Ada dear,' said Aunt Mary to her sister, 'I am going to propose atransfer, which, though I must confess it will be a very painful one tome, yet perhaps may in the end be good for all parties; and, I think,will prove for your especial benefit now you are so unwell. It is myintention--if you do not object,' continued Miss Livesay, 'to leave dearMabel with you, and to take that refractory young gentleman, whosekicking and shouting,
as I came to the door, must have disturbed you,home with me to Oak Villa. I intend to remain with you this afternoon,while Mabel goes to our house to tell Bridget to prepare a bed for Fred.I dare say, before I want to leave, Mr. Ellis will be home, and then Ishall have no fear of a scene with Master Freddy: he will not venture onopposition when his papa is here.'
'Oh, dear Mary!' said Mrs. Ellis, 'how kind it is of you to care for meand mine so much! I can never thank you enough for what you have donefor dear Mabel; but she, poor girl, won't like to stay in a sick-room.'
'Mamma dear, don't say that!' exclaimed the now affectionate Mabel; 'Iwill nurse you day and night. I shall only be doing for you what dearaunt and Clara did for me, when I was so ill.'
'Well now, you must give me some work to do,' said Aunt Mary; 'I willsit with your mamma while you go down and tell Bridget to prepare a bedin my dressing-room for your brother. I shall take care to keep him nearme day and night.' This speech was addressed to Mabel, who was veryglad to find that it was her aunt's intention to remain till theevening; she soon set off on her errand, though she feared she should bethe bearer of no very pleasant news to Bridget, who would certainly notat all like the advent of such an unruly boy at their peaceful home.
'I'm sure our mistress will not let him have the lamp lighted in hisbedroom all night, as nurse says he has at home,' said Bridget; 'so mostlikely that will be the first row he will make.'
'Oh, leave aunt to settle all that, Bridget,' said Mabel; 'you know howwell she manages these matters.'
''Deed I do, Miss Mabel; and who knows,' said the honest, plain-spokenservant, 'but what she may make as great a change in Fred as she did inyou!'
Bridget did not take into account the severe illness and mentalsuffering that had helped, with Aunt Mary's wise efforts, to work thisreformation. She attributed all to her kind mistress. While Bridgetattended to the commands of her mistress, Mabel went into the garden togather some flowers for her mamma, as her aunt had requested her; andafter bidding good-morning to the faithful servant, she wended her wayquickly to her early home, thinking, as she went, what a blessing it wasto have so kind a friend as Aunt Mary. During the time that Mrs. Ellishad been so unwell, the children had all dined together in the nurseryat two o'clock; and Aunt Mary insisted that there should be no departurefrom this rule on her account, as she intended to make one of the party.At the hour appointed, the bell rang for dinner, and soon all wereseated at the table but Fred; that young gentleman had chosen to makehimself scarce, and notwithstanding the ringing of the bell, out ofdoors and in, a second time, he did not make his appearance.
Great was the consternation of nurse at not being able to find Freddy;she began to fear that he had run away from home to avoid going to OakVilla. He had once played such a trick, and made everybody miserableuntil he was found in the evening, and brought home by a woman whowashed for his mamma. Mabel and Julia did not feel at all comfortable,though Aunt Mary would not let them leave the table to go in search ofthe truant.
'Don't distress yourselves, my dears,' said Miss Livesay; 'depend uponit, the culprit is not very far off. Nurse and cook will look afterhim.'
And so the dinner proceeded, though Mabel would much rather have gonewithout, had she been permitted. All at once a thought struck her, andshe exclaimed: 'I'll tell you where I think he is, aunt; where we oncefound him before!' and Mabel rose up and went to the window which lookedon the side of the house where there was a large dog-kennel, and overit a wooden shed with a window in it, to which shed access was gained bya ladder. 'Yes!' exclaimed Mabel, 'I see the key is in the door wherethe apples are kept. We once found Fred there asleep on the straw;perhaps he is there now!' and the anxious girl was making her way out ofthe room, when a loud scream brought her back to the window, from whichshe beheld Freddy with his foot caught in the top step of the ladder,and his head ignominiously resting on the hard step.
Mabel was off in an instant, but quick as she was, cook was there beforeher, and Fred had been turned right side upwards, and his blubbered facewiped with that towel of all work, Susan's apron; while his foreheadpresented a lump sufficiently large to account for the explosion theyhad been treated to.
No doubt it had been Master Freddy's intentions, when he went into thishiding-place, to remain there all day, until Aunt Mary should take herleave; he did not know of her intention to remain at Camden Terraceuntil his papa came home, or perhaps he might have hit upon some otherexpedient. His idea was, that they would all be so frightened at havinglost him, that when he did make his appearance, he would be receivedjoyfully.
Whether it was that the sound of the dinner-bell had created asensation of hunger not to be resisted, or the savoury smell of thenicely cooked viands had stimulated the stomach to rebellion, we cannotsay; but Freddy roused himself from his recumbent position, and, as wehave seen, came (very unintentionally) head foremost down the steps.Alas, there is no one to sympathise with him in his self-made trouble,Aunt Mary won't permit it; and Master Frederick Ellis has to dine in thekitchen, a most humiliating necessity which would not have beensubmitted to, but for the inward cravings which would not be resisted.
It was with the greatest satisfaction that Mr. Ellis, when he came home,heard of the kind proposal of his sister-in-law to take Freddy home withher; he said that he could never sufficiently thank her for the good shehad done to Mabel, but he feared that Freddy would prove a moretroublesome inmate to Oak Villa than ever she had been. Aunt Marydeclared, however, to the great astonishment of Freddy, who was in theroom at the time, that Oak Villa would not hold naughty people, whetherthey were men, women, or children; and that as soon as Fred had sleptthere one night, he would find himself quite another boy, and be readyto do anything that he was desired. Fred heard all this with'wonder-working eyes;' we don't know whether he really believed it. Butas he trudged silently along by his aunt's side, with the little basketin one hand, and her hand clasping his other, he thought what a strangeplace Oak Villa must be to make people good, whether they liked it ornot.
Mr. Ellis wished very much to accompany his sister home, but she wouldnot permit this.
'How can you think that I want a protector when I have Fred with me,papa?' she inquired. 'I know very well,' she added, 'that we shall soonbe the best friends in the world; and Freddy will take all the troubleoff my hands of feeding cousin Clara's chickens while she is away.'
I should have stated that Clara had gone on a short visit to her mamma.
The reference to the chickens was an excellent stroke of policy ofaunt's; she felt the small hand, which she held, tighten in hers, and aninward feeling of satisfaction came over her spirit, as she said withinherself, 'Love is a constraining power.'