CHAPTER XI A HOLD-ON IN NEW YORK
"My! Isn't it hard to hang on!" breathed Tavia, clinging to Dorothy, asthe subway train swung rapidly around the curves. As usual the morningexpress was crowded to overflowing, and the "overflowers" were squeezedtightly together on the platforms. Ned held Aunt Winnie by the arm andlooked daggers at the complacent New Yorkers who sat behind the morningpapers, unable to see any persons who might want their seats.
"Such unbearable air! It always makes me faint," said Aunt Winnie,weakly.
"Let's get out as quickly as possible," said Dorothy, "the top of a 'busfor mine!"
"So this is a subway train," exclaimed Tavia, as she was lurched withmuch force against an athletic youth, who simply braced himself on hisfeet, and saved Tavia from falling.
"The agony will be over in a second," exclaimed Ned, as the guard yelledin a most bewildering way, "next stop umphgetoughly!" and another in themiddle of the train, screamed in a perfectly unintelligent manner, "nextstop fothburgedinskt!"
"What did he say?" said Tavia, wonderingly.
"He must have said Forty-second Street," said Aunt Winnie, "that I knowis the next stop."
"I would have to ride on indefinitely," said Tavia, "I could neverunderstand such eloquence."
"There," said Dorothy, readjusting herself, "I expected to be hurled intosomeone's lap sooner or later, but I didn't expect it so soon."
"You surely landed in his lap," laughed Tavia, "see how he's blushing.Why don't you hang onto Ned, as we are doing."
"Poor Ned," said Dorothy, but she, too, grasped a portion of his arm, andlike grim death the three women clung to Ned for protection against themerciless swaying of the subway train.
Reaching Forty-second Street, up the steps they dashed with the rest ofthe madly rushing crowd of people and out into the open street. Taviatried to keep her mouth closed, because all the cartoons she had everseen of a country person's first glimpse of New York pictured themopen-mouthed, and staring. She clung to Dorothy and Dorothy hung on AuntWinnie, who had Ned's arm in a firm grip.
Such crowds of human beings! Neither Dorothy nor Tavia had ever beforeseen so many people at one glance! So many people were not in Dalton inan entire year.
"This isn't anything," said Ned, out of his superior knowledge of aprevious trip to New York. "This is only a handful--the business crowd."
"Oh, let's stay in front of the Grand Central Terminal," said Dorothy, "Iwant to finish counting the taxicabs, I was only up to thirty."
"I only had time to count five stories in that big hotel building," criedTavia, "and I want to count 'em right up into the clouds."
"They're not tall buildings," said Ned, just bursting with information."Wait until you see the downtown skyscrapers!"
"Ned throws cold water on all our little enthusiasms," pouted Dorothy.
"Never mind," said Aunt Winnie, "you and Tavia can come down townto-morrow and spend the day counting people and things."
Arriving at the corner of Fifth Avenue, and successfully dodging manyvehicles, they got safely on the opposite corner just in time to catch aspeeding auto 'bus. Up to the roof they climbed.
"Isn't it too delightful!" sighed Tavia, blissfully.
"We'll come down town on a 'bus every day," declared Dorothy.
They passed all the millionaires' palatial residences in blissfulignorance of whom the palaces sheltered. They didn't care which rich manoccupied one mansion or another, they were happy enough riding on top ofa 'bus.
Tavia simply gushed when they reached the Drive and a cutting sharpbreeze blew across the Hudson river.
"I never imagined New York City had anything so lovely as this; I thoughtit was all tall buildings and smoky atmosphere and--lights!" declaredTavia.
Along the river all was quiet and luxurious and wonderful. The auto 'busstopped before a small apartment house--that is, it was smallcomparatively. The front was entirely latticed glass and white marble. Abell boy rushed forward to relieve them of their bags, another took theirwraps and a third respectfully held open the reception hall door. Downthis hall, lined on two sides with growing plants, Aunt Winnie's partymarched in haughty silence. They were afraid to utter an unseemly word.Tavia's little chin went up into the air--the bell boys were veryappalling--but they shouldn't know of the visitors' suburban origin ifTavia could help it. They were assisted on the elevator by a dignifiedliveried man, and up into the air they shot, landing, breathless, in aperfectly equipped tiny hall. At home, of course, one would call it atiny hall, but in a New York apartment house it was spacious and roomy.
Still another person, this time a woman, in spotless white, opened thedoor and into the door Aunt Winnie disappeared, and the others followed,although they were not at all sure it was the proper thing to do.
Then Tavia gasped. In her loveliest dreams of a home, she had neverdreamed of anything as perfectly beautiful as this. Little bowers of pinkand white, melted into other little rooms of gold and green and blue, andthen a velvety stretch of something, which Tavia afterward discovered wasa hall, led them into a kitchenette.
"Do people eat here?" said the dazed Tavia.
"One must eat, be the furnishings ever so luxurious," sang Ned.
Dorothy rushed immediately to the tiny cupboard, and examined the MotherGoose pattern breakfast dishes, while Tavia gazed critically at thenumerous mysterious doors leading hither and thither through theapartment.
They gathered together, finally, in the living room, which faced theriver. The heavy draperies subdued the strong sunlight.
Mrs. White sighed the happy sigh that betokens rest, as she sank into aTurkish chair. Dorothy and Tavia were not ready to sit down yet--therewas too much to explore. From their high place, there above the crowds,and seemingly in the clouds, they could see something akin to humanbeings moving about everywhere, even, it seemed, out along the riverdrive. For a brief time no one spoke; then Ned "proverbially" broke thesilence.
"Well, Mom," he emitted, "what is it all about? Did you just come intoupholstered storage to have new looking glasses? Or is there a system inthis insanity?"
Mrs. White smiled indulgently. Ned was beginning to take an interest inthings. He must surmise that her trip to New York was not one of merepleasure.
The girls, unconsciously discreet, had left the room.
"My dear son," said the lady, now in a soft robe, just rescued from hersuit-case, "I am glad to see that you are trying to help me. You know theCourt Apartments, the one I hold purposely for you and Nat?" He nodded."Well, the agent has been acting queerly. In fact, I have reason toquestion his honesty. He is constantly refusing to make reports. Saysthat rents have come down, when everyone else says they have gone up. Healso declares some of the tenants are in arrears. Now, if we are to haveso much trouble with the investment, we shall have to get rid of it."
The remark was in the note of query. Nat brushed his fingers through hisheavy hair.
"Well, Mom," he said impressively, "we must look it over carefully, but Ihave always heard that New York real estate men--of a certaintype--observe the certain and remember the type--are not always to betrusted. I wouldn't ask better sport than going in for detective work onthe half-shell. But say, this is some apartment! I suppose I may have itsome evening for a little round-up of my New York friends? You know somany of the fellows seem to blow this way."
"Of course you may, Ned. I shall be glad to help you."
"Oh, you couldn't possibly do that, mother," he objected. "There is onlyone way to let boys have a good time and that is to let them have it. Ifone interferes it's 'good-night'," and he paused to let the pardonableslang take effect.
"Just as you like, of course," said the mother, without the least hint ofoffence. "I know I can depend upon you not to--eat the rugs or chairs.They are only hired, you know."
"Never cared for that sort of food. In fact I don't even like the feel ofsome of these," and he rubbed his hand over the side of a plush ch
air."Nothing like the home stuffs, Mom."
"You are not disappointed?"
"Oh, no, not that. Only trying to remember what home is like. It kind ofupsets one's memory to take a trip and get here. I wonder what the girlsare up to? You stay here while I inspect."
Mrs. White was not sorry of the respite. She looked out over the broaddrive. It was some years since her husband had taken her to a prettylittle apartment in this city. The thought was absorbing. But it wassplendid that she had two such fine boys. Yes, she must not complain, forboth boys were in many ways like their father, upright to the point ofperil, daring to the point of personal risk.
The maid, she who had come in advance from North Birchland, stepped inwith the soft tread of the professional nurse to close the doors.Something must be going on in the kitchenette. Well, let the childrenplay, thought Mrs. White.
Suddenly she heard something like a shriek! Even then she did not move.If there were danger to any one in the apartment she would soon knowit--the old reliable adage--no news is good news, when someone shrieks.