CHAPTER IV A REAL BEAUTY BATH
"This is some," remarked Bob Niles, before he knew what he was talkingabout. They had just been ensconsed in Daddy Brennen's sleigh. Tavia wasbeside him--that is, she was as close beside him as she was beside DaddyBrennen, but the real fact was, that in this sleigh, no one could bebeside anyone else--it was ever a game of toss and catch. But that wasnot Daddy's fault. He never stopped calling to his horse, or pulling atthe reins. It must have been the roads, yet everyone paid taxes in DaltonTownship.
"Don't boast," Tavia answered, adjusting herself anew to the last jolt,"this never was a sleigh to boast of, and it seems to be worse than evernow. There!" she gasped, as she almost fell over the low board thatoutlined the edge, "one more like that, and I will be mixed up with thegutter."
"Perhaps this is a safer place," Bob ventured. "I seem to stay put prettywell. Won't you change with me?"
"No, thanks," Tavia answered, good-humoredly. "When Daddy assigns one toa seat one must keep it."
"Nice clean storm," Daddy called back from the front. "I always like awhite Christmas."
"Yes," Tavia said, "looks as if this is going to be white enough. Butwhat are you turning into the lane for, Daddy?"
"Promised Neil Blair I'd take his milk in for him. He can't get out muchin storms--rheumatism."
"Oh," Tavia ejaculated. Then to Bob: "How we are going to ride with milkcans is more than I can see."
"The more the merrier," Bob replied, laughing. "I never had a better timein my life. This beats a straw ride."
"Oh, we have had them too, with Daddy," she told him. "Doro and our crowdused to have good times when she lived in Dalton."
"No doubt. This is the farmhouse, I guess," Bob added, as the sleighpulled up to a hill.
"Yes, this is Neil's place," Tavia said. "And there comes Mrs. Blair witha heavy milk can."
"Oh, I must help her with that," offered the young man. "I suppose ourdriver has to take care of his speedy horse."
Disentangling himself from the heavy blankets, Bob managed to alight intime to take the milk can from the woman, who stood with it at the top ofthe hill.
"Oh, thank you, sir!" she panted. "The cans seem to get heavier, else Iam getting lazy. But Neil had such a twinge, from this storm, that Iwouldn't let him out."
"And did you do all the milking?" Tavia asked, as Bob managed to placethe can in the spot seemingly made for it, beside Daddy.
"Certainly. Oh, how do you do, Tavia? How fine you look; I'm glad to seeyou home for Christmas," Mrs. Blair assured the girl.
"Thank you. I'm glad to get home."
"Fetchin' company?" with a glance at young Niles.
"No, he's going farther on," and Tavia wondered why it was so difficultfor her to make such a trifling remark.
"Well, I'm glad he came this way, at any rate," the woman continued. "ButDaddy will be goin' without the other can," and she turned off again inthe direction of the barn.
"Are there more?" Bob asked Tavia, cautiously.
"I'm afraid so," she replied. "But I guess she can manage them."
"My mother would disown me if she knew I let her," Bob asserted, bravely."This is an experience not in the itinerary," and he scampered up thehill, and made for the barn after Mrs. Blair.
Tavia could not help but admire him. After all, she thought, agood-looking lad could be useful, if only for carrying milk cans.
"And has that young gent gone after the can?" asked Daddy, as if justawaking from some dream.
"Yes," Tavia replied, rather sharply. "He wouldn't let Mrs. Blair carrysuch a heavy thing."
"Well, she's used to it," Daddy declared. At the same time he did disturbhimself sufficiently to get out and prepare to put the second can in itsplace.
A college boy, in a travelling suit, carrying a huge milk can through thesnow, Tavia thought rather a novel sight, but Bob showed his training,and managed it admirably.
"I'll put her in," offered Daddy, "I didn't know you went after it."
"So kind of him," remarked Mrs. Blair, "but he would have it. Thank you,Daddy, for stopping. Neil'll make it all right with you."
Daddy was standing up in the sleigh, the can in his hands, "I think," hefaltered, "I'll have to set this down by you, Miss Travers," he decided.
"All right," Tavia agreed, making room at her feet.
He lifted the can high enough to get it over the back of the seat. It washeavy, and awkward, and he leaned on the rickety seat trying to supporthimself. The weight was too much for the board, and before Bob could getin to help him, and before Tavia could get herself out of the way, thecan tilted and the milk poured from it in a torrent over the head, neckand shoulders of Tavia!
"Oh, mercy!" she yelled. "My new furs!"
"Save the milk," growled Daddy.
"Jump up!" Bob commanded Tavia. "Let it run off if it will."
But Tavia was either too disgusted, or too surprised, to "jump up."Instead she sat there, fixing a frozen look at the unfortunate Daddy.
"My milk!" screamed Mrs. Blair. "A whole can full!"
"Was it ordered?" Bob asked, who by this time had gotten Tavia from underthe shower.
"No," she said hesitatingly, "but someone would have took it forChristmas bakin'."
"Then let us have it," offered Bob, generously. "If I had kept my seatperhaps it would not have happened."
"Nonsense," objected Tavia, "it was entirely Daddy's fault."
But Daddy did not hear--he was busy trying to save the dregs in the milkcan.
"What's it worth?" persisted Bob.
"Two dollars," replied Mrs. Blair, promptly.
Bob put his hand in his pocket and took out two bills. He handed them tothe woman.
"There," he said, "it will be partly a Christmas present. I only hopemy--friend's furs will not be ruined."
"Milk don't hurt," Mrs. Blair said, without reason. "Thank you, sir," sheadded to Bob. "This is better than ten that's comin'. And land knows weneeded it to-night."
"I've lost time enough," growled Daddy. "And that robe is spoiled. Nexttime I carry milk cans I'll get a freight car."
"And the next time I take a milk beauty bath," said Tavia, "I'll wear oldclothes." But as Bob climbed in again, and Tavia assured him her furswere not injured, she thought of Dorothy's prediction that she, Tavia,was about to have an adventure when she met Bob Niles.
"I'll have something to tell Dorothy," she remarked aloud.
"And I'll have news for Nat," slily said Bob.