CHAPTER VI THE PIE SOCIAL
Turning the team, they started back. Dapple and Dolly lagged along, headsdown; they were tired, and it was close to supper time.
Jack and Desire peered into the bushes and trees on either side of theroad for a glimpse of a red coat. Around a bend, among the trees far backfrom the road, they finally saw what they sought. Stopping the wagon,they watched for a moment to see what she was doing. Intently, apparentlywithout thought of anything else, she was stealthily following a smallblack and white animal. Before they could shout a warning, she suddenlydarted forward and seized the little creature. Out of her hands ittwisted, filling the air with a strong, unpleasant odor; then itdisappeared into the dense woods.
"Oh!" groaned Jack.
"Priscilla!" called Desire sharply.
The child looked up, and began coming toward them.
"Stand right where you are," directed Jack, when she reached the edge ofthe clearing. "Don't come any nearer. What on earth possessed you tomeddle with a wood pussy?"
"I--I thought it was a kitten," faltered the little girl, thoroughlyfrightened.
"If you'd followed us closely, as Jack told you, you wouldn't have gotteninto trouble," said Desire severely. "What can we do with her, Jack?"
"I'll get a pail of water from that pond, while you find fresh clothing;then I'll carry the things over to the woods. She'll have to go behindthat clump of scrub pine and take off her clothing, make up the garmentsinto a bundle, throw it as far into the woods as she can, then bathe andput on fresh things," replied Jack, taking a pail and starting down theroad toward a small, but deep, pool of water.
"I'll go and help her," said Desire, when he returned.
"Stay right where you are," he directed quietly but firmly. "She canmanage perfectly well by herself."
He crossed the road; and Desire, though she could not quite distinguishthe words, listened to the brief, curt orders he issued to theunfortunate little girl. Then he returned and stood leaning against theside of the wagon. Rene had dozed off, and Desire laid him on the seat.
"This is one phase of our adventure that we did not consider," beganJack, after a pause. His face looked more serious, even, than usual.
"What? Prissy getting mixed up with a wood pussy?" laughed Desire.
"No. The problem of discipline. The free and lazy life is going to letthe youngsters get a bit out of hand, I'm afraid."
"Rene's only a baby," said Desire reassuringly. "We should have notrouble managing him. Of course Priscilla is rather difficult at times;she goes from one extreme to another so quickly. You never know exactlywhat she will do next. At home, I sometimes sent her to bed; but thatwould be rather difficult in a wagon. But she's a good little thing, andwe'll do the best we can. You mustn't worry about it, Jack," concludedDesire, bending over to touch his thick brown curls.
He caught her hand in his and held it until Priscilla appeared from amongthe trees, freshly clothed, and swinging the empty pail in her hand.
Without a word Jack helped her into the wagon and they headed once morefor the town. The sun had sunk below the horizon; the woods were gettingdim; and the sky was a soft rose and gold when they entered Meteghan.Surely the whole population must be abroad, so filled were the streetswith people all headed toward the church.
"What do you suppose is going on?" asked Desire, viewing the scene ratherwistfully.
"I don't know," replied Jack, pulling the wagon into a free space betweentwo other vehicles. Almost immediately a tall, awkward youth saunteredover to them.
"Where's old Simon?"
Jack explained, adding, "What's doing here?"
"Pie social," was the laconic reply. "Better go."
"Where is it held?" asked Desire, leaning out and smiling down into hiskeen grey eyes.
"Church basement; it's for the benefit of the church. Costs you a pie toget in."
At this point, a companion called to the boy, and he strolled away.
"Like to go?" asked Jack, who had not been unobservant of Desire's eagerinterest.
"How could we? We haven't any pies."
"There must be some place to buy them. Surely some enterprising personwould foresee the market. Let's look around a bit."
He tied the horses to a post and locked the doors. Rene was wide awake bythis time, and eager for new adventures; so the four, Priscilla stillsilent, walked along the streets of the little town until they found aplace bearing a sign--"Pies for sale." Here they purchased four pies, andturned their steps toward the church. At the door a pretty girl tooktheir donations, and they were allowed to enter. Along the sides of thelittle basement were rough board counters loaded with pies of every sizeand variety. One could buy whatever one desired, from a whole pie to asmall slice.
"We're like the Chinese," smiled Jack, as they stood eating pieces ofcustard pie; "dessert first, then more substantial food."
The pretty girl who had been at the door now approached them, and smilingat Jack, said--"We're going to dance here tonight after all the pies aresold. Hope you will all stay."
"I'm sorry, but we shall not be able to," he replied courteously. "I haveold Simon's wagon out there, and can't leave it so long."
"Oh, we heard about the young man who was going to take Simon's route. Myfolks know him real well. He often puts the wagon in our barn and staysall night at our house. Why--wait a minute."
She darted off, and returned almost immediately with a short, thick-setman, who looked like a farmer.
"This is my father, Jean Riboux," she said. "I'm Prudence."
"My name is Wistmore," replied Jack, shaking hands; "and these are mysisters, Desire and Priscilla; and my little brother Rene."
"Pleased to know you, both for yourselves and for old Simon," respondedthe man, with unmistakable cordiality. "You must make free at our place,same as he did. Drive over, put up the team, and stay all night."
Though Jack protested, the man would hear of no refusal, and ten minuteslater they turned into a nearby farmyard. Jean took the horses away fromJack, and sent the Wistmores into the house to his wife who had come tothe door to meet them.
"Your husband and daughter insisted upon our coming here for the night,"said Jack, after introductions had been made; "but I think it is entirelytoo much. There are so many of us--"
"There's always a welcome here for any friends of old Simon's," was Mrs.Riboux's quiet reply; "and we have plenty of room. We were sorry to hearof his bad luck; but then, it turned out well for you," looking at thelittle family curiously.
"Yes, the opportunity to take the route came just as we were looking forsomething for the summer," said Desire, smiling shyly at their hostess.
"Oh, then you're not goin' to keep it regular?"
"That can not be decided," contributed Jack, "until we see how thingsgo."
As they gathered around the table for supper, the boy who had told themabout the Pie Social slid into one of the chairs and grinned at Desire.
"Didn't think you'd see me again so soon, did you?"
"That's Ormand, Orrie for short," explained Prudence, who sat beside Jackright across the table from them.
"I guessed who you people were as soon as I laid eyes on Dapple andDolly; and I knew you'd turn up here finally."
The conversation of the elders turned to crops, and continued throughoutthe meal, while the younger people talked of the coming dance.
"Now," said Mrs. Riboux to Desire, as they left the table, "why don't youput the little fellow to bed and go to the dance with my boy and girl?I'll watch out for him," as Desire hesitated and looked at Jack. "Allages go to these socials, so your sister could go along too," she added,as the Wistmores started up the long flight of stairs to their rooms.
"I'll put Rene to bed while you dress up a bit," offered Jack, taking thelittle boy by the hand, and preparing to leave Desire.
She detained him, however, and asked in a low tone, "What about--?"motioning toward the door of h
er room, which Priscilla had entered aheadof her.
"Trot on into that room across the hall, Renny," directed Jack, startinghim in the right direction; "and see how nearly ready for bed you can getbefore I come."
"Although she is far too young for dances," he continued, "since it isthe custom here for girls of her age to attend them, I should haveallowed her to go; but in the light of this afternoon's escapade, I thinkshe should be deprived of the pleasure. Don't you?"
"Y--e--s; I suppose so; but I'm afraid she'll make a fuss, for sheexpects to go. And I do hate to disappoint her."
Without replying, Jack stepped into the room where his younger sister wasstanding before an old-fashioned mirror combing her hair.
"Priscilla," he began quietly, "you weren't counting on going to thedance; were you?"
"Yes, I am," she retorted quickly, turning to face him. "You heard Mrs.Riboux say that girls of my age go."
"That is not the point at all. What about this afternoon's disobedience?"
"It wasn't my fault that I met that awful animal," she muttered, halfunder her breath.
"You are being purposely stupid, Priscilla. You know very well that youwere deliberately disobedient in not following the wagon as I told youto. If you can't obey, we shall all have a miserable summer. To impressthat fact on your mind, you must stay right here in your room until wecome back; that is, unless Rene wants something."
Jack crossed the hall to his own room, and Desire looked pityingly on hersister, who had thrown herself into a chair beside the window and wasgiving way to tears. There was no use trying to reason with Priscillawhen the child was in one of these moods; so she went about her ownpreparations for the evening, in silence; but considerable of her ownpleasure was taken out of the prospect.
Before leaving, she stooped over the big chair in which the little girlcrouched, put her arms around her, and kissed her affectionately withoutspeaking. Priscilla also said nothing, but she returned the kiss; andDesire, recognizing the act as the beginning of a return to normalconditions, felt happier about leaving her.
Ormand and Prudence Riboux were evidently very popular among the youngfolks of the country; and they introduced their guests to so many boysand girls that the Wistmores were never at a loss for partners.
"Wasn't it _fun_!" cried Desire joyously, as she said goodnight to Jackin the dim upper hall, lighted only by their two candles. "Didn't youhave a good time?"
"Yes, I did."
"And just think, we've made some new friends already. I like the Ribouxfamily."
"So do I; they're fine people," agreed Jack absentmindedly. He wasthinking about tomorrow's trip into the Clare District. That was going tobe the hardest part of the route, going through their old home and itsneighboring towns.
"Jack!" cried Desire, as she entered her room. "Prissy's gone!"