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"SHE FED THE GOLD-FISH, ... SHE TRIED AMUSEMENTS OFVARIOUS SORTS, BUT NONE SEEMED TO INTEREST HER."
_Busy Days._ _Page_ 144]
MARJORIE'S BUSY DAYS
BY CAROLYN WELLS
AUTHOR OF THE "PATTY" BOOKS
GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
Made in the United States of America
Copyright, 1906 By DODD, MEAD & COMPANY Published, October, 1908
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I A JOLLY GOOD GAME 1
II AN EXASPERATING GUEST 15
III PICNIC PLANS 28
IV AN OURDAY 43
V A NOVEL PICNIC 55
VI THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 72
VII THE JINKS CLUB 84
VIII SPELLING TROUBLES 99
IX A REAL ADVENTURE 114
X IN INKY PLIGHT 130
XI THE HALLOWE'EN PARTY 143
XII TOTTY AND DOTTY 159
XIII A FAIR EXCHANGE? 172
XIV A NOBLE SOCIETY 190
XV DISTURBED CITIZENS 204
XVI ROSY POSY'S CHOICE 220
XVII A SUBSTITUTE GUEST 235
XVIII THANKSGIVING DAY 252
XIX A SPOOL OF YARNS 265
XX THE CHARITY BAZAAR 278
CHAPTER I
A JOLLY GOOD GAME
"What do you say, King, railroad smash-up or shipwreck?"
"I say shipwreck, with an _awfully_ desert island."
"I say shipwreck, too," said Kitty, "but I don't want to swim ashore."
"All right," agreed Marjorie, "shipwreck, then. I'll get the cocoanuts."
"Me, too," chimed in Rosy Posy. "Me tumble in the wet water, too!"
The speakers in this somewhat enigmatical conversation were the fourMaynard children, and they were deciding on their morning's occupation.It was a gorgeous day in early September. The air, without being toocool, was just crisp enough to make one feel energetic, though indeedno special atmospheric conditions were required to make the fourMaynards feel energetic. That was their normal state, and if they werespecially gay and lively this morning, it was not because of the brisk,breezy day, but because they were reunited after their summer'sseparation.
Though they had many friends among the neighboring children, theMaynards were a congenial quartette, and had equally good times playingby themselves or with others. Their home occupied a whole block in theprettiest residence part of Rockwell, and the big square house sat inthe midst of about seven acres of lawn and garden.
There were many fine old trees, grassy paths, and informal flower-beds,and here the children were allowed to do whatever they chose, butoutside the place, without permission, they must not go.
There was a playground, a tennis court, and a fountain, but better thanthese they liked the corner full of fruit trees, called "the orchard,"and another corner, where grapes grew on trellises, called "thevineyard." The barn and its surroundings, too, often proved attractive,for the Maynards' idea of playing were by no means confined to quiet ordecorous games.
The house itself was surrounded by broad verandas, and on the southernone of these, in the morning sunshine, the four held conclave.
Kingdon, the eldest, was the only boy, and oftener than not his will waslaw. But this was usually because he had such splendid ideas about gamesand how to play them, that his sisters gladly fell in with his plans.
But Marjorie was not far behind her brother in ingenuity, and when theyall set to work, or rather, set to play, the games often became veryelaborate and exciting. "Shipwreck" was always a favorite, because itcould develop in so many ways. Once they were shipwrecked no rescue waspossible, unless help appeared from some unexpected quarter. It might bea neighbor's child coming to see them, or it might be a servant, or oneof their own parents, but really rescued they must be by actualoutsiders. Unless, indeed, they could build a raft and save themselves,but this they had never accomplished.
The desert island was selected, and this time they chose a certaingrassy knoll under an immense old maple tree.
Marjorie disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, and, after a time,came back with a small basket, apparently well-filled.
With this she scampered away to the "desert island," and soon returned,swinging the empty basket. Tossing this into the house, she announcedthat she was ready.
Then the four went to the big, double, wooden swing, and got in.
Kitty carried her doll, Arabella, from which she was seldom separated,and Rosy Posy hugged her big white Teddy Bear, who was named Boffin andwho accompanied the baby on all expeditions.
The swing, to-day, was an ocean steamer.
"Have your tickets ready!" called out Kingdon, as his passengers swarmedup the gangplank, which he had thoughtfully laid from the ground to thelow step of the swing.
Soon they were all on board, the gangplank drawn in, and the shipstarted.
At first all went smoothly. The swing swayed gently back and forth, andthe passengers admired the beautiful scenery on either side. TheCaptain had never crossed an ocean, and the nearest he had come to ithad been a sail up the Hudson and a trip to Coney Island. His localcolor, therefore, was a bit mixed, but his passengers were none thewiser, or if they were, they didn't care.
"On the right, we see West Point!" the Captain shouted, pointing totheir own house. "That's where the soldiers come from. The noblesoldiers who fight for the land of the free and the home of the brave."
"Are you a soldier, sir?" asked Marjorie.
"Yes, madam; I am a veteran of the Civil War. But as there's no fightingto do now, I run this steamer."
"A fine ship it is," observed Kitty.
"It is that! No finer craft sails the waves than this."
"What is that mountain in the distance?" asked Marjorie, shading hereyes with her hand as she looked across the street.
"That's a--a peak of the Rockies, ma'am. And now we are passing thefamous statue of 'Liberty Enlightening the World.'"
As the statue to which Kingdon pointed was really Mrs. Maynard, who hadcome out on the veranda, and stood with her hand high against a post,the children shouted with laughter.
But this was quickly suppressed, as part of the fun of making-believewas to keep grave about it.
"Is your daughter ill, madam?" asked Marjorie of Kitty, whose doll hungover her arm in a dejected way.
"No, indeed!" cried Kitty, righting poor Arabella. "She is as well asanything. Only she's a little afraid of the ocean. It seems to begetting rougher."
It did seem so. The swing was not only going more rapidly, but wasjoggling from side to side.
"Don't be alarmed, ladies," said the gallant Captain; "there's nodanger, I assure you."
"I'm not afraid of the sea," said Marjorie, "as much as I am of thatfearful wild bear. Will he bite?"
"No," said Kingdon, looking at Rosy Posy. "That's his trainer who isholding him. He's a wonderful man with wild beasts. He's--he's BuffaloBill. Speak up, Rosy Posy; you're Buffalo Bill, and that's a bearyou're taking home to your show."
"Ess," said Rosamond, who was somewhat versed in make-believe plays,"I'se Buf
faro Bill; an' 'is is my big, big bear."
"Will he bite?" asked Kitty, shrinking away in fear, and protectingArabella with one arm.
"Ess! He bites awful!" Rosy Posy's eyes opened wide as she exploited herBear's ferocity, and Boffin made mad dashes at Arabella, who dulyshrieked with fear.
But now the ship began to pitch and toss fearfully. The Captain stood upin his excitement, but that only seemed to make the motion worse.
"Is there danger?" cried Marjorie, in tragic tones, as she gripped thebelt of King's Norfolk jacket. "Give me this life-preserver; I don't seeany other."
"They are under the seats!" shouted the Captain, who was now greatlyexcited. "I cannot deceive you! We are in great danger! We may strike arock any minute! Put on life-preservers, all of you. They are under theseats."
The other three scrambled for imaginary life-preservers, and vigorouslyput them on, when, with a terrific yell, Kingdon cried out:
"We have struck! We're on a rock! The ship is settling; we must all bedrowned. We are lost! Launch the boats!"
This was a signal for shrieks and wails from the others, and in a minuteit was pandemonium. The four screamed and groaned, the swing shookviolently, and then came almost to a standstill.
Kingdon fell out with a bounce and lay prone on the ground. Marjoriesprang out, and as she reached the ground, struck out like a swimmer inthe water.
Kitty daintily stepped out, remarking: "This is a fine life-preserver. Ican stand straight up in the water."
Baby Rosamond bundled out backward, dropping Boffin as she did so.
"The bear, the bear!" screamed Kingdon, and swimming a few strokes alongthe soft, green grass, he grabbed the bear and waved him aloft.
"What can we do!" stammered Marjorie, panting for breath. "I've swumtill I'm exhausted. Must I drown!" With a wail, she turned on her eyeson the grass, and closing her eyes, prepared to sink beneath the waves.
"Do not despair," urged Kingdon, as he grasped her arm. "Perhaps we canfind a plank or a raft. Or perhaps we can yet swim ashore."
"How many survivors are we?" asked Marjorie, sitting up in the water andlooking about.
"Four," responded Kitty; "but I won't swim. It makes my dress allgreeny, and stubs my shoes out."
Kitty was the only Maynard who was finicky about her clothes. It calledforth much derision from her elder brother and sister, but she stoodfirm. She would play their plays, until it came to "swimming" acrossgrass and earth, and there she rebelled.
"All right," said Kingdon, good-naturedly, "you needn't. There's araft," pointing to what had been the gangplank. "Cannot you and yourinfant daughter manage to get ashore on that? This other lady is anexpert swimmer, and I think she can reach land, while Buffalo Bill will,of course, save himself."
"Me save myself!" exclaimed Rosy Posy, gleefully. She had no objectionsto swimming on land, and throwing her fat self down flat, kickedvigorously, and assisted Boffin to swim by her side.
Kitty and Arabella arranged themselves on the raft, which Kittypropelled by a series of hitches. The shipwrecked sufferers thus madetheir way toward the desert island. There were several narrow escapesfrom drowning, but they generously assisted each other, and once whenKitty fell off her raft, the noble Captain offered to take Arabella onhis own broad and stalwart back.
Buffalo Bill frequently forgot she was in the tossing ocean, and walkedupright on her own fat legs.
But King said she was only "treading water," go that was all right.
At last they sighted land, and by a mighty effort, and much encouragingof one another, they managed to reach the shore of the island.Exhausted, Marjorie threw herself on the beach, and the half-drownedCaptain also dragged himself up on dry land. Kitty skilfully brought herraft ashore, and stepped out, exclaiming: "Saved! But to what a fate!"
This was one of their favorite lines, and Marjorie weakly opened hereyes to respond:
"Methinks I shall not see to-morrow's sun!"
"Hist!" whispered Kingdon, "say no word, lady. There may be cannibalshere!"
"Tannibals!" cried Buffalo Bill. "I 'ike Tannibals. Where is zey?"
Somewhat revived, Kingdon began to look round the desert island to seewhat its nature might be.
"We have escaped one terrible death!" he declared, "only to meetanother. We must starve! This is a desert island exactly in the middleof the Pacific Ocean. No steamers pass here; no sailing vessels orferryboats or,--or anything!"
"Oh! What shall we do?" moaned Kitty, clasping her hands in despair. "Myprecious Arabella! Already she is begging for food."
"We must consider," said Marjorie, sitting up, and looking about her."If there is nothing else, we must kill the bear and eat him."
"No, no!" screamed Rosy Posy. "No, no eat my Boffin Bear."
"I will explore," said Kingdon. "Come, Buffalo Bill, we are the men ofthis party, we will go all over the island and see what may be found inthe way of food. Perhaps we will find cocoanuts."
"Ess," said Buffalo Bill, slipping her little hand in her brother's,"an' we'll take Boffin, so he won't get all killded."
"And while you're gone," said Marjorie, "we will dry our drippinggarments and mend them."
"Yes," said Kitty, "with needles and thread out of my bag. I brought abig bag of all sorts of things, like Robinson Crusoe."
"That wasn't Robinson Crusoe," said King, "it was Mrs. Swiss Robinson."
"Oh, so it was! Well, it doesn't matter, I brought the bag, anyway."
The two brave men went away, and returned in a surprisingly short timewith a surprising amount of food.
"These are cocoanuts," announced Kingdon, as he displayed four oranges."I had to climb the tall palm trees to reach them. But no hardships ordangers are too great to assist fair ladies."
The fair ladies expressed great delight at the gallant Captain's deed,and asked Buffalo Bill what she had secured.
"Edds," said Rosy Posy, triumphantly, and, sure enough, in her tinyskirt, which she held gathered up before her, were three eggs and acracker.
The eggs were hard-boiled, and were promptly appropriated by the threeelder victims of the shipwreck, while the cracker fell to the share ofBuffalo Bill, who was not yet of an age to eat hard-boiled eggs.
"I, too, will make search!" cried Marjorie. "Methinks there may yet befood which you overlooked."
As Marjorie had brought the food to the desert island only an hourbefore, it was not impossible that she might find some more, so they lether go to make search. She returned with a paper bag of crackers andanother of pears.
"These are bread fruit," she announced, showing the crackers; "and theseare wild pears. This is indeed a fruitful island, and we're lucky to bewrecked on such a good one."
"Lucky, indeed!" agreed the Captain. "Why, when I discovered those eggson a rocky ledge, I knew at once they were gulls' eggs."
"And how fortunate that they're boiled," said Kitty. "I can't bear raweggs."
The shipwrecked sufferers then spread out their food, and sat down to apleasant meal, for the Maynard children had convenient appetites, andcould eat at almost any hour of the day.