CHAPTER III
A TRIAL TRIP
Owing to some unexpected delay, the automobile didn't arrive untilWednesday. But when at last it came whirring up the drive, the assembledMaynards on the veranda greeted it with shouts of approval.
"Did you ever see such a beauty!" cried Marjorie, as she danced aroundthe new car, and clambering up on the farther side, jumped over theclosed door, and fell plump into one of the cushioned seats.
"Oh, Mopsy!" cried her father, "that isn't the way to get in."
"I don't care,--I am in! And it's just great in here! Why, there's roomenough for a whole party."
The chauffeur who brought the car seemed a little surprised at the anticsof the children, for he was a stolid Englishman, and not much accustomedto American exuberance.
Mr. Maynard had engaged him on the best recommendations, and felt surethat he was a trust-worthy and capable man. His name was Pompton, and hewas large and muscular, with a face that was grave but not ill-natured.
Kingdon made friends with him at once, and climbing up into the seatbeside him, asked innumerable questions about the various parts of themachine.
"Suppose we go at once for a trial spin," proposed Mr. Maynard, andalmost before he had completed his sentence, a chorus of assent rose inresponse.
"Oh, do, Father," cried King; "and let me stay here in front, so I cansee how it works."
"Some other time you may do that, King, but this time I want to sit infront myself, so hop out, and take one of the orchestra chairs."
"All right, sir," and King tumbled out, and flew around to the other sideof the car. Mrs. Maynard, Kitty, and Rosamond were already seated in thewide, comfortable back seat. This left two seats in the tonneau for Kingand Marjorie, and with Mr. Maynard in front, by the side of Pompton, thecar offered perfect accommodations for the Maynard family. It was a bigtouring car of a most approved make, and up-to-date finish. The top couldbe opened or closed at will, and there were many appurtenances and clevercontrivances for comfort, designed to add to the delights of a long tour.
The family had been so eager to start at once that they had not paused toget hats or wraps, and as the top was down, the strong breeze blew theirhair all about, and also made conversation a little difficult.
But the Maynard children were not baffled by difficulties, and theyraised their voices until they were audible in spite of the wind.
"Isn't it magnificent!" screamed Marjorie, pulling at King's collar toattract his attention.
"Perfectly gorgiferous!--and then some!" he yelled back, a littlepreoccupied in manner, because he was leaning over the chauffeur'sshoulder, in his impatience to learn how to run the machine.
They went flying through the streets of Rockwell, and out into thecountry for a little run. Then as they were to start on their tour nextday, Mrs. Maynard declared they must be turning homeward.
"Oh, Father," cried Marjorie, "after Mother gets out, mayn't we takeDelight out for a few moments? Even only just around the block?"
"Will she care to go, Mopsy? You know an automobile isn't such awonderful novelty to her as it is to you."
"Oh, yes, she'll care to go in ours,--and anyway I mean just for aminute."
"All right then, chickabiddy; we'll put Mother and Baby out, then we'lltake Delight around the block, and that'll be about all for to-day."
So Mrs. Maynard and Rosy Posy were deposited on their own doorstep, andthe big red car flew across the street to give Delight an exhibitionof its glories.
She was glad to go, but she was far from being as enthusiastic as theMaynard children, for Delight was a timid little girl, and never feltentirely at her ease in a fast-flying motor. She nestled in the back seatbetween Marjorie and Kitty, and grasped both their hands when the carswung swiftly around a corner.
Then they happened to meet Flip Henderson walking along the street, andthey picked him up as an extra passenger, and then Kitty said: "Oh, nowwe've got the whole Jinks Club except Dorothy Adams. Do let's stop forher, Father, and then go round one more block."
Good-natured Mr. Maynard consented, and though there was no vacant seat,Dorothy was bundled in somehow, and the crowd of shouting, laughingchildren were driven around several blocks.
The quiet little town of Rockwell was amazed at the sight, and thought itmust be some new kind of a circus advertisement, until they realized thatit was the Maynard family, and people had long ceased to be surprised atwhat the Maynards did.
But at last the children who were not Maynards were left at theirrespective homes, and the big red car again turned in at its own home.
"Where are you going to keep it, Father?" asked King, as they allscrambled out.
"I shall have a garage built on the place as soon as we get back; but forto-night our pet will have to sleep in other lodgings. Skip into thehouse now, you children, for I want to talk to Pompton without theinterruption of a crowd of chatter-boxes."
So the three went into the house and stood together at a front window,flattening their noses against the glass, as they looked out at their newtreasure. King was in the middle, behind his two sisters, with an armaround both their necks, and he explained to them in a very learned way,a great many points about the machine that they did not understand. Hisexplanations were far from being correct or true, but as he didn't knowthat, nor the girls either, it really made no difference.
At last Pompton drove away with the car, and they watched it disappeardown the street, and then turned to greet Mr. Maynard as he entered.
Marjorie went straight up to her father, and stood in front of him.
"I do think you are the most wonderful Father in the whole world," shesaid, eyeing him in a judicial manner.
"And the grandest!" said Kitty, snuggling herself in under his arm.
"And the tip-toppest!" declared King, grasping his father's other hand.
"Well, well!" exclaimed Mr. Maynard, dropping into an armchair, "I amcertainly catching some fine compliments! And I'd like to return them.I don't mind confessing that I think you young people just about thehighest class of goods in the market!"
"But we're not as splendid as you are," said Marjorie, thoughtfully;"because you do things for us, and we never do anything for you."
"Oh, yes, you do," returned her father; "you do all I want you to, byjust living, and growing, and trying to behave yourselves properly."
"But we don't always do that," said Kitty, with a repentant air.
"You do, Kit," said King, generously, "you're always good. Mops and I arethe ones that slip up."
"It's human nature to slip up occasionally," said Mr. Maynard, "but Ithink on the whole my kiddies do pretty well. Now, as you know, we startto-morrow for Grandma Sherwood's, and while I'm not going to give you alecture on the subject, I _am_ going to ask you to behave pretty fairlywell while you're at her house. You know she's not as young as she oncewas, and a lot of mischievous children may make her a great deal oftrouble if they wish to,--or they can refrain from doing so. Need I sayany more?"
"Not another word, Father," declared Marjorie; "I promise to be as goodas pie,--custard pie!"
"And I'll be as good as mince pie," said King, "you can't beat that!"
"Yes, I can," said Kitty; "I shall be as good as lemon meringuepie,--with a high, fluffy meringue, and little browny wiggles all overthe top."
"You've struck it, Kit," said her brother, admiringly; "that _is_ thebest kind of pie,--and you'll be the best of the Maynard bunch! Say,Kitty, doesn't it hurt you to be so good?"
"No," said Kitty, placidly, "I like it."
There was not much fun in teasing Kitty, she was too matter-of-fact, soKing turned his attentions to Marjorie, and with apparent innocencekicked out his foot just in time for her to stumble over it. This led toa general scrimmage, in which two Maynards, two sofa-pillows, and afootstool became very much tangled up, and Mr. Maynard and Kitty satsmiling indulgently at them, with the air of enjoying the performance andnot caring to take part in it.
Of course th
e dinner hour and all the hours until bedtime were occupiedin conversation about the projected trip, and when at last the littleMaynards were tucked into bed, their dreams still continued to hoveraround the same subject.
* * * * *
The next day proved to be most kindly disposed as to weather, and thebrilliant May sunshine sparkled on the big red car as it stood waitingfor its passengers.
There was more or less hurry and scurry of getting ready, but the elderMaynards were of systematic and methodical habits, so that reallyeverything was ready ahead of time. Two trunks had been sent on byexpress to Grandma Sherwood's, and one large trunk which was to accompanythem on their trip, was already fastened in place at the back of the car.
The children all had new motor coats of pongee, which they could wearover other wraps if necessary. The girls also had fascinating littlehoods of shirred silk, Marjorie's being rose color, and Kitty's blue.They greatly admired themselves and each other in these costumes, andMarjorie declared it gave her a trippy feeling just to look at them.
They started at ten o'clock. Mrs. Maynard and Kitty sat back withRosamond between them. Midget and King in the next two seats, and Mr.Maynard in front with the chauffeur.
They went flying down the drive to a chorus of good-byes from theservants, who assembled to see them off, and who would take care of thehouse in their absence.
As they whizzed across the street, and paused for a moment in front ofDelight's house, Delight and Miss Hart came running down to wave agood-bye, and their hands were full of flowers which they flung into theautomobile all over its merry occupants.
"Good-bye, good-bye!" they called, for the Maynards had not stopped, butmerely slowed down a little, and were now again speeding on their way.Marjorie and King stood up in their places, and waved handkerchiefs andflowers, and shouted good-bye until they could no longer be seen orheard.
"Now we are really started," said Marjorie, settling back into her seatwith an air of great satisfaction. "Having all these flowers thrown at usseems like a wedding trip or something. There's not nearly so much windto-day, and then, with this hood, my hair doesn't blow about so, anyway.Oh, Father, I'm awful hungry! Can't we stop at the grocer's and get someginger-snaps and apples?"
"You've just had your breakfast, but I suppose automobile kiddies musthave something to nibble on!" So a stop was made at the grocer's, and asupply of ginger-snaps and apples was added to their other luggage.
Mr. Hiller, the grocer, was very much interested in the motor party, andcame out himself to wish them good speed.
"I don't know what Rockwell will do without the Maynard tribe," he said;"you youngsters keep things lively around town. And you're going to beaway a month, you say. Well, well!"
"Perhaps it's a good thing to give the town a little rest, Mr. Hiller,"said Mr. Maynard, laughing.
"No, sir; no, sir; them children of yours never does anything vicious.Full of mischief they may be, full of fun they may be, but never reallynaughty. No, no!"
Mr. Maynard expressed a laughing appreciation of these compliments, andthen they started once more.
"Now we're really off," said King, "we won't have to stop again."
"Oh, I think most of the fun is stopping," said Marjorie; "I love to stopand then go on again. Perhaps we can get out and pick some wild flowersor wade in a brook."
"Not to-day," said her father, "but some days you may do that to yourheart's content. The whole trip is going to be just one long picnic, andwe're going to get all the fun out of it we possibly can."
"I think it's delicious," said Kitty, in her quiet way; "I think it'sfun enough just to glide along like this, with the blue sky shining allover us, and the trees waving their boughs at us, and even the fencesjig-jigging along at our side."
"You're so poetical, Kitty," said Marjorie; "I love the blue sky and thegreen trees too, but just now I want to see a red apple and a brownginger-snap!"
"Midget, I believe you could eat at any time," said her mother, laughing.
"Yes, I could," said Midget, contentedly, "'cept when I've just hadenough. And I do feel like eating, but I feel like singing, too."
"You can't do both at once," said her brother.
"No, but I can do first one and then the other. Now I'll tell you,Father, what to do. You make a little song for us, while I eat thisapple. A kind of a little motor song, you know."
So while Marjorie ate her apple, and the other children engaged in thesame pursuit, Mr. Maynard made a little song for them.
This was a favorite game of the Maynards. Father Maynard had a knack ofturning off verses, and they usually sang them to some well-known air, orperhaps made up a little crooning tune of their own.
So when the apples were finished and the cores flung away, Mr. Maynardlined out his little song, and the children quickly learned it.
After two or three attempts they were able to sing it correctly, and theystowed it away in their memory as one of their favorite songs, and atintervals throughout the day their young voices filled the air with thesesentiments:
"Very happy the Maynards are;Taking a tour in their motor carGaily to Grandma's lickety-splitMarjorie, Rosamond, Kingdon, and KitMothery, fathery, also along,--Gaily we sing our motor car song! Hooray, hooray! For our holidayMay for the Maynards! Maynards for May!"