CHAPTER XIV--"WHY! OF COURSE!"
"I hope you told that Caslon woman, Mother, to keep those brats fromboiling over upon our premises," said Mr. Steele, cheerfully, at dinnerthat evening, when the story of the day's adventures was pretty welltold.
"Really, John, I had no time. _Such_ a crowd of eels---- Well! whatevershe may deserve," said Mrs. Steele, shaking her head, "I am sure shedoes not deserve the trouble those fresh air children will bring her.And she--she seems like such a nice old lady."
"Who's a nice old lady?" demanded her husband, from the other end of thelong table, rather sharply.
"Farmer Caslon's wife."
"Humph! I don't know what she is; I know what _he_ is, however. No doubtof that. He's the most unreasonable----"
"Well, they'll have their hands full with all those young ones," laughedMadge Steele, breaking in upon her father, perhaps because she did notwish him to reveal any further to her guests his ideas upon this topic.
"What under the sun can they do it for?" demanded Lluella Fairfax.
"Just think of troubling one's self with a parcel of ill-bred childrenlike those orphanage kids," added Belle Tingley.
"Oh, they do it just to bother the neighbors, of course," growledBobbins, who naturally believed all his father said, or thought, to bejust right.
"They take a world of trouble on themselves, then, to spite theirneighbors," laughed Mercy Curtis, in her sharp way. "That's cuttingone's nose off to spite one's face, sure enough!"
"Goodness only knows _why_ they do it," began Madge, when Ruth, whocould keep in no longer, now the topic had become generally discussedamong the young people, exclaimed:
"Both the farmer and his wife look to be very kindly and jolly sort ofpeople. I am sure they have no idea of troubling other folk with thechildren they take to board. They must be, I think, very charitable, aswell as very fond of children."
"Trust Ruth for seeing the best side of it," laughed Heavy.
"And the right side, too, I bet," murmured Tom Cameron.
"We'll hope so," said Mr. Steele, rather grimly. "But if Caslon letsthem trespass on my land, he'll hear about it, sharp and plenty!"
Now, it so happened, that not twenty-four hours had passed before thepresence of the "fresh air kids" was felt upon the sacred premises ofSunrise Farm. It was very hot that next day, and the girls remained inthe shade, or played a desultory game of tennis, or two, or knocked thecroquet balls around a bit, refusing to go tramping through the woodswith the boys to a pond where it was said the fish would bite.
"So do the mosquitoes--I know them," said Mercy Curtis, when the boysstarted. "Be honest about it, now; I bet you get ten mosquito bites toevery fish-bite. Tell us when you get back."
Late in the afternoon the rural mail carrier was due and Ruth, Helen,Madge and Heavy started for the gate on the main road where the Steeleshad their letter box.
A little woolly dog ran after Madge--her mother's pet. "Come on,Toodles!" she said, and then all four girls started to race with Toodlesdown to the gate.
Suddenly Toodles spied something more entertaining to bark at and caperabout than the girls' skirts. A cat was slipping through the bushesbeside the wall, evidently on the trail of some unconscious bird.Toodles, uttering a glad "yap, yap, yap!" started for the cat.
Two tousled, curly heads appeared at the gateway. Below the uncappedheads were two thin bodies just of a size, clothed in shirts andoveralls of blue.
"Hello, kiddies!" said Heavy. "How did you get here?"
"On our feet--didn't we, Dickie?" responded Master Willie.
"Yep," said Dickie.
"Oh, dear me! Toodles will hurt that cat!" cried Madge. "One of you boysrun and save her--save kitty!" she begged.
But as the youngsters started off as per direction, the cat turnedsavagely upon Toodles. She snarled like a wildcat, leaped for hisfur-covered back, and laid in with her claws in a way that made the pupyell with fright and pain.
"Oh, never mind the cat! Help Toodles! Help Toodles!" wailed Madge,seeing her pet in such dire trouble.
The youngsters stopped with disgust, as Toodles went kiting up the hill,yelping.
"Pshaw!" exclaimed Willie. "Toodles don't need helpin'. Did'ye ever seesuch a dog? What he needs is a nurse--don't he, Dickie?"
"Yep," declared the oracular Dickie, with emphasis.
Heavy dropped down on the grass and rolled. As the cat had quicklyreturned from the chase, Madge and Helen joined her. It was too funny.The "terrible twins" were just slipping out of the gate, when Ruthcalled to them.
"Don't go yet, boys. Are you having a good time?"
"We ain't allowed in here," said Willie.
"Who told you so?"
"The short, fat man with the squinty eyes and the cane," declaredWillie, in a matter of fact way.
"Short--fat--squinty---- My goodness! I wonder if he can mean my father?"exclaimed Madge, inclined to be offended.
"But you can stand there and talk with us," said Ruth, strolling towardthe boys. "So you are having a nice time at Mr. Caslon's?"
"Bully--ain't we, Dickie?"
"Yep," agreed the echo.
"And you won't be glad to go back to the orphanage when you have toleave here?"
"Say, who ever was glad to go to a 'sylum?" demanded Willie, with scorn.
"And you can't remember any other home, either of you?" asked Ruth, withpity.
"Huh! we 'member just the same things. Our ages is just alike, they be,"said Willie, with scorn.
"They have you there, Ruth," chuckled Heavy.
Ruth Fielding was really interested in the two youngsters. "And you areall alone in the world?" she pursued.
"Nope. We gotter sister."
"Oh! so you said."
"And it's so, too. She used ter be at the 'sylum," explained Willie."But they sent her off to live with somebody. And we was tried out by alady and a gentleman, too; but we was too much work for the lady. Wemade too much extry washin'," said Willie, solemnly.
"My goodness me!" exclaimed Ruth, suddenly. "What are your names?"
"I'm Willie; he's Dickie."
"But Willie and Dickie _what_?" demanded the startled Ruth.
"No, ma'am. It ain't that. It's Raby," declared the youngster, coolly."And our sister, _she's_ Sadie Raby. She's awful smart and some day, shetold us, she's goin' to come an' steal us from the 'sylum, and thenwe'll all live together and keep house."
"Will you hear this, Helen?" demanded Ruth, eagerly, to her chum who hadrun to her.
"Why, of course! we might have known as much, if we had been smart.These are the twins Sadie told you about. And we never guessed!"