CHAPTER VI
A VISIT TO MR. CARFORD
"Freddie, what in the world are you doing?"
"Flossie! Oh dear! You children! You have the place all upset!"
Mrs. Bobbsey, who had come into the big living room, to see the twoyounger twins engaged in some strange proceedings, paused at the doorwayto look on. Indeed the place was upset, for the chairs had been draggedout from against the walls and from corners to be placed in a row beforea large sofa. From one corner of this to a side wall was stretched asheet, and in another corner, in a pen made of chairs, could be seen thewagging tail of Snap, the trick dog.
"What in the world are you doing?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, dear, how Ido dread a rainy day!" for it was pouring outside, and the older, aswell as the younger twins had to stay in doors.
"We're playing circus," explained Freddie gravely, as he peered betweenthe "bars" of the cage made of chairs. "Snap is a lion," went on thelittle fellow. "Growl, Snap!"
And Snap, always ready to have fun, growled and barked to satisfy themost exacting circus lover.
"Oh dear!" cried Mrs. Bobbsey. "I'll never get this room straightenedout again."
"Oh, we'll fix it, mamma, after the circus," said Flossie sweetly. "Sitdown and see the show. I'll make Snoop do some of the tricks the fatcircus lady taught her," and Flossie lifting up one corner of the sheet,showed the black cat curled up on a cushion, while back of her, tied byone leg, was Downy the pet duck.
"This was going to be the happy family cage," explained Flossie, "onlywhen we had Snap in here he kept playing with Downy, and Downy quackedand that made Snoop nervous so we couldn't do it very well."
"So we made Snap the lion, and part of the time he's going to be thetiger," said Freddie. "Dinah is going to give us some blueing that sheuses on the clothes, and I'm going to paint stripes on Snap."
"Don't you dare do it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "The idea of painting bluestripes on poor Snap! Whoever heard of a blue-striped tiger?" and shetried hard not to laugh.
"Well, this is a new kind," said Freddie. "Sit down, mamma, and we'llmake Snoop do a trick for you. Make her chase her tail, Flossie."
"No, I'll make her walk a tight rope," said the little girl. "That'smore of a trick."
Flossie got her jumping rope, which she had little use for now, and tiedit from the back of one chair to the back of another, placed somedistance away. Then she pulled the rope tight between them, and, takingSnoop up in her arms, placed the cat carefully on the stretched rope.
Snoop stood still for a minute, meowing a little and waving her tailback and forth. Poor Snoop! The black cat did not like to do tricks aswell as did Snap. No cats do. But Snap, when he saw what was going on,was eager to show off what he could do.
He leaped about in his chair "cage," barking loudly, much to the delightof Freddie who liked to hear the "lion" roar.
"Go on, Snoop!" called the twins, and gave the cat a gentle shove. ThenSnoop did really walk across the rope, for it was almost as easy aswalking the back fence, which Snoop had often done. Only the rope wasnot as steady as the fence. But the fat circus lady had trained theblack cat well, and Snoop performed the trick to the delight of thechildren.
"That is very good," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Oh, see! Snap is turning asomersault in his cage. Poor dog, let him out, Freddie; won't you?"
"He isn't a dog--he's a lion," insisted the little boy. "I dassen't letout a lion, or he might bite you."
But Snap had no idea of playing the lion all the while. Suddenly Downy,the duck, with a loud quack, got her leg loose from the string and flewout across the room. This so surprised Snoop, who had started back overthe tight rope, that he fell off with a cry of alarm.
This was too much for Snap, who evidently did not think he was havinghis share of the fun. With a loud bark and a rush he burst from his cageof chairs, intent on playing with Snoop, for he and the cat were greatfriends.
Just at that moment fat Dinah, the colored cook, came into the room toask Mrs. Bobbsey something. Snoop, seeing the open door, and being tiredof doing tricks for the children, made a dash to get out, darting underDinah's skirts.
Snap, thinking this was part of the game, rushed after his friend thecat, but when he tried to dive underneath Dinah's dress there was anaccident.
He knocked the feet from under the fat cook, and she sat down on thefloor with a force that jarred the whole house, just missing sitting onSnap.
"Fo' de lub ob goodness what am de mattah?" cried Dinah. "Am it anearfquake Mrs. Bobbsey?"
"I don't know, Dinah!" exclaimed Mrs. Bobbsey, wanting to laugh, and yetnot wishing to hurt Dinah's feelings. "The children said it was acircus, I believe. Here, Snap!" she called, as the dog rushed on afterSnoop.
Just then Downy, the duck, sailed back across the room, and lightedsquarely on Dinah's black and kinky head, where the fowl perched"honking" loudly.
"Good land ob massy!" murmured Dinah over and over again. "Mo' trouble!"
Flossie and Freddie were so surprised at the sudden ending of theircircus that they did not know what to do. Then they both raced tocapture the duck.
"One of the dining-room windows is open!" called Freddie. "If Downyflies out he'll freeze. Grab him, Dinah!"
"Chile!" cried the colored cook slowly, "I ain't got bref enough lef toketch eben a mosquito. But yo'-all don't need to worry none about dishyeah duck gittin loose. His feet am all tangled up in mah wool, an' Iguess you'l hab t' help git 'em loose, chilluns!"
It was indeed so. Downy's webbed feet were fast in Dinah's kinky hair,and it took some time to disentangle them. Then the cook could get up,which she did with many a sigh and groan.
"Are you hurt, Dinah?" asked Flossie. "If you are you can come to ourcircus for nothing; can't she, Freddie?"
"Yes," he answered, "only we haven't got a circus now. It's all goneexcept Downy."
"Well, I think you have played enough circus for to-day," said Mrs.Bobbsey "Straighten up the room now, and have some other kind of fun."
The dog and cat, satisfied to get out of their cages, had gone to thekitchen, where they could generally find something good to eat. ThenFlossie and Freddie were kept busy putting back the chairs, and settingthe room in order.
It was a day or so after the return of Mr. Bobbsey from his businesstrip, and though Bert had asked his father about Mr. Carford, the lumberdealer had not yet had time to give any explanation.
"It is quite a little story," he said. "I'll tell you about it sometime, Bert. But now I have a lot of back work to catch up with, onaccount of being away so long, and I'll have to go to the office early,and I'll be late getting home."
So the little incident had not yet been explained. The Christmasholidays were drawing nearer, and there were busy times in the Bobbseyhousehold. Flossie and Freddie were expecting a visit from Santa Claus,and they wrote many letters to the dear old saint, telling what theywished to receive.
"But have you thought of what you are going to _give?_" asked Mrs.Bobbsey one day, a short time before Christmas. "It is more fun to givethings than it is to get them, you know."
"Is it?" asked Flossie, who had never heard of it in that way before.
"Indeed it is," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "You just try it. If you have anytoys you don't care for any more, or even some that you do, and wish togive away, or books or other playthings, and if you will gather them up,I'll see that they are given to some poor children who may not have avery good Christmas."
The smaller twins thought this would be very nice, and they were soonbusy over their possessions. Bert and Nan heard what was going on, andthey insisted on giving their share also, so that quite a box full ofreally good toys were collected.
A day or so later, when the weather had cleared, Bert came in fromcoasting, and said,
"Mother, couldn't Nan and I take a ride over to Mr. Carford's house? Heis out in front in his sled, and he says he'll bring us back beforedark. May we go?"
"Why, I guess so," said Mrs. Bobbsey, slowly. "I don't believe your
father would object. But wrap up well, for it is chilly."
"And can't we go, too?" begged Flossie
"Yes, we want to," added Freddie. "Please, Mamma!"
"Well, I guess so," agreed Mrs. Bobbsey, "Will you look after them, Bertand Nan?"
"Oh, yes," promised the two older twins, while Bert explained that hehad met Mr. Carford, who was on his way home from the store, and hadbeen given a ride. The invitation had followed.
"I'll take good care of them, Mrs. Bobbsey," said the elderly gentleman,as Mrs. Bobbsey went out to tuck in Flossie and Freddie "I've got to runinto Newton and back again this afternoon, so I thought they'd like theride."
"Indeed it is very kind of you," said the children's mother. "I hopethey will be no trouble."
"Of course they won't. Remember me to Mr. Bobbsey when he comes home.Ask him to come and see me when he has time. I want to talk to him abouta certain matter."
"All right," said Mrs. Bobbsey, and Bert wondered if it had to do withthe secret.
The drive out to Newton, which was a few miles from Lakeport, was muchenjoyed by the Bobbsey twins. The speedy horses pulled the sled over thewhite snow, the jingle of the strings of bells around them mingling withother musical chimes on sleds that they met, or passed.
They saw Danny Rugg out driving with his mother in a stylish cutter, andDanny rather "turned up his nose" at the old bob sled in which theBobbseys were riding. But Bert and his sisters and brother did not mindthat. They were having a good time.
"Here we are!" called Mr. Carford after a fine ride. "Come in and getwarm. I guess my sister has a few cookies left," for a maiden sisterkept house for the old gentleman.
Into the big old-fashioned farmhouse the children tramped, to be met bya motherly-looking woman, who helped them brush the snow from theirfeet. Then she bustled about, and brought in a big pitcher of milk, aplateful of molasses cookies, and some glasses. The children's eyessparkled at the sight of this fine lunch.
"There you are!" cried Mr. Carford heartily, as he passed around thegood things. "Eat as much as is good for you. I've got to go out to thebarn for a while. Emma," he asked his sister, "have you got any morepackages made up?"
"James Carford, are you going to give away more stuff?" demanded hissister. "Why, you'll be in the poorhouse first thing you know."
"Oh, I guess not," he said with a laugh, "We can afford it, and there'smany who can't. It's going to be a hard winter on the poor. Put up a fewmore packages, and I'll tie up some bags of potatoes!"
"I never saw such a man--never in all my born days!" exclaimed MissCarford, shaking her head. "He'd give away the roof over us if I didn'twatch him."
"What is he doing?" asked Bert.
"Oh, the same as he does every Christmas," said the sister-housekeeper."He makes up packages, bundles, baskets and bags of things to eat, andgives them to all the poor families he can hear of. He was poor oncehimself, you know, and he never can forget it."
"He is very kind," said Nan, in a low voice.
"Yes, he is that," agreed Miss Carford, "and I suppose I oughtn't tofind fault. But he does give away an awful lot."
She went out to look after matters in the kitchen, leaving the childrento eat their lunch of milk and cookies alone for a few minutes.Presently Mr. Carford came back, stamping the snow from his boots.
"Ha!" he cried, as he went close to the stove to warm his hands. "Thisreminds me of the winters I used to spend at Snow Lodge on Lake Metoka.Were you ever up there?" and he looked at Bert.
"No, sir."
"Ha! I thought not. It's a fine place. But I don't go there anymore--never any more," and he shook his head sadly.
"Did it burn down?" asked Freddie, who was always interested in firesand firemen. "Couldn't they put it out?"
"No, Freddie, it didn't burn down," said Mr. Carford. "Sometimes Ialmost wish it had--before my trouble happened," he added slowly. "Yes,I almost wish it had. But Snow Lodge still stands, though I haven't beennear it for some years. I couldn't go. No, I couldn't go," and he shookhis head sadly. "I just couldn't go."
The Bobbsey children did not know what to think. Mr. Carford seemed verysad. Suddenly he turned away from the fire that blazed on the hearth,and asked:
"Did I ever tell you about Snow Lodge?"
"No," said Bert, softly.
"Then I will," went on the aged man. "I don't tell many, but I will you.And maybe you could make some use of the place now that the holidays arehere. I used to spend all my Christmas holidays there, but I don't anymore. Never any more. But I'll tell you about it," and he settledhimself more comfortably in the big chair.