CHAPTER VII
MR. HICKOX
It was Mr. Hickox who was at the door. By a winding path he had pushedhis cart full of luggage up the hill, and now expressed his willingnessto deposit the goods where they belonged.
The big man seemed to think nothing of carrying the trunks, one afteranother, up to the bedrooms; and meantime the children carried theprovisions to the kitchen.
Although Dorothy was nominally housekeeper, and wanted to assume entirecharge of all household arrangements, Grandma Dorrance had a long andserious talk with Mr. Hickox regarding ways and means.
It was most satisfactory; for whenever any apparent difficulty arose,the kind-hearted man summarily disposed of it by waving his hand andremarking: "Don't worry. Hickox'll look after things. It'll be allright!"
So convincing was his attitude that Mrs. Dorrance at last felt satisfiedthat there were no serious obstacles in their path; and like thesensible lady she was, she determined to let Dorothy have full power andmanage her new home in any way she saw fit.
Dorothy's nature was, perhaps, a little over-confident. She was notinclined to hesitate at anything; indeed, the more difficult theundertaking, the greater her determination to succeed.
And so, when Mrs. Dorrance informed Mr. Hickox that Miss Dorothy was thehousekeeper, and was in authority, Dorothy rose to the occasion andassumed at once a certain little air of dignity and responsibility thatsat well upon her.
She, too, was encouraged by Mr. Hickox's continued assertions that itwould be all right.
She learned from him that the nearest place where they might buyprovisions was Woodville, where a certain Mr. Bill Hodges kept a store.His wares included everything that a country store usually deals in,"and Bill himself," said Mr. Hickox, "is just the cleverest man in theseparts."
"How do we get there?" asked Leicester, who had declared his willingnessto consider going to market as part of his share of the work.
"Well, there're several ways. Haven't got a horse, have you?" Mr. Hickoxsaid this casually, as if he thought Leicester might have one in hispocket.
"No," said Leicester; "we don't own a horse. Is it too far to walk?"
"No; 'tain't any too much of a sprint for young legs like yours. It'stwo miles around by the road and over the bridge. But it's only a mileacross by the boat."
"But we haven't any boat."
"Haven't any boat! well I should say you had. Why there is half-a-dozenrowboats belongs to this hotel; and a catboat too, and a sneak-box,--myland! you've got everything but a steamboat."
"And Captain Kane said we could use his steamboat," cried Dorothy,gleefully; "so we've really got a whole navy at our disposal!"
"So you have, so you have," agreed Mr. Hickox, rubbing his long handstogether, in a curious way he had; "and don't you worry. Whenever youwant anything that you can't get with your navy, Hickox'll look afterit. It'll be all right!"
"Do you live near here, Mr. Hickox?" asked Lilian.
"Well, yes, miss. Just a piece up the road. And if you want some nicefresh garden truck, now and then,--just now and then;--we haven't gotenough to supply you regular."
"We'll be very glad to have it, whenever you can spare it," saidDorothy; "I'll send for it."
"Well, no, Miss Dorothy. I'd some rather you wouldn't send for it. Yousee Mrs. Hickox she's apt to--to be surprised at anything like that."
"Oh, very well," said Dorothy; "bring it whenever it's convenient. We'realways glad of fresh vegetables. And eggs,--do you have eggs?"
"Now and again,--just now and again. But when we have them to spare I'llbring 'em. It'll be all right. Now I must jog along; Mrs. Hickox will besurprised if I don't get home pretty soon."
"One thing more, Mr. Hickox," said Mrs. Dorrance. "Are there ever anyburglars or marauders around this neighborhood?"
"Land, no, ma'm! Bless your heart, don't you worry a mite! Such a thingwas never heard of in these parts. Burglars! ho, ho, well I guess not!Why I've never locked my front door in my life, and I never knew anybodyaround here that did."
After Mr. Hickox's departure, Leicester observed thoughtfully, "What avery surprisable woman Mrs. Hickox seems to be."
"Yes," agreed Dorothy; "I'm anxious to see her. I think I'd like tosurprise her a few times."
"Well, he's a nice man," said Lilian; "I like him."
"Yes, he is nice," said Leicester; "and isn't that jolly about theboats? I'm going right out to hunt them up."
"Hold on, my First Gold-Stick-In-Waiting," said Dorothy; "I think youpromised to make a kitchen fire."
"Sure enough, Major-domo," returned Leicester, gaily; "I'll do that in ajiffy. Where's the kindling-wood?"
"Where's the kindling-wood, indeed," returned Dorothy; "_you_'re to makethe fire, and you're also to make the kindling-wood, and the paper andthe matches! I'm not employing assistants who don't assist."
"All right, my lady. I'll make your fire, even if I have to split upthat big settle for fire-wood."
With a wild whoop, Leicester disappeared in the direction of thekitchen.
"Oh, grannymother," cried Dorothy, "isn't it splendid that we can makejust as much noise as we want to! Now you sit right here on the veranda,and enjoy the view; and don't you budge until you're called to supper."And with another war-whoop scarcely less noisy than her brother's,Dorothy went dancing through the big rooms, followed by her twosisters.
When she reached the kitchen, she found a fine fire blazing in therange.
Leicester sat on the settle, with his hands in his pockets, and wearinga complacent air of achievement.
"Anything the matter with that fire?" he inquired.
"How did you ever do it in such a minute?" cried his twin, gazingadmiringly at her brother.
"Magic," said Leicester.
"Magic in the shape of Tessie," said Dorothy, laughing, as thegood-natured Irish girl appeared from the pantry.
"Right you are," said Leicester; "that's Tessie's own fire. And shedidn't have to split up the furniture, for she says there's lots of woodand coal in the cellar."
"Well, did you ever!" cried Dorothy; "I wouldn't be a bit surprised tolearn that there was a gold mine in the parlor, or a pearl fishery up inthe tower."
"I'd rather learn that there is something to eat somewhere," saidLeicester; "I'm simply starving. What's the use of three sisters ifthey can't get a fellow some supper?"
"That's so," agreed Dorothy; "and we all must go right to work. Youcan't help with this part, Leicester. You skip away now, your turn willcome later. Now girls," she went on, as Leicester vanished, not withoutthe usual accompaniment of an ear-splitting yell, "we're going to havean awful lot of fun; and we can make just as much noise and racket as weplease; but all the same there's a lot of work to be done, and we'regoing to do it, and do it properly. It's a great deal easier if we havesystem and method, and so we'll divide up the work and each of us mustdo our own part, and do it thoroughly and promptly."
"Hear, hear!" cried Lilian, who adored her older sister, and was morethan willing to obey her commands.
"What can I do?" screamed Fairy, who was dancing round and round thekitchen, perching now on the window-seat, now on the table, and now onthe back or arm of the old settle.
"We must each have our definite work," went on Dorothy, who was herselfsitting on the back of a chair with her feet on the wooden seat. "Tessiewill have her share, but she can't do everything. So there's plenty forus to do. Grandma is not to do a thing, that's settled. If four womenand a man can't take care of one dear old lady, it's high time theylearned how."
As the youngest of the four "women" was just then clambering up thecupboard shelves, and singing lustily at the top of her voice, somepeople might have thought that the dear old lady in question had anuncertain outlook. But Dorothy was entirely undisturbed by the attitudesof her audience, and continued her discourse.
"I shall do the cooking,--that is, most of it. I'm a born cook, and Ilove it; besides I want to learn, and so I'm going to try all sorts ofdishes, and
you children will have to eat them,--good or bad."
"I like to make cake and fancy desserts," said Lilian.
"All right, you can make them. And I'll make croquettes and omelets, andall sorts of lovely things, and Tessie can look after the boiling ofthe potatoes and vegetables, and plain things like that. You haven't hadmuch experience in cooking, have you, Tessie?"
"No, Miss Dorothy; but I'm glad to learn, and I'll do just whatever youtell me."
"Fairy can set the table, and help with the dusting. We girls will eachtake care of our own rooms, and Tessie can take care of Leicester's.I'll attend to grandma's room myself."
"Let me help with that," said Lilian.
"Yes, we'll all help; and we'll keep the parlors tidy, and Tessie canwash the dishes and look after the dining-room and kitchen. Leicestercan help with the out-of-door work; the grass ought to be mowed and thepaths kept in order. But good gracious! none of this work is going toamount to much. If we're spry, we can do it all up in less than no time,and have hours and hours left every day to play, and read, and go out onthe lake, and tramp in the woods, and just enjoy ourselves. Oh, isn't itgreat!" and jumping to the floor with a bang, Dorothy seized the handsof the others, and in a moment all four were dancing around in a ring,while the three Dorrance voices loudly proclaimed that there was noplace like home.
Tessie had begun to grow accustomed to the boisterous young people, andas she thought everything they did was nothing short of perfection, shereadily adapted herself to her own part.
"What about the laundry-work, Miss Dorothy?" she asked.
"Why, I don't know," said Dorothy. "I hadn't really thought of that. Iwonder if we can find a laundress anywhere around. We must ask Mr.Hickox."
"Now, Miss Dorothy, if you'll let me, I'm just sure I can do the washingand ironing. With all these beautiful tubs and things, it'll be notrouble at all, at all."
"Why if you could, Tessie, that would be fine. Let me see, we won't havemany white dresses or fancy things, but there'll be lots of sheets andtable linen. You know we're a pretty big family."
"Yes, miss; but I'm sure I can do it all. I'm strong, and I'm a goodwasher."
"Well, we'll try it, anyway," said Dorothy, "and see how you get along.We girls will help a little more with your work on Mondays and Tuesdays,and then I think it will all come out right."
Dorothy was a singular mixture of capability and inconsequence.
Her power of quick decision, and her confidence in her own ability, madeher words a little dictatorial; but the gentleness of her nature, andthe winning smile which accompanied her orders took from them any touchof unpleasant authority. Dorothy's whole attitude was one of goodcomradeship, and though much given to turbulent demonstration of her joyof living, she was innately of an equable temperament and had never beenknown to lose her temper.
Lilian, on the other hand, was more excitable, and more prone to hastydecisions which were afterwards rejected or revised. Lilian could getvery angry upon occasion, but she had a fine sense of justice; and ifshe found herself in the wrong, she was more than ready to confess itand to make amends. The two girls really exercised a good influence overone another, and the bonds of affection between them were very strong.Indeed the four Dorrances were a most loyal quartet; and though theyteased each other, and made fun of each other, it was always in anhonest good-humored spirit that was quite willing to take as much as itgave.