Chapter III. Ward No. 1

dthroughthisapertureandfastenedsomewhereontheothersidelastly,asmallcoveredbasket,slungonthisrope,wasseenhitchingalong,drawneitherwaybyasetofstringsthen,asifsatisfiedwithhisjob,Frankretired,whistling“HailColumbia.” “It'sthosechildrenattheirpranksagain.Ithoughtbrokenboneswouldn'tkeepthemoutofmischieflong,”saidtheoldlady,watchingwithgreatinterestthemysteriousbaskettravellingupanddowntheropefromthebighousetothecottage. Ifshehadseenwhatcameandwentoverthewiresofthe“GreatInternationalTelegraph,”shewouldhavelaughedtillherspectaclesflewoffherRomannose.AletterfromJack,withalargeorange,wentfirst,explainingthenewenterprise:— “DearJill,—It'stoobadyoucan'tcomeovertoseeme.Iamprettywell,butawfultiredofkeepingstill.Iwanttoseeyoueversomuch.Frankhasfixedusatelegraph,sowecanwriteandsendthings.Won'titbejolly!Ican'tlookouttoseehimdoitbut,whenyoupullyourstring,mylittlebellrings,andIknowamessageiscoming.Isendyouanorange.Doyoulikegorverjelly?Peoplesendinlotsofgoodies,andwewillgohalves.Good-by. “Jack” Awaywentthebasket,andinfifteenminutesitcamebackfromthecottagewithnothinginitbuttheorange. “Hullo!Isshemad?”askedJack,asFrankbroughtthedespatchforhimtoexamine. But,atthefirsttouch,thehollowpeelopened,andoutfellaletter,twogum-drops,andanowlmadeofapeanut,withroundeyesdrawnattheendwherethestemformedafunnybeak.Twobitsofstrawwerethelegs,andthefacelookedsolikeDr.Whitingthatbothboyslaughedatthesight. “That'ssolikeJillshe'dmakefunifshewashalfdead.Let'sseewhatshesays”andJackreadthelittlenote,whichshowedasadneglectofthespelling-book:— “DearJacky,—Ican'tstirandit'shorrid.Thetellygrafisveryniceandwewillhavefunwithit.Ineverateanygorverjelly.Theorangewasfirstrate.Sendmeabooktoread.Allaboutbearsandshipsandcrockydiles.Thedoctorwascomingtoseeyou,soIsenthimthequickestway.MollyLoosaysitisdreadfullonesomeatschoolwithoutus.Yourstruly, “Jill” Jackimmediatelydespatchedthebookandasampleofguavajelly,whichunfortunatelyupsetontheway,tothegreatdetrimentof“TheWildBeastsofAsiaandAfrica.”Jillpromptlyrespondedwiththeloanofatinyblackkitten,whoemergedspittingandscratching,toJack'sgreatdelightandhewascudgellinghisbrainsastohowafatwhiterabbitcouldbetransported,whenashrillwhistlefromwithoutsavedJillfromthatinconvenientoffering. “It'sthefellowsdoyouwanttoseethem?”askedFrank,gazingdownwithcalmsuperiorityuponthethreeeagerfaceswhichlookedupathim. “GuessIdo!”andJackpromptlythrewthekittenoverboard,scorningtobeseenbyanymanlyeyeamusinghimselfwithsuchgirlishtoys. Bang!wentthefrontdoortramp,tramp,tramp,camesixbootedfeetupthestairsand,asFrankthrewwidethedoor,threelargebeingspausedonthethresholdtodeliverthecourteous“Hullo!”whichistheestablishedgreetingamongboysonallsocialoccasions. “Comealong,oldfellowsI'meversogladtoseeyou!”criedtheinvalid,withsuchenergeticdemonstrationsofthearmsthathelookedasifabouttoflyorcrow,likeanexcitedyoungcockerel. “Howareyou,Major?” “Doesthelegachemuch,Jack?” “Mr.Phippssaysyou'llhavetopayforthenewrails.” Withthesecharacteristicgreetings,thegentlemencastawaytheirhatsandsatdown,allgrinningcheerfully,andallwitheyesirresistiblyfixeduponthedainties,whichprovedtoomuchforthepolitenessofever-hungryboys. “Helpyourselves,”saidJack,withahospitablewave.“Allthedearoldladiesintownhavebeensendinginnicethings,andIcan'tbegintoeatthemup.Lendahandandclearawaythislot,orweshallhavetothrowthemoutofthewindow.Bringonthedoughnutsandthetartsandtheshakystuffintheentrycloset,Frank,andlet'shavealark.” Nosoonersaidthandone.Gustookthetarts,Joethedoughnuts,E