Chapter XXIII. Cattle Show

dtogo,andatthelastmomentblewupwithareportlikeapop-gun.Soitwaslaidawayforrepairs,anditsdisappointedmakerdevotedhisenergiestohelpingJackkeepBuninorderforthatindomitableanimalgotoutofeveryprisontheyputhimin,andledJackadreadfullifeduringthatlastweek.Atallhoursofthedayandnightthatdistractedboywouldstartup,crying,“Thereheisagain!”anddartouttogivechaseandcapturethevillainnowgrowntoofattorunasheoncedid. TheverynightbeforetheFair,Frankwaswakenedbyachillydraught,and,gettinguptoseewhereitcamefrom,foundJack'sdooropenandbedempty,whilethevisionofawhiteghostflittingaboutthegardensuggestedamidnightrushafteroldBun.Frankwatchedlaughingly,tillpoorJackcametowardthehousewiththegentlemaningraykickinglustilyinhisarms,andthenwhisperedinasepulchraltone,— “Puthimintheoldrefrigerator,hecan'tgetoutofthat.” Blessinghimforthesuggestion,theexhaustedhuntershutuphisvictiminthenewcell,andfounditasafeone,forBuncouldnotburrowthroughasheetofzinc,orclimbupthesmoothwalls. Jill'squiltwasaveryelaboratepieceofwork,beingbrightbluewithlittlewhitestarsalloveritthisshefinishednicely,andfeltsurenopatientoldladycouldoutdoit.Merrydecidedtosendbutter,forshehadbeenhelpinghermotherinthedairythatsummer,andratherlikedthelightpartofthelabor.Sheknewitwouldpleaseherverymuchifshechosethatinsteadofwildflowers,soshepractisedmouldingtheyellowpatsintoprettyshapes,thatitmightpleasebotheyeandtaste. Mollydeclaredshewouldhavealittlepen,andputBooinit,astheprizefatboy—athreatwhichsoalarmedtheinnocentthatheranaway,andwasfoundtwoorthreemilesfromhome,asleepunderthewall,withtwoseed-cakesandapairofsocksdoneupinabundle.Beingwithdifficultyconvincedthatitwasajoke,heconsentedtoreturntohisfamily,butwasevidentlysuspicious,tillMollydecidedtosendhercats,andsetaboutpreparingthemforexhibition.TheMinots'desertedBunny-housewasratherlargebutascatscannotbepackedascloselyasmuch-enduringsheep,Mollyborrowedthisdesirablefamilymansion,andputherdarlingsintoit,wheretheysoonsettleddown,andappearedtoenjoytheirnewresidence.Ithadbeenscrubbedupandpaintedred,cushionsandplatesputin,andtwoAmericanflagsadornedtheroof.Beingbarredallround,afineviewoftheHappyFamilycouldbehad,nowtwelveinnumber,asMolasseshadlatelyaddedthreewhitekitstothevariedcollection. Thegirlsthoughtthiswouldbethemostinterestingspectacleofall,andGrifproposedtogivesomeofthecatsextratails,toincreasetheircharms,especiallypoorMortification,whowouldappreciatethehonoroftwo,afterhavingnoneforsolong.ButMollydeclined,andGriflookedabouthimforsomeattractiveanimaltoexhibit,sothathetoomightgoinfreeandcometohonor,perhaps. Ayoungladyinthetownownedadonkey,asmall,graybeast,whoinsistedontrippingalongthesidewalksandbumpingherrideragainstthewallsasshepausedtobrowseatherownsweetwill,regardlessofblowsorcries,tillreadytomoveon.Expressinggreatadmirationforthisrareanimal,GrifobtainedleavetodisplaythecharmsofGraciosaattheFair.Littledidsheguessthedarkdesignsentertainedagainstherdignity,andhappilyshewasnotassensitivetoridiculeasalesshumble-mindedanimal,soshewentwillinglywithhernewfriend,andenjoyedthecombingandtrimmingupwhichshereceivedathishands,whilehepreparedforthegreatoccasion. WhenthemorningofSeptember28tharrived,thetownwasallastir,andtheFairgroundalivelyscene.Theairwasfullofthelowingofcattle,thetrampofhorses,squealingofindignantpigs,andclatteroftongues,aspeopleandanimalsstreamedinatthegreatgateandfoundtheirproperplaces.Ouryoungfolkswereinahighstateofexcitement,astheyrumbledawaywiththeirtreasuresinahay-cart.TheBunny-housemighthavebeenacageoftigers,sorampantwerethecatsatthisnewmove.OldBun,inasmallbox,broodedovertheinsultoftherefrigerator,andlookedasfierceasarabbitcould.Gushadacoopofrarefowls,whocluckedwildlyalltheway,whileRalph,withthebustinhisarms,stoodupinfront,andJillandMollyborethepreciousbedquilt,astheysatbehind. Theseobjectsofinterestweresoonarranged,andthegirlswenttoadmireMerry'sgoldenbuttercupsamongthegreenleaves,underwhichlaytheicethatkepttheprettyflowersfresh.Theboysweredownbelow,wherethecacklingwasveryloud,butnotloudenoughtodrownthesonorousbraywhichsuddenlystartledthemasmuchasitdidthehorsesoutside.Ashoutoflaughterfollow