第65章

Some day he'll be dug out and then there's a heap of tattle-tales and character naggers in this town that'll find they've took the wrong channel.They'll be good and seasick, that's what they'll be."Mr.E.Holliday Kendrick, if he knew that his own popularity had suffered a shock, did not appear to care.He went on with his plans for enlarging his estate and, when he left East Wellmouth for New York, which he did early in October, told those who asked him that he had left the purchase of the "boarding-house nuisance" in the hands of his attorney."I shall have that property," he announced, emphatically."I may not get it for some time, but Ishall get it.I make it a point to get what I go after."Emily, in her letters, those written soon after her arrival in South Middleboro, said nothing concerning her plan, the "secret"which was to cheer Mrs.Barnes' loneliness.Thankful could not help wondering what the secret might be, but in her own letters she asked no questions.And, one day in mid-October, that secret was divulged.

Thankful, busy in the kitchen with Imogene, preparing dinner, heard the sound of wheels and horse's hoofs in the yard.Going to the door, she was surprised to see Captain Obed Bangs climbing from a buggy.The buggy was her own and the horse to which it was attached was her own George Washington.Upon the seat of the buggy was a small boy.Thankful merely glanced at the boy; her interest just then centered upon the fact that the captain was, or apparently had been, using her horse and buggy without her knowledge or consent.

She certainly had no objection to his so using it, but it was most unlike him to do so.

"Good mornin', ma'am," he hailed, cheerfully.His eyes were twinkling and he appeared to be in high good humor.

"Why, good mornin', Cap'n," said Thankful."I--you--you're goin'

somewhere, I should judge."

The captain shook his head."No," he replied, "I've been.Had an errand up to the Centre.I knew somethin' was comin' on the mornin' train so I drove up to fetch it.Thought you wouldn't mind my usin' your horse and buggy.Imogene knew I was usin' it."Thankful was surprised."She did?" she repeated."That's funny.

She didn't say a word to me."

"No, I told her not to.You see, the--the somethin' I was expectin' was for you, so I thought we'd make it a little surprise.

Emily--Miss Howes, she sent it."

"Emily--sent somethin' to me?"

"Yup."

"For the land sakes! Well," after a moment, "did it come? Where is it?""Oh, yes, it came.It's right there in the buggy.Don't you see it?"Thankful looked at the buggy.The only thing in it, so far as she could see, was the little boy on the seat.The little boy grinned.

"Hello, Aunt Thankful," he said."I've come to stay with you, Ihave."

Thankful started, stared, and then made a rush for the buggy.

"Georgie Hobbs!" she cried."You blessed little scamp! Come here to me this minute.Well, well, well!"Georgie came and was received with a bear hug and a shower of kisses.

"Well, well!" repeated Thankful."And to think I didn't know you!

I'm ashamed of myself.And you're the surprise, I suppose.You ARE one, sure and sartin.How did you get here?""I came on the cars," declared Georgie, proudly."Ma and Emmie put me on 'em and told me to sit right still until I got to Wellmouth Centre and then get off.And I did, too; didn't I, Mr.--I mean Captain Bangs.""You bet you did!" agreed the delighted captain."That's some relation you've got there, Mrs.Barnes.He's little but Oh my! He and I have had a good talk on the way down.We got along fust-rate; hey, commodore? The commodore's agreed to ship second-mate along with me next v'yage I make, if I ever make one."Thankful held her "relation"--he was Emily's half-brother and her own favorite next to Emily herself in that family--at arm's length.

"You blessed little--little mite!" she exclaimed."So you come 'way down here all alone just to see your old auntie.Did you ever in your life! And I suppose you're the 'secret' Emily said she had, the one that was to keep me from bein' lonesome."Georgie nodded."Yes," he said."Emmie, she's wrote you all about me.I've got the letter pinned inside of me here," patting his small chest."And I'm goin' to stay ever so long, I am.I want to see the pig and the hens and the--and the orphan, and everything.""So you shall," declared Thankful."I'm glad enough to see you to turn the house inside out if you wanted to look at it.And you knew all about this, I suppose?" turning to Captain Obed.

The captain laughed aloud.

"Sartin I did," he said."Miss Howes and I have been writin' each other like a couple of courtin' young folks.I knew the commodore was goin' to set sail today and I was on hand up to the depot to man the yards.Forgive me for hookin' your horse and buggy, will you, Mrs.Thankful?"Forgiveness was granted.Thankful would have forgiven almost anything just then.The "commodore" announced that he was hungry and he was hurried into the house.The cares of travel had not taken away his appetite.He was introduced to Imogene, at whom he stared fixedly for a minute or more and then asked if she was the "orphan." When told that she was he asked if her mamma and papa were truly dead.Imogene said she guessed they were.Then Georgie asked why, and, after then, what made them that way, adding the information that he had a kitty that went dead one time and wasn't any good any more.

The coming of the "commodore" brought a new touch of life to the High Cliff House, which had settled down for its winter nap.

Thankful, of course, read Emily's letter at the first opportunity.

Emily wrote that she felt sure Georgie would be company for her cousin and that she had conceived the idea of the boy's visit before leaving East Wellmouth, but had said nothing because she was not sure mother would consent.But that consent had been granted and Georgie might stay until Christmas, perhaps even after that if he was not too great a care.