by Nell Speed
CHAPTER VI.
THE FOUNDLING.
"Well, Miss Peyton is some mobilizer," sighed Dee as she snuggled downin her bed after our first study hall had been lived through at Gresham."Just to think, here we are hard at work when we have been here only twodays."
"Well, I'm glad, for one," said Dum. "If they work us hard enough, wewon't get Zebedee-sick. That's what Dee and I call homesick. WhereverZebedee is, is home for us."
"My Father and Bracken and Mammy Susan and the dogs are so mixed up inmy mind that I can't tell what or which or whom I miss most," and Iscrambled into bed in a great hurry just as the bell rang to warn usthat lights must be out in five minutes. I had not been twenty-fourhours with other girls before I had learned many things that girls know.One of them was that the last one up has the chores to do, such asraising the window at the bottom and pulling it down at the top, amighty chilly performance when clothed in nothing but a nightgown; also,the tardy one has the light to put out.
"Oh, you foxy creatures!" cried Dum. "I bet you haven't cleaned yourteeth, you've been in such a hurry to beat me to bed."
"'Deed we have," we declared, "while you were calling on Annie Pore."
"You haven't said your prayers, then," persisted Dum.
"I have," I said. But Dee had neglected this means of grace and had tocrawl out of her nice, warm bed; and she and Dum knelt together. Therewas silence for about three minutes; then Dum bounced into bed andpulled the covers up to her square chin. There she lay, with eyesclosed.
"Dum Tucker, you skipped something. I don't believe you said a singlething but 'NowIlayme,'" and Dee stood over her sister like an avengingangel.
"What's it to you?" yawned Dum. "That's a matter between me and myconscience. Open the window; and turn out the light; and crawl into bedbefore our room gets reported."
"Well, it was a matter between my conscience and me whether I said myprayers at all; and you went and butt in on us. Now you take thattoploftical stand about you and your conscience! Well, you and yourconscience can just lie on the floor together." With which tirade, Deeyanked Dum and all her bed clothes out on the floor. She then whiskedoff the light and, quickly raising the window, jumped into bed.
I wondered what would be the outcome of this battle and if it would haveto be settled according to the Tuckers' code of honor: a duel withboxing gloves. But just then there was a sharp rap on the door.
"Less noise, please," said a determined voice outside, "or I shall haveto report 117 to the principal."
Dum lay on the floor convulsed with giggles. "Sh-h--." I warned. "Becareful, or we'll all have to write pages from the dictionary for twohours."
"You won't have to, surely, when Dum and I made all the racket,"whispered Dee.
"The teacher said '117,' and that means me, too. Can you get back intobed? Is the foot untucked?"
"I believe I can if I don't start giggling again," and Dum began tosquirm out of the covers.
"Let me help," said the penitent Dee, and Dum was soon back in her cotand silence reigned supreme. After a while I heard Dum whisper:
"Say, Dee, I did skip. Conscience bids me confess to thee."
"Well, Dum, I'll give it to you that you and your conscience are perfectgentlemen," said Dee admiringly.
"Thanks awfully," yawned Dum. "I know one thing, I'm a mighty sleepygentleman;" and in a trice the quiet breathing from the disheveled bedtold that Dum and her conscience were at rest.
There were constant surprises in store for one who shared a room withthe Tucker twins. They certainly had the gift of infinite variety inthe kind of scrapes they could get themselves into. They usually got outof scrapes as easily as they got into them by a certain frankness anddirectness that would disarm Miss Peyton herself. They didn't breakrules, because they did things that nobody had ever thought of makingrules about. The principal at Gresham was not so farseeing as theteacher in "Mary Had a Little Lamb," who seems to have made a rule aboutlambs in school:
It followed her to school one day, Which was against the rule. It made the children laugh and play To see a lamb in school.
One day when we were taking a sedate walk, the school out in full forcewith two teachers to keep order along the blue-coated, black-hattedlines, we saw by the roadside a little kitten, so young its eyes werehardly open.
"Poor little foundling!" "I wonder where it came from!" "I'd like topick him up!" ejaculated several of the girls, but Dee Tucker was theone who acted. She was bringing up the rear with Miss Sears, the Latinteacher. As they were passing the forlorn little feline, Miss Searsstepped forward to admonish a couple who were talking too loudly. Deestooped and quickly scooped into her muff the poor pussy. No one saw herand kitty very considerately said nothing. He lay there warm andcontented, dreaming he was back with his soft, loving mother, andforgetting the rude hand that had put him into a bag with his brothersand sisters. The bag had had a merciful hole, and he, being the runt ofthe family, had fallen through before the proposed drowning came off.
We marched on, all unconscious of the addition to our ranks. When we gotback to school and went up to our room to take off our hats, etc., Inoticed that Dee had very shining eyes and her dimple seemed to bedeeper, but she did not divulge to Dum and me what she had up hersleeve, or rather her muff. I also noticed at supper that she swipedsome bread and very adroitly concealed it in her middy blouse. She alsovery cleverly called the attention of every one at our table to theautumn moon, that was peeping into the dining room window, and whilethey were looking the other way, she filled a little vial with milk fromher glass.
Naturally I said nothing, but adopted the watchful, waiting attitude,certain that sooner or later I'd find out what Dee was up to. And I did,all right.
After supper we had an hour before study hall which we usually spent inthe gymnasium dancing. Dum and Dee had undertaken to teach Annie Poreand me the new dances. All dances were new to poor Annie and me. I couldcut the pigeon wing and dance "Goin' to Church," which is a negroclassic (but the Tango and Maxixe with all of the intricate steps andside-stepping seemed very difficult). But I must learn, and learn I did.As for Annie, her sense of rhythm was so great that she took to dancingas a duck does to water. She had to get over a certain self-consciousnessthat was her ruling fault, but when the Victrola was started in one ofthe tunes that would make a dead darkey want to get up and pat, why,Annie would forget all about Annie and her ill-fitting clothes andwould sway to the music with the utmost abandon.
I believe I have forgotten to tell whom Annie got for a roommate. It wasnone other than Josephine Barr, the good-natured, dressy Senior, forwhom Miss Sayre felt so sorry because of her great wealth. I fancy Jo,as we soon called her, was not very well pleased at first at having toshare a room with such a seemingly dismal person; but it was eitherAnnie or Mabel Binks, as all the other rooms were filled and Jo had notregistered in time to have much choice.
She couldn't bear Mabel Binks; and she did feel sorry for the poorlittle new girl who seemed so ready to dissolve into tears. Jo was thebest old thing in the world, with a heart as big as all outdoors and anoptimistic nature that was bound to influence Annie and make her morecheerful; at the same time, Annie's breeding and careful speech had itsgood effect on the husky Jo. Before the year was up, they were asintimate as a Senior and Sophomore could be.
On that famous evening which was afterward known as the "KittenEvening," Dee kept disappearing between dances. She would come back,flushed and a little troubled-looking, but would go on with the dancewith a do-or-die expression. Study hour in the assembly hall from eightto ten and then half an hour to get to bed before the bell rang forlights out: that was the order of procedure. As we studied, I noticedhow Dee kept fidgeting and twisting. Dum noticed it, too, and thefidgets seemed to be catching. We were on our honor not to speak duringstudy hour, and of course that settled the matter for the Tuckers andme. Dee could squirm herself into a bowknot and Dum and I could die ofcuriosity, and still honor forbade our mak
ing a sign to find out whatwas the matter.
I never spent such a long and unprofitable two hours in my life. I triedto concentrate my attention on my lessons, but it was impossible withDee at the desk in front of me never still a minute.
"The bell at last!" exclaimed Dee.
"Well, your lessons have been Reeling and Writhing, Dee Tucker. I neversaw such a wiggler in my life." But Dee was off like a whirlwind,without a word to Dum and me. She didn't even take her books with her orgather up the scattered papers that were strewn over her desk. Wemercifully saved her some demerits by putting things in order for her.
"What do you reckon is up with Dee?" said Dum anxiously. "She is eitherbrewing some mischief or is already in a scrape."
We found the door to 117 carefully closed and Dee already in bed. Howshe ever managed to get in so rapidly, I could not see, unless shefollowed the plan of "Diddle, diddle dumpling, my son, John."
"Now, Dee Tucker, what is the matter with you?" begged Dum anxiously.
"The matter with me?" said Dee with feigned coolness. "Nothing on earth,my dear sister. What should be the matter with me? I am simply sleepyand thought I would get into bed."
"How about your teeth and your prayers?"
"Cleaned 'em and said 'em," said Dee laconically, and she turned overrather gingerly, I noticed, and pretended to have fallen into a deepsleep.
"She won't be able to keep it to herself very long," whispered Dum tome. "If it is any fun, she can't be low enough not to share it; and ifit is trouble of some sort, she is sure to let us in on it. I'll takethe motto of Prosper le Gai: 'I bide my time.'"
Respecting Dee's evident desire for silence, Dum and I went very quietlyto bed and had the light out long before it was time.
A knock at the door! "Come in," called Dum. It was Annie Pore, veryapologetic at disturbing us.
"It is ten minutes before lights out bell. I had no idea you had allgone to bed. I was worried about Dee. Is she all right? She looked sofeverish."
"Oh, yes, she's all right; just sleepy," said Dum politely. "Thank youall the same, Annie."
Annie softly closed the door. I heard strange sounds from Dee's bed butcould not tell whether she was laughing or crying.
Another knock!
"Come in," a little wearily from Dum.
Miss Jane Cox this time!
"Oh, girls, excuse me! I did not know you were in bed, I was a littleanxious about Dee." A snore from Dee's bed, rather melodramatic in tone."She seemed so upset during study hour. I was on duty and I did not knowwhether she needed castor oil or a demerit." The snoring stopped. Thesnorer was evidently deliberating.
"I think she is all right now, Miss Cox," I ventured. "She went rightoff to bed as soon as study hour was over. Maybe she won't have to haveeither, demerit or oil. My private opinion is she had a flea down herback, but she says she was just tired and sleepy." A gratified snorefrom Dee and Miss Cox with a little snicker went to her room.
"Night, Sable Goddess, from her ebon throne, Now stretches forth a leaden scepter o'er a slumbering world."
Lights out bell had rung, and the girls all along the corridors inCarter Hall had gone to bed and to sleep. I had a feeling of impendingsomething, not necessarily evil, but excitement, at least. Dum wasbreathing gently and regularly like a sleeping infant. Dee stirred everynow and then and occasionally muttered an unintelligible something. Idozed but waked with a start.
"Mieuw--mieuw--mieuw!" came in a heart-rending wail from Dee's bed.
"Shhhh-shhhh! Poor ittle titty puss! Don't you cwy, honey child!Shhh----"
"Mieuw--mieuw-mieuw-mieuw!!!!" More subdued endearments from Dee. Dumslept on, but I heard a door open way down the hall! Some teacher, withsharp ears, no doubt.
"Dee," I whispered, "put your little finger in its mouth and let it suckuntil that busybody down the hall goes back into her room." There wasthe sound of a door closing.
"What is your advice, Page?"
"Have you anything for it to eat?"
"Bread and milk, but it won't eat."
"Of course not, it is too little. Did you warm the milk?" I inquired.
"No, how could I with no stove?" One of the rules of the institutionwas: no alcohol stoves.
"Wait a minute. I've got a candle that Mammy Susan put in my bag in caseof accidents." How I blessed the kind old woman who had thought ofeverything. "Them newfangled lights may be mighty fine but if they 'cidenot to wuck some night, a good ole tallow can'le 'll come in mightyhandy, chile, also some saftest matches," she had said as she overrodeall my objections and tucked the life-saving candle and matches in myalready overworked grip.
I got up, donned slippers and dressing gown, gently closed the window,as the night was decidedly frosty, and found the matches and candle. Wedid not dare to light the electric light because of the transom over thedoor. Pussy might at any moment let out another wail, and then thewakeful teacher, seeing the light, would make for our room. In feelingfor the table, I touched Dum's foot and she waked with a start.
"What's the matter, Dee? Are you sick?" And Dum sat up in bed.
"Shhh--No, Dum, she's not sick but the little kitty is hungry," Iwhispered.
"The _what_ is hungry?"
"Not so loud, Dum dear, please! It's just a poor, miserable littlefoundling of a kitty puss that I simply could not leave by the roadside.I've got it in bed with me here."
"Oh, Caroline Tucker! A nasty little cat in bed with you? What wouldZebedee say?" and Dum sniffed the air disdainfully.
"He would say just what I say, Virginia Tucker, that it is a mightyfunny thing that you, who were in line before me and must have seen thepoor little wretched kitten first, didn't feel it your duty to rescue itfrom its misery. I am ashamed of you, belonging to the S. P. C. A.,too," and Dee gave her little charge a brand new finger to suck.
Things were looking rather serious: Dum and Dee calling one anotherVirginia and Caroline and that in no modulated tones; and the candlemaking such a bright light that I expected every minute to hear ateacher rapping on our door.
"Now, look here, Tweedles, both of you stop your fussing and 'tend tothe business in hand. You can fight it out to-morrow, but for Heaven'ssake, put all of your surplus energy now on getting the kitten fed andquiet and 117 not in a deluge of demerits. Dum, get up and pin two middyties over the transom."
Dum obediently carried out my instructions while I warmed the milk thatDee had purloined from the supper table over the blessed candle. Isweetened it a little and diluted it with water. I warmed it in Dee'ssilver pin-tray, as we had no pan of any sort.
"Dip your finger in here, Dee, and let the kitten taste it so it canrealize succor is near. It is lots too young to lap and will have tosuck a rag."
Dum tore up an old handkerchief for me and in a little while kitty wastugging away for dear life, one end of the bit of cambric in its pinkflannel mouth and the other in the pin-tray of milk.
Dum was soon won over to the helpless little thing. "It is sweet, Dee, Ideclare; let me hold it a minute."
Dee magnanimously handed it over to her sister who held the pin-trayvery carefully and let kitty feed as tenderly as any young mother. Itsoon got its fill and curled up and purred "just like a fairy buzz-saw,"Dum declared.
"To think of a tiny cat like that knowing how to purr!" exclaimed Dee.
"To think of a tiny cat like that having such enormous fleas on it,"shuddered Dum. "Here, take the beastie, I'm going back to bed before Iget full of 'em."
"Yes, they are something awful," sighed Dee, "I am literally eatenalive."
"Poor old Dee! Change your nightgown and leave your bed to the pussy andcome snuggle in with me," said Dum.
Pussy slept very well in Dee's bed, waking only about every two hoursand mewing for nourishment. Dee and I would get wearily up, warm themilk and administer.
"Oh, who could be a cat with kittens?" sighed Dee.
Morning finally came and the problem of what to do with our adoptedchild had to be faced.
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nbsp; "Do you know what I'd do if I were you, Dee? I'd go right to Miss Peytonand tell her all about it. I'll go with you. She would sympathize withyou, I really believe, and help you find a home for pussy," I said.
"I'll go, too," cried Dum.
Miss Peyton was fine. She seemed to think Dee had merely been imprudent,not at all naughty. She agreed with Dee that it was a strange thing thatthe whole line of girls and teachers should have passed the little waifby.
"Girls, I am proud and happy that you should have felt I was the personto confide in. If all the school could only understand that I am theirfriend and not just the principal and dealer in demerits. Of course youcan't keep the kitten in your room, but I will see that a good home isfound for it with someone who will take the trouble to feed it until itcan lap for itself. I think I know exactly the right person in thevillage."
We went from the principal's office in very happy and exalted states ofmind.
"Isn't she wonderful?" exclaimed Dee. "Wasn't she splendid to us?"
"She was fine," enthused Dum. "I am certainly relieved."
I said to myself: "Miss Peyton was awfully nice, but it is plain to beseen she is fond of cats. I wonder how she would have felt if it hadbeen an orphan snake or an abused Billy-goat!"