pages.
"It isn't half done yet," said David. "We are writing down the old
stories in the Indian language. And we have drawn Indian pictures to go
with them. We are trying to make them look like the ones Indians used to
draw. Then Aunt Lovan is telling how to make designs. Here is a design
for a basket, and here is one for a blanket. We both remember songs, but
I have to learn how to write them down."
Just then Mr. Carter put his head in the door. He said to Lovan, "If you
are worrying about feeding this crowd, we brought dinner for everyone."
"Thanks for telling me," said Lovan. "Really I haven't enough food for
everyone. But we can cook whatever you have. Look over there. See what
David built?"
It was an outdoor fireplace made of stones.
"Just in time!" yelled Benny. "Because we've got real steak today. We're
celebrating!"
When they all sat down at last, Mine went under the
127
table and lay down on Henry's feet. Benny looked under the table. He
said, "I do wish you'd choose my feet, Miney. But I suppose Henry makes
you think of David. He's about the same size."
Everyone was talking. Violet was talking to David. Benny was talking to
Lovan. Jessie was talking to Mr. Carter. Henry looked at Grandfather.
"What a noise!" he said.
"But a good noise," said Grandfather. "Listen and you'll hear all the
news."
Lovan was telling Benny that David had bought her a warm blanket with
her new money. David was telling Violet that Lovan had made colors to
paint with from things in the woods. Mr. Carter told Jessie that David
was going to school in the fall.
"David is going to be even busier," said Grandfather. "Dr. Osgood tells
me that he has tried him out on the mountain, and he's going to hire him
as a helper in the summers."
"I didn't know there were such interesting things in the world," David
said.
128
So here was David Walking-by-Night with a real job, and a new aunt, and
a family to help him, and a good hound dog. What more could he want?
When the Aldens packed up to go, Benny said, "No we won't say it! We'll
say we'll 'come again soon.'"
So that was it-come again-no goodbye.
On the way home, Benny said, "Oh, by the way, what will we do next
summer, Grandfather?"
"Don't you wish you knew!" teased Grandfather.
"You mean
you
know?"
"I didn't say so, did I?"
"No, but your face looked so."
"Dear me," said Grandfather, "I must be more careful about my face!"
Benny teased for quite awhile. Then he stopped for he knew that
Grandfather would not tell them until he got ready.
"Well, it's OK with me," he said at last. "Anyway whatever we do will be
another story, huh, Gramps?"
129
One warm night four children
stood in front of a bakery.
No one knew them, No one knew
where they had come from.
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny used to live alone in
a boxcar. Now they have a home with their grandfather
and are spending the summer mountain climbing in New
England.
A dangerous rockslide.. .a mountain cave.. .a secret treasure....There
are many adventures in store for the Boxcar
Children in the Mountain Top Mystery.
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