miss billy-第4章

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surprise；　for　within　twenty…four　hours　came　Billy's　answer；　and　by
telegraph。


〃I'm　coming　to…morrow。　　Train　due　at　five　P。　M。

〃BILLY。〃


William　Henshaw　did　not　know　that　in　Hampden　Falls　Billy's　trunk
had　been　packed　for　days。　　Billy　was　desperate。　　The　house；　even
with　the　maid；　and　with　the　obliging　neighbor　and　his　wife　who
stayed　there　nights；　was　to　Billy　nothing　but　a　dismal　tomb。
Lawyer　Harding　had　fallen　suddenly　ill；　she　could　not　even　tell　him
that　the　blessed　telegram　〃Come〃　had　arrived。　　Hence　Billy；　lonely；
impulsive；　and　always　used　to　pleasing　herself；　had　taken　matters
in　hand　with　a　confident　grasp；　and　had　determined　to　wait　no
longer。

That　it　was　a　fearsomely　unknown　future　to　which　she　was　so
jauntily　pledging　herself　did　not　trouble　the　girl　in　the　least。
Billy　was　romantic。　　To　sally　gaily　forth　with　a　pink　in　the
buttonhole　of　her　coat　to　find　her　father's　friend　who　was　a
〃Billy〃　too；　seemed　to　Billy　Neilson　not　only　delightful；　but
eminently　sensible；　and　an　excellent　way　out　of　her　present
homesick　loneliness。　　So　she　bought　the　pink　and　her　ticket；　and
impatiently　awaited　the　time　to　start。

To　the　Beacon　Street　house；　Billy's　cheerful　telegram　brought　the
direst　consternation。　　Even　Kate　was　hastily　summoned　to　the　family
conclave　that　immediately　resulted。

〃There's　nothingsimply　nothing　that　I　can　do；〃　she　declared
irritably；　when　she　had　heard　the　story。　　〃Surely；　you　don't　expect
ME　to　take　the　boy！〃

〃No；　no；　of　course　not；〃　sighed　William。　　〃But　you　see；　I　supposed
I'd　have　time　toto　get　used　to　things；　and　to　make　arrangements；
and　this　is　soso　sudden！　　I　hadn't　even　answered　Harding's　letter
until　to…day；　and　he　hasn't　got　thatmuch　less　replied　to　it。〃

〃But　what　could　you　expect　after　sending　that　idiotic　telegram？〃
demanded　the　lady。　　〃'Come；'　indeed！〃

〃But　that's　what　Billy　told　me　to　do。〃

〃What　if　it　was？　　Just　because　a　foolish　eighteen…year…old　boy
tells　you　to　do　something；　must　you；　a　supposedly　sensible　forty…
year…old　man　obey？〃

〃I　think　it　tickled　Will's　romantic　streak；〃　laughed　Bertram。　　〃It
seemed　so　sort　of　alluring　to　send　that　one　word　'Come'　out　into
space；　and　watch　what　happened。〃

〃Well；　he's　found　out；　certainly；〃　observed　Cyril；　with　grim
satisfaction。

〃Oh；　no；　it　hasn't　happened　yet；〃　corrected　Bertram；　cheerfully。
〃It's　just　going　to　happen。　　William's　got　to　put　on　the　pink
first；　you　know。　　That's　the　talisman。〃

William　reddened。

〃Bertram；　don't　be　foolish。　　I　sha'n't　wear　any　pink。　　You　must
know　that。〃

〃How'll　you　find　him；　then？〃

〃Why；　he'll　have　one　on；　that's　enough；〃　settled　William。

〃Hm…m；　maybe。　　Then　he'll　have　Spunk；　too；〃　murmured　Bertram；
mischievously。

〃Spunk！〃　cried　Kate。

〃Yes。　　He　wrote　that　he　hoped　we　wouldn't　mind　his　bringing　Spunk
with　him。〃

〃Who's　Spunk？

〃We　don't　know。〃　　Bertram's　lips　twitched。

〃You　don't　know！　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃Well；　Will　thinks　it's　a　dog；　and　I　believe　Cyril　is　anticipating
a　monkey。　　I　myself　am　backing　it　for　a　parrot。〃

〃Boys；　what　have　you　done！〃　groaned　Kate；　falling　back　in　her
chair。　　〃What　have　you　done！〃

To　William　her　words　were　like　an　electric　shock　stirring　him　to
instant　action。　　He　sprang　abruptly　to　his　feet。

〃Well；　whatever　we've　done；　we've　done　it；〃　he　declared　sternly；
〃and　now　we　must　do　the　restand　do　it　well；　too。　　He's　the　son　of
my　boyhood's　dearest　friend；　and　he　shall　be　made　welcome。　　Now　to
business！　　Bertram；　you　said　you'd　take　him　in。　　Did　you　mean　it？〃

Bertram　sobered　instantly；　and　came　erect　in　his　chair。　　William
did　not　often　speak　like　this；　but　when　he　did

〃Yes；　Will。　　He　shall　have　the　little　bedroom　at　the　end　of　the
hall。　　I　never　used　the　room　much；　anyhow；　and　what　few　duds　I　have
there　shall　be　cleared　out　to…morrow。〃

〃Good！　　Now　there　are　some　other　little　details　to　arrange；　then
I'll　go　down…stairs　and　tell　Pete　and　Dong　Ling。　　And；　please　to
understand；　we're　going　to　make　this　lad　welcomewelcome；　I　say！〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Bertram。　　Neither　Kate　nor　Cyril　spoke。



CHAPTER　V

GETTING　READY　FOR　BILLY


The　Henshaw　household　was　early　astir　on　the　day　of　Billy's
expected　arrival；　and　preparations　for　the　guest's　comfort　were
well　under　way　before　breakfast。　　The　center　of　activity　was　in　the
little　room　at　the　end　of　the　hall　on　the　second　floor；　though；　as
Bertram　said；　the　whole　Strata　felt　the　〃upheaval。〃

By　breakfast　time　Bertram　with　the　avowed　intention　of　giving　〃the
little　chap　half　a　show；〃　had　the　room　cleared　for　action；　and
after　that　the　whole　house　was　called　upon　for　contributions　toward
the　room's　adornment。　　And　most　generously　did　most　of　the　house
respond。　　Even　Dong　Ling　slippered　up…stairs　and　presented　a　weird
Chinese　banner　which　he　said　he　was　〃velly　much　glad〃　to　give。　　As
to　PetePete　was　in　his　element。　　Pete　loved　boys。　　Had　he　not
served　them　nearly　all　his　life？　　Incidentally　it　may　be　mentioned
that　he　did　not　care　for　girls。

Only　Cyril　held　himself　aloof。　　But　that　he　was　not　oblivious　of
the　proceedings　below　him　was　evidenced　by　the　somber　bass　that
floated　down　from　his　piano　strings。　　Cyril　always　played　according
to　the　mood　that　was　on　him；　and　when　Bertram　heard　this　morning
the　rhythmic　beats　of　mournfulness；　he　chuckled　and　said　to
William：

〃That's　Chopin's　Funeral　March。　　Evidently　Cy　thinks　this　is　the
death　knell　to　all　his　hopes　of　future　peace　and　happiness。〃

〃Dear　me！　　I　wish　Cyril　would　take　some　interest；〃　grieved　William。

〃Oh；　he　takes　interest　all　right；〃　laughed　Bertram；　meaningly。　　〃He
takes　INTEREST！〃

〃I　know；　butBertram；〃　broke　off　the　elder　man；　anxiously；　from
his　perch　on　the　stepladder；　〃would　you　put　the　rifle　over　this
window；　or　the　fishing…rod？〃

〃Why；　I　don't　think　it　makes　much　difference；　so　long　as　they're
somewhere；〃　answered　Bertram。　　〃And　there　are　these　Indian　clubs
and　the　swords　to　be　disposed　of；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　and　it's　going　to　look　fine；　don't　you　think？〃　exulted
William。　　〃And　you　know　for　the　wall…space　between　the　windows　I'm
going　to　bring　down　that　case　of　mine；　of　spiders。〃

Bertram　raised　his　hands　in　mock　surprise。

〃Heredown　here！　　You're　going　to　trust　any　of　those　precious
treasures　of　yours　down　here！〃

William　frowned。

〃Nonsense；　Bertram；　don't　be　silly！　　They'll　be　safe　enough。
Besides；　they're　old；　anyhow。　　I　was　on　spiders　years　agowhen　I
was　Billy's　age；　in　fact。　　I　thought　he'd　like　them　here。　　You　know
boys　always　like　such　things。〃

〃Oh；　'twasn't　Billy　I　was　worrying　about；〃　retorted　Bertram。　　〃It
was　youand　the　spiders。〃

〃Not　much　you　worry　about　meor　anything　else；〃　replied　William；
good…humoredly。　　〃There！　how　does　that　look？〃　he　finished；　as　he
carefully　picked　his　way　down　the　stepladder。

〃Fine！eronly　rather　warlike；　maybe；　with　the　guns　and　that
riotous　confusion　of　knives　and　scimiters　over　the　chiffonier。　　But
then；　maybe　you're　intending　Billy　for　a　soldier；　eh？〃

〃Do　you　know？　　I　AM　getting　interested　in　that　boy；〃　beamed
William；　with　some　excitement。　　〃What　kind　of　things　do　you　suppose
he　does　like？〃

〃There's　no　telling。　　Maybe　he's　a　sissy　chap；　and　will　howl　at
your　guns　and　spiders。　　Perhaps　he'll　prefer　autumn　leaves　and
worsted　mottoes　for　decoration。〃

〃Not　much　he　will；〃　contested　the　other。　　〃No　son　of　Walter
Neilson's　could　be　a　sissy。　　Neilson　was　the　best　half…back　in　ten
years　at　Harvard；　and　he　was　always　in　for　everything　going　that
was　worth　while。　　'Autumn　leaves　and　worsted　mottoes'　indeed！
Bah！〃

〃All　right；　but　there's　still　a　dark　horse　in　the　case；　you　know。
We　mustn't　forgetSpunk。〃

The　elder　man　stirred　uneasily。

〃Bert；　what　do　you　suppose　that　creature　is？　　You　don't　think　Cyril
can　be　right；　and　that　it's　amonkey？〃

〃'You　never　can　tell；'〃　quoted　Bertram；　merrily。　　〃Of　course　there
ARE　other　things。　　If　it　were　you；　now；　we'd　only　have　to　hunt　up
the　special　thing　you　happened　to　be　collecting　at　the　time；　and
that　would　be　it：　a　snake；　a　lizard；　a　toad；　or　maybe　a　butterfly。
You　know　you　were　always　lugging　those　things　home　when　you　were
his　age。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　sighed　William。　　〃But　I　can't　think　it'