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diff --git a/old/64978-0.txt b/old/64978-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f98a1da..0000000 --- a/old/64978-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6238 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Blue Birds at Happy Hills, by Lillian -Elizabeth Roy - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Blue Birds at Happy Hills - -Author: Lillian Elizabeth Roy - -Release Date: April 01, 2021 [eBook #64978] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: MWS, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLUE BIRDS AT HAPPY HILLS *** - -[Illustration] - - - - - THE BLUE BIRDS - AT HAPPY HILLS - - - BY - LILLIAN ELIZABETH ROY - - AUTHOR OF THE “FIVE LITTLE - STARRS” SERIES, ETC. - - - New York - THE PLATT & NOURSE CO. - - - - - Copyright, 1919, - BY - THE PLATT & NOURSE CO. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I KEEPING UNCLE BEN’S APPOINTMENT 7 - - II WHO’S GOING TO HAPPY HILLS? 27 - - III UNCLE BEN’S DRILL CORPS 43 - - IV THE BLUE BIRDS VISIT HAPPY HILLS 61 - - V MISS MARTIN’S TALK 79 - - VI LITTLE MOTHER MAGPIE 91 - - VII UNEXPECTED GENIUSES FOUND AT HAPPY HILLS 112 - - VIII THE STREET CLEANING SQUAD 131 - - IX THE LITTLE CITIZENS’ PICNIC 143 - - X MISS MARTIN’S NATURE STORIES 164 - - XI THE AMUSEMENT COMPANY 179 - - XII THE CIRCUS AT HAPPY HILLS 192 - - XIII THE SAWDUST RING 207 - - XIV THE CITY HOME PLAN 219 - - XV MISS MARTIN’S LITTLE STORIES OF GREAT PEOPLE 230 - - XVI THE END OF A HAPPY SUMMER 247 - - - - -THE BLUE BIRDS AT HAPPY HILLS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -KEEPING UNCLE BEN’S APPOINTMENT - - -“We are ready to start, but where are the twins?” exclaimed Jinks -impatiently. Jinks was Meredith Starr’s chum who lived next door to the -Starrs. - -“Why, they were here but a moment ago!” said Mete. - -“Perhaps they ran on to Mossy Glen without us,” came from Lavinia -Starr, two years older than the twins, who were eight. - -A shrill whistle from the woods then told the three waiting children -that Don and Dot Starr were half-way to the meeting place. The Blue -Birds and Bobolinks were going to meet at the barn, known now as the -Publishing Offices, to start thence for the ten-forty train to New -York. - -“Hurry up, we’ve wasted three minutes waiting for those awful twins!” -sighed Vene--the nickname for Lavinia. - -At the Publishing Offices on the Mossy Glen estate, the three late -arrivals found all the members assembled. Ruth and Ned Talmage had not -far to walk as their home was at Mossy Glen, and the Starr children -including Jinks were now accounted for. Besides these two groups, -there were the other girl-members of the Blue Bird Club, or Nest, and -the boys who founded the society called Bobolinks, that published the -magazine and other important printed matter--such as tickets, notices, -programmes, etc. - -“Here come Ike and Jim--can we all crowd into those two autos, do you -think?” asked Ned, anxiously. - -“It will not be the first time they’ve carried such a load,” laughed -Jinks. - -Just as the children climbed eagerly into the two cars, Mrs. Talmage -appeared hurrying along the path from the house. - -“Now Ned--remember! Don’t allow anyone to go other than the way I’ve -directed you. This is the first time that we grown-ups consented to -have you children go to New York alone, and you must be careful to -follow all advices from us,” declared Mrs. Talmage, with a note of -anxiety in her tone. - -“Oh, we’ll be all right, mother; don’t worry. Aren’t Mete and Jinks and -I almost grown up?” said Ned, soothingly. - -“No, you’re not! You three boys are just as full of mischief as Don -Starr, and everyone knows what we have to endure from _him_!” sighed -Mrs. Talmage. - -The children all laughed--Dot Starr the twin, laughing loudest, but Don -looked as dark as a thunder-cloud at his friends. - -“Guess you all got out of bed with a left foot, this morning! That -accounts for the grouches!” grumbled Don. - -Another laugh failed to bring harmony into Don’s discordant heart just -then, so Mrs. Talmage turned again to Ned: - -“When you get off the train at Hoboken, you take the tube -uptown--remember now, uptown! Don’t get on the cars that go to Newark -or Cortlandt Street. Ask a guard which is the right train to carry you -to 23rd Street. - -“Then walk across from the 23rd Street exit to Fourth Avenue, and up -Fourth to Uncle Ben’s address. You have it written on the letter, Ned, -so you simply can’t go wrong!” - -“We won’t go wrong, Mother. You only _think_ we may!” - -“Oh, for goodness’ sake--hurry up! We’ll miss that train,” complained -Don, who now had an opportunity to give vent to his ire. - -“Good-by, children! I wish you would telephone me as soon as you arrive -at Uncle Ben’s offices, so I will know you are all right!” said Mrs. -Talmage as the cars rolled away. - -The party had ample time to board the train at the little station of -Oakdale, and soon they found themselves in Hoboken--the terminal for -the Jersey suburban trains. - -As they were passing the news-stand at the foot of the steps that led -to the tubes under the river, Don saw a variety of tempting candies. - -“I’ve got my week’s allowance with me, Dot--do you want some -chewing-gum?” asked her twin. - -“S-sh! They’ll hear you! And you know Vene won’t let us have -chewing-gum,” warned Dot, glancing at the other children. But they had -not heard Don, as they were interested in buying the tickets to New -York. - -This was a perplexing matter, as tickets for Dot, Don, and Tuck -Stevens were to be at half-price, and those of the other children at -full-price. The twins took advantage of the problem to buy a box of gum -and a roll of chocolate disks. - -“Oh! Looka here! We’ve got ten pieces of gum for a nickel!” chuckled -Don, delightedly, as he emptied the box into his palm. - -“You take five and I’ll take five,” suggested Dot. - -“Why, no! Didn’t I pay for them? You take one and when you want another -I’ll give it to you.” - -“But I always go even shares with you when _I_ get anything at home,” -argued Dot. - -“That’s different! You don’t pay out your hard-earned money for it, -and I had to. Why, just think how many times last week I had to be at -school on time! Didn’t that mean getting out of bed so early that I -’most got insomnia from it?” - -Dot had an inspiration. She hastily began chewing the single piece of -white-candied gum and determined to ask for a second piece soon, as Don -had promised to give her another one when she wanted it. - -Don now hastened in front of his sister, to join the other children, -but he was too preoccupied with the gum to notice where he went. He -heard a guard call: “All aboard!” and he rushed in dragging Dot after -him--just in time! The door was closed and away sped the train. - -“Where’s Ned--and Jinks, and the others?” gasped Dot, the moment they -found themselves safe on the moving train. - -Don could not reply. He seemed to have a great obstruction in his -mouth. Finally he shoved the obstacle over in the hollow of a cheek and -gurgled out: - -“Guess they went in the car ahead to be nearer the exit gate when we -get there.” - -“Don Starr! What have you got in your mouth?” demanded Dot, suspecting -the truth. - -“Gum, of course! What have you got?” retorted Don. - -“I’ve got _one_ piece! How many have you?” - -“I’ve got what I paid for!” snapped Don, but he had the grace to blush -at his selfishness. - -“I--I just wish you’d swallow it! So there!” cried Dot, who had -unwisely thrown away the gum she had, to induce her twin to give her a -new piece. - -Don glared only--he could not speak comfortably. Dot was so offended -that she started to walk through the forward car in search of her -friends. “Where’er yeh goin’, Missy?” asked a guard, stopping her. - -“To find the others. They must be in front,” said Dot. - -“Got your ticket? I didn’t see you drop one in the box back yonder, -cuz I was watchin’ the two of yuh,” was the astonishing reply from the -guard. - -“Ticket! Don, have you got a ticket?” - -“No--Ned got all of them,” replied Don, but he was so hasty in moving -the gum out of his tongue’s way to permit him to speak, that it almost -slipped down his throat. - -A tremendous coughing and choking spell caught Don, and his face turned -as red as a poppy, while Dot hammered his back exultantly--now she had -a chance to get even with him! - -“Where’er yeh goin’--Jersey City?” now asked the guard. - -“Jersey City! Why--no. We are to get off at 23rd Street,” explained -Dot, surprised for the time. - -“This is a Newark train,” announced the guard, wondering what he could -do with two stray children. - -“Oh, my goodness! Maybe Ned isn’t on this train. Was there another -train in the same station?” gasped Dot. - -“Sure--one on either side of the platform, but we’re always hollerin’ -out where we go so folks won’t get mixed,” returned the guard. - -Don couldn’t allow Dot to take the lead in this exciting adventure, but -he could not speak with his mouth full, so he slyly dropped the gum in -one palm and held his hand in his pocket. Then he was free to take his -part. - -“Which is the nearest stop to 23rd Street?” asked he. - -“Well, we will now stop at the Erie Station; next is Jersey City, and -so on till we reach Newark. Why?” replied the man. - -“I’m thinking we could get off and take some car back.” - -“That’s what you’ll have to do anyway, ’cause you haven’t any ticket -to show. But I don’t see how you are goin’ to ride back again widdout -payin’ at all!” explained the man. - -Then a light seemed to break in upon them at the same time! They caught -hold of the guard’s coat and laughed: - -“Don’t you see! Ned had all the money and tickets, so he dropped them -for us when he went through the gateway!” - -“And diden’ you’se spend your ticket money for candy?” asked the guard, -suspiciously, as he knew the weakness of youngsters, having a brood at -home. - -“Cross my heart, we didn’t! I used my week’s spending money. Last week -I didn’t earn any cuz I owed it all!” said Don, anxiously. - -“All out for Erie Railroad!” now yelled the guard, as the train pulled -in and it was his duty to open the doors. - -“Git off here and wait fer a train what comes in on th’ other side the -platform!” called he, shoving Don and Dot out from blocking the doorway. - -“Much obliged! Good-by!” called Don, about to wave his hand that had -been hidden in his pocket. The other hand grasped Dot’s sleeve. - -The door slammed, the train moved out, and the twins were left standing -alone. Don found he could not withdraw his hand readily, and discovered -that the gum had not only stuck fast to his fingers but had also -clutched a hold on various articles a boy always carries in his pocket. - -“Dot you go and ask the newspaper man how long before a New York car -comes in?” suggested Don, as he wished to be alone when that gum came -forth. - -Dot, proud to be trusted by her brother with such an important mission, -ran away and Don hurriedly set to work. After much tugging the gum came -out and with it came a marble, a broken jackknife, a fish-hook, a brass -button, a sling-shot, and a few other treasures. - -Don did his best to extricate his personal property from the gum -without wasting too much of the rare treat. So he carefully chewed -off every bit that clung to each article as he pulled it forth. He -replaced the treasures in his pocket and thrust the gum in his mouth -just as Dot came back. - -“See that red sign--up there?” said she, pointing to an electric sign -overhead. - -“Well, that reads where the trains go. This one just coming in is -uptown the man said.” - -With that she dragged her twin aboard without ceremony--was he not -chewing that gum again, and did she have any? No, sir! - -Dot refused to speak a word to Don as they were whisked along to the -Hoboken terminal. Here they jumped off and stood and looked about -anxiously for their friends. Not a child was to be seen besides -themselves. - -“Did they go back to the train to find us?” asked Dot. - -“No, they got on the New York cars and thought we were on, too. When -they get to 23rd Street they’ll miss us and wait there till we come,” -explained Don, taking the gum from his mouth again to speak. - -“What shall we do?” - -“Get on the first train for uptown,” replied Don. - -“There’s one--I’m going to ask the man where it goes,” announced Dot, -running to a guard standing by his platform. - -“Where do you go?” asked the little girl. - -“Downtown, New York.” - -“Thank you,” and Dot walked away. - -Another string of cars pulled in, and other guards got off after the -passengers had left. Dot ran up to one and said: - -“Where do you go?” - -“Jersey City, Manhattan Junction, Harrison, and Newark!” called the -man, without paying any attention to the child. - -“Guess that isn’t it, yet,” thought Dot, giving the man a scornful look -because he would not notice her. - -The twins waited and waited, and then another train came in where the -downtown train had pulled out. - -“Hurrah!--Read the sign in the windows! ‘Uptown New York,’ Dot!” cried -Don, crowding on before anyone could get in ahead of him. - -Thus it happened that Don walked into a car without waiting for Dot, -and she, being small, was pushed back by the grown-ups till the last. -Just as she was about to step on, Jinks caught her skirt. - -“Thank goodness! Here you are! We’ve all been hunting high and low for -the two of you.” - -“Why--where did you come from?” questioned Dot. - -“Just came in on that car over there--I saw you waiting, before my -train stopped, and tried to hurry out to prevent you from leaving us.” - -As he spoke, Dot stepped back beside Jinks, and the guard shut the door -and pulled the signal cord. Instantly the train moved and carried Don -uptown alone. He had not seen Jinks and thought Dot was behind him as -he walked through the sections looking for his friends. - -“There now! Don is gone!” cried Dot, stamping her foot. - -“On that car!” gasped Jinks, trying hard to choke back a laugh. - -“Yes, and now he’ll get losted, too!” - -“Not if he gets out at 23rd! We left Vene there to grab you if you -reached that far,” explained Jinks. - -“Where’s Ned and Mete, and the others?” - -“Ned went to Cortlandt Street and agreed to meet me at Hoboken again. -Mete went to Jersey City and other stations to ask for you. We left -Ruth with the other Blue Birds and Bobolinks in care of Vene at 23rd -Street station. Here comes a downtown train.” - -It stopped and Ned stepped off. He glowered at Dot and asked: “What -under the sun do you twins think we are, anyway?” - -“Nuthin’ much, if you can’t take charge of a few children!” retorted -Dot, glowering as darkly as he. - -Jinks burst out laughing. “No use feeling upset about it, Ned. No one -yet has been able to scold the twins!” - -Another train now pulled in and Mete got off. - -“I’d just like to know what right you trouble-makers had to leave us -and wander around by yourselves?” demanded he, angrily. - -“We didn’t wander--we rode! And what’s more you just got off the same -kind of train we got on, so you went the same route!” exclaimed Dot, -scornfully. - -Now the train from uptown came in on its last stop at Hoboken. -Off stepped Vene. She hurried over to join her friends with the -exclamation: - -“Oh, I saw Don on the train, but he didn’t get off at 23rd Street where -I waited. Before I could call or get his attention, the cars moved on. -I waited but he didn’t come back and I don’t know what to do!” - -“What did you come here for?” demanded Mete, impatiently. - -“I knew you would be here and could tell me what to do.” - -“Yes, and most likely, by the time we all get back to 23rd Street, -those other nuisances will have escaped! Then we’ll waste a whole day -in hunting them up, instead of visiting Uncle Ben on time!” cried Mete, -beside himself. - -“No, no! I left them sitting in a row on the bench with a colored -porter to guard them. I promised him some money if he would keep them -right where they sat!” - -“Fine! I tell you boys--Vene is a true suffrage girl! She uses her -wits as well as we men do!” exclaimed Jinks, approvingly, for he was -Lavinia’s chief admirer those days. - -“Pooh! If she was your sister you wouldn’t think so!” - -“All aboard--uptown train!” now bawled a guard, and all else was -forgotten in the scurry to get on. - -Dot felt worried about her twin, but being in such disgrace already, -she did not add to her troubles by asking for Don. - -Soon the guard announced “23rd Street” and the children trooped off. -There sat the members of the Blue Birds and Bobolinks in a row on a -bench, and a negro man standing beside them was apparently enjoying -himself, as he listened to an orator standing at one end of the long -bench. It was Don who held forth with such a flow of rhetoric. - -“Say you, Don Starr! How came you here?” shouted half a dozen voices, -as as many individuals ran over and caught hold of the boy. - -At the sudden shaking, Don dropped something. Dot saw it fall and gave -it a vicious kick. It was a huge ball of gum. Don saw it and knew what -had caused it to roll away. He glared at Dot, and then turned to the -boys. - -“Mighty good thing I got my wits about me! You boys aren’t worth a -cent to look after a bunch of youngsters! _I_ know how to travel, -all right! I’ve been to Jersey City, Hoboken, Erie, and Christopher -Street, Ninth Street, Fourteenth Street, Eighteenth, Twenty-third, -Twenty-eighth and Thirty-third Streets, all in an hour--and here I am -as fresh as ever!” - -“Fresh--of course you are! And I’m going to have Uncle Ben take a lot -of it out of you just as soon as we get to his office!” threatened Mete. - -“No you won’t either! I telephoned him from the 33rd Street station to -ask him what to do and he said: ‘Go and wait at 23rd Street station -as planned, and bring them all over here as soon as possible. You -are almost an hour late for the appointment!’ so I am to take charge -now, and see that we all get over to the office as quickly as you can -travel!” - -The children laughed at the order from Don, and then started up the -steps to the street, but did not see Don stoop to catch up the ball of -gum. He planned to wash it well at a drinking place he knew of in his -uncle’s office. - -Without further mishap, they all reached the 18th floor where Uncle -Ben’s office was located, and Don slipped away. The gum was soon -washed, and he chewed as noisily as ever as he ran after the last one -to enter the door leading from the main hall to the offices. - -“Don Starr! what are you chewing?” demanded Vene, in a disgusted tone. - -“Nawthin’!” - -“Yes, you are, too! Ned, see what he’s chewing! I just know it’s gum!” -from shocked Vene. - -“Don, are you chewing gum?” asked Ned. - -“I’m not chewing a thing--can’t you see my jaws are as quiet as -yours--quieter, cuz you’re talking!” - -“_Were_ you chewing gum?” now came severely from Mete. - -“Not that you noticed it!” said Don, saucily. - -“Open that mouth of yours!” demanded Mete. - -“Can’t--my tooth is hooked!” replied Don, a faint twinkle beginning to -wrinkle his eyes. - -“I’ll yank the tooth out--open your mouth!” and Mete caught hold of his -younger brother’s shoulders and shook him. - -A choking, a sputtering, and a great confusion followed as Don was -forced to give up the gum. - -“Oh--you! you--you----” but Vene had no words to convey her horror at -the untruth she felt Don had told. - -“Good gracious--what a chunk! How could you crowd it in at one time!” -gasped Mete, when he saw the size of the gum. - -“He chewed nine pieces at once!” eagerly attested Dot. - -“Did you chew the tenth?” was the unexpected query from Ned. - -“Only the teeniest bit--just to get the flavor, then I threw it away!” -admitted Dot. - -“Oh, really!” from several voices. - -“And she got angry when I wouldn’t give her five even!” added Don, -scowling at everyone. - -“Why did you say you couldn’t open your mouth ’cause your tooth was -fast? Didn’t you know you were fibbing?” asked Ned. - -“I didn’t say one word that was a lie! Now you think! My tooth _was_ -hooked. I had to use that gum to keep my tooth from getting cold and -aching again. The dentist told me always to keep the nerve covered when -I went outdoors. He said it was an exposed nerve that made a tooth -jump. So I did as he advised me, that’s all!” explained Don. - -Not another word was said about the gum then, as the inner door to -Uncle Ben’s offices was reached and the Publishers went in where all -was quiet, and such a thing as gum was never thought of! - - - - -CHAPTER II - -WHO’S GOING TO HAPPY HILLS? - - -“Hello, Finn--where’er yeh goin’ in sech a hurry?” asked a newsboy of a -pal who was hurrying past. - -“Oh--hello, Skelly! I’m lookin’ fer that chap what knows about them -passes fer camp.” - -“Hully chee, Finn! Yeh don’t tell me ye’re goin’ to that Sunday School -place--what?” jeered the boy called Skelly. - -“’Tain’t a prayer-meetin’ camp, neider! It’s a regerler camp fer boys -and gals. I was told there’s not a bit of Sunday School stunts goin’ on -there,” replied Finn, defensively. - -“Huh, all the same, you’ll come back actin’ like a little lady! Dey’ll -cure yuh of cigarettes, matchin’ pennies and all the udder fun we’ve -had,” scorned Skelly, bitterly. - -“See here, now! I ain’t wantin’ the ticket fer meself--it’s only fer -my sick sister, yuh know. The Doc said she’d got to git out of that -hot, dark room in the tenement, and where kin I keep her--on’y in a -camp like this is?” explained the worried brother to the leader of the -Ludlow Street gang. - -“Oh, I see,” returned Skelly, apologetically, “An’ so yeh want to find -Ike who’s got the address of the place!” - -“That’s it! Have yeh seen him this mornin’?” asked Finn. - -“He went uptown to see the man at the printin’ office. He tol’ me all -the tickets he had on hand were given out and he needed more. Why don’t -yuh trot up and see the man yourself instead of hangin’ ’round waitin’ -fer Ike?” ventured Skelly. - -“Guess I will--where is it?” - -Skelly thereupon dug down into the pockets of a ragged pair of trousers -and finally brought to view a dirty scrap of paper. Upon it was -scrawled: “Benjamin Talmage, Manager of Blue Bird Camp at Happy Hills, -354 Fourth Avenue, New York.” - -“Dat’s up near 23rd Street, yuh know,” Skelly added, as Finn read aloud -the address. - -“I’ll git a hitch on a truck goin’ up, and try to see the boss right -away,” said Finn, his face expressing relief at having some tangible -plan to act upon. - -Thanks and the verbal expression of gratitude were unknown to the -street Arabs of New York, but Skelly knew from Finn’s face that he -appreciated the information, and that was all that was required of a -friend. - -A large auto-truck sped past the boys, and Finn was soon perched on the -tailboard, waving his old cap at Skelly. The truck turned in at 23rd -Street to go its way to the East Side, so Finn jumped off and scanned -the numbers of the tall office buildings as he started uptown. - -“Hah! Here it is! Hully chee, what a swell shanty!” said he to himself -as he stood wondering whether to enter the tiled hall. Would the -elevator starter permit a boy so ragged and dirty to go up in one of -those shiny lifts? - -He still pondered this momentous question when Ike ran out and almost -into him. - -“Looka where yer goin’, why don’che?” grumbled Finn, then seeing that -it was Ike, he clapped him soundly on the back. - -“Aw, I say, Ikey! Gim’me a ticket fer me sister?” - -“Look out what’che crackin’, Finny! Dat’s my back lung what sounds -so holler when you beat it,” grinned Ike, the good-natured boy from -Rivington Street who had won fame as a ticket-distributor for Happy -Hills. - -“Got one to spare?” anxiously continued Finn. - -“Nope! Yeh got’ta apply personal. I’ll go up wid yeh if you wants one -bad,” offered Ike. - -“Come along den--I need yeh to help talk;” so the two were soon going -up. - -After leaving the elevator, the two boys walked down a very long -corridor with offices on either side. Said Ikey: - -“Now, you’se wants to be careful how you’se talk in here, see? Mr. -Ta’mage is a fine chentlman and don’t like no slang. Mebbe yeh better -keep yer mouth shet altogether an’ let me do the talkin’--cuz, yeh -know, Finn, yeh do spill an awful lot of slang widger English!” - -Finn was properly impressed and consented to have Ikey do all the -talking. By this time the boys reached the door leading to the suite of -offices they sought. - -“Please, ma’am, tell Mr. Ta’mage Ikey Einstein is back yet--Micky Finn, -too, wants to make his acquaintance,” said Ikey to the pretty telephone -operator who sat near the door. - -“Yank off yer cap, Finn--hurry up quick, before she sees it!” hissed -Ikey in his companion’s ear as they stood waiting for an answer. Ikey -had removed his apology for a hat when entering. - -“Mr. Talmage says will you be seated, he’ll be out in a moment,” -announced the girl, with a smile at the young visitors. - -Ikey knew the particular bench meant for waiting callers, and silently -led Finn to it. No sooner were they seated than the door by which they -had just entered was flung open and a number of children of their own -age came in. - -“Hello, Miss Johnson! Uncle Ben in?” called the youngest boy in the -group. - -“He’s busy now, and has two waiting to see him,” was the young lady’s -reply after she had acknowledged Don’s greeting--for the boy was our -old friend and favorite, Don Starr, and his companions were no less -than the officers of the Blue Bird and Bobolink Publishing Society -that issued the monthly magazine for Little Citizens. - -At the nod of Miss Johnson’s head in the direction of the two who were -waiting, Don spun around and recognized one of them. - -“Well, well, if this isn’t our friend Ikey!” said Don, in his tone and -manners for all the world like a grown man, as he caught Ikey’s hand -and shook it heartily. - -The other children--Ned and Ruth Talmage, Meredith, Jinks, Lavinia, and -Dot Starr, turned at Don’s words to watch the two boys. - -“Where under the sun did Don meet that boy?” whispered Lavinia to her -brother Meredith. - -“Say, Vene, where does Don find anything he wants to get hold of!” -returned Meredith, chuckling at his younger brother. - -“I know!” now declared Dot Starr, Don’s twin sister. - -The others waited for her to explain, so she placed a hand at the side -of her mouth to prevent the two strange boys from hearing what she -whispered. - -“They are newsboys who first heard of us at the ‘Tree of Light’ last -Christmas. Ikey is the thin one and he was at that Easter Egg Picnic -in Van Cortlandt Park, too. That’s where Don met him; Ikey had such a -lot of eggs that we asked where he got all of them, ’cause we knew he -couldn’t have had that many to start with. And he told----” - -“S-sh! Not so loud, Dot! He’ll hear you. What did he tell you?” -interpolated Jinks. - -“Why, you know he works in a newspaper printing place where they hire -boys to clean up messes of inks and trash, and run errands, too. Ikey -got a lot of free tickets from the printer to some lecture and he -traded them in, a ticket for every egg he could get. Then he told Don -he was going to sell those eggs downtown to his friends.” - -“Did he?” asked Ruth, surprised that anyone would want to sell Easter -Eggs. - -“I’m going over and find out--I guess that’s what Don is talking about -now,” replied Dot, joining her twin brother. - -“Say, Dot, Ikey just told me he made 56 cents on those Easter eggs, and -now he’s set up in business--newspaper business of his own. He wants -me to go in as his partner--what do you think of it?” said Don in a low -voice, for fear his brother or Jinks might overhear the plan. - -“Pooh! You couldn’t leave Oakdale for a newspaper business, and what’s -the good of having a business if you can’t look after it yourself?” -replied Dot. - -“He could yust invest his money an’ I’d look after it,” hurriedly -explained Ikey, all for business. - -“If Don looked after all he ought to at home, he’d have more interests -than he could take care of. No sir! You leave Ikey Einstein to manage -his own investment!” decided Dot, the practical. - -“You’re jealous ’cause you were left out--that’s what!” said Don, -impatiently, as Dot pulled him back to his friends. - -Uncle Ben came out just then, and shook hands with his Oakdale friends. -“Just go in that director’s room until I finish talking to these two -young men, will you?” - -So the little Talmages and Starrs and Jinks left Uncle Ben with Ikey -and Micky Finn. - -“Mr. Ta’mage, dis newspaper boy’s got a bad-off sister to which a Doc -says she must get away quick to the country fer fresh air or a grave. -Now Finn--he’s Micky Finn, you know, an’ a fren’ of mine--says he ain’t -got no country place an’ neider have we got a cemetery lot if Nelly -goes and dies, but mebbe you kin let her come right away, quick, to -Happy Hills so she kin get well and not need a grave.” - -Ikey told the story in one breath so that at the last he was not very -distinct, but Uncle Ben knew the story--there were so many, many more -just like it in the city! If only Happy Hills had fifty times the -number of acres fitted up with fifty times the number of camp-nests! - -“Micky, how old is your sister Nelly?” asked Mr. Talmage. - -“She’s two years younger’n me,” stammered Finn. - -“And how old are you, little man?” continued Uncle Ben, placing a -friendly hand on the urchin’s shoulder. - -The touch and tone made Micky Finn brace his backbone with conscious -pride as he replied: - -“I’m mos’ twelve, sur, an’ I’ve been the bread-winner fer th’ fam’ly -fer four years--ain’t I, Ikey?” - -“Shure he has! An’ Nelly gits more’n lots of sick gals we know, ’cuz -Finn won’t play craps ner match pennies like the udder boys do!” -bragged Ikey, anxious to win a ticket for Micky. - -“Well, let me see! Who will go with Nelly, to take care of her? Have -you any other sisters or family to travel with her?” asked Uncle Ben. - -“We had a sister two years older’n us but she disappeared one night an’ -we never hearn tell of her agin. She worked in a tobacco-shop. Since -then, I had all the supportin’ to do. That was last summer, she went -wid anudder gal to Coney Island an’ never got back.” - -“I’ll have to write down your address, Finn, and send a lady down to -see Nelly. If everything is all right, she will arrange to take your -sister to the country at once. I’ll make out the ticket myself. Now you -can go out and spend week-ends with her if you like. And should you -take a summer vacation, you can go to Happy Hills free of cost for two -weeks,” explained Mr. Talmage. - -Micky Finn was so overwhelmed with gratitude and surprise at this -unexpected invitation that he stood gaping at his benefactor, but said -not a word. - -“T’ank the chentleman, Micky! Can’t che t’ank him nice, fer what he’s -gone and done fer you an’ Nelly?” Ikey said with a scowl at his friend -for whom he was sponsor. - -“I do thank--Aw, get out, Ikey! De gentleman _knows_ the choky way I -feel in my windpipe! Don’che, Mister?” wailed Finn. - -“Yes, Micky, I know just how you feel, and I feel just as happy as -if you had thanked me with every word known to convey the feeling of -gratitude,” said Mr. Talmage, smiling. - -“Dat’s all right to say to him, Mr. Ta’mage, but I don’t like my -fren’s what I bring up here to do nuttin’ what ain’t all jus’ right. -We all gotta remember to say what folks like you’se say to each -udder, ef we’re goin’ to live at Happy Hills!” rebuked Ikey Einstein, -thoughtfully. - -“That’s right, too, Ikey, but you have had more opportunities to -practice than Micky had; when he meets us often, he, too, will begin to -change his habits and ways of expressing himself.” - -As Mr. Talmage spoke, Micky Finn recalled the words his pal Skelly had -said a short time before: something about becoming a little lady with -fine manners but no fun! - -“Good gracious, Uncle Ben--aren’t you most done talking to those boys?” -called Don Starr from the door of the director’s room. - -“Coming right now, Don! Well, Micky, let me know when you want to go -and spend Sunday with your sister. I’ll try and get her off in a day or -two,” said Mr. Talmage. Then the two street waifs took their departure. - -Of course, you know what it is all about, don’t you? You remember what -Uncle Ben did in the last Blue Bird book, and how the camps at Happy -Hills progressed so that they might be ready to receive Little Citizens -as early as the last of May? - -If you have forgotten how the Nests and other plans at Aunt Selina’s -country place were to be built, I will repeat the description. - -The great estate and farm of Happy Hills in the Valley of Delight, had -a fine large woodland tract where the Nests were built. A shallow brook -ran through the woods, offering all sorts of fun and convenience to -the little campers. At one side of the woodland lay a fertile stretch -of land that was divided into many squares, one for each child at camp, -to be used as farms. In this soil, a Little Citizen might dig and plant -and harvest different kinds of vegetables and flowers and have them all -for his own. No one could trespass or take away what a child planted on -his or her own farm. - -The Nests were large enough to hold six bunks and a bed. The bunks, -three on either side of the square room, were to be for the six Little -Citizens occupying that Nest, and the bed at the end would be for the -Mother Bird of that particular Nest. Besides the bunks and bed, there -was a locker and a clothes-tree at the head of each bunk. The lockers -had lids to be closed and locked to hold personal things belonging to -the child who was given that section of the Nest. It could also be used -as a seat. - -Each Nest was about fifteen feet square, and posts held up a sloping -roof to shed the rain. This roof extended about two feet over the outer -line of the square room to protect the beds and lockers from the rain -when it stormed. Another arrangement to keep the inside of the Nest -dry, was a canvas curtain that rolled up on spring-rollers in fair -weather, but came down in wet or cold weather, to act as a wall or -screen. These curtains buttoned down the sides and at the bottom. - -A gallery three feet wide extended about the outside of the Nest. This -narrow veranda was railed in safely by a three-foot fence to keep the -children from falling off the platform of the Nest which was raised a -few feet above the ground. - -The Refectory was a large open building equipped with rain-proof -curtains also, but on fair days they were rolled up so that it was like -a great pavilion. Even the long tables and chairs folded up and could -be quickly stacked up at one end of the room if the space was wanted -for games or meetings. - -Besides the sleeping Nests and the Refectory, there were a tool-house, -a carpenter shop for teaching carpentry, a machine-shop to teach -mechanics, a library with books and papers to read, and in fact many -other departments for the education of boys and girls. - -As you read in the last chapter of “The Blue Birds’ Uncle Ben,” the -children published their June number of the magazine and planned to -suspend for July and August. In this June issue they showed photographs -of Happy Hills and the Nests ready to receive tenants for the summer. -And as every benevolent institution and child’s hospital, as well as -the Welfare Workers and physicians known to be interested in the poor -children received a copy of the June magazine, the boys and girls -publishing it felt sure there would be plenty of applicants to fill the -camp. - -So work went on until the last of May, when all was ready at Happy -Hills, and Maggie Owens--you remember Maggie, don’t you?--already had -her little flock of brothers and sisters in one of the Nests. She was -the first Little Citizen to take up residence at the camp. Maggie had -been admitted without a ticket as her case was well known to the Blue -Birds and needed no investigation, but the tickets were ready for -distribution the day before Decoration Day and Uncle Ben was truly -surprised at the demand awaiting them. - -Ikey Einstein had been suggested by the Big Brother’s Organization as -an honest, shrewd little fellow who could be of great assistance in the -matter of tickets, so the boy was interviewed and engaged at a salary -to furnish information about any of the numerous applicants from the -East Side, where Ikey lived. - -And that is why Micky Finn sought out Ikey when he wanted to secure a -camp-ticket for Nelly. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -UNCLE BEN’S DRILL CORPS - - -Little Nelly Finn had been admitted to the camp at Happy Hills, and -was the happiest little girl there. Never had she seen such grass -and flowers, to say nothing of the big trees and noisy brook in the -Valley of Delight. The day she had stood with a lady, and several other -children waiting for the train that left at noon for Happy Hills, Micky -promised her to save his pennies and come for a visit to the Camp that -Summer. Not only Micky, but Ikey, Skelly, and another boy, who had a -shoe-shine box, agreed to visit Happy Hills. - -Nelly was established in the Nest next to Maggie, the Little Mother -of six younger children--Maggie was eleven. Because of her motherly -instincts, Maggie felt a grown-up interest in the newcomers, who were -about Nelly’s age. - -“I see you don’t know what to do wid dese girls, Miss Martin,” said -Maggie, the afternoon of the new arrivals, as the Mother Wings of that -particular Nest seemed bewildered and worried. - -“This is all new to me, little girl, and I am only here until a -school-teacher can take my place,” replied Miss Martin. - -“My name’s Maggie,” suggested the Little Mother. - -“How did you know my name?” queried the lady, curiously. - -“I heer’n Miss Selina--she’s our Flutey Bird, you know what owns this -place--tell Uncle Ben that six more little gals was comin’ wid a Miss -Martin.” - -“Maybe you can tell me where to find Uncle Ben now?” asked the city -lady eagerly. - -“Yes’m! He’s beginnin’ a drill fer the boys. They has to grow to be -fine scouts, brave policemen, and extry-brave firemen. You see we’se -goin’ to have a regerler city-run camp here, and Uncle Ben says boys -must know how to proteck folks and guard us against fires and udder bad -t’ings,” explained Maggie. - -“That’s fine! Where is the drill to take place? Maybe we can all go -and watch them,” said Miss Martin. - -“We kin! I was just washin’ Freddy’s han’s to take him wid me--he’s too -little to leave behind, yeh see.” - -Miss Martin’s little flock of six understood _that_ part of life, for -had not each one of them been scrubbed and polished with brown soap and -coarse rags just before leaving the city? - -Freddy was soon cleansed from the results of making mud-pies near the -brook, and Maggie triumphantly led the way to the large green clearing -where the drill was to take place. On the way she pointed out other -Nests and explained who occupied them, then she showed Miss Martin the -hospital, or clinic, as Maggie called it. - -“Dis Nest next to yourn is goin’ to have some blind kids in it, from -the asylum up in the Bronx. Miss Flutey tol’ me not one of ’em ever saw -anyt’ing on de outside world. She said all dey coul’ see was what was -inside dere minds--do you b’lieve dat?” asked Maggie, doubtfully. - -“Oh yes, Maggie. Blind folks have no idea of the exterior world and so -picture it for themselves in their thoughts--that is anyone who has -been born blind and never saw material things.” - -“I see!” murmured Maggie, slowly comprehending. - -Then passing the next Nest, she continued explaining: - -“Them’s where the boys are campin’ just now. All the Nests fer the boys -ain’t done yet, and most of dem have to live up in de row where all dat -noise is comin’ from.” - -“How old are the boys already here?” asked Miss Martin. - -“Half of ’em are cripples er sickly lookin’ kids what was in a asylum -er hospital, so dat’s why dey ain’t runnin’ aroun’ playin’ ball er -diggin’ farms.” - -“After the drill I’d like you to show us the farms,” suggested the lady. - -“All right--I’ll show you anyt’ing you likes to see,” replied Maggie, -graciously, but eyeing the six little strangers to see how they took -her importance. - -They now reached a rustic bridge spanning the shallow creek, and Nelly -stopped to watch the fascinating ripples flow past under her feet. - -“Oh looka! Looka--Miss Martin! Dere’s a fish!” screeched Nelly, -excitedly pointing at some tiny minnows darting about. - -The others crowded close to the railing to follow the direction of -Nelly’s pointing finger, and great interest was manifested in the -unusual sight. - -“Pooh! One of the bigger boys _caught_ a fish yistiddy! A real live -fish, it was, an’ he said it was swimming in the big crick what comes -from dis little one,” bragged Maggie, proudly. - -“Caught a real fish!” gasped the group of astonished city waifs. - -“Yep! And lemme tell you’se somet’ing else! Dere are _reel_ berries -a-growin’ on bushes over on dat hillside!” and Maggie pointed at a -sunny slope a short distance from the camp grove. - -“My!” chorused most of the little girls. - -“An’ birds, an’ bumblebees, an’ snakes, an’--oh, heaps of awful stinger -things what you’se have to run from er jump over!” warned Maggie with -awesome tones and rolling eyes to impress her hearers. - -“Snakes won’t sting, Maggie, unless you tease them. And even then there -are many snakes quite harmless. As for a bumblebee! The big, clumsy -fellow is as good-natured as a puppy,” said Miss Martin. - -“Say, Miss Martin, you knows an awful lot of stuff, don’t you?” -exclaimed Maggie, admiringly. - -“I ought to, Maggie, as I am three times your age. Maybe you will know -more than I do, when you grow up to be my age,” replied the lady, -smiling at the earnest little face. - -All during this walk, the other children had been silent, as they were -not yet quite at ease. All was so new and interesting that they had -no words with which to express their feelings, but Maggie had been a -Little Citizen almost two weeks, now, and so felt qualified to act as -official guide to newcomers. - -“Mebbe Miss Marting will tell us somet’in’ about a bee er a snake?” -ventured Katy Kronen, a little girl of eight. - -“When we get back to the Nest I will tell you all about some snakes -I have seen, and about the bees, too,” promised the Mother Wings, as -they reached the open field where outdoor games and drills were to take -place. - -“Dere he is--ain’t he grand?” cried Maggie, excitedly. - -“Who--where?” asked several voices. - -“Our Uncle Ben--he’s really de Uncle to some kids what live in Oakdale. -Dey made up dis camp, and Miss Selina what’s got a heap of money is -lookin’ after us an’ payin’ de bills. Uncle Ben is her nephew, but -everyone calls him Uncle Ben, ’stead of Mr. Ta’mage, an’ he says he -likes to have so many nieces an’ nephews,” explained Maggie all in one -breath. - -Miss Martin now had her first glance at the man she had heard so much -of--not only in the Welfare work but also from the papers at the time -of the Christmas Tree and Easter Picnic in New York. - -She saw a tall well-built man with the happiest, cheeriest face she had -ever seen. No wonder everyone liked him so! - -Maggie waved a hand energetically to attract his attention, and soon -the man smiled and waved his hat at her. - -“Dere now--he’ll come over pritty soon,” sighed Maggie, with sublime -faith in her prophecy. - -And sure enough! As soon as Uncle Ben had taken down the names of the -boys who were to enter a squad of Camp Police, he came over to welcome -the lady he had not yet met. - -“Dis is my neighbor Mudder Wings, Uncle Ben,” said Maggie by way of -introduction. - -The two smiled and felt much more at ease because of such an informal -introduction than if it had been given by a diplomat. - -“I have heard of your educational work with the city children,” said -Uncle Ben. - -“You have? Why I had no idea it was important enough to be remembered -by such a busy man as you are known to be,” commented Miss Martin. - -“It is most important to all who are sincerely interested in the -welfare of our future citizens, because the work you are doing educates -and familiarizes the children with Nature, so that they will grow kind -and affectionate towards things that used to inspire fear and cruelty. -I trust we will be able to keep you here this summer to conduct a -series of Nature talks for the Little Citizens?” said Uncle Ben. - -“I should like nothing better, Mr. Talmage, if I do not have to make -my usual summer tour of camps for the purpose of creating an interest -in Nature Study. I sent a few substitutes to try the work this year and -so I may not have to go personally,” rejoined Miss Martin. - -“Let’s hope you may remain with us. We have a great work to accomplish -here, Miss Martin.” - -“Yes, I can see that. How I should love to be connected with such a -plan, where money is no object, but the welfare of Little Citizens is -the main idea. Now let me see what you plan to do this afternoon with -the boys. I heard it was a drill.” - -“Yes, I am just organizing a staff of helpers to look after the general -good of those at camp. Won’t you come over and stand under the shade of -the trees while I give the boys their first lesson?” said Uncle Ben. - -So Miss Martin and her little companions followed Mr. Talmage across -the grass to the shady spot he had designated. - -“Now boys! Attention! I shall open this first drill by giving you some -good rules to guide your life in camp, and later, the Blue Birds and -Bobolinks are going to distribute cards which they are now printing -with these same rules and regulations. - -“First and foremost: You cannot repay the kind people and children who -made this lovely country camp possible for you in a better way than to -show kindness and thoughtfulness to everyone you meet. And when you go -back to the city, to take with you the rule of doing unto others as you -would be done by. If this Golden Rule is obeyed the world will be a -happy place for everyone. - -“Every day, and every hour, you will find ways to show your gratitude -to Miss Selina for this camp. It may be that a child is frightened at -something--you can comfort and encourage it. Maybe a boys’ quarrel or -fight is on--you can separate them and make peace. It is more than -likely that someone will use slang or swear words, or call names or use -improper English! You can correct them in a thoughtful way that will -not be resented, but appreciated. - -“‘The Guide for Little Citizens’ that we publish in the little magazine -each month, ought to be well known by most of you now--how many here -have had a copy of the magazine?” - -Two-thirds of the hands went up and Uncle Ben nodded. - -“Well, for the benefit of the few who have not had a copy of our fine -little monthly, I will explain: - -“Our general motto is ‘Do something for Somebody.’ - -“Our seven Nest Resolutions are as follows: - -“‘A Little Citizen makes himself useful to others and is loyal to all -friends, relatives, or foes, in thought and deed. - -“‘A Little Citizen loves his Country and resolves to be a good citizen. -He loves everything in the land or sea--beast, bird, fish, or insect, -and will not injure or tease them. - -“‘A Little Citizen loves and protects the trees, the flowers, and other -growing things in Nature’s creation. - -“‘A Little Citizen will care for all beautiful things: books, -pictures, clothing, and everything useful, ornamental, instructive or -entertaining. - -“‘A Little Citizen will refrain from discourtesy of any sort; from -using vulgar language or being disobedient. In following these ideals -each one will soon see the great improvement in all. - -“‘A Little Citizen resolves to daily seek opportunity to accomplish -some good thing--something that will add to his character-building and -do good to others. - -“‘A Little Citizen will help where help is needed, encourage the -unhappy and hopeless, and be true to others as he would be true to his -own best self.’ - -“If everyone will remember these rules and use them wherever possible, -you will find what a happy camp this will be for each one. - -“Now I want to speak of my firemen--a squad of the older boys who can -be our official firemen for the summer camp. For this work I have -chosen the ten boys who are standing at the left, over there. Come -forward, firemen, and let me introduce you to the Little Citizens of -Happy Hills.” - -Ten strong boys ranging from nine to twelve years of age now came over -to Uncle Ben’s side and stood eager to hear what he would have to say -to them. - -“First of all, I want to tell you--and then have you tell and teach -the campers at Happy Hills--that most of the fires that destroy life -and property are not due to accident as much as to carelessness and -mischief. It is ignorance of what to do in case of a fire that permits -a small blaze to grow into a consuming flame that wrecks blocks of -buildings and wastes millions of dollars worth of property. - -“If everyone knew just what to do and did it at once, you can -understand that there would be little danger. Of recent years, the -large schools in cities have introduced a course of lessons that take -up ‘First Aids’ and ‘Presence of Mind’ tests for the children so that -they may be ready to apply such knowledge when needed. - -“You have most likely heard the proverb: ‘Fire makes a good servant, -but a bad master.’ Now just as long as we keep fire in its rightful -place to do all sorts of work for us, and to keep us warm in winter, -or to create steam in the water placed on it for many important -services, then fire is the servant. But once let it get the least bit -of headway through neglect, or mischief, or by any other cause, and it -immediately consumes whatever it touches and feeds upon all it burns -so that it becomes a raging demon. - -“A child can control a fire in the stove or in a lamp--all one has to -do is to turn down the wick or pull out a damper. But once we let fire -leap from its bounds, we need a force to fight it. And that is what I -expect of you boys. To so train yourselves that in case of emergency, -you will know instantly how to fight the demon, fire. - -“To help you all I can, I have invited one of New York’s Fire -Commissioners to visit us shortly and tell you many wise things I do -not know in connection with this work. But long before he comes I want -you to be practicing daily and have sham-fires. I have a hand-engine -waiting in the great barn back of the tool-house, and enough hose to -reach from the brook to any Nest or building in the woods. - -“I have also ordered, but they have not yet arrived, a set of small -ladders and hooks and other implements useful in case of fire. All -apparatus for the Fire Department will be kept in this new shed back -of us, and no Little Citizen is ever to be allowed inside this door, -unless it be one of the boys detailed as a fireman. - -“You ten boys will have a dark-brown camp-uniform to show you are -Firemen; and in case of a fire you will don the heavy overalls and caps -kept in the Fire-house.” - -As Uncle Ben explained the plan and held up a sample fireman’s uniform, -the boys shouted and whistled and clapped with delight, for this sort -of thing was very unusual and gratifying. - -“Now, Firemen, you may stand back while I call out our Police Force. -The twelve boys on the right will step up.” - -The chosen Firemen retired after being introduced, and the twelve -policemen eagerly ran over to Uncle Ben’s side. - -“These are to be our official policemen in camp. They are going to -be taught all that a policeman needs to do and know, and they are -responsible for the laws and good reputation of Happy Hills. If anyone -needs help or advice about matters here or in any personal problem, the -policeman must give what aid he can. - -“The police must see that rules and regulations are carried out to the -letter, and all games, drills, or other public gatherings must be -ordered by them, and all nuisances removed. - -“If a member of either Fire Department or Police Force is disloyal to -his fellow-man or breaks his vow to live up to the laws governing his -department, he will be discharged, and another boy elected to fill the -vacant place. But I hope no such vacancies will occur.” - -Uncle Ben then mentioned other important things and good points in -managing the camp, and told the police he had blue uniforms for them to -wear when on duty. He held up a suit made of blue denim, and a cap to -match, but no clubs were to be given to this police force! Weapons were -tabooed by Uncle Ben. - -“Now, boys, I want each of you to ‘do his bit’ in this camp, and to -drill well so that you can give a fine exhibition of your ability when -called upon to use it. I expect the Blue Birds and Bobolinks at Happy -Hills next week, and it will be a great surprise to them to see what we -have accomplished in so short a time.” - -The boys quickly agreed to study and practice well, so Uncle Ben smiled -approvingly and called upon a group of girls to step forward. There -were six girls from ten to twelve years of age in one group, and four, -of thirteen years, in another group. - -“Here you see six nurses who will have charge of the Little Citizens -who should accidentally be scratched, cut or have any other physical -trouble. These nurses will have the right to go to the infirmary and -use whatever they may need for a patient. But they will have to ask the -grown-up in charge of the infirmary for the needed remedy. - -“These nurses will also see that Little Citizens are careful of their -manner of living in camp, and will report anyone who breaks the rules -or is careless of the welfare of others. - -“The four big girls you see in the other group are Mother’s Helpers. -Everyone knows what a Mother’s Helper is, and with these four Helpers -to go about and offer help to any little Mother Wings, there ought to -be a chance for everyone to have a good time. - -“Take Maggie, for instance! Maggie has six little brothers and sisters -to look after, and they are a handful. Now one of these official -Mother’s Helpers can help Maggie in the morning so that she need not -be late for breakfast on account of having so many little ones to wash -and dress,” explained Uncle Ben, smiling at Maggie. - -The latter heaved a deep sigh and said: “Oh t’ank you, Uncle Ben!” - -“Tomorrow morning at nine o’clock sharp, the Firemen will drill at this -place, and at ten o’clock the Police Force will meet and drill,” said -Uncle Ben, and the meeting was over for that day. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE BLUE BIRDS VISIT HAPPY HILLS - - -A week had passed by swiftly while the Firemen and Police Force -practiced and drilled constantly to become proficient in their work. -And the official nurses found many little ways in which to help with -the smaller children and when anyone was in trouble. Miss Martin had -thought out a plan, and was beginning a story-telling class to be held -directly after luncheon in the big Refectory. She purposely called it -story-telling so the Little Citizens wouldn’t think they were being -bored with lessons or class. - -“Now, boys, show me what you can do today--for tomorrow our visitors -are coming, you know,” said Uncle Ben, as he called his Firemen and -Police together at the Big Park, as it was styled. - -But there were still other squads waiting to show off what they could -do, and these groups had not yet been introduced to the general public. - -“I’ll tell you, my friends, what I discovered after our last week’s -meeting. I found that we needed a Camp Cleaning Department and a Health -Department. The Camp Cleaners are elected every two weeks, and the -ones doing their work best during the two weeks win medals. Those in -the Health Department work a month, and are given a certificate if -the time has been well applied to duty. The reason for limiting the -Cleaning Department to two weeks is because there is much daily work to -attend to, and this Force really works more in two weeks than any other -department in a month. - -“The Nurses are under the Health Department and both the Health and -Nurse Departments are supervised by the Infirmary Head. - -“Tomorrow morning the Street Cleaning Department begins work. Each of -the twelve boys is equipped with a big round basket on a push-mobile, -and a broom and shovel. The paths that lead through or across the -camp-site will be cleaned of papers, or any other trash that is likely -to fly about where there are so many children. It is the duty of every -Mother Wings to have the trash-bag waiting in front of the Nest so the -Cleaning Department can remove the bags and leave empty ones in their -place--exactly as we do in New York. - -“The Health Board must visit and inspect the Nests each day and report -any lack of attention or seeming cause for concern to the Mother’s -Helpers, Nurses, and Infirmary Head. Then the Helper investigates at -once and the Nurse sees if there is anything she can do, and both -report to the Infirmary. If it is serious the Head immediately attends -to it. - -“Our Health Board wears this uniform,” and Uncle Ben held up white -percale overalls with blue stripes on the collar and cuffs of the -under-blouse that went with it. - -“And our Street Cleaning Department wears this uniform,” then a pair -of white overalls without stripes, but a white helmet to match the -overalls, were shown to the enthusiastic Little Citizens. - -“Isn’t this the most fun you ever heard of?” cried one boy, who was a -Health Officer. - -“Oh! I wish we could live at Happy Hills all the time!” came from a -Policeman, wistfully. - -“Now Little Citizens, we will stand back and watch a trial drill of -our brave Firemen,” called Uncle Ben. - -The big boys belonging to the fire department now ran to the shed they -had called the “Fire-house,” and were soon in their uniforms. Then -they performed as only eager, enthusiastic boys can before a number of -spectators. They were applauded loudly and Uncle Ben said they were -ready for the Grand Exhibit on the morrow. - -The Police Force drilled next, and they, too, were heartily applauded. -The second exhibition ended, Uncle Ben ordered all to fall in line and -march away to play. - -“Wish we had a brass band, Mr. Ta’mage! Wouldn’t it be fun to have -parades!” called the Fire Chief. - -“Say, Bill, that’s a fine idea! Are there any Little Citizens here who -can play on an instrument?” asked Uncle Ben. - -“I kin play a fiddle!” squeaked a weak boy’s voice. - -“I’ve got a mouth-organ,” called another. - -“I beat the drum!” - -“I ust to play a fife.” - -“I can blow a horn--I got paid fer it on the East Side, when any -patent medicine quack wanted to get a crowd around to buy his stuff,” -admitted one of the big Firemen. - -And a score or so of boys all cried that they wanted to play something -in the band. Uncle Ben knew music was a great thing in a community -even if it had a discordant sound at first; it would be helpful and -elevating for them even to try and play. - -“I’m going to act on Bill’s suggestion at once! I will wire Mr. -Richards to pick out the instruments we may need to begin a Camp Band. -He will know what to buy,” declared Uncle Ben. - -“Say, Mister Ta’mage, tell him not to waste his good money buyin’ ’em -new--he kin git all kinds and all sizes of music instruments at a -pawn-shop along the Bowery. Me brudder got a fine bass horn at one, fer -a quarter of what it was wuth!” bawled a big East Side German boy. - -“Yah! Hear Dutchy talk! It takes your big brudder what was practicin’ -music fer yer Kaiser, to grab a bargain!” jeered Young Italy. - -“He didn’t not! My brudder is blowin’ his horn fer a enlist camp on -Long Island--so now! An’ my fadder and mudder are natural Americaners, -I want to tell you yet!” retorted Bill. - -“Here, here, boys! No war arguments at Happy Hills! It is absolutely -forbidden! Bill is as good a citizen as I am and should anyone question -my veracity on the subject, he can leave camp now! We don’t want to -give our Police Force any unnecessary trouble and I know what such a -discussion will lead up to.” - -“Mr. Ta’mage, I gotta cymbals to my house in New York. My uncle left -them wid us when he was drafted,” said another boy from the ranks. - -“You write at once, Jimmy, and ask your mother to send them on to -us,--collect. You can play the cymbals in the band,” declared Uncle Ben. - -But that brought down a flood of trouble upon his unsuspecting head, as -every boy at camp instantly yelled and begged for some position in the -new Brass Band, although many of them had not the slightest idea of the -difference between a half-note and a fish-worm. - -“It all boils down to this: We’ve got to buy instruments and all take -part in the band. The girls will have to take up the choral work -and give musicals in singing while we accompany them in playing,” -determined Uncle Ben. - -The Blue Birds and Bobolinks arrived about noon, the day following -the drill and the decision to start a brass band. As the noisy party -stopped before Aunt Selina’s door, each one tried to crane his neck for -a glimpse of the wonderful camp they had been the means of founding. -But the trees screened everything from curious eyes; still the shouting -and laughter could be heard, although even that was mellowed by the -distance from the house. - -“Oh, Uncle Ben, we are wild to see the Little Citizens. Aunt Selina and -you have not written half enough to satisfy us!” cried Ruth Talmage, as -she jumped at her uncle, the moment the automobile stopped. - -“Uncle Ben, Mr. Richards telephoned us this morning early, that he -couldn’t come with us. You must have told him to get some stuff in -New York. He said he would attend to it today and leave the city on a -midnight train, so’s to be here tomorrow,” said Ned Talmage, delivering -the message as he was asked. - -“That’s fine, Ned! If Mr. Richards can get what I want there will be a -heap of fun at Happy Hills this summer,” replied Uncle Ben. - -“As if there was no fun here!” laughed Miss Selina. - -“Come on,--come on, and don’t stand there talking! I want to see the -camp,” called Don Starr, catching hold of Jinks’ hand to pull him away. - -“Wait a moment! Don’t you want something to eat?” questioned Mr. -Talmage. - -“But why can’t we eat in the Refectory with the Citizens?” wondered -Meredith Starr aloud. - -“Sure thing, Uncle Ben! We don’t want a ready-made house with fine -furniture and things, when we have a dandy camp right at hand where -a fellow can rough it for a few days!” added Don, and he felt very -impressive with the manner in which he said “rough it.” - -The Little Citizens were expecting their young benefactors, and the -whole camp was as spick and span as a Street Cleaning Department -could make it; and every child was polished till it shone, thanks to -the Mother’s Helpers; and the Police Force was uniformed and waiting -at cross paths of the camp ready to salute the group of Blue Birds -and Bobolinks the moment they passed the City Line. Only the Fire -Department was invisible, but they were waiting impatiently at the Fire -House for the signal that would bring them out in a glorious show. - -For be it known, my friends, that the Police Force, the Street Cleaning -Department, and the Fire Company, had planned a secret all unknown to -Uncle Ben, or any Little Citizen--at least a non-official citizen--that -meant the girls, as every boy in camp belonged to some Civic Department -or other and wore its uniform. - -The secret was so well guarded that not even I had a peep of it, but -it was dreadfully exciting as one could tell by the flushed faces and -meaning signals that passed between the important branches of the Camp -Government. - -“Dere dey come--jus’ leavin’ de house!” called Jimmy, who was perched -up on an electric light pole to spy. - -“Which way are dey takin’--Primrose Walk or Daffodil Lane?” asked an -eager voice from the crowd. - -“Comin’ straight down Daffodil Lane--gee! dem boys what calls -demselves Bobolinks are swells all right!” said Jimmy, as he slid -quickly down the pole and joined his comrades. - -“How many of ’em?” asked a boy. - -“’Bout six er eight--big and little.” - -“How little?” came from several small boys. - -“Two look to be about eight, some look ten and de udders about Dutchy’s -age,” explained Jimmy, which goes to tell the reader that Bill, the boy -of German parentage had to suffer the nickname of “Dutchy” in spite of -Uncle Ben’s protests. A boy will be a boy the world over! - -“Now--all ready for the cry!” warned the Fire Chief. - -“One, two, three--yell!” - -Just as Uncle Ben and his little friends came up to the camp-boundary -line, the Little Citizens gave a war-cry of: - - “Lit! Lit! Lit-tle Cits! - Cit! Cit! Cit-i-zens! - Unc! Unc! Uncle Ben! - Hurrah for the Prince of Men! - Bob! Bob! Bob-o-links! - Blue! Blue! Blue Birds too! - Aunt! Aunt! Aunt S’li-na! - ’Rah! ’Rah! Flutey Mah!” - -The concerted chorus, and the syncopated action of the scores of hearty -voices was deafening to the newcomers, especially as it was unexpected; -but it was most satisfying as the laughter and hurrahs attested the -moment the welcome was ended. - -Aunt Selina laughed and laughed at the way the Little Citizens ’rahed -for Flutey Mah! - -The Blue Birds and Bobolinks were then escorted about the wonderful -camp and shown everything important or otherwise. Even the mud-pies -made by Maggie’s baby brother that morning had to be shown and laughed -over! - -“Now, my Publishing Friends, we will adjourn to the Fire-house and -watch the Fire Company drill,” announced Uncle Ben. - -“What Fire Company?” asked Don, amazed--as were the other visitors, too. - -“You’ll soon see! Have you failed to see the Police Squad keeping order -about the town?” laughed Uncle Ben. - -So eager and curious about other things had the Blue Birds and -Bobolinks been, that they had not seen the stiff boys at guard in blue -uniforms. - -“Well, I never!” exclaimed Ruth. - -“Whose idea is that?” questioned Meredith. - -Without reply, Uncle Ben gave a signal to his police and the men -saluted, turned upon their heel, and marched away in single file -towards the Fire-house. - -“Oh! I want to be a fireman, too! Isn’t it fun!” cried Don, running -after the departing Force much as a small boy would at a circus parade. - -“Now, come and see my Firemen drill,” added Uncle Ben, laughing at the -amazement on the faces about him. - -“How lovely!” cried Vene Starr, as she realized what had been planned -by Uncle Ben for their entertainment. - -Immediately after the Blue Birds and Bobolinks were stationed on a -small platform near the Fire-house, a Policeman rang the fire-gong -in the center of the camp-town. It was a great iron hoop hung upon a -cross-beam and was sounded by striking it with a bar of metal. - -Not until this moment had Uncle Ben noticed anything unusual about the -Park, but now he saw a column of smoke issuing from a structure at -one end of the field that had not been there the day before. It was -loosely built of old boards and discarded lumber thrown aside by the -carpenters when building the Nests. He understood what it meant, too. - -The moment the fire-gong sounded, the Little Citizens standing about to -watch the fun, began yelling at the top of their lungs: “Fire! Fire! -Save us from the fire!” - -Then they all started to run for the temporary house at the end of the -field. At the same time, the Fire Department flung open the doors of -its house and rushed out pulling the hand-engine at their heels. The -boys with the hose reel followed, and last came the Hook and Ladder -Team. - -All made for the now flaming structure and naturally, the visitors -ran too, to watch at close hand the daring and bravery of the Fire -Department. Uncle Ben hoped the sparks from the fire would not start -anything else as it was too near the Nests for safety. - -The Fire-engine reached the scene, and while they were getting ready to -pump water from the creek into and through the hose-pipes, the other -firemen were screwing nozzles to the hose, and connecting up the -lengths so that it would reach the burning dwelling. - -Other firemen were placing ladders against the side of the frail -structure to pretend they were climbing up to save lives, but Uncle Ben -protested quickly. - -“Don’t dare too much, boys! The shack will collapse with a suddenness -that will give you no time to get away! Don’t scale the ladders!” - -While he spoke, other boys were using axes and rams on the wooden frame -to show how a closed and locked house can be made to give way before a -fireman. But the advice reached the excited boys too late! The blows -from ram and axe had shaken the loose frame, and the flames on the -inside had eaten a way through the corner-posts that held up the shack. - -Just as the weight of Bill was brought full against the side of the -building, the whole thing fell in like a house of cards. The ladder -and fireman fell with it. Instantly a dense smoke arose from the fresh -fuel, and sparks flew out in every direction. - -“Life Savers! Life Savers!” yelled the few boys who had seen the -accident, and they rushed in to grab Dutchy from the leaping tongues -of flame that now licked up the wood. - -The firemen at the creek heard shouting and calling but they thought it -was all part of the game so they began pumping water into the hose, and -momentarily expected to see a fine stream played upon the fire. - -But the nozzle had been dropped when Bill fell headlong into the fire -and the two firemen ran to help drag him out; now the nozzle lay -pointing directly at the Blue Birds and Bobolinks who were intensely -concerned over pulling Bill safely out of the fire. - -Suddenly a great stream of water shot out of the nozzle and quickly -drenched the girls standing in its pathway. Don, taking in the -situation at a glance, ran over to hold the hose properly and turn it -upon the blaze. - -He secured the nozzle all right, but in turning toward the fire he had -to sweep it about in a circle, and in so doing, the rush of water from -the hose managed to drench everyone in the radius of its swirl. - -Amidst the screaming from the girls and the shouting advices from the -boys, the firemen yelled and worked, while Don did his best to flood -everyone near the almost burnt-down building with the stream pouring -incessantly from the nozzle that was being so carelessly directed by -him. - -“For goodness sake who’s driving that flood after me wherever I run to -get away from it?” now bawled Uncle Ben, as nearly angry as he had ever -been. - -“Here, you! Gimme dat hose--cain’t ye see ye ain’t sendin’ a drop on de -fire but soakin’ yer fren’s!” shouted Jimmy, as he caught the nozzle -from Don, and poured one last flood down Dutchy’s back. - -When poor Dutchy Bill could gasp again, he managed to say: “Did any of -you’se blockheads t’ink a feller coul’ burn wid all de creek emptyin’ -itself on his back!” - -But that was only his way of showing how thankful he was for the timely -aid given him by his companions. For he would have been seriously -injured had not the other boys been quick to drag him forth from the -flames. - -“That was some fire, boys!” declared the Chief, delightedly, as he -ordered the Company back to their quarters. - -“I thought it was a flood--not a fire!” commented Ned, as he tried to -wring out his light summer coat. - -“We all look as if we had just come out of the ocean,” added Dot, -grinning at the clinging organdie dresses of her companions. - -“Still, it was a good blaze and heaps of excitement, and that’s all -a fellow wants at a real fire, you know,” explained Jinks, as he -remembered the fire where Mete and he had saved some lives. - -“If that were all that was needed at a fire then every city fire would -be a success as there is always excitement to be had and a big blaze if -you give it time,” said Uncle Ben, who had recovered his good-humor. - -The fire apparatus was replaced in the house and the brave firemen -came out to be congratulated on their prowess. Don being the only dry -Bobolink of his party, stood watching the boys, and finally said: - -“Uncle Ben, you ought to have given a medal for bravery! Bill scaled -the ladder in spite of danger to life and limb.” - -“We’re going to give you the medal this time!” replied Uncle Ben, -seriously. - -“Me! What for--what did I do?” - -“You wasted more water than Happy Hills uses in a month, and you -spoiled a dozen or so good dresses and suits, so we will present you -with a leather medal!” - -At that the older children laughed merrily, and Don knew a leather -medal was nothing to be proud of; still he kept his tongue under -control until he had had time to ask someone what a leather medal meant -anyway! - - - - -CHAPTER V - -MISS MARTIN’S TALK - - -The Blue Birds and Bobolinks had to hurry to the kitchen where a -good-natured cook and kitchen girl offered to dry their wet clothes. -Meantime, the hapless boys and girls would have to wear overalls just -as the Little Citizens did for work. - -The majority of the Little Citizens had followed their visitors to the -big kitchen and when the transformed Blue Birds came out in blue denim -jumpers, everyone laughed. - -“What can we do while we’re waiting for our clothes to dry?” asked Dot -Starr, who never could keep quiet a moment. - -“Let Miss Martin tell one of her stories!” suggested Nelly. - -“She’s an awful good story-teller! You just oughter hear one,” added -Maggie, with the air of one who knows. - -“If you will all sit down on the Refectory floor while we are waiting -for dry clothes, I will tell you a short story,” agreed Miss Martin. -And everyone sat down just where he or she happened to be. - -“What shall it be?” asked the lady. - -Just then a hop-toad jumped upon the platform of the Refectory floor -and almost landed in Betty Blue Bird’s lap. - -“Oh, oh! A horrid toad!” cried she, jumping up to shake herself free -from the disagreeable contact. - -“I’ll tell you a story about a _nice_ little toad!” laughed Miss -Martin, instantly. - -“Oh yes, and cure Betty of her dread of wood-creatures,” added Dot, -eagerly. - -“That little toad only hopped up to say, ‘Glad to see you in the -country, children!’ because he is so happy here himself, he wants -everyone to feel as happy as he does. - -“You see Speckles--that is the toad’s name, I’m sure--had had a -dreadful long season of it last winter as he lay dozing under the old -tree-roots over there. You will find a deep hole running under the -roots, and in the fall the wind blows leaves and other dry material -into the opening to keep out the cold. - -“Speckles has a wide mouth and great shining eyes, but his eyes could -see nothing to eat in the tunnel where he waited for spring, and his -mouth had chewed nothing since the cold blast of winter had driven him -to cover late in the fall. - -“Speckles was too tired and cold and hungry to force a way out to the -open until he was quite sure there would be a fair-sized meal for -his empty stomach, so he waited and dozed some more. As he dozed he -wondered--and that made a dream you know--where Spot, his mate, could -be. Was she still sleeping or was she out and working for something to -eat? - -“That made Speckles sit up! He rubbed his button eyes with a fore-foot -and yawned--oh what a yawn from that great mouth! He determined to go -out for some air. Perhaps, who knows--there might be a tidbit about -somewhere to ease the gnawing in his insides! - -“The dry leaves were soon pushed out and forth came Speckles, but a -very different-looking toad from the fat one that went into winter -quarters the previous fall. - -“‘Good-day, Mr. Cricket!’ said Speckles, politely, to a very -tender-looking cricket that sat just above his reach on a twig. - -“Being once removed on the plane above a common toad, Mr. Cricket never -deigned to notice the polite greeting. Had the _toad_ been above, the -entire scene would have changed instantly! Perhaps proud Mr. Cricket -would have been the suppliant for life and liberty. - -“Speckles hopped over to the tunnel to which he had escorted his mate -the season before, and now he churked a sickly roundelay to wake her -from her dreams. Spot was having a glorious dream of bugs and maggots -and all kinds of toothsome dainties, and the faint call from her mate -failed to rouse her the first time. Again he chirruped, a bit louder -and stronger this time, and Spot awoke with a shock to find her feast -vanish! It was but a dream! - -“Spot then waddled out--she need not have waddled, as she was thin and -scrawny, but she was still dreaming that she had stuffed herself at -the feast, so she waddled. Then, too, her joints were stiff from the -cramped position she had been in for many months. - -“‘Ha, Spot, my dear!’ saluted Speckles, as he saw his mate stumbling -from the winter resort. - -“‘Well, Speck, have you found any dinner?’ was the first house-wifely -question from Spot. - -“‘I met Mr. Cricket, but he seemed very lean and unsatisfying, so I -passed him up,’ replied Speckles. - -“‘Oh, did you? Or did he hop up himself?’ tittered Spot. - -“‘Isn’t it all the same, my dear? I did not eat him!’ - -“Spot gave a sleepy look at her spouse but said nothing. - -“‘I have been thinking, my dear wife, that perhaps some of our friends -may hold a musicale at the frog-pond tonight--shall we hop down and -see? We may find some juicy bugs on the way, too.’ - -“‘Yes, let us be off! I must find a home for the children as soon as -possible, too, and perhaps the tepid water of the mud-hole will be just -right for the eggs.’ - -“So the pair hopped away from the trees and were soon at a small spot -beside the creek, where the water had made a tiny bay in the bank. On -the way they found a spider and a few thin ants, but what was such a -tiny mouthful to such hungry toads? - -“On the muddy brink of the small inlet, Spot sat and wondered! Here she -had laid a number of tiny eggs the spring before, and these had hatched -out into fine, fat little tadpoles. How well she remembered the day the -tads turned into tiny toads with wide gaps for mouths and bright button -eyes like her own, and had hopped out of the water to prance about and -play with each other! - -“Where now were all those dear children? Would any of them remember the -old home-spot and return to bring their grand-children, and gladden the -old frogs? - -“‘Oh, well,’ sighed Spot, ‘It is the way of all human nature! Once -the child is grown it throws off all restraint and protecting care of -parents and plunges headlong into life!’ - -“But Speckles interrupted her thought by calling her attention to an -old decayed log under which he had just burrowed. - -“‘Spot--come quick! A fine mess of bugs here!’ - -“And Spot jumped over to gorge herself on the feast--almost as -delicious a feast as in the dream, but far more satisfying than the -dream-feast had been. - -“Spot then made her way carefully down the muddy bank and waddled out -to water that reached to her nose. The rest of her body was submerged. -There she sat all night, listening to the singing of the male toads who -serenaded their mates on the banks, while their wives were attending to -family duties. - -“Speckles sang and sang, too, as he sat on the grassy bank just above -Spot where she was laying the yearly batch of eggs. - -“At the first streak of dawn, Speckles whispered: ‘Spot, the day is -breaking--we must away to our home.’ - -“Spot scrambled out at that, and followed her mate to the woods, saying -as she went: ‘I wish we could have a grand family reunion this year, -Speckles. When the new eggs hatch out into polliwogs, I would like to -have our children of last year come home and meet the babies.’ - -“‘That is a silly mother’s sentiment! I suppose our large family of -last year is well-scattered in every direction this year.’ - -“Spot said nothing but sighed for she knew how useless it was to wish -an impossible wish! - -“Some time after this event, the eggs laid by Spot that lovely -moonlight night, hatched into queer little black things with but two -legs and a slippery tail. Some of the saucy polliwogs whisking about in -the outside creek jeered: - -“‘Pooh! You Tads! Where are your front legs?’ - -“‘They’ll grow soon, and when they do we’ll come out there and duck you -impudent Polliwogs!’ threatened one Tad, named Tibby. - -“At the bare mention of ‘duck’ every Tad jumped and even Tibby Tad -shivered with apprehension, for it was well known that a duck was a -deadly foe to a Polliwog or a Tadpole. - -“‘Quick--run to cover! Here comes a duck!’ shouted a Polliwog from the -larger creek. - -“Instantly every Tad burrowed down through the muddy inlet and remained -hidden until they heard the Pollys’ laugh and jeer, then the Tads knew -they had been made sport of. - -“‘I’m going to swim out there and slap that Polliwog’s face!’ exclaimed -Tibby Tad, as he started up from the soft mud. - -“Just then a dreadful thing happened on the surface of the water above -him. A big black thing fell ker-splash into the pool, and the ripples -circled about as it tried to scramble forth again. - -“The big black bug saw the Tads, however, and made a quick dive for -them. Alas! Some were caught and gobbled up, but Tibby escaped without -a scratch! - -“‘That wasn’t a duck, but it was just as bad as one,’ said Tibby to -himself, as he decided not to swim out to the big creek that day but -stick close to the home-bank of mud. - -“Some time after this, the other legs began to grow and the Tads who -had survived the raids of ducks, beetles, bugs and other enemies, found -they could hop feebly to the bank. - -“‘Why this is our birthday--we are six weeks old today,’ exclaimed -Tibby, as he managed to scramble out of the puddle and sit up in the -grass, panting after the unusual exertion. - -“He watched his brothers and sisters crawl up beside him, and after -a time, they began to jump and have the most fun! Leap-frog was too -strenuous for that day, as the little legs would wobble when they tried -to hop. - -“‘Come with me, Tina,’ coaxed Tibby to his sister, as he found she was -the sturdiest of the lot who had hopped from the pool. - -“As Tibby and Tina hopped away, a few of their brethren followed. Now -and then the Tads--or Toads they now were--stopped to feast upon an -unknown tidbit, but they ate it whether it was familiar and certified -by the Pure Food Commission or not! They ate and ate, every sort of bug -or worm they found, and not a single thought was wasted on Mr. Hoover -or his wartime rations! Tibby and Tina were not very patriotic in their -self-denial that first day out of the puddle! - -“Tibby led the way, for he was the bravest of the party. Soon he came -to a tall grassy place where he heard a queer sound. - -“‘Tina, do you hear?’ asked Tibby. - -“‘Yes, brother, what is it?’ - -“‘No time to ask--run, Tina!’ cried Tibby, and the two made a mighty -leap just in time to escape a quail that pounced down upon the tiny -toads and gobbled one quickly out of sight. - -“‘It was Clumsy that disappeared!’ sighed Tina, all sympathy for the -awkward little toad that could not escape death. - -“‘Watch out for other assassins! We know not where the next may lurk,’ -whispered Tibby, for he was poetical as well as practical, you see. - -“Tina admired her big brother and watched carefully as he had advised, -so she was the first to spy a swift animal with a bushy tail. What was -it? How it did jump--almost as fast and high and far as a toad! - -“‘Run, Tina, Run! It’s a squirrel!’ shouted Tibby, as the tiny toads -stood petrified with fear. - -“The squirrel soon had the smallest and weakest of the family and that -left four to wander along heart-broken over their loss. - -“‘I fear we shall end like the “ten little niggers that sat on a -gate,”’ wailed Tibby, the poem of those unlucky little black children -appealing to him at the moment. - -“‘Tibby, will you or I be the last one to swing on the gate and then -fall off, so there was none?’ mournfully asked Tina. - -“Suddenly, before Tibby could reply, there was a happy cry and two fat -toads appeared who greeted the four baby toads. - -“‘Oh my darlings--it is Mamma Spot! Don’t you know me?’ - -“Then Speckles puffed up proudly as he saw young Tibby and the baby -brother, and said, ‘Tib, my son, I am glad to see you have brought the -children safely home.’ - -“What became of the other tads in the puddle I never could find out, -but the four we followed to the woods lived happily with Speckles and -Spot and as they grew up and married they raised their Tads in that -same puddle. - -“The pretty toad that jumped into Betty’s lap a while ago was either -Father Speckles or Tibby, who sniffed something to eat and wondered -if we humans ate the same delicious bugs that he preferred above -everything else.” - -Everyone clapped at the ending of the story and Betty laughed gayly, as -she admitted that she would like to find Tibby, just to tell him how -glad she was he had escaped from his enemies. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -LITTLE MOTHER MAGGIE - - -The clothes were dry, and the Blue Birds and Bobolinks were again -dressed, but Uncle Ben advised them to keep the overalls to protect -their good clothes while they were playing in camp. - -Tea--it was called supper at Happy Hills--was served at 6 p. m. sharp -each day, and now the Refectory was soon arranged for the children. -As the Oakdale visitors intended having the evening meal at the camp -Refectory, a table was set out for them. - -Maggie found the neighboring table the one occupied by the adored Blue -Birds, and very little did she eat that noon! Even the table manners of -her six little sisters and brothers failed to distract her attention -from watching the girls at Uncle Ben’s table. - -Supper over, Uncle Ben said: “Now what shall we do?” - -“Let’s go over and look at the Little Farms,” said Ned. - -“Oh yes, Uncle, you see we want to know what to say in the next issue -of the magazine when we offer prizes to the farmers of Happy Hills,” -said Ruth. - -The Little Citizens had gathered around and now looked eager to hear -more of the prize idea. Uncle Ben surmised as much and laughed. - -“I doubt if the Little Citizens have heard of your plan to distribute -prizes. I will tell them now. - -“Citizen Farmers, I beg to announce that the Blue Birds and Bobolinks -are about to give a prize for the best kept farm in camp, another for -the largest vegetable of ten varieties raised; the ten to be radishes, -beets, cabbage, carrots, turnips, squash, beans, potatoes, onions, and -corn. - -“Another prize will be given for the greatest amount of good produce -raised on one farm this summer. Yet another will be awarded to the -farmer who makes the most of rotating crops. I have explained to you -what that is. - -“As most of you have just started the farms you can all begin fairly to -try for the prizes. The age and size of the farmer will have much to -do with the judgment of the Blue Birds. So I suggest that the farmers -be divided in classes, one for boys of eight and over, one for girls -of eight and over; another class for children--boys and girls--under -eight years of age. The prize will be duplicated for these classes. Any -remarks?” - -There were none, so Uncle Ben led his young visitors to inspect the -farms. - -“Mr. Ta’mage, we’se gotta street cleanin’ squad, an’ a police force, -an’ a health board wid nusses, an’ to say nuttin’ of dem firemen, but -we hain’t got no head farmers in camp to show helpers all de time, what -we wants to know,” ventured a voice from the crowd that followed at -Uncle Ben’s heels. - -“That’s so! Farmer Jones is master here, but he can’t be at everyone’s -beck and call. We’ll have to plan a farmer club tomorrow, and I will -send down books and pamphlets for all to read or study.” - -“Why can’t some gals be in the farmer clubs as well as the boys that -have everyt’ing goin’,” remarked Mother Maggie. - -“You’re right, Maggie! We men have to share alike with you women now -that you have the vote in New York State!” said Uncle Ben, smiling at -his Citizens. - -At the Little Farms the visitors were delighted to see what had already -been done. Mr. Jones was there to explain things. - -“You see, we worked very hard at digging the plots when the first -Little Citizens arrived at camp, and now, as new arrivals come each -day, they too are set to work at their farms; so we will have some -farms harvesting while others are just sprouting their first crop. - -“I showed the children how to dig and work over the soil until it was -right for planting. Then I taught them how to choose the right seed for -this time of the year, and each child was shown how to plant the seed -chosen by him. - -“Now you see, some plants are already growing fine, and some are just -sprouting from the ground. Some farms have been seeded and are not yet -sprouting, and some have just been made ready to plant. - -“We farmers think it great fun to hunt the bugs and worms that would -injure our plants. We are very careful to keep the ground well watered -so the roots can keep healthy and feed the green shoots above the -earth. We have some fine radishes that will soon be large enough to -pull for dinner. - -“Bill’s radishes are the best and finest, and he will soon be able to -pull some and sell them to the cook at the Refectory at market price.” - -This attracted attention to Bill’s garden and the children took great -pride in the order and neatness of the farm-plot. - -“Looks as if Bill might win a prize for neatness,” said Uncle Ben. - -“You’se diden’ say what de prize was! Ef it’s going to be a choice of -t’ings, lemme take cash, ’cuz I’m goin’ to save all dis summer an’ lay -by to git a farm fer us all ferever!” vowed Maggie, enthusiastically, -as she waved her arm at her six brethren. - -“We will consider that matter for you, Maggie, and decide what the -prize shall be,” agreed Uncle Ben. - -As the children went from one well-kept farm to the next, something -interesting was learned from each plot. - -For instance the Blue Birds heard from Farmer Jones that a radish was -really a root. Because of its red color it could be mistaken for fruit -or a bulbous vegetable, but it grows and produces stems with leaves, so -it must be classed with root vegetables. - -“Besides all this, a thin root tapers from the round bulb. It is this -long tapering root that finds the food and drink in the deep, dark -ground for the plant above ground to grow upon,” explained the Farmer. - -“Now the interesting thing about a radish is this: the plant stores -up food in its root for its own use. It takes the first half of its -life to make a great big root, and when the root is fully grown and -the upper green leaves are through, it dies. Then there shoots up a -long slender stem, and on top of this the flowers of the radish bloom. -As these in turn fade and die, the seeds form and the entire plant -dies--its work accomplished. - -“If we dig up a dried radish plant we will find the round radish -entirely changed in appearance. Instead of a juicy red bulb we find a -shrivelled colorless root, because the stem and flowers that finally -turned to seed ate up all the nourishment the green leaves had given -to the radish-root. And the stored up food gone, there was nothing to -draw upon, so the root died, too.” - -“How interesting! Do tell us some more, Mr. Jones,” exclaimed Vene -Starr. - -“Well, then, here’s a potato. Is that a fruit, a root, a plant, or a -bulb?” asked Farmer Jones, smiling at his catch-words. - -“It’s a root,” shouted Don. - -“No, it’s a plant--a potato-plant,” said Ruth. - -“I think it’s a bulb--like tulips or other bulbs,” added Vene. - -“It’s neither, children--a potato is a stem!” said the tickled farmer. - -“A stem--what to?” asked many curious voices. - -“Let me tell you: A potato is an underground stem with all the -properties of a stem but it shoots downward instead of up above the -soil. - -“You see a potato has many eyes, and these eyes grow when properly cut -and planted. The white shoot pushes itself up out of the ground and -bears leaves, which is the vine, or plant. - -“The old potato which was planted to furnish food for the plant is -gradually used up as the green leaves open out and grow to be a large -healthy vine. Then, the old food-store being used, and the potato-plant -flourishing, new roots or stems grow downward from the plant; these -swell out, and out, and out, until all the little tendrils that would -be long thin roots in another kind of vegetable, are swollen bulb-like -tubers of the potato-plant. - -“When the plant is exhausted and can furnish no more life and strength -to its underground tubers, it dies, and the potatoes stop growing. - -“If a plant above ground kept on indefinitely furnishing life and food -to the potatoes underground, they would keep on increasing until one -hill would supply more than one ever saw. But the plant produces just -so many tubers and then stops.” - -“Oh, that is funny! I never dreamed a potato worked so hard for us,” -giggled Dot Starr, as the farmer concluded his talk. - -“Is a carrot or turnip a stem or bulb, too?” asked Don. - -“No, a carrot, like the radish, is a root and is grown from seed. As -the seed bursts open, the sprout sends up two tiny leaves, while the -root goes down into the earth to seek food for its plant. The root -grows fatter and fatter as it keeps on feeding the green leaves that in -turn give the root sunshine and air. In the fall when the plant dies, -the carrot is ready to be dug out and used. - -“If it remains in the ground through the winter, it freezes but does -not die. In spring, it sends up a new shoot and this flowers to make -seeds. The old carrot in the ground dies as its seeds are perfected, -for it has produced the wherewithal for many more plants.” - -“I s’pose the turnip and beet and other swollen roots are all the same -then,” suggested Ned, who had been listening with great interest to -Farmer Jones’ talk. - -“Just about, and you can quickly determine for yourself which class a -vegetable belongs to by examining the root or full-grown product. A -cabbage, kohlrabi, and similar vegetables are not roots.” - -As the children passed other Little Farms, they found that some owners -had planted dwarf and bush peas; dwarf and climbing beans; and other -vegetables not commonly used by other Little Citizens. - -Maggie appeared very eager as they neared her small farm, and finally, -Vene called out to the others: - -“Oh, see that pretty plot. Full of flowers! Whose is it?” - -“That’s Little Mother Maggie’s,” replied the farmer, smiling at the -wizened little girl. - -“How neat and well-kept,” commended Uncle Ben. - -“Yes, Maggie spends all her spare time here and takes great pride in -the plants. I told her the variety to plant to show quick results; -but now she has a box full of young plants at the Nest, where she is -starting later flowers for her garden when these are gone,” explained -Farmer Jones. - -As Maggie could do with her garden what she pleased, she now went -carefully between the rows of flowers and gathered all that were -full-blown. These she presented to Uncle Ben and to the Blue Birds. - -“Oh, Maggie, why did you pluck all the lovely blossoms?” cried Ruth. - -“Farmer Jones says dey make twice as many flowers if I keep a-pickin’ -dose wide open an’ ready to fade,” replied Maggie, astutely. - -“For instance, take a pansy plant,” added the farmer. “A plant may only -produce a few blossoms and these will be very large and beautiful. -But cut them off as soon as they are fully opened and the plant will -send up more buds--not quite as large. If these are picked too, more -buds will appear, but will be still smaller, and so on. If you want to -produce an extraordinarily large and beautiful flower on a plant, you -pinch off every bud that appears excepting the one you wish over-fed -with the plant’s food. All the strength and vitality that would be -divided between many blossoms now goes to the one and produces an extra -large and fine single flower.” - -“When I go home I’m going to plant flowers and try that idea,” said -Vene Starr. - -The Little Citizens were almost finished with the inspection of the -farms when a signal sounded from the fire-gong. The visitors looked at -each other for an explanation. - -“It is the call for evening song,” said Uncle Ben. - -“Who started that idea?” asked Ned. - -“Flutey. She said no child should go to bed without having its soul -lifted to a sense of harmony that would really affect its sleeping -hours. And we find the singing is really a good thing for us all,” -explained Uncle Ben. - -The Little Citizens seemed to look forward to this song-exercise and -soon all were seated in the open Refectory, where a small upright piano -stood. One of the young women who helped with the Nests, sat down -before the instrument and played a gay little air; then the signal -sounded for silence. - -Miss Selina made it her business to be present at these song-times, and -generally stood up after the prelude and offered a very short, simple -prayer. Then the Little Citizens sang. - -In the short time they had been at Happy Hills, most of them had -memorized several sweet songs, and could sing really well. Uncle Ben -and his group sat in the back row the better to get the effect of the -chorus singing, and when the lovely song called “The Prince of Peace” -was finished he felt that he must wipe his eyes for they were moist. - -The Blue Birds and Bobolinks encored this song with such enthusiasm -that Flutey smiled and said: “Little Citizens, our visitors appear to -favor that selection. Suppose we now treat them to the new one we have -been learning. How many think they can sing it in public?” - -Someone had drawn out a large paper chart from back of the piano and -now it stood in the center of the room. Upon it the visitors saw the -words of the song plainly written for all to read or learn by heart. - -The pianist played the air over once and some of the children hummed it -eagerly. Then they all stood up and sang. - -It was “The Song of Love” and as the childish voices filled the place -and echoed from the woods and vale, Uncle Ben felt that this was one -way to introduce universal peace and brotherhood. However could such -a motley gathering of city waifs, whose parents most likely came from -every known country in Europe, return home feeling the same in mind -and soul as before spending this summer at Happy Hills! He knew it -was impossible, and that every child singing there that night must be -benefited permanently by the words and music of such songs as Miss -Selina had purposely selected. - -Uncle Ben made another great discovery during that singing, but he made -no mention of it at the time. He was determined to investigate the -matter well before taking others into his secret. - -Little Mother Maggie, because she had to keep her little family quiet -and in order during the singing, generally sat at the back of the -class. Uncle Ben sat directly beside her and so made his discovery. - -When the Even Song was ended, the children trooped to their different -Nests to retire for the night. Uncle Ben asked the Blue Birds and -Bobolinks to escort Aunt Selina home while he helped Maggie with the -little ones. This they eagerly agreed to do. So Maggie was delighted to -have Uncle Ben walk to the Nest with her. - -“Maggie, you seem to have your hands full with so many children,” -ventured Uncle Ben, after they had left the hall. - -“Yes, sir, but dey’ll grow big some day an’ den I kin help myself.” - -“What do you mean--help yourself?” - -“I means, dat den I kin do somethin’ what I wants to fer myself,” -replied Maggie. - -“Can’t you do it now?” - -“Dere ain’t no time, when six kids is to be looked after--on’y maybe a -bit at night when dey is all in bed.” - -“What is the something you want to do for yourself, Maggie? Maybe I can -help you a bit now,” offered Uncle Ben, hoping to win the little girl’s -confidence. - -It was not difficult, as Maggie was frank and confiding by nature, so -she stopped short in the pathway and exclaimed rapturously: - -“Oh Mister Uncle Ben! I loves de flowers growin’, I loves pickshers! I -loves pritty people like Miss Martin an’ de Blue Birds an’ you! An’ oh! -how I loves singin’!” - -Uncle Ben had the information he wanted! But still he drew her out. - -“Why, Maggie, no one would call Miss Martin or me pretty! And some of -the Blue Birds and Bobolinks are not nearly as good-looking as you -are,--if you were plump you would be as pretty as anyone.” - -“Mister Uncle Ben, you don’t unnerstan’!” replied Maggie, with -a worried expression. “I diden’ mean looks, don’che know--I mean -somethin’ else, but I can’t call it like I wantta!” - -“I understand, Maggie; and I know that you wish to call it -‘individuality,’ or the mental beauty of the soul. It is this grace of -each one’s thought-power that makes true beauty and attractiveness.” - -“Dat’s it--yes, dat’s it, Mister Uncle Ben! But I diden’ know how to -say it!” cried Maggie, her eyes shining. - -They had reached the Nest by this time, and Uncle Ben was so -interested, that he said he would step in and help put the six romping -sisters and brothers to bed. Maggie was over-awed! - -Uncle Ben took quick notice of the cleanliness of the Nest, and the -crude attempts at decoration. Maggie had gathered wild flowers and -filled empty tin cans with water to hold the lovely blossoms. The very -arrangement of the colors and ferns showed her artistic temperament -that so pleased the visitor. - -“Why did you remove all the paper from the cans, Maggie? Didn’t you -like the gay colors of the printing, and the pictures of tomatoes, and -corn, and squash on the outside?” - -“Oh sakes alive! Dem ain’t pickshers! Dey is awful ink ads. what folks -have to make to boost dere stuff er not sell it!” returned Maggie, -scornfully. - -Uncle Ben laughed aloud. Here was truth indeed! - -“So you thought that flashy tin was better, eh?” - -“Not much better, Mister Uncle Ben, but cleaner--besides de flowers -said dey wouldn’t stay fresh if dey had to drink water from a tin what -told everyone it had one time been full of beans!” said Maggie, with -disgust at the very idea! - -Uncle Ben could hardly keep from laughing again, but he did not want to -offend the little girl he was questioning. Now he said: - -“Maybe you’d like something nicer to hold flowers?” - -“’Tain’t no use wishin’--I hain’t even got any green paint to paint -dese tin cans wid. If dey was green dey would look all right, ’cause -you see everyt’ing--the grass, the trees, the plants demselves, is all -green before the flower shoots up and opens. An’ a green can would look -more like leaves for the flowers to stick up from,” explained Maggie. - -Uncle Ben now found that his hostess was logical and a student of -Nature’s ways and motives. He felt that his visit was teaching him more -about Maggie than he ever thought to know. - -The six little ones were in bed by this time, and Maggie kept glancing -at the electric light which hung from the center of the sloping roof of -the Nest. - -“What’s wrong with it, Maggie?” asked Uncle Ben. - -“It’ll go out at nine sharp an’ leave you in the dark,” said she. - -“Oh--then you want to go to bed?” - -“No, I don’ go to bed when dere’s a full moon like dis one. I coulden’ -sleep away such a lovely time! I likes to sit on de steps and think!” - -“And think? Don’t you sing to the moon, Maggie?” - -“Who tol’ you?” quickly countered the little girl. - -“No one told me, but the moon ought to make you feel like singing, I -think,” returned Uncle Ben, soothingly. - -“I sings soft-like so no one kin hear. It might wake up de children an’ -make ’em cry, so I jus’ sing inside, you know!” - -“So I thought. Well now, Maggie, I have a favor to ask. Suppose we ask -Miss Martin in the next Nest to keep her eye on the sleeping children -here, while you and I walk over to the lake and watch the moon sail -over the trees. There you can sing to me without disturbing anyone, you -see.” - -Maggie looked at Uncle Ben and grasping his arm, said: - -“I’ll do ennyt’ing for you, but you’ll wish you never ast me to sing!” - -Miss Martin quickly consented to keep guard over Maggie’s brood as well -as the little ones in her own Nest; and Uncle Ben shared his secret -with her, while Maggie sought for a hat and an old pair of cotton -gloves--for was she not going for a walk with a real gentleman! Ladies -always wore gloves at such times. - -Uncle Ben took Maggie’s hand to make her feel quite at ease with him, -and soon the two reached the Summer House built on the little bluff -overlooking the ornamental lake where Aunt Selina first heard Ruth plan -for Happy Hills. - -All was quiet and peaceful and the faint lap, lap, lap of the water -as it was lightly rippled by the night-breezes, gave one a feeling of -being in another world. So thought Maggie. - -She forgot where she was and who was with her as her soul drank in the -beauty of the scene, and when Uncle Ben whispered, “Sing ‘The Song of -Love,’ Maggie,” she sang it softly as if in accord with her own wishes -at the moment. - -The melody came forth so pure and clear and free, yet so controlled, -that Uncle Ben marvelled. He had found a wonder indeed! - -Maggie softly trilled every song she had learned at Happy Hills, and -then her silent companion took her hand and they walked back to the -Nest. - -“Diden’ you like my singin’, Mister Uncle Ben?” queried Maggie, -wistfully, for he had not said a word. - -“Maggie, it was so wonderful that I can’t speak!” - -“I know! I know, how you’se feel! I always feels dat way when I stan’ -outside a church an’ hears some angel singin’ inside. Den I want glad -rags an’ fine ways so I kin go in an’ _see_ de shinin’ wings an’ face -what’s singin’!” cried Maggie. - -“Thank you very much for this treat, Maggie, and tomorrow I will treat -you in return,” said Uncle Ben, patting her head. - -“Now hurry to bed, little girl. Good-night!” added the visitor, as -Maggie stood on the top step of the three that led to the Nest. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -UNEXPECTED GENIUSES FOUND AT HAPPY HILLS - - -Uncle Ben sat up with Flutey a long time that night, after he entered -the house, and when the two parted to go to bed, it had been decided to -experiment as Uncle Ben planned. - -The following morning the Blue Birds and Bobolinks heard Uncle Ben -telephoning long-distance to New York. Having secured the number he -wanted, he talked for a long time over the wire. - -“Whew! That call will cost Uncle Ben a lot of money,” ventured Don, who -was curious to know what it was all about. - -“It will be money well invested if the returns are such as we look -for,” returned Flutey, smiling but not offering to inform anyone of the -cause. - -“Well, Aunt Selina, it’s arranged! She’s coming down with Richards this -afternoon. I’m so glad I could reach her,” said Uncle Ben, entering the -breakfast room. - -“And Mr. Richards said he would bring down that music teacher who used -to direct the band,” added Miss Selina. - -“We’ll have quite an opera company as well as an orchestra at Happy -Hills,” laughed Uncle Ben, highly pleased at something. - -“I guess I’ll stay at Happy Hills the rest of the Summer, Uncle Ben, -and help play the drum,” now ventured Don. - -“Pooh! A lot you’d play! You’d only _beat_ it!” exclaimed Dot, for she -knew there would be no place for her in the band. - -“He’ll _beat_ it from here, all right, when we go home again,” laughed -Jinks. - -“As soon as I finish my breakfast, I’m going over to the camp and make -a tour of each Nest. I have important information to secure before -noon. What do you boys and girls propose doing?” now asked Uncle Ben. - -“Can’t we go with you?” - -“You can go to the camp but not with me on my tour of inspection. You -must amuse yourselves this morning.” - -“All right! We’ll go and help the Street Cleaning Department,” offered -Don. - -“And we girls can watch the Health Board work. I think it must be great -fun to see those girls teach the younger ones how to clean their teeth -and chew their food!” giggled Ruth. - -Immediately after the morning meal had ended, Miss Selina ordered -Jackson to bring her wheelchair out and she sat in it, ready to start. - -Flutey was no longer troubled with rheumatism, so it was not that she -_had_ to use the chair, but Happy Hills was at least a half mile from -the house so that a walk there and back, besides the walking about the -camp, or going in and out of the Nests, was too fatiguing for a lady -long past seventy years. - -“We’ll push the chair, Jackson, as we want to be with Aunt Selina,” -said Ruth, as the manservant waited. - -“All right, Jackson. You may attend to other duties,” added Flutey, -smiling. - -Uncle Ben had gone, carrying his important secret with him, but once -the Blue Birds and Bobolinks were on their way to camp, they forgot -about his desertion of them. - -Uncle Ben reached Miss Martin’s Nest and engaged her in conversation -over his secret. She was as eager as he, and soon they had decided -upon what was best to do. - -“Maggie, I am going to have a little talk with you, to tell you how -much I liked your singing last night,” said Uncle Ben, walking up the -steps of Maggie’s Nest. - -The little girl was sweeping up the floor of the Nest as her visitor -spoke, and quickly looking up, she smiled at him. - -“I’ve decided to find someone to take the care of the children entirely -from your hands during the day, Maggie, and Miss Martin says she can -easily manage them as well as those she now has charge of.” - -“What fur?” wondered Maggie. - -“To give you plenty of time to sing.” - -“Sing! Me--sing all day?” cried Maggie, amazed. - -“Sing when you like and as often, but at certain times of each day you -must sing and practice just the way the teacher wants you to.” - -“What teacher--have we a singin’ teacher here?” gasped Maggie. - -“We intend having one, and she is coming down today to start those -pupils who really have good voices. I think you have a good voice but -she can judge better than I. If she says you can sing, will you promise -to practice?” - -“Oh, Mister Uncle Ben,--_will I_?” came from Maggie in a trembling -whisper. - -“Den maybe I kin sing like dose angels in Fift Avenoo churches, hey?” -added Maggie after a moment’s thought. - -“Just like them, I hope--may be sweeter than they sing!” - -“Oh no, Mister Uncle Ben! Never could a poor kid like me sing better’n -’em!” - -“But you wouldn’t be poor if you had a fine voice,” ventured Uncle Ben, -carefully watching his protégé. - -Maggie’s eyes opened wider and wider as this astounding statement -dawned upon her mind, and finally she dropped upon the floor beside the -broom. - -“Dat’s so--I coul’ buy de children all dey need an’ git some nice -clo’es fer myself wid what was left!” sighed she, the tears of joy -coming to her eyes. - -Uncle Ben now felt sure he had read the girl aright. Her first thought -had been of the little sisters and brothers who had never had what was -necessary--she came last--if anything was left! - -“Well, Maggie, I’m going to give you a new name for the singing teacher -to use. You must always be ‘Margaret’ henceforth, and see to it, that -everyone is corrected should they call you ‘Maggie.’ Tell them it was -my order that you be called ‘Margaret.’” - -“Oh, you’se sure kin read my wishes, Mister Uncle Ben! _How_ I always -hated that ‘Maggie’ widdout any soft music in its sayin’! But Margaret -is differunt! It’s low and smooth!” - -Even in this degree was the girl’s sense of harmony so finely attuned -that she rebelled at hearing herself called by an inharmonious sound. - -The teacher arrived with Mr. Richards and the music master on the one -o’clock train, and the car soon carried them to Miss Selina’s country -estate. A group of merry children met them on the steps of the veranda, -and after a noisy time at luncheon, all started for the camp. - -Uncle Ben had gone over the camp-ground that morning and made a list of -names of those Little Citizens who showed any desire for music--to join -the band or chorus at Happy Hills. - -Mr. Richards had personally attended to the order of securing -instruments made especially for half-grown young folks, and these -bulky boxes had been shipped by special delivery to the train at the -Pennsylvania railroad station that morning. They arrived at Happy Hills -on the same train with the teachers. - -Great was the confusion that afternoon as many of the Little Citizens -tried to blow a cornet, bass horn or beat a drum. And such a squeaking -and squealing as issued from many throats when the singing was tried -out by the teacher! - -Margaret had insisted all that morning on being called Margaret instead -of Maggie, and her head was held up an inch higher with the sense of -her promotion to a harmonious name. - -She had allowed other girls and boys to precede her in the testing of -their voices, and now she came last. Uncle Ben waited anxiously for -this moment, and when she stood up beside the piano and did as the -others had done, singing “Ah, eh, oh, ooh” for the teacher, he listened -carefully. - -“Now sing this: and close your eyes to keep out all sight of things -outside your mental vision of song,” advised the teacher, as she sang -the queer sounds she wished the little girl to try. - -Margaret did them, and the lady had her try others, until the girl -laughed: “I kin sing songs better’n ’em funny noises!” - -“Can you? Well then let me hear you sing ‘The Song of Love’ that I see -printed on that chart,” replied the teacher. - -Margaret sang it with her natural childish voice and in spite of having -never had any idea of music other than that which inspired her soul, -the true placing of her voice and the volume in the tones so pleased -the teacher and music master that both exclaimed: - -“Mr. Talmage, I am sure we have a wonder here! If she will show the -same ambition to learn properly as she does to sing naturally, we will -be amply rewarded.” - -The training of Margaret began that summer, and so careful was the -teacher because of the girl’s youth and refined mentality, that the -course seemed to include everything except singing lessons. - -Margaret was taught to walk and stand properly, and when seated or -lying down, to keep her body from sagging. She was given breathing -exercises daily, and taught to masticate her food thoroughly. She was -shown how to speak with a sweet, low voice, and to enunciate her vowels -carefully, always listening for a harsh note or discordant sound in her -speech. - -Easy, simple songs were permitted the girl, but the majority of her -exercises were “Ohs and Ahs,” until she felt that singing was not quite -so easy to master as she had thought. But she persevered, and when her -growth was attained and her voice matured with the years, Margaret -became one of the most sought-after of all soprano church soloists! - -Other voices were found at Happy Hills, but none so marvelous as -Little Mother Maggie’s. A strong tenor developed from a boy’s high -singing voice; and a contralto emerged from a Russian peasant child’s -low-pitched voice. Both became well-known public soloists and some -others who were trained that summer found success in chorus and choir -work, later in life. - -The band was the greatest source of attraction for the boys, however. -The music master began instructions with ten pupils, each of whom, -having had some teaching at school, could read notes. At first, the -blare of instruments sounding from those young, hearty lungs, caused -the audience to muffle their ears. As Uncle Ben remarked: - -“Seems to me, a barnyard is on a strike!” - -Everyone laughed and the master said: “Once more, now boys; and show -Mr. Talmage how hens cackle, roosters crow, cows moo-oo, donkeys bray, -and horses neigh--all together!” - -And the blast that resulted made Uncle Ben run away! - -But harmony came from this chaos as the boys practiced faithfully day -after day, and before the band leader returned to New York he felt -encouraged to keep up the class through the winter months. Uncle Ben -hired an assembly room on the East Side and other boys joined the band, -each one eager enough to buy his own instrument. Before the following -spring, a band of forty boys could play quite well! - -So much for the musical talent at Happy Hills! - -A few days following the advent of the music teachers, Miss Martin -called Uncle Ben’s attention to little Nelly Finn. - -“Have you seen the child use pencil and paper?” asked Miss Martin. - -“No. But don’t tell me we have a born artist among us,” laughed Uncle -Ben. - -“Really, Mr. Talmage, I think we have a designer with unusual talent,” -replied Miss Martin, anxiously. - -“Designer! Why the child has never been outside of a dirty tenement -room. Being crippled, you know, she could not run about as other -children do. Where could she see anything to inspire her brain to -design?” - -“Wasn’t Beethoven stone deaf? And didn’t he compose the sweetest music -and most perfect symphonies without ever having heard the sound of -them--other than in his own thoughts! That, as well as other wonders, -proves that it is not from without that we find inspiration and true -talent. It is solely from within, and one whose mind is seeking for the -beautiful and eternal will find it there, whether it be music, verse, -form, or color,” said Miss Martin. - -“You’re a philosopher, Miss Martin, and a true one, at that,” said -Uncle Ben, highly pleased at his companion’s reply to his doubts. - -“So you see, Mr. Talmage, Nelly Finn may be a great designer in mind, -and the fact that she does not lose her artistic ideas of what she sees -and feels in her thoughts, by coarse contact with the outside world, -leaves her original and expressive.” - -“Well, show me some of the sketches you seem to think are so -marvelous,” said Uncle Ben. - -As is generally the case, those who come to laugh go away to wonder, -and it was so with Uncle Ben. The moment he saw the lead-pencil lines -crudely drawn on yellow manila wrapping paper, he detected the talent -displayed. He took several of these samples with him to show Mr. -Richards. - -“What do you think of this work, Richards?” - -“Where did you get them?” asked the newspaper man instantly interested. - -“Oh, one of our Little Citizens is an expert artist, I find,” laughed -Uncle Ben. - -“Why, Talmage, this is quite clever! Do you know, we must change the -name of our campers? They are not Little Citizens. They are Little -Wonders! Now tell me truly, where did you get these sketches?” - -“One of Miss Martin’s Nestlings, Richards. No less than puny Nelly -Finn,” replied Uncle Ben. - -“What! The sister of Micky, our newsboy and boot-black?” cried the -astonished newspaper man. - -“The same.” - -“I can see myself resigning from the paper, Talmage, and giving all -my attention to discovering talent at Happy Hills. Then to find -teachers for such talent that it may bloom in full beauty,” laughed Mr. -Richards, but he was feeling quite serious over Nelly’s development. - -“We won’t hide these talents ‘in a napkin’ whatever else we have to -do,” added Uncle Ben. - -“But Nelly must just play and grow strong this summer, then we will -enter her in some class where she will be given all the help she needs -without ruining her original ideas. Who knows, Ben, but she may rule -the world of fashion with her designs?” - -“No one would dare prophesy such a thing to look at the wisp of a -child now,” added Uncle Ben. - -Nothing was said to Nelly about her gift, for they all agreed it might -create other ideas in her mind than those she loved to draw upon paper. -But it had been decided that she would be given a good home and a -teacher to train her childish ideals to conform with her talent. - -“If we keep on digging up any more geniuses at Happy Hills, Flutey, -you will have to close your house this winter and take a big place in -New York just to prepare a home for your Little Wonders,” teased Mr. -Richards, that night after he had told about Nelly’s talent. - -“Not such a bad idea, at that!” added Uncle Ben. - -“Good gracious, Ben! You don’t mean it--really!” cried Miss Selina, -aghast. - -“Why not! Richards and I are homeless city waifs, as well as the Little -Citizens, so we could live with you and help keep house,” replied Uncle -Ben. - -“Ben, think of my age! And New York, too!” - -“Why should I think of your age now, when you have proven without a -doubt that you are only fifty-five or sixty in reality! Years count -for nothing when one is as spry as you are,” laughed Mr. Talmage. - -“Why Ben Talmage! How you talk! Only last year I was all tied in knots -with rheumatism and couldn’t walk!” cried Flutey. - -“Oh Flutey, stop trying to make believe you want to be back where I -found you!” exclaimed Ruth, indignantly. - -The other Blue Birds laughed teasingly at Miss Selina, and she smiled -too. “Yes, I suppose the surest way to charm back that rheumatic state -is to think of it!” said she. - -“Well, it’s just the same with old age! If you keep talking and -thinking of it, pretty soon you _are_ old and helpless! And we know -you’re _not_--so there!” declared Ruth. - -“Didn’t you trot everywhere with the Blue Birds and Bobolinks while you -were at Mossy Glen?” demanded Ned, her grand-nephew. - -“Yes, but I was visiting and had nothing else to do!” - -“Oh, is that it! Well, I’ll tell you what, Flutey! I’ll rent the big -house and ask you to visit me all winter. Then you can run about and -enjoy the Little Wonders we found at Happy Hills without thinking of -your age. If it is your own home that makes you so aged, we will never -allow you to return here!” said Uncle Ben. - -“You’re all talking a lot of poppy-cock stuff! Flutey has been livelier -here at Happy Hills than I ever saw her before,” said Dot Starr, who -must have a word in everything. - -“Sure! Doesn’t she visit the camp twice a day, and go up and down all -the steps to the Nests, to say nothing of going about the Little Farms, -and hospital and Refectory. If she can stand that, she can stand a -little of New York,” said Don, who felt a great attraction in this -sudden idea of a New York Home for Little Wonders! - -“Well, we have all summer to plan such an outlandish thing as Uncle Ben -just sprang on us, so we will think it over,” said Mr. Richards, who -did not think it wise to urge matters further. - -“What are we going to do tomorrow, Uncle Ben?” now asked Ned. - -“Farmer Jones said he would show us what he does with all the wastage -from camp that the Street Cleaning Department wheels to the dump each -day,” said Jinks. - -“That won’t take all morning--only an hour,” added Ned. - -“And after that--what do you want to do?” said Uncle Ben. - -“I say, let’s give the Little Citizens a picnic. We can all go in -installments in the autos to some other woods or lake and have -something to eat, then play games and come back,” suggested Don. - -“Oh yes, give Don a ride and something good to eat and he is happy!” -jeered Meredith. - -“I don’t think Don’s idea is so bad, Mete, especially as we can use -some of the large farm-wagons filled with straw for the older children. -They have not seen any part of the neighborhood as yet, and they ought -to have an outing. We can finish all chores at camp and see that the -little farms are all right for the day, and then leave Happy Hills -about eleven; have a picnic luncheon somewhere and return about five,” -said Uncle Ben. - -“Where could we go?” asked several of the Blue Birds and Bobolinks. - -“There is a beautiful lake nestling among the hills not ten miles from -here,” suggested Aunt Selina. “It is used by anyone giving a picnic, -and is considered free to the public, although the vast extent of woods -is owned by a Philadelphia man.” - -“If it is commonly used by the public, it will be just the spot. No -harm will be done by going there,” said Mr. Richards. - -“If we are going on a picnic tomorrow, we must plan all sorts of -goodies to eat,” ventured Don, anxiously. - -“Why not take what we might have at the Refectory--cook it in the -woods, that’s all the difference,” said Uncle Ben. - -“What’s a picnic without cake and ice-cream!” scorned Dot. - -“I’ll see that the ice-cream gets there safely if Don and Dot will turn -the freezers,” laughed Ned. - -“We have a great freezer at the camp which is turned by electric power, -so that need not worry you longer, Don,” said Flutey consolingly. - -So it was decided to have a picnic the following day, and Miss Martin -was telephoned at once to ask the cook and other help if they could -prepare the necessities for the picnic dinner in time. - -This was satisfactorily arranged, and everyone went to bed betimes -so that they might rise at an early hour and help in various ways to -enable all to get away on time for the outing. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE STREET CLEANING SQUAD - - -It took little time for the news to spread around the camp that a -picnic was planned for that day, and many a Little Citizen forgot newly -acquired table manners, in the eagerness to talk it over. - -Breakfast out of the way, the cook and her helpers went to work to -freeze cream, bake cookies, and prepare other delicious goodies for the -treat. The Little Mothers hurried to their Nests to attend to their -several duties. - -The Health Board went its round conscientiously to see that all beds -were aired, all dust swept and wiped up carefully, all clothing dry and -clean, and above all, that everyone brushed and cleaned their teeth -properly. - -The Blue Birds were present at these visits and enjoyed watching the -older girls of the camp take charge of things and order the children -around. - -One of the Health Officers named Marybell was a red-haired, freckled -girl of twelve. She was a born captain and now found her opportunity in -life. - -“Say you, Rebecca Einstein, who tol’ you’se to sweep that dust under de -crex rug?” said Marybell upon reaching the Nest where Rebecca had the -sweeping to do that day. - -“Dere ain’t no dus’ pan,” complained Rebecca. - -“Wall, you’se know where t’ git one, den! Go ’an git it!” ordered -Marybell, pointing a determined finger towards the kitchens. - -Rebecca ran, glad to be away from the disconcerting gaze of the Blue -Birds. - -“Now you Eliza--come here and show the ladies your teet’ an’ -finger-nails,” said Marybell, selecting the girl she had the most -trouble with on those very scores. - -“I ain’t all done wid dem yet,----lemme run an’ finish,” said Eliza, -hurriedly, but blushing at being caught so unexpectedly. - -“Ain’ done! Laws me, sloven, yeh had more’n an hour since breakfast t’ -do yer toilet!” exclaimed Marybell, frowning. - -“She gits out of doin’ ’em all the time,” willingly tattled another -girl. - -“Come right here, Emmy, an’ lemme see yer own nails!” said Marybell, -while the other little girls in the Nest tittered. - -When Emmy slowly shuffled up and held out her fingers, Marybell -expressed disgust at the sight. “A black mark fer you’se, an’ one fer -Eliza! Yeh can’t be depended upon. Mebbe yeh better stay away from de -picnic an’ tend to yer teet’ an’ nails!” - -“Oh no, no! Please not dat, Marybell! Give us all black marks, if yeh -wants to, but let us go today!” cried the two delinquents. - -“Well den, git a hustle on an’ clean up before I git back,” said she, -shaking a warning head at them and going her way to the next Nest. - -This inspection continued, the Blue Birds enjoying every phase of it, -until they arrived at one of the newest Nests--that is the tenants had -just come from the city. Marybell had been asked to look after them -until a regular Health Member was selected for that district of the -camp. - -As the visitors came near the Nest they saw a little girl with -skirts pinned up about her waist, standing bare-legged in the creek, -which was up to her knees. She was bending over and doing something -energetically, but her back being turned to the Health Officer and the -Blue Birds, they could not see what it was that so occupied her time -and attention. - -“What’s dat gals’ name--out in de brook?” Marybell asked one of the six -Little Citizens of the Nest. - -“She’s Annie Markey,” said several voices obligingly. - -“What’s she standin’ in de crick fer?” - -“She’s scrubbin’ her teet’ like we wuz tol’ to do.” - -“Scrubbin’ her teet’ in all dat water! How long’s she been at it?” -wondered Marybell. - -“Ever since we came back from breakfus’, cuz she says she was tol’ all -dat grey had to come offen her front teet’, an’ she can’t rub it off,” -explained the oldest of the group. - -Marybell hurried down to the creek and called: “Annie--hoh, Annie -Markey, come out here!” - -Annie turned and saw the Officer beckoning her. She came up on the -bank, and Marybell saw she held a bit of broken mirror in one hand and -the brand-new toothbrush in the other. - -“Open yer mout’,” said Marybell. - -Annie obeyed--it opened widely. - -“Back teet’ all gone--nuttin’ but holes left dere! Now skin yer -teet’--like dis!” And Marybell showed two rows of sharp front teeth as -she wrinkled up her face fearsomely. - -Annie imitated the Officer and Marybell frowned. “You’se ain’t got no -kinda teet’ to clean, nohow! Dey gotta go to a dentis’ an’ be scoured -er pulled--I don’ know which, but I’ll report you to de hospital anyway -and let ’em do what dey says,” was Marybell’s terrifying verdict. - -“Oh please don’ report me to a hospital--please! An’ I don’ want all -my teet’ pulled neider! I’ll run away firs’. I come here to eat all I -kin and have a good time, an’ now yeh wants to pull out my teet’ an’ I -can’t chew any more!” wailed Annie. - -“Nah, I don’t, Annie! I on’y wants to git out dem bad ones what will -ache, an’ de udders kin be scoured to git de black off. What made ’em -so bad?” soothed Marybell. - -“De school-teacher in Harlem says it was ’cause I eat so much candy--me -fadder keeps a candy store wid cigars, yeh see.” - -“Hum--we unnerstan’--nuttin’ like trashy candy to eat up good teet’!” -declared Marybell, wisely, for she had just been told a few lessons -prior to this application, about the evil effects of sweets on the -teeth of children. - -In the last Nest in the row, Marybell found that a roof had leaked -during a slight shower the preceding night. The bed-clothes of the bed -standing under the stream of rainwater were soaked, but so eager was -the child to finish its work and get away that the damp sheets were -used in making up the bed. - -“Say--you chumps, who made dis bed?” shouted Marybell, as the six -Little Citizens ran up to await inspection. - -“Franzy Bedell--it’s her bed!” cried five voices in unison. - -“Franzy--pull off dem beddings!” ordered the Officer. - -Franzy slowly removed the covers and exposed a large damp place at the -foot of the mattress. - -“Diden’ yeh know any better! Why, even in Rivington er Ludlow Streets, -de mudders know better’n use soaked beddin’. Ye git a black mark fer -dat!” exclaimed the captain of the squad. - -Franzy said nothing but awaited further punishment. - -“Now spread each artick’l out on somethin’ to dry an’ don’t yeh dare -make dat bed till dey is good an’ dry--you hear?” - -“Yes’sm!” quickly said Franzy, glad to get off so easy. - -“I’m comin’ back, remember, so don’t yeh cheat again!” And with that -threat, Marybell led the Blue Birds away. - -On the way back to the Infirmary where Marybell had to hand in her -reports, she said: “Sometimes dem ninnies jus’ pull de bed-covers up -an’ smooth ’em out, tryin’ to fool me to thinkin’ dey was all aired and -made fresh, but I kin tell! Yep, I kin tell every time!” - -“What else do you have to watch, Marybell?” asked Ruth, who was highly -interested. - -“Oh, some of de kids wear clo’es what is dirty or damp from the brook, -an’ I has to make ’em change er report ’em. Lots of dese East Siders -can’t see good, an’ lots got somethin’ wrong wid dere noses an’ -t’roats. I has to watch ef dey breat’ hard. Den I tells de nurse at de -infirmary an’ she makes tests.” - -“I guess there’ll be a lot of better children going back home after -this summer,” mused Vene, seriously. - -“Yes, and it’s too bad the city can’t let girls like Marybell take -charge of certain school departments just as she is doing here at -camp,” said Ruth. - -Marybell now reported to the superior at the Infirmary, and the Blue -Birds waited outside for her reappearance. Meantime, the Bobolinks were -entertained by the Captain of the Street Cleaning Squad. - -“We begin on Primrose Lane--dat runs down de middle of de camp-ground. -One Member goes down Violet Lane while anudder goes down Daffodil Lane. -Each member of the Squad has his own streets to take care of--dere all -called by flower lanes and paths, but we fellers call ’em streets like -dey do in Noo York, yeh know!” - -While the Squad was collecting the rubbish that was placed outside each -Nest in the morning, the Captain showed the boys how they worked for -promotion. A Captain held his office two weeks and at the expiration of -his term, if he was worthy, he was given a medal for service. Any boy -holding a medal would be allowed to come to camp the following year. -Every boy in the Squad was eager to be Captain of course, but such an -office was voted upon and decided by the deportment of the applicant, -during his stay in camp. - -“Now come over to Farmer Jones’ dump-heap and I will show you what he -does with trash and debris,” said the Captain. - -As the Bobolinks neared the extreme corner of the estate far removed -from camp and house, they noticed a disagreeable odor. - -“Ha, ha! You smell our pigs!” laughed the Captain. - -“Pigs! Whose pigs?” chorused the Bobolinks. - -“Little Citizens’ pigs! We are raisin’ a hull litter of ’em on de -leavin’s of de table. I’ll show you.” - -The Bobolinks were soon watching the fat little porkers who had so much -clean food to eat. All the garbage from the kitchens was carefully -sorted by a few of the Squad each day, and the peelings or bits of raw -fruit and vegetables were thrown into a great kettle near the sty. This -was boiled into mush and fed to the pigs. All bread, meat and other -refuse from table or kitchen, was mixed well and given to the pigs at -noon. The mushy food was fed in the morning and at night. The sty was -kept as clean as possible, and the pigs were scrubbed every day to keep -them clean and healthy. - -“Goodness me! Who scrubs them?” laughed Ned. - -“Oh, we draw lots for that work. Every feller in the Squad wants to do -it, but we take turns,” replied the Captain. - -Then he showed the Bobolinks the other refuse heap. The papers were all -picked out and kept in bags to sell. All rags were also collected for -sale. Tin cans and other metals were picked out and thrown in a bin for -sale also. The money thus earned was to be used for an outing or for -some form of general good for the Little Citizens--such as a victrola, -or game, or other pleasure. - -The Bobolinks followed their host back to the camp and found the Squad -had completed their rounds and were rolling the little basket-wagons -to the dump. So they said good-by to the captain and ran away to join -the Blue Birds who were coming from the Infirmary. - -“Say, Uncle Ben has this plan worked down to a fine system, hasn’t he?” -said Ned, approvingly. - -“Of course he has. I’d like to own one of those pigs myself, and try -for a county-fair prize,” said Jinks. - -“It’s a wonder he hasn’t thought of keeping bee-hives for Little -Citizens, or mushroom cellars, and a lot of other things,” laughed -Meredith. - -“Now say, Mete, that bee idea isn’t so bad. Let’s suggest it. Lots of -these boys would be glad to try it out, I should think.” - -“I’ll mention it when we get home tonight,” said Meredith. - -“There’s one thing they’ve overlooked thus far, boys,” said Jinks. - -“Yes--what?” queried the others. - -“Some scheme to get rid of these mosquitoes and flies! That always -takes the fun out of camping, I think,” replied Jinks. - -“Maybe they have something planned, but it ought to work. That’s -another item we’ll ask him about tonight,” said Ned. - -It happened that night, after everyone was seated on the piazza of Miss -Selina’s house, that the topics were mentioned and Uncle Ben had to -admit that he had not yet taken care of ridding the camp of flies and -mosquitoes. - -“I’ll tell you what, boys! I wish you’d take charge of those two -important matters and I’ll attend to the bee idea. I believe the care -of bees will help the boys at camp a lot, and give them honey as well -as pastime.” - -“We’ll do the fly and mosquito business, all right, Uncle Ben, but we -must have crude oil to sprinkle over the marshy or pool spots in the -woods,” said Ned. - -“Easy enough to secure oil, and whatever else you may need for the -pests,” agreed Uncle Ben. - -So the Bobolinks found an important work to do while they visited at -Happy Hills, and not only were the Little Citizens more comfortable -thereafter, but they found out how to keep free of flies and malarial -mosquitoes. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE LITTLE CITIZENS’ PICNIC - - -As the time drew near for the large farm-wagons to arrive at the camp -to convey the Little Citizens to the picnic ground, many eyes kept -turning in the direction of the farm-yard, and every few moments one -could hear a whisper of: “When will they come, do you think?” - -Finally, however, a rumbling was heard and a great shout went up: “Here -they come! Is everybody ready?” - -“Hurrah!” “Hurry up, everyone!” and other calls made the camp sound -like Bedlam for a time. The cook had ordered her assistants to pack the -large baskets with all sorts of goodies, and these most valuable items -of luggage were safely placed under the high seats of the farm-wagons. - -While the men were superintending this work, some of the boys clambered -up on the front seat and sat beside the drivers--quite a post of -honor, too, to sit there! The other Little Citizens piled in wherever a -seat could be found, and soon the merry, noisy crowd was ready to start. - -Meantime the two touring cars had gone on to find the place and see -that all was ready for the reception of the others. - -On the way, the Mother’s Helpers and “First Aides” had much to do to -keep order and peace in the crowded wagons of happy children. Finally -the lake was seen and a loud clamoring came from throats eager to have -a rough-and-tumble frolic once more--such as was common in the city. - -The Police and Firemen forgot their duties in the general scramble for -the boats, of which there were three. - -“Citizens! Don’t anyone get into the boats--I find they are not -water-proof!” shouted Uncle Ben through his hand-megaphone. - -“Oh gee! What’s the fun of comin’ here if we can’t sail?” grumbled one -of the Street Cleaning Department. - -“Say, Muller, don’t you give de Boss any sass, now, er I’ll lock yeh up -fer de day!” threatened a Policeman, roused to an abnormal sense of -duty. - -“Who’s givin’ him sass! Can’t a feller ask a question widdout de police -buttin’ in?” complained Jakey Muller. - -“Dass all right! Jest don’t say nawthin’, see!” returned the Policeman, -as he hurried away to watch a base-ball drawing for pitcher and batter -in the forthcoming game. - -“Humph! Think ye’re smart ’cause yuh got on a blue uniform. Ef I wants -to sail de boat, I does, so there!” mumbled Jakey to himself, as he -watched the Policeman disappear. - -“Heigh, Jakey--come on over and see the fun!” now called a friend a -short distance away. - -The discontented boy turned and saw some friends waiting for the -farm-hands to finish putting up some fine swings, but such a tame form -of sport failed to attract the Little Citizen, who had determined to -ride in a boat or do nothing at all. - -Soon after this a score or more of children were having lots of fun -swinging and being the motive-power back of the swings, for “pushing” -the others so high that they would scream in dread of falling was more -delight than being in the swing screaming! - -A group of Little Citizens were paddling in the edge of the pond, -watched over by Little Mothers and a few grown-ups. A group went -exploring up the hillside, feeling sure that a bear’s cave, or perhaps, -the secret home of the Wood Nymphs would be found on the expedition. - -Uncle Ben and some of his helpers were clearing away the brush and -stones that were in the way of a smooth eating-spot. The grass must be -clean and level, for dinner to be safely served there. The boys were -wildly applauding a “home-run” and some of the riders in the swings -were “letting the old cat die,” when Jakey stepped into a boat just to -sit down and rock it for fun! - -A crowd of little girls were playing “drop the handkerchief” and other -outdoor games, when Jakey felt lonely in the boat. He decided to ask -others to join him. - -“Hey, H’lena Bissel--come on over and sit by me--it’s lots of fun -rockin’ t’ boat!” called he. - -“Mister Uncle Ben told us not to an’ I won’t!” called back Helena. - -“Don’t then! Sugar-lump!--sugar-lump, too good to melt!” taunted Jakey, -making a grimace at the little girl. - -“I ain’t ‘sugar ner spice’ but you’re nuttin’ but ‘snails an’ puppy-dog -tails,’ so!” jeered Helena, who had heard the Mother Goose line and -wanted to repeat it at the first occasion. - -“Mamma’s pet! Mamma’s pet--what can’t do what she wants cuz she’s too -goody-good!” replied Jakey, turning his back upon the angry little girl. - -Helena marched away from his company, and soon Jakey saw Maggie’s -little sister Prunel with nothing to do. - -“Come and play wid me, Prunel,” coaxed he, not mentioning the boat this -time as it seemed to inspire his hearers with doubt and fear. - -Prunel (where Maggie had found the name is hard to say) was really -named Polly, but such harsh sounds could not be tolerated by Mother -Maggie, and when she took control of the six younger sisters and -brothers, she saw to it that each one had a beautiful name, thus Polly -became Prunel. - -Prunel was about seven and very energetic for her age. It took much -of Maggie’s time and thought to keep Prunel out of mischief at Happy -Hills. In the city, Prunel had to attend school and look after a short -route of newspaper deliveries after school. - -“What’che playin’, Jakey?” asked Prunel, coming over to the lake-side. - -“Oh I’m a navy battle-ship and dat submarine’s tryin’ to blow me up. I -am shootin’ him all to pieces, see?” - -As he explained, Jakey aimed stone after stone at the nearest boat -while he stood balancing himself in the other boat. - -“Shall I be the German what shoots the torpedo?” asked Prunel, all -intense interest. - -“Naw, you git in wid me and both of us kin sink him, I guess,” replied -Jakey. - -“It won’t be half as much fun as if we had someone to really fight,” -suggested Prunel. - -“I got a fine idea--you jus’ get in here quick!” - -So Prunel, without knowing it had been forbidden, got in the boat with -Jakey, eager to hear his plan. - -“I’m goin’ to break dis rope what holds the boat, yeh see, an’ float -around both dose submarines by holdin’ fast to dese overhanging -branches, see?” - -“Don’t you let go on ’em--cuz yeh hain’t got no rope er oars to get -back wid,” warned Prunel, anxiously. - -“Do you t’ink I’m such a silly?” said Jakey, as the boat swung about to -the great excitement of both sailors. - -It bumped into the end of the other boat, and the children laughed -gayly as Jakey said: “Maybe I diden’ jar dat Hun dat trip, eh?” - -“It would be heaps more fun if you’d get in anudder boat and play shoot -at mine. I could fire back, and we could see which one gets hit t’ -most--den he would be sunk, you know!” said Prunel. - -“It sounds good--say, you keep in dis boat while I jump in dat one. -You’ve got a lot of stones left but I kin get some from the bank in a -minute,” consented Jakey. - -Jakey went to the end of the boat and stood upon the prow waiting -for an opportunity to spring over into the adjoining boat. This was -easy to do, and soon he jumped and landed safely in the bottom of the -flat boat, but the impetus he used when springing sent the other boat -out from under him and Prunel, being alone and without any hold on -willow-branch or rope, was floated out from shore. - -“Say, Jakey Muller--hurry out and get me back!” called Prunel, but not -loud enough for the others to hear, as she knew it was not just what -she should have done without asking permission. - -“S-sh! Wait a minute! I’ll wade out and pull you back!” replied Jakey, -in a low voice also. - -He sat down and pulled off his sandals and stockings, but the boat had -caught the edge of the current that made a channel quite near shore at -this spot of the lake. - -He endeavored to reach the end of the boat but it eluded his hand. -Then he waded deeper and tried again, still the boat moved outward and -Prunel was becoming frightened. - -“Oh pshaw--I gotta jump fer it!” growled Jakey, and at that he reached -quickly while taking a far-advanced step. His foot went in a hole, and -he fell face downward into the lake. The boat sped onward now faster, -as it felt the carrying tide of the current. - -Before Jakey could regain his footing and splutter out the water that -choked him and blinded his eyes, Prunel was at least fifty feet from -shore. She had remained perfectly quiet until now, thinking Jakey would -surely rescue her. But when she saw him fall, and get up again without -hope of reaching her, she began to whimper with fear. - -Jakey took a last look at her and with fear in his eyes as he thought -of his disobedience, he turned to run away from the picnic grove--even -if he had to run all the way back to the city. He could not face Uncle -Ben’s stern rebuke, for he was sure he would be properly scolded and -punished for breaking a law. - -Had not Maggie seen a boat with one passenger skim out in the direction -of the old grist-mill, Prunel might have met with more serious disaster -than that which befell her craft. - -“Looka dere, Miss Marting! A little girl is out in a boat alone,” -called Maggie to her friend. - -“Why--it’s----” Miss Martin quickly glanced at Maggie before completing -her sentence. - -But Maggie, too, saw a resemblance to Prunel. She hurriedly hunted -about amongst the groups of children, and not finding her sister -anywhere, she shouted to one of the Policemen. - -In the meantime, Miss Martin, understanding the situation, ran to tell -Uncle Ben what had happened to Prunel. He called upon the Police and -Firemen nearest him and all ran to the place where the three boats had -been tied but a short time before. - -Here they saw Jakey wading from the water and taking to his heels so -the Policeman who had warned him cried: “Now what’che gone and done?” - -Jakey trembled from head to foot as he was caught and brought back to -Uncle Ben. Then he explained how the accident had happened to Prunel. -As he hurriedly described the scene, the Police found that neither boat -had any oars so pursuit to bring back the water-waif in that way was -out of the question. - -“Can anyone swim dat far?” questioned one of the firemen. - -“Not in fresh water--I kin swim anywhere in salt water,” returned one -of the boys. - -“Mebbe de boat’ll float in to shore down furder. Mister Uncle Ben, -dere’s a finger of land runs out way down, you see!” - -“But there is also a mill-race just the other side of that finger of -land, and the current to the mill runs mighty fast about that jutting -bank. If the boat doesn’t come in or isn’t caught before it reaches -that place it is impossible to say what may be the consequences. An old -water-wheel turns the mill and the race feeds the wheel. The child is -in danger out there with no means of helping herself and we are here -with no way to reach her,” said Uncle Ben, anxiously. - -“What’s all the excitement--anyone fall overboard?” called Jinks, -coming up and asking his question laughingly. - -“Little Prunel is afloat in that boat--see her down the lake there?” -replied Mete, who was standing beside Uncle Ben. - -“Great Scott! And all of you standing around here doing nothing?” cried -Jinks, scornfully, running away to the squad of Police who were still -umpiring the last game of ball. - -“Hey there! Dutchy--did you bring your dog?” yelled Jinks, when he had -covered half the distance between the two groups. - -“Yeh! Why?” came back the answer. - -“What’s Jinks going to do with the dog?” asked Uncle Ben, starting to -run after the boy, and thus starting all the other boys on the ground -running after him. Inside of a minute the long line of boys running, -looked like a thriller in a moving-picture play. - -“Leave it to Jinks to think up some way of rescue!” called Ned and -Mete, panting beside Uncle Ben. - -“Remember that fire we went to when we were on the Canal trip?” added -Don, who came just too late to do all the talking to Jinks. - -Before the crowd of curious boys reached the spot where Jinks had -hurriedly explained the situation to Bill, the two boys and a few of -the ball-players had started off along the shore, calling and whistling -to the great mongrel dog that was Bill’s beloved and particular care. - -The shaggy, tawny hound came crashing from the bushes with tail wagging -joyously at the unusual outing he was given that day. When Bill saw -him, he snapped his fingers and called excitedly: - -“Crummie go in and fetch! Fetch it out, good ol’ doggie!” and at the -same time, he threw a stone far out into the lake to attract the dog’s -attention to the water. - -Crummie went in ker-splash and swam about for a short time looking for -the object which his master had thrown for him to bring out again. - -“Say, Dutchy, Prunel is too far out for the dog to reach--let’s run -along shore till we get to the finger over there. You see, the current -runs quite close in to shore there and we can send Crummie out from -that spot. Maybe we can tie a rope to his collar and let him swim out -with it to the boat, then we can pull the girl in to shore,” quickly -explained Jinks. - -“Fine! Say you, Dink Brown--run back and get a rope er somethin’ fer -us, will you? We’ll be down on that finger waitin’ fer you. Mebbe we -kin shout an’ make the kid hear what we want her to do,” replied Bill. - -Before he had completed his sentence, Dink was running back to Uncle -Ben to ask for a rope. Then the other boys with the dog ran swiftly -away to the spot Jinks had designated. - -As they ran, Jinks found a section of newspaper on the pathway, and -this he caught up and began rolling into a long tube. - -“What’s ’at fer?” asked Bill. - -“Make a megaphone for us to call through, you know.” - -“Big idea! Make it wide at the open end so’s she can git the call -better. If you make it narrow the sound won’t go out so clear, you see.” - -At the finger of land, Jinks stood out on a large rock and shouted and -shouted at Prunel who was crying fearfully and kneeling in the bottom -of the boat while clinging to the oar-lock. - -At the echo of Jinks’ call she looked about but did not at first see -the boys standing where the channel curved in towards land. At the -second shout, however, she looked in the direction from which the sound -came, and stopped wailing as she saw the group of police waiting to -assist her. - -Then she heard her name called and listened to what was said. - -“We’re going to send the dog out to the boat--you call ‘Here Crummie! -here Crummie!’ as soon as he goes in the water. He will come to you -and then you will find a rope tied to his collar. Fasten the rope to -the ring in the boat and we will haul you in!” - -It needed several trials before Prunel understood the plan, but once -she did it was all right, although the boat was fast reaching the place -where the current flowed in towards land so the dog had to hurry out -with the rope if it was to work as planned. - -“Here I come--get him ready!” called the boy who had been sent for the -rope. - -The boys turned and saw him racing along with a long coil of swing rope -that had been hastily cut down to use. Dink, being the swiftest runner -in camp, was soon back with the Police and Jinks. - -One end of the rope was tied to Crummie’s old leather collar and then -he was sent in to bring out Prunel. At the same time Jinks shouted -through the megaphone: - -“Call him, Prunel! Call him, again and again, till he reaches you with -the rope.” - -Then they heard the little girl cry excitedly: “Here Crummie! Here -Crummie!” - -“See her over there, Crummie? Fetch her out! Fetch her out, I say! Go -get it--get it--good doggie!” coaxed Bill. - -And Crummie, sniffing over the water, saw the approaching boat and -heard the child’s cry for help. Instantly the yellow dog understood -what was required of him and in he went, dragging the long line of rope -after him. - -The boys on shore held their breath so the dog would not be confused, -and Prunel kept on calling, “Here Crummie! Here Crummie! Good dog--come -to me, Crummie!” - -And the dog swam as fast as he could in a direct line for the object he -saw on the surface of the lake. He came within five feet of it when it -swept past him in the current now running fast to the mill-race. - -Groans and cries on shore showed that more than one anxious group -were watching the efforts of the brave dog. But Crummie was of the -nature that resents failure or trickery. He was of the dogged kind -that will fight harder in spite of all obstacles, and perseverance and -persistence always win out! - -Crummie kept on swimming after the boat while Prunel continued calling -and pleading, and the boys on the bank kept on anxiously letting the -rope out and wondering if it was long enough to reach. - -“Gee, Jinks, it’s the end!” gasped Bill. - -And just as Jinks was about to give up in despair, one of the other -boys yelled: “By golly! Crummie’s got hold of the rope that dragged -after the boat!” - -Everyone strained their eyes to see, and sure enough the dog had caught -hold of the rope that had tied the boat to the bank and was swimming -back the way he came against the current. - -The struggling animal was not making much headway against the swift -stream and Jinks instantly saw that he would tire himself out and be -useless, so he signaled to Bill, and the two ran through the bushes -growing on the shore and reached a place opposite the boat. Then Jinks -called again to the dog. - -“Here, Crummie! Crummie, come in here!” - -At the strange voice, the dog stopped battling against the current but -did not turn. However, Bill saw through Jinks’ idea and quickly abetted -him. - -“Here, good old Crummie! Fetch it home! Fetch it home!” - -And at his master’s well-known call, the dog turned and swam for shore -where the two boys were waiting to help. Jinks pulled off his shoes and -stockings, rolled up his trousers and waded in as far as he could. When -Crummie came within arm’s reach, Jinks leaned out to catch hold of the -rope, but the dog growled fiercely. - -“Ha, ha, ha! Crummie won’t let you interfere! He don’t know what you’re -after--mebbe you want to take away the prize he’s bringin’ in to me!” -laughed Bill, delightedly, now that the strain was over. - -Even Jinks laughed at the treatment he had been given by the dog, but -Crummie dragged the rope straight up to his master and left it in his -hands. Then it was seen that the rope that had been tied to the old -collar had torn it away and was out in the lake. - -“When did the swing rope break?” asked Don, who failed to understand. - -“Soon after the strain came on it, most likely,” said Mete. - -“I’ll tell you what I think!” ventured Uncle Ben, who had hurried up -with Maggie, and now stood patting Crummie’s wet, matted head. - -The children all looked at him for an opinion, and he continued: - -“I think that Crummie would have gone for that boat and found his own -way to drag it back to land, whether any of you boys had interfered -with him or not. Now, seeing that our hero dog lost his neck-band in -his effort to save a life, I shall award him the medal for bravery this -month. Anyone opposing this motion say ‘No!’; if there is no opposition -and everyone agrees with me that Crummie shall have the prize let us -all say ‘Aye!’” - -Such a tremendous shout of “Ayes” went out instantly, that Crummie was -unanimously voted the hero for the month, and Bill was the proudest boy -in camp. - -“What’s the prize going to be, Uncle Ben?” asked Don. - -“Oh something that Crummie will appreciate and everyone will stop to -admire and read. I’m thinking a wonderful studded collar with his -name and the story of the rescue engraved on a silver plate might be -suitable.” - -“Oh yes--yes, indeed!” chorused most of the Blue Birds and Bobolinks. - -“And, Uncle Ben, spend a lot of money on it to make it as big and shiny -as you can,” advised Dot Starr. - -“How much money do you think will do?” asked Uncle Ben, teasingly. - -“Well, you know how much a funeral for Prunel would have cost if -Crummie hadn’t saved her life, so you might as well spend that much -anyway,” replied Dot in all seriousness. - -“Oh, I’ve got an idea!” cried Don, inspired by his twin’s words. “Have -it tell on the collar that the prize is a souvenir of a watery grave -that was never filled by the saved child ’cause Crummie was here to -fly to the rescue--you might say ‘swim’ to the rescue, only it doesn’t -sound as grand as ‘fly.’” - -Everyone laughed heartily at Don’s suggestion, and Ned said: “Don’s -growing a streak of poesy and we all had better beware or he’ll rhyme -us into jingles some day.” - -Don scorned such ideas, and after giving Ned a meaning look, he said: -“I wouldn’t be anything so silly as a jingler like Ned Talmage is! I’m -going to buy Crummie and start a kennel of fine life-saving dogs to -send to the Allies! So there!” - -“Ha! that’s why Don wants Uncle Ben to spend all that funeral money -on a collar. He’ll sell the collar and keep the money to found the -kennels!” laughed Mete, in a big brother’s tone of voice. - -“Say, you kids! Don’t fool yourselves on dat score! Dis dog is mine and -he stays mine till the las’ trumpet blows--see!” was the last word from -Crummie’s master, and the yellow dog wagged his tail approvingly as he -blinked up into Bill’s blue-green eyes. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -MISS MARTIN’S NATURE STORIES - - -The picnic was declared a grand success in spite of the fright little -Prunel had had, for such a thrill as the Little Citizens had been -treated to at the danger and escape of one of their members was not to -be had every day! So that event added glory to the occasion and was one -long to be remembered. - -The day after the outing, most of the Little Citizens were seated at -the Auditorium (as they called the Refectory when other occasions -demanded its use) waiting for the Blue Birds who had promised to come -and hear Miss Martin’s nature story that day. - -Miss Martin was seen coming from her Nest and soon after she had -greeted the children, the Blue Birds were heard laughing and talking as -they hurried down Harebell Road. - -When all were seated Miss Martin began: - -“I’m going to tell you about some pests we have in camp, and your -Uncle Ben agreed to be present so he could hear what a nuisance they -are. I see him coming from the Fire-house so he will soon be here. -Before he arrives, however, I want to ask you children a favor. When my -story is finished I shall call upon you to ask how many will volunteer -to work in the Health Department for a few days to get rid of flies and -mosquitoes, and I wish everyone here to offer their services to Uncle -Ben.” - -“Oh we will! You don’t have to ask us a favor like that--we’d do it -anyway!” replied one of the Health Inspectors. - -“Am I late?” asked Uncle Ben, now coming over to the group gathered to -hear the stories. - -“Just in time,” replied Ruth, making a place for him. - -“My first story will be about a mosquito that settled down at Happy -Hills and founded the colony of pests that annoys us so at camp. - -“Skinny was a malarial mosquito that happened to crawl from the reeds -near the lake into a carpenter’s tool-chest while the man was eating -his lunch late last fall. As his job was completed, the carpenter -caught up the tool-box and hurried towards Miss Selina’s place to -leave it in the tool-house. - -“Skinny was very sleepy because of the cold air, and the tool-box being -left in a snug, sunny spot on a shelf in the tool-house, she soon fell -asleep for the long cold winter months. - -“But in the spring the warm sun-rays roused her and she began to -open her sleepy eyes and stretch her stiffened legs; her poor wings -she could not use at once--they were so nerveless and stiff that it -took some practice to whip them into general use again. She succeeded -somewhat, just as the carpenter came in and took up the tool-chest. - -“‘Where’re you goin’ to work, Pete?’ asked a man standing outside the -shed. - -“‘Down at Happy Hills Camp. I’m goin’ to build some Nests for the Blue -Birds’ Little Citizens, you know.’ - -“‘Well, thar ain’t no mosquitoes around er no flies, either, so you -won’t be pestered any, I guess,’ said the first man, as Pete walked -away down Daffodil Lane. - -“Skinny heard the conversation and smiled. ‘Not a mosquito on the -place, eh? Well I will have to get busy and change that lonesome state -of affairs mighty quick!’ - -“So poor Pete carried the little pest along in his harmless tool-chest, -and while he left it standing in the sunshine until he could find -the boss carpenter, the sun-rays made Skinny feel so lively that she -decided to try her wings and soar a bit. - -“This was easier than she had thought possible, so she flew down to a -little shallow pool in the creek for a drink of water. Here she found -a slimy little back-water puddle so warm and comfortable that she soon -chose that spot for the eggs she proposed laying to found the mosquito -colony of Happy Hills. - -“Early the following morning, Mrs. Spot Toad saw hundreds of -oblong-shaped eggs floating on the slimy pool, but it was none of her -business so she did not report the matter to the Board of Health as one -of the Little Citizens would have done. In fact Spot was so busy with -her own family cares that she forgot all about the mosquito larvæ soon -after she had seen the small sooty specks floating on the water. - -“Skinny left her eggs to hatch and went her way rejoicing, but not for -long! - -“She had hardly reached a tree where a dozing carpenter tempted her to -eat, when a mother Blue Bird swooped down from her nest and caught up -the lean, lanky mosquito to feed to her babies. Of course there was no -nourishment in a poor thing like Skinny, but it would help fill the -gaping mouths of the baby-birds a bit! - -“Inside of twenty-four hours, Skinny’s eggs began to hatch out, but -they were not mosquitoes--they were wrigglers. In appearance they -resembled wooly, little caterpillars, but one end of the squirming body -was the breathing tube for air. The fuzzy part of the wriggler was -the means of its moving about, and they all wriggled or jerked about -continually. Some grew faster than others, but all grew very fast, -their heads seeming to grow faster than their bodies. - -“In about six days’ time the wrigglers had grown so strong that they -floated on the top of the water in the hot sunshine, so that the heat -might crack open the skins that enclosed the young mosquitoes. As one -shell opened after another, the insects crawled out and waited upon the -tops of their little boats to dry their wings and legs. The sun soon -accomplished this work, and then the hundreds of young mosquitoes were -flying about waiting for an opportunity to eat something good. - -“About this time the first Little Citizens appeared at Camp, and many -of the children ran down to the creek to play in the water. Of course -Skinny’s family sniffed the sweet young blood of the children there, -and many a young mosquito ate till it almost burst open, and the Little -Citizen had an irritating bite on arms or legs. - -“Many, many of the young mosquitoes remained near the creek and laid -eggs for a new family, and others flew away to the puddles in the -woods, or settled on the eaves of the roof where rainwater had left -tiny pools. Others saw the lake, and still others found water in pails -or bottles and vessels of all sorts. In a very short time every one of -Skinny’s children was laying a multitude of eggs that would hatch out -in a day or two, and in ten to twelve days there would be a pest of -mosquitoes at Happy Hills. - -“By the time Little Citizens were running about these woods, playing, -or digging by the creek, or making mud-pies from the soft mud in the -little pools, thousands and thousands of nasty mosquitoes were flying -and humming everywhere, while hundreds of thousands were being hatched -from the wrigglers that had been the outcome of eggs laid by every -mosquito in the place. - -“Finally the Little Citizens had such itching red spots on their -bodies, and so many of the younger children had to keep away from the -fascinating little brook because of the pesky, stinging insects, that -Uncle Ben said something must be done at once to rid Happy Hills of -this menace. - -“But what can we do to so many? If we have to catch every wriggler or -mosquito about Happy Hills, it will take ten times the number of Little -Citizens here to catch and kill them--and then there will be thousands -of insects left to breed new pests. - -“Ah, but there is a way that will smother all the young and kill the -old mosquitoes! Now listen carefully! - -“We will get kerosene or crude oil, and pour a little on the surface of -the water wherever we think a mosquito has laid her eggs. While we are -doing it, we will oil all the still waters so no mosquito will dare to -settle anywhere and lay new eggs. - -“You see the oil will spread out over the surface of the water and -keep the wrigglers from getting air for their bodies--this will soon -smother them and they will sink to the bottom of the pool, dead! The -old mosquitoes that should come to visit the pond or pools, will light -upon the glassy, oiled water and instantly find it impossible to remove -their hairy legs; besides, their noses will be filled with the fumes -and soon choke them so that they, too, will sink down to the bottom of -the stagnant pool or float dead upon the oil. - -“Happy Hills will then become a comfortable place at night and a more -enjoyable camp for the children at day.” - -Miss Martin concluded her first story and the children showed their -interest by the many questions they asked. Among other things, she was -asked if there was more than one kind of mosquito, and this brought up -an explanation of the difference between the malarial mosquito and the -simply poisonous, stinging kind. - -“The mosquito that causes malaria by its bite can be detected if you -see it sting, for it always stings with head pointed downward and its -tail and hind legs held straight up in the air. The common mosquito -stands with its body on a horizontal line when it stings, but both -kinds are poisonous and are of no use whatever. The sooner the country -is cleared of such plagues the better.” - -“You have done a good work, Miss Martin, by telling us how to rid the -camp of mosquitoes. I ordered several barrels of unrefined petroleum -oil and Jones told me this morning that they are at the freight -station. He is there now with a wagon to bring them back. When he -comes, we will all start in with cans and anything we can find to hold -oil, to hunt mosquitoes,” remarked Uncle Ben. - -“There’s another pest to be gotten rid of, Mr. Talmage,” suggested Miss -Martin. - -“And have you a story ready for it?” laughed Ned. - -“It won’t take a moment to weave one just as long as we may need for -the occasion,” replied Miss Martin. - -“Is it the fly that you have such an antipathy to?” continued Uncle Ben. - -“Yes, it is, and if you will do as I advise, Happy Hills will soon be -rid of flies as well as mosquitoes,” rejoined Miss Martin. - -“Well, tell us a story and we will judge of the importance of the -battle against the fly,” said Uncle Ben. - -So Miss Martin sat thinking for a few seconds before she began: - -“‘Oh, Flossy, did you know Uncle Ben Talmage has started a camp -at Happy Hills for the Little Citizens?’ cried a noisy fly to her -companion one nice day in June. - -“‘Really! How interesting; but what good will that do us here? We are -keeping house in the pig’s trough, so how could we hope to reach camp -so far away?’ - -“‘I’ll tell you about a plan I have, Flossy. Of course, there will be -lots of children staying the summer at Happy Hills, and where there -are little ones there is sure to be food and things lying about for -flies to picnic upon. Now we can steal a ride from the pig-sty to the -camp when Farmer Jones feeds the pigs. We can sit in the bottom of his -swill-cans and sneak into camp without anyone seeing us. Once there we -can set up housekeeping at any of the Nests. Soon we will have a large -family and found a great fly-colony.’ - -“‘How wise you are, Noisy! Let us sit in the dark corner and wait for -the farmer’s can,’ replied Flossy, eagerly. - -“So the two flies were carried from the smelly pig-sty to the nice -clean, brand-new Nest built for Miss Martin and her Little Citizens. -But Miss Martin didn’t know the two wicked flies had arrived to live in -her Nest. - -“No one knew the two flies were perched on the edges of the -milk-glasses with their filthy, fuzzy legs and feet, and leaving all -kinds of foreign matter on the glass rim where little babies’ lips -would soon sip the milk! Neither did anyone know that one of the pesky -flies had just deposited its filth on a slice of buttered bread for one -of the children. But so it happened just the same! - -“There had been a few other flies in the pig-sty when the two -adventurers started forth, and they too decided to follow their -friends. So a number of dirty insects caught hold of the horse’s legs -and belly and thus were brought to camp. Here they sought out Flossy -and Noisy and suggested that they all go to housekeeping together. - -“‘Where shall we set up housekeeping?’ asked Noisy. - -“‘Well, when we rode into camp on old Dobbin, we passed by the stables. -There are a number of choice apartments about the building, and I -located one in the manure heap outside. Another good flat-house is over -where the dump-ground is. We can always find decaying fruit or rotting -stuff there,’ returned one of the new arrivals. - -“So Flossy and her husband started housekeeping in the dump-ground, -while Noisy and her spouse settled in the manure heap by the barns. -Noisy crawled about over the damp straws that had been swept out from -the stable-stalls and soon found a fine spot to deposit her eggs. - -“That evening Noisy and her husband flew back to camp to visit Little -Citizens and see what they could do to interfere with the wholesome -plans of Uncle Ben and Miss Martin. - -“The hundreds of tiny white eggs laid in the manure heap by Mother -Noisy, as her first brood of children for that summer, and the hundreds -laid by Flossy in the dump-heap to found her big family, began -instantly to hatch out into queer worm-like creatures. In less than -twenty-four hours a swarm of these pests were stirring about as lively -as could be, and in less than a day after they were hatched from the -eggs, they cast off their skins. It took another day for them to shed a -second coat, and then a day or two later they got rid of a third skin. - -“Now they looked like little oval grubs that remained as quiet as if -there was no life within them, but at the end of a week, the shells -cracked open and a multitude of young flies crept out to fly away just -as Noisy did from the pig-sty where she was born. - -“The thousands of flies hatched out of the manure heap and -dumping-ground now feasted on all the filth and decaying mess they -could find and soon they were laying eggs wherever a smelly dirty spot -could be found, because flies prefer filth to cleanliness. - -“Thousands more hatched from these eggs and in three generations of -flies, and in three weeks’ time, there were millions of horrid pests -flying about camp. Millions buzzed in our ears and slapped their dirty -wings in our faces. Millions crept over our food leaving the nasty -trails of their hairy feet everywhere--but so fine a dirt that we could -not see it with our naked eyes. There were millions to bite baby’s -sweet rosy lip, to tickle our noses with their fuzzy legs and tails, -to drop into the butter, or swim about in our water and milk, always -leaving their filth as a mark of their nuisance! - -“Then along came the man with the barrels of oil from the station, and -the pools and damp places about camp were soon saturated with kerosene. -It was noticed that the flies kept away from such spots. - -“‘Suppose we try oil on the hatching places of the flies, Miss Martin?’ -asked Uncle Ben. - -“‘It will kill the eggs anyway, and may catch some of the flies. But we -can keep everything securely covered and screened so a fly will have to -starve and then be forced to eat from the poisoned saucer filled with -water. Soon we can kill off all the old flies and with the breeding -spots disinfected there will be no flies to sicken us,’ replied Miss -Martin, and so it was. - -“Little Citizens hated the flies almost as much as did Miss Martin and -the other grown-ups at Happy Hills, and as soon as the oil-barrels were -opened and ready for use, everyone started out to find breeding nests -of flies and soak them well with oil. - -“And what a lovely summer the rest of that season was at camp, without -flies or mosquitoes to annoy the very life out of one!” - -“Ha, ha! That’s a better story than the first! Here comes Jones with -the farm-wagon bringing in the barrels! Come on, Police and Health -Board--to work to rid the camp of pests!” - -At Bill’s call to Little Citizens, they jumped up and hurriedly -thanking Miss Martin for her stories, ran off to meet the driver with -the oil-cans. - -“There, that is one way to plant ambition for better conditions,” -sighed Miss Martin, feeling she had invested her half-hour to some good -purpose. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE AMUSEMENT COMPANY - - -The next few days were very busy ones for the Little Citizens, but the -comfort and peace about camp was remarked by everyone, especially Uncle -Ben. - -“I declare, I never dreamed flies and mosquitoes could make folks so -miserable and irritable with each other!” said he. - -“Now that those two pests are diminishing, I wish to mention another -cause of impatience and concern in camp. The boys and girls past the -age of eight or nine, who are not actively engaged with the Police, -Firemen, or other departments established at Happy Hills, really need -something to occupy their thoughts and time. In the city they have so -many ways of working or entertaining themselves--often detrimental, -too, that time begins to hang heavily on their hands now that the -novelty of country-life is wearing off,” explained Miss Martin. - -“But I don’t know of anything more we can do to keep them busy,” -replied Uncle Ben, with an anxious frown. - -“I have an idea and it may work out to the benefit and amusement of -everyone.” - -“I’ll be glad to try anything you say,” returned Uncle Ben, -encouragingly. - -“Let us start ‘An Amusement Company.’ Elect managers of the different -departments and ‘stars’ and ‘supers’ and have the Band furnish music. -If you think well of my idea we may even go so far as to reward the -actors and musicians who entertain us best. Let it be known that this -company is formed more as a means of starting various contests for -music, oratory, and acting, and is open for all entries, young, aged, -small or large citizens.” - -“Humph! Who is there to teach them such things?” - -“I do not believe the street children of a large city need much -teaching in entertaining. They are so precocious and experienced from -their life in general, that they only need suggestions to boost their -ideas,” laughed Miss Martin. - -“Well, it will cost us nothing to try out your idea anyway, and no -harm will be done if it fails to inspire your performers as you think -it will.” - -“And I know just what you think, Mr. Talmage! You are secretly laughing -at the failure you are sure will follow this endeavor,” retorted Miss -Martin. - -“I really hope you will not be disappointed in your high appraisal of -these city children’s brilliant possibilities,” returned Uncle Ben. - -“We’ll see! If you will find some sort of a ‘drop-curtain’ even if -it does not drop--we can draw it on rings slipped over a pole; and -a raised stage, it will be all I shall ask of you. The stage can be -a bare platform raised about two feet above the Refectory floor. It -can be built on a rough framework, and take little time or cost to -construct.” - -“I will get some of the older boys to help me build it, and the -Bobolink Boys will revel in sawing and hammering, I know.” - -“Well then, you announce the new society to Little Citizens and have -all who wish to enter the contests register with me during the next -three days, and I will examine each one to find what each one is -capable of doing.” - -Uncle Ben smiled indulgently at what he believed to be Miss Martin’s -mistaken judgment, and agreed to call the Little Citizens together that -evening to tell them of the plan for their amusement. - -The plan for starting an amusement company met with great approval as -was shown in various ways, and the next morning Miss Martin was sought -by those who wished to join the new club. In fact some of the children -appeared at her Nest before breakfast so as to be listed in parts they -hoped to fill. - -“Children, suppose you wait until I have had something to eat and then -we will go into this work,” laughed Miss Martin. - -“Well, don’t you let anyone take our place--remember we came first!” -warned several voices. - -“This Nest will be too small to hold you all so I suggest that we use -a folding-table as a desk and find some secluded spot in the grove -where we will be away from the confusion of camp work. If one has to be -tried out in any line he can perform without feeling embarrassed by -others watching or hearing him,” said Miss Martin, to the group waiting -anxiously for her. - -“I’ll carry the folding-table over when you’re ready to go!” quickly -offered Bill, who had an idea of what he would do in the new company. - -“And I’ll take the chair!” added Joe. - -“All right, boys; now let us have breakfast and do our camp -chores--then we will be ready to begin our fun!” - -Camp work was through sooner than ever that morning and before ten -o’clock Miss Martin was seated before the impromptu desk in the quiet -shady grove. - -“Now, Molly Brown--you were so anxious to sign up this morning--what -can you do to entertain an audience?” said Miss Martin, smiling at the -ten-year-old girl. - -“I kin ride bareback!” was the startling answer. - -“Ride bareback--but what good will that do us in a show-house?” gasped -Miss Martin. - -“You’se don’t have to keep yersels to one show, does you? In Noo York -der’s a theayter an’ a hippodrome, too!” was Molly’s quick reply. - -This opened vast possibilities before Miss Martin’s vision, and before -she could collect herself to speak wisely, one of the boys said: - -“I t’ink dat’s a good idee! Lots of us kin do stunts dat goes wid a -hippodrome show what can’t be did on a stage in a regerler theayter.” - -“Very well, then; Molly, will you sit down at my left hand side where I -will place all the circus actors, and the stage performers can go to my -right,” said Miss Martin, hastily postponing her other answer. - -Molly sat down upon the grass with a satisfied manner--was she not -going to be robed in tarletan and tinsel some day and leap gracefully -from an Arabian horse’s back, then throw kisses at an admiring -audience? That is how Molly pictured herself. - -“Bill, what do you propose doing?” asked the investigator of the -theatrical company. - -“Well, I kin do lots of stunts, but best of all I kin blow my horn. I -will like to stay in de band wedder you’se have it for the theayter or -fer de circus.” - -“All right, Bill, then I’ll enter you as cornetist. But you must -practice and render a solo every now and then for a prize, you know?” - -“Yes’m, I knows!” - -Bill’s name was entered and he signed himself as a solo-cornetist in -the company. As he was about to place the pen back on the table he had -a brilliant idea. - -“Miss Marting, why can’t I enter Crummie fer a show?” - -“Ah yes, Miss Martin--Crummie is a swell show-dog! He does lots of -tricks what oughter be known by a real circus man; he would get paid a -lot of money fer ’em,” added several voices back of Bill. - -“Really! How interesting! Of course we will enter Crummie with the -other actors. He can’t sign for himself, but we will let Bill do it,” -explained Miss Martin. - -A chorus of laughter made her look about at the amused faces, and Bill -placed his two fingers between his lips and gave a shrill whistle. -Crummie had roamed away from the group at the desk in search of -squirrels or chipmunks, but at that call he came bounding back to his -master’s side. - -“Say, Crummie, Miss Marting says ye can’t sign yer name! She t’inks yer -a fool dog an’ it’s up t’ you t’ show her she’s mistaken,” laughed -Bill, delightedly, as he took up the pen he had laid aside and dipped -it in the ink. - -Miss Martin instantly suspected the act that was to be performed for -her benefit; that it was generally known to the other children was -evidenced by the way they laughed when she suggested that Bill sign for -the dog. - -Crummie stood upon his hind legs and placed his fore-paws carefully on -the edge of the table. Then Bill pushed the sheet of paper over under -his nose, and the dog took hold of the pen-handle with his teeth. By -moving his head up and down and from side to side, he managed to scrawl -a number of circles and lines, then he lifted his nose high in the air -to take the pen-point from the paper and when he brought it down again -he made a period very near the ending of his writing. - -Everyone laughed and cried “Good doggie” and Miss Martin patted his -head as she laughingly said: “Crummie is truly a wonder. He is our -first performer for the public pleasure.” - -“Dat’s nuttin, Miss Marting; Crummie kin do lots of stunts better’n -dat!” bragged Bill. - -It took some time to assure Crummie that he need not show off any -more of his tricks that time, as there was too much clerical work to -accomplish to stop for him. But the dog resented the business-like tone -of Miss Martin, and when she would have removed the pen from his teeth -he wheeled about and ran off to the woods with it. - -Bill gave hot pursuit but Crummie was fleet-footed, so everyone laughed -at the trick the dog had turned on the company. After a time, Bill -returned with the pen, but it showed signs of having been through -sharp-pointed teeth before it was recovered. - -“He was jus’ goin’ to dig a hole and bury it when I crept up behind and -caught hol’ on his tail. Dat made him open his mouth, y’ know, and the -pen dropped out,” laughed Bill. - -No further unexpected interruptions took place, so Miss Martin -proceeded with the programme of actors. - -“What is your specialty, Jim?” to a freckle-faced lad of eleven. - -“Me fadder was a champeen clog-dancer in Dublin, an’ he teached me de -dance afore he died. I kin clog to beat de band!” said Jimmy, eagerly. - -“Oh fine! Will you show us a sample of it, some time?” replied Miss -Martin as she wrote down Jim’s accomplishment. - -“Shure, but not on de grass, ye know, Miss Marting! It needs wood -floors and wood clogs.” - -“Yes, and we will have you dance on the Refectory floor soon.” - -From Jim she went to one of the girls, who appeared impatient to tell -of her talents. - -“Well, Jenny, your turn next.” - -“Miss Martin, I kin take off anyone you wants me to! I does it for fun -at home an’ teacher says I’m the funniest girl she ever saw!” - -“Jenny, suppose you impersonate Dinah, the cook?” said Miss Martin. - -Dinah was a true southerner and spoke with all the old-time darkey -accent. Jenny beamed at the simple trial given her, and cleared her -throat to begin. - -“Oh yo’ Jenny! Come yeah, Ah say, chile! Doan yo’ heah yo’ Mammy -callin’ yo? Heah I’se waitin’ fo’ to carry yo’ ober Jordan an’ yo’ don’ -heah me, nohow!” - -Jenny’s manner and voice, to say nothing of the expression on her face, -was so exactly the counterpart of Dinah’s that everyone screamed with -enjoyment. - -“Jenny, that is very clever! Can you imitate my ways as well?” laughed -Miss Martin, after the fun had subsided. - -“Oh you’se is easy to do, but don’che git mad at me?” pleaded Jenny. - -“Of course not, child. It is all done in a spirit of fun.” - -Then Jenny mimicked Miss Martin to such perfection that Uncle Ben, who -had quietly approached the group, clapped his hands and laughed. - -Examination went on merrily after Uncle Ben’s appearance, and many -talents were discovered in the number of Little Citizens who applied -that morning. And so diversified were the abilities signed up for, that -Miss Martin felt sure of succeeding not only with a theater company but -with a circus troupe as well. - -“I have discovered an embryo Buffalo Bill among the boys, and he will -have charge of the lassoing and broncho busting,” said Miss Martin -looking at her lists. - -“And Molly rides bareback. Several boys are pugilists and target -shooters. With practice they will be able to take the part of Indians -in fighting and shooting, then we can have the old scene of Buffalo -Bill’s stage-coach hold-up in the West. - -“A dozen boys wish to form a string orchestra, and half of the boys -here are already interested in the Brass Band. With all the other -talent I have discovered, I should say we might give an excellent -circus--lacking only the wild animals and freaks.” - -“If I agree to supply the freaks and wild animals will you promise to -produce a good circus troupe for a show?” asked Uncle Ben, seriously, -yet his eyes twinkled humorously. - -Miss Martin looked steadfastly at him for a few moments before she -said: “Are you serious?” - -“Certainly I am. Don’t you think the Little Citizens ought to give an -entertainment to all the friends who have worked so hard to make this -camp a success?” - -“There is nothing they’d rather do, I’m sure, than to give a circus. -It will be the natural outlet of much pent up energy,” laughed Miss -Martin. - -“Then let us have a circus, by all means. We’ll get Richards to make -an announcement of it to all the people who are interested in this -venture.” - -So it was decided to experiment with the talent at camp, and see if -there would be anything to work on in giving a huge circus to which all -friends and acquaintances would be invited. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE CIRCUS AT HAPPY HILLS - - -“Mister Uncle Ben, ain’t che goin’ to ask no money fer our circus?” -asked Joe Brennan, when he heard of the entertainment. - -“Why no, Joe, this is to be a treat given by us to the people who did -so much for Little Citizens. It will cost them a lot of money just to -get here, as it is.” - -“Dey all got autermobiles what dey will use. Dey don’t have to buy -car-tickets,” argued Joe. - -“The autos use gasoline, you know, and it is a long ride. Besides, Joe, -why do you ask such a question. The cash taken in wouldn’t do you any -good?” wondered Uncle Ben. - -“I was t’inkin’--we could start a fund fer dat city home yeh know--de -one you’se said oughter be run fer Little Citizens. I ain’t got no home -to live in when I gets back to Noo York and it’s cold in winter, lemme -tell you!” - -“Joe, I am going to take up that very subject with these people when -they get here and show them the good that home-life has done for you -all. Now if you will promise to keep this secret, I’ll explain just why -I’m anxious to have them see you boys and girls perform and do your -best in some way.” - -Joe eagerly agreed to keep the secret, and Uncle Ben continued: - -“I’ve been planning about that City Home ever since we discovered -Maggie could sing and Nelly could design, and some of you boys could -play so well on musical instruments. I see that it will be necessary -to bring all those interested welfare workers together here to see -for themselves just what good a home in the city will do to you all. -It isn’t the circus so much, as the idea to get them here and see the -improvement in Little Citizens.” - -Joe grinned at the confidence shared with him and said he would do all -he could to make the show a success. - -Uncle Ben then stopped at Mother Maggie’s Nest to ask her which of -her songs she had decided to sing at the entertainment. Maggie was so -joyously happy at the opportunity to sing in public that she rattled -off ten songs, one on each fingertip as she counted--or she would have -forgotten some. - -“Oh, Mister Uncle Ben, if we only had gold wagons and an elephant! But -of course we can’t have such wonders!” - -“Some of the boys want a steam calliope to play the music for the -parade,” ventured Uncle Ben. - -“Hoh never! You woulden’ let any such awful thing come an’ whistle -itself to pieces around Happy Hills, would you?” cried Maggie fearfully. - -“No; besides, it is impossible to get a calliope without hiring a lot -of performers with it, and we are going to supply our own talent, you -see.” - -“Thank goodness! If one of them screech-enjuns came here I’d run and -run till I was out of hearin’ of it!” said Maggie, decidedly. - -“I suppose you heard that we are to have wild animals and other -wonderful side-shows, eh?” asked Uncle Ben. - -“Yes, an’ I wuz thinkin’, Mister Uncle Ben: You’d have to be mos’ -pertickler about handlin’ them animals! It takes a man what knows wild -beasteses to look after ’em proper. You might git bitten er killed if -you don’t look out. I saw some at Central Park Zoo, an’ at the Bronx -too, an’ the keeper had to keep safe away from ’em, I _tell you_!” - -“My wild animals won’t hurt anyone. In fact the ‘lion shall lie down -with the lamb’ and the wolf will never think of killing,” laughed Uncle -Ben. - -“Is it a joke?” - -“If I tell you my secret, will you promise never to tell anyone?” -whispered Uncle Ben. - -Maggie quickly agreed, and thereupon she heard the most remarkable -secret as was yet connected with the circus. - -“Oh Mister Uncle Ben! How funny! Won’t everyone laff!” said she after a -hearty laugh. But she kept the secret. - -Uncle Ben proceeded to the Big House where the Blue Birds and Bobolinks -were awaiting him. As he drew near, Miss Selina remarked: - -“He’s smiling as if he had something funny to tell us.” - -But he said nothing, and all the coaxing and urging to tell what had -occurred at Happy Hills to amuse him availed nothing. - -While Uncle Ben was training the Blue Birds and Bobolinks to do their -part in the circus all unknown to Miss Martin, the latter was gradually -absorbing every inhabitant at Happy Hills camp into her company. -Even Dinah and her assistants offered to do their share. That share -consisted of baking pyramids of good cookies and ginger-snaps, and -preparing lemonade, for a stand just beside the entrance to the arena. - -If the day was bright and clear, the circus would take place in the -clearing where the firemen exhibited their prowess. If it was rainy, it -would have to be curtailed in many acts but could be given in part at -the Refectory, called “Hippodrome Hall” for the occasion. - -The morning dawned bright and cloudless to the great joy and relief -of many worrying circus people. The benches were quickly placed at -the upper side of the base-ball diamond, and several large canvases -borrowed from a house-painter in the nearest town, were hung up as -screens for the side-shows. - -The Fire-house was decorated with greens and flags but the apparatus -was pulled out and left to dazzle all eyes at one side of the building. -The inside was to be used for other purposes. - -Uncle Ben had supervised his police and firemen in erecting temporary -pens behind the canvas screens, and here his wild beasts were to be -exhibited. Adjoining the pens were a number of large piano cases raised -upon posts so that they were about eighteen inches from the ground. The -front sides of these great boxes were gone but wooden laths made “bars -to the cages.” On the top facing each box was painted the name of the -wild thing within. - -The first case was to hold a fierce Numidian lion, said to be the -only one ever caught and tamed at Happy Hills. Next to this was a red -wolf--a man-eating wolf at that! Then one was to see the wild man from -Borneo with a great ring through his nose that he might be made to obey -without danger to his keeper. - -Then there was to be an Albino girl, and a few savage Zulus with -poisoned arrows to shoot at passers-by. There was a placard over one of -the cages saying that the strange animal shown was the only one of its -kind ever found, and being a native of the Valley of Delight, it was -considered as very valuable. - -There were other curiosities to see in the side-shows, but the greatest -interest centered about the animal cases. The boys who had helped build -the cages told the other Little Citizens, and naturally it created -much guessing and excitement. Would Mister Uncle Ben really have wild -animals there? - -Maggie was in the secret, but so well did she keep it that no one even -guessed she knew the truth about the plan. - -Inside the Fire-house, Uncle Ben and Ned and Jinks worked hard for -several hours before circus time, then the door was shut and padlocked -to keep out all curious sight-seers. - -At two-thirty sharp, the Happy Hills’ Brass Band struck up a patriotic -air and the visitors and friends who had assembled to witness the show -given by the Little Citizens, hurried to the circus grounds. - -The side-shows had to be visited first, as they would not be continued -after the general performance began. The Fire-house was the first in -the row so, not only visitors, but Little Citizens as well, filed in -to see what Uncle Ben had prepared for them. - -The side walls of the small building were covered with Navajo blankets -and other barbarous-colored draperies. Spears and weapons from Aunt -Selina’s cozy-corner and oriental collection were gleaming dangerously -from corners. Freshly cut hay was thrown on the floor to make a carpet -of green, and upon this sat a group of Hopi Indians. Don and Dot Starr -were young ones while Babs was a papoose strapped in a wicker basket -and stood up in a corner. - -A tent was rigged up in one corner and before this a brave who strongly -resembled Meredith, sat smoking a long peace pipe. But no one could see -any smoke rising from the bowl or from the lips of the stolid Indian. -He was in war-paint and wore all his trophies of scalps and wild -beasts’ teeth or skulls, so he seemed savage indeed. Two squaws, one -beading a pair of moccasins and another cooking over a camp-fire, were -too industrious to look up at the curious visitors. - -“The squaw-cook what’s poking at the kettle without any fire burning -under it, looks a heap like Miss Lavinia,” whispered Maggie, in a -stage-tone. - -Everyone laughed and even the squaw had to turn away her face or ruin -the effect of the whole Indian village scene. Dot and Don in streaked -upper-bodies and gaudy skirts from the waist down, grinned pleasantly -at their New York friends, and posed in a true twin-picture when Mr. -Richards took a snap-shot of the Hopis. - -From the Fire-house the crowds went to the first case: a ferocious -lion! Here the visitors saw an astonishing sight! As the truth dawned -upon them, the New Yorkers laughed heartily but said nothing that might -keep away other curious visitors. - -A great lion-skin from Miss Selina’s library had been sewed together so -that it appeared as real as when it was alive on the plains of Africa. -Inside this skin, Ned had carefully placed himself, and then Uncle Ben -had sewn him up in the seam where the two sides of the skin met. - -The poor lion must have been frightfully hot inside that skin, and he -had to pace up and down the limited cage-room on his hands and feet, -for it would never do to stand up on his hind legs and try to get a -breath of cool air! - -As the sight-seers filed past the lion’s cage, the fierce animal pawed -threateningly at the weak, wooden laths which was all that kept him -from springing out at the people. - -Most of the circus-goers were already past when a strange howl came -from the inside of that lion-skin: - -“Heigh, Uncle Ben! For pity’s sake rip me out of this--I’m smothering -to pieces!” - -Some of the visitors were lingering to study the Wild Man from Borneo -in the next cage and heard the freak lion that could talk, and everyone -laughed uproariously. - -Jinks was the “Wild Man” and looked the part, too. Chains of corn and -large lima-beans, with here and there a red kidney-bean, strung on -strings were profusely hung about his neck. Wide armlets and anklets -of tin were wound about his limbs and his hair, which was made of a -close-fitted skull-cap with great bunches of hair taken from a mattress -found in the attic of Aunt Selina’s house. His face was frightfully -scarred with _red crayon_ cuts where he had fought men and beasts and -survived; his single garment was a long strip of sheep’s skin wound -about his waist. His body was dark red and shiny with oil, and his -hands toyed dangerously with barbed arrows and a slender bow that now -and then was aimed at his tormentors. Such actions were accompanied -with wild grins that showed fierce orange-rind teeth fitted into the -mouth of the man-eating human! - -The red wolf looked so like Crummie that many of the Little Citizens -were tempted to call it by name, and strange to say, the animal acted -as if it knew that name! Overhead, however, the placard plainly stated -that the red wolf exhibited was one of the dangerous kind found in the -Valley of Delight. - -“No one kin fool me dat dat’s a wolf! I knows Crummie if no one else -does. Diden’ he save my life in de boat dat day of de picnic?” came -from Prunel in no weak voice, and everyone laughed again at the poor -red wolf. Thereupon the animal wagged its tail. - -A strange animal never known to Nature before, was seen in a small -case next to the wolf. It was green and red and white streaked, and -had a stub tail that was orange colored. The nose was snubbed and a -fear-inspiring gleam of teeth projecting from an under-shot jaw would -have made one’s flesh creep had the beast been free. But everyone -heaved sighs of relief to find Aunt Selina’s old pet Bull dog safely -chained in a cage. - -“Laws sake! Now how did this dreadful thing happen to poor old Billy. -Ben! Ben! did you paint Billy like this?” cried Miss Selina when she -saw her dog. - -“S-sh! don’t spoil the side-shows!” warned a hissing voice behind her, -and Flutey turned to see Mr. Richards’ laughing face close to hers. - -“But how will we ever get Billy clean again?” said she. - -“It’s only colored grease paint such as movie people use--we’ll drop -him in boiling water and soon scald off the paint,” laughed her -tormentor. - -Meredith Starr was the strongest man on earth and was seen lifting -great balls of iron and heavy bars of metal. The spheres he picked up -as easily as if they were feathers were marked 5,000 lbs. each, and -were as large as a barrel. - -“Mr. Richards, do tell me what he is lifting?” queried Aunt Selina. - -“Can’t you see they are marked iron?” - -“Oh, but they aren’t really! They look like hollow paper cubes bronzed -over to look like rusty iron,” replied Flutey. - -“Maybe you’re right at that,” laughed Mr. Richards. - -The last side-show was a huge cage with a curtain hanging before its -opening. On the curtain was a notice stating: - -“This is the smallest baby-elephant ever exhibited in a circus, and the -visitor is requested not to feed it peanuts or crackers, as it does not -yet know how to eat alone.” - -Whenever a large crowd gathered before this cage, one of the Police -would make a great flourish of drawing back the curtain. Necks would -crane and those visitors standing in the back could not see the -elephant at all. But a loud shout of merriment would tell all that it -was a good joke, so they waited till the others left when they could go -closer and see the elephant. - -It was a little papier-maché toy-elephant such as are sold at Christmas -time for the children’s nursery. There it stood in the center of the -great box and beside it was a great dish of water and a huge bundle of -hay for food. - -The fake side-shows being over, the visitors began to fear their old -tease, Mr. Talmage, had played a joke upon them in bringing them so far -to witness nothing at all. So they walked away from the cages wondering -what would take place next; then a few of the Police directed them to -the seats at one end of the diamond. - -“What next? Are you going to play a few more jokes on us?” demanded one -of the visitors of a Policeman. - -“Naw--the reel circus is jus’ goin’ to start! You see Miss Martin has -charge of our show whiles Mister Uncle Ben agreed to provide side-shows -and wild animals. Now he’s done with his’n.” - -“Oh, I see,” said one visitor. - -“Thank goodness,” said another. - -But the majority of them laughed at the fun and said it was all part of -the game as Barnum said: “An American public loves to be fooled.” - -Soon after the audience was seated on the hard wooden benches that -reminded them of the real circus seats at a dollar a seat, Mr. -Richards appeared in the sawdust ring to speak. He was immediately -welcomed with shouts and claps and such a noise from his city friends -that he could not be heard. - -When the tumult died down and he began to speak, the noise would begin -anew, and finally he shook his head and stood waiting. The men in the -audience finally grew tired of teasing him, however, and he had his say. - -It was to the effect that all the talent about to be seen and heard had -been found and trained at Happy Hills inside of the past month. All -allowance should be made for the handicaps met with in a country camp, -but the patrons would find there was plenty of genuine talent in the -different performers about to make their first appearance in public as -entertainers. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE SAWDUST RING - - -The audience felt the usual circus thrill as they took their places on -the narrow board seats; the tent that always gives a twilight dimness -to the inside of a circus arena was not in evidence, there being no -canvas large enough to borrow for that purpose, but the ground was -thickly sprinkled with sawdust for the performers’ circle. - -“Ladies and Gentlemen,” began Uncle Ben, as he walked to the center of -the ring. “The first number on our programme will be the Great Circus -Parade in which all members of the Side Shows and the regular circus -will take part. The music is furnished by the Little Citizens’ Brass -Band. Kindly refrain from making remarks during the exhibition.” - -The moment Uncle Ben concluded his short speech, Mr. Richards sprang -up and said: “I surmise that we may make as many remarks as we like -_before_ the exhibition, so I wish to know who elected you Master of -Ceremonies?” - -The audience laughed and some clapped their hands at the question asked -Uncle Ben. But he was equal to it. - -“Not ‘Master of Ceremonies,’ my dear sir, but simply the ‘Ring -Master,’” replied Uncle Ben, with a low bow. - -“Then I take objection to being made to sit here and see a Ring Master -without the customary long waxed mustachios and high silk hat--to say -nothing of the lack of a swallow-tail coat and silver-handled whip!” - -Of course everyone knew it was all in fun, so they laughed because -Uncle Ben had no retort ready. After a moment’s hesitation, however, he -said: - -“I have been given authority to maintain order, and if I hear -any further objections from one who came to see this show on a -_complimentary_ ticket, I will forcibly expel him from the premises.” - -The threatening tones and the scowl on the Ring Master’s face caused a -great chorus of laughter from the audience, and from those performers -who knew that Uncle Ben and his dear friend Mr. Richards were trying to -get the best of each other in the fun-argument. - -But the blare of horns coming from back of the canvas curtain -interrupted any further attacks, so the Ring Master retired to attend -to the order of march. - -A drum-major led the band. He was dressed in a high bearskin hat -with gold tassels draped in front of it. His blue uniform was also -elaborately trimmed with tinsel and gold ornaments that reminded -everyone of Christmas Tree trimmings. In fact that is just what they -were! - -The Brass Band followed and blew its instruments so lustily that no -attention was paid to time or notes. Noise, and plenty of it, was what -every member was eager to accomplish. - -After the band, the freaks and wild animals followed, but the Numidian -lion had thrown back its head-piece and the boy’s hot face peeping out -looked very strange as it surmounted the shaggy lion rug. - -After the side-show members came the regular circus performers--bareback -riders, acrobats, pugilists, etcetera. - -Every Little Citizen in camp wished to be in the Grand Parade and -everyone had some odd bit of decoration to distinguish his or her -connection with so illustrious a company. - -Some of the little girls had gathered great quantities of daisies and -buttercups and other wild flowers, and had sewed them all over their -camp dresses. Many of the little boys, too small to take part in the -acting, were costumed in foliage-covered clothes or in fancy paper -suits. - -The parade over, the troupe sought refuge back of the canvas curtain -to await the call of each performer. The selected “pieces” of the -Brass Band now took their seats in front of the canvas and showed the -audience what a volume of sound six members of the band could send -forth. - -“Our first number will be a clog dance. This is the public début -of our famous Little Citizen Dancer, so I wish all present to take -particular notice of his accomplishment,” announced the Ring Master, -who now appeared with the drum-major’s bearskin upon his head, and the -drum-major’s tinsel-decorated baton for a stick. - -Uproarious applause followed the announcement, but it was never known -whether the clapping was for the hat and stick or for the début of the -clog-dancer. - -The visitors were sincerely interested in the dancing and felt -gratified that one of the Little Citizens should have been found with -such ability--it became apparent that something might be made of the -boy. - -Following the clog-dancer, came Maggie to sing her songs. Miss Martin -had had the piano moved from the Refectory to the ring, and now played -the accompaniment while the little girl sang her favorite songs taught -her by the Settlement Worker of the East Side. - -As the pure tones of the “Prince of Peace,” then the inspired words and -air of “Our America” were heard, the audience showed more than ordinary -interest. The little singer was encored again and again and she smiled -happily as she stepped to the Ring again and sang her other favorites. -The visitors whispered together at the wonderful genius discovered in -their midst, and again Maggie was encored to sing yet one more song. -This last one was “Love’s Lullaby,” and was Maggie’s solace in times of -trouble. - -The applause given Maggie was a great encouragement to the other -performers, so the orator of the camp, the elocutionist, and many other -talented Little Citizens, found their efforts welcomed by the audience. - -When the “Stars” had concluded their parts, Uncle Ben announced that -the thrillers would take place. - -“Miss Goldie Silverheels will now show her superb bareback riding,” -said he, with a bow. - -Immediately after this introduction, Miss Goldie rode in on Farmer -Jones’ young horse. The steed was gorgeous in his colored trappings, -and Miss Goldie was in the seventh heaven of delight, for she had on a -tarletan dress all beflounced, and a wreath of flowers in her hair. - -The horse, Bob, moved sedately about the sawdust ring, and it took some -urging from his rider to coax him into a gallop. - -The bareback rider was fearless and daring in her tricks and showed an -unusual understanding of horses and the way to control them. - -“Do you know what that girl can become? A wonderful instructor in a -Riding Academy,” remarked one lady to another, as Miss Goldie rode out -of the ring with applause sounding acceptably in her ears. - -“Yes, but I should hate to have her become a circus actor, don’t you -know,” replied the lady. - -“That’s just why she should be taken in hand at once, to train her -for something worthy before a third-rate circus troupe discovers her -courage and ability.” - -“Make a note of it and refer the matter to Mr. Talmage,” advised the -lady, and it was written down on a small pad. - -“We have a most remarkable treat in store, now, for our New York -friends. You have never seen anything better at a dog show, nor at a -Circus or Hippodrome,” called Uncle Ben. - -“This is Crummie, the dog-hero that saved one of our Little Citizens -from drowning a short time ago,” he added. - -At mention of his name, Crummie ran out into the Ring. But what a -different-looking Crummie from the dirty, matted-wool dog that won the -medal for bravery the day of the picnic! - -Uncle Ben had superintended the task of clipping him, so that he -presented a distinctly aristocratic appearance. His main body had been -shaven, leaving tawny patches of wool on ankles, neck and head. The -tail, too, had a thick bunch of wool on its end and a ring of wool -about the base. The long hair on his forehead was tied in a knot with a -fancy ribbon. - -“Crummie, salute the ladies!” said Uncle Ben. - -The dog faced the audience and bowed politely to them. A general laugh -rewarded him. Then Uncle Ben said: - -“Now, Crummie, call for your master to take charge.” - -The dog turned and looked at the Band and barked again and again, but -no result followed. - -“Crummie, go over and escort your master to the Ring.” - -Then the dog ran directly to Bill and pulled at his feet. Bill -laughingly arose, and the dog immediately took hold of his hand with -his teeth and led him out. This brought a loud clapping from the -visitors. - -Then Bill put Crummie through his letter-writing trick, through his -prayers, his dancing on hind legs, his lately acquired trick of playing -fireman (taught him by the Fire Brigade) and the other things he -could do. The audience thoroughly appreciated it all and thought the -performance was over when they saw Crummie run back of the curtain. - -But he soon returned rolling a small drum before him. He left it just -before his master and ran away again. This time he returned with the -two drum sticks in his mouth. He held them until Bill took them from -him, and Uncle Ben said: - -“Crummie has just joined the Brass Band and has only been taking -lessons in playing the drum for a week. If he does not keep good time, -or hold the sticks according to the book, you must overlook the fact.” - -Bill placed a drum-stick in the dog’s mouth and Crummie sat upon his -haunches before the drum and began to rat-tat rat-tat-tat! rat-tat, -rat-tat-tat! r-r-r-at-tat-tat! r-r-r-tat-tat! Er-r-r-r-r-rat! -er-r-r-r-r-tat! er-r-r-r-r-rat-tattat-tattoo. - -This syncopated playing he kept up until Bill laughingly clapped his -hands, then Crummie dropped the stick and pranced about his master, -showing how thoroughly he enjoyed music. The clapping was prolonged -until the audience found Crummie had still another form of music to -render for them. - -This time, Bill attached the cymbal to Crummie’s tail and tied a small -hammer to one paw. The other paw had a string tied to it, and this -string pulled a lever that sounded a whistle. Then the dog was given -the drum-stick again, and the signal for music was sounded by his -master. - -This time, Crummie thumped the cymbals with his tail, while striking -the glass-cylinders with the hammer fastened on his left paw. The -string was jerked irregularly to sound the whistle, but the drum fared -badly, as the dog was so intent on the other three instruments that he -forgot to beat with the stick held between his teeth, except at rare -intervals. But the sagacity shown by the animal won tremendous applause -from the audience, so that both master and dog felt amply repaid for -the tedious hours of practice. - -“Now we have a scene between two Roman Gladiators in the open arena. -This will end our performance, but the guests are all invited to the -Refectory, where the Little Citizens wish to serve refreshments to -them.” - -After some arguing back of the canvas curtain, the visitors -were amused to see a Roman chariot appear. Bob and Dobbin were -hitched tandem to a two-wheeled dump-cart. But the cart had been -white-washed--wheels and body, and festooned with wild flowers until -it presented a gala appearance. The two horses balked at pulling the -familiar cart _à la tandem_ and Bob wished to precede Dobbin, and the -latter wished to stop to investigate a sweet-smelling bunch of clover -right in his pathway to glory. - -Therefore, the two Gladiators who stood in the cart endeavoring to coax -their steeds to more speed, felt abashed at the laughter accorded their -entrance into the arena. - -But once the imperfectly-matched horses had drawn the cart to its goal, -the two athletic-looking boys jumped lightly out and posed in attitudes -approved in boxing rings. - -This last number was wildly applauded by the men present, but the -ladies said they could see nothing entertaining in boxing! The bout -being ended, the two contestants shook hands and looked about for -the chariot which was to carry them back to the dressing room. The -attention of all present was thus attracted to the cart and horses, -and a general laugh echoed over the field. - -Dobbin being unaccustomed to the wreaths of wild clover blossoms and -daisies hung about his neck and farm-harness, had managed to pull -part of his decoration around to one side and stood calmly chewing -it up. Bob on the other hand, had so resented being hitched to an -old-fashioned nag as Dobbin was that he had twisted and backed and -pulled until the not-too-secure tandem-harness hastily contrived of -rope and bits of strap, broke and left him to gambol away to the fresh -green grass growing on the banks of the brook. - -So the exit of the Romans was made on their own pedals and Farmer Jones -was sent to capture his two steeds and cart. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE CITY HOME PLAN - - -At the Refectory the guests were treated to cakes and lemonade and were -waited upon by the Little Citizens who had been taught to wait on each -other properly, or when visitors were present to attend to their needs -first. - -Everyone was talking about the success of the circus, and but few -remembered the Side Shows that had given Uncle Ben so much trouble to -arrange. It was the unusual talents shown by the young performers that -caused most of the comments. - -“Now you can see why I had you come to Happy Hills,” said Uncle Ben, as -he heard the city friends exchanging their views. - -“Yes, but what further good can we do than hope for the future of each -of these children?” asked one of the men. - -“Now that you have heard and seen for yourselves, instead of being told -by others of the budding genuises to be found in our Little Citizens, -I have a plan to propose. It is something that will need immediate -decision if Richards is to go ahead with the scheme and have things -ready for September occupancy. - -“This is the plan I wish to lay before you all today: - -“We expect a number of new arrivals at camp next week, and no one knows -what talent may be hidden in the heart of each one of those Little -Citizens. We have already found valuable material to work upon here, -and it must be educated and taken care of--we must not permit it to die -for lack of nourishment--mental and moral, you know. - -“I have discussed this plan with Miss Selina, Miss Martin, and Mr. -Richards, and they agree with me that it is not only feasible, but -necessary, if we are to keep up the ambition and education of these -talented children. - -“Mr. Richards has agreed to hunt up a large house in New York at a -moderate rental--one that we can remodel to suit ourselves, thereby -being able to have a long lease at a reduced rent. We have even thought -of the name of such a home. How do you like ‘Blue Bird Home for Little -Wonders’ or just the ‘Blue Bird and Bobolink Home,’ or perhaps some of -you would prefer the name of ‘Little Citizens’ Home’?” - -“Mr. Talmage, I think the name is the last consideration to worry over. -Let us first decide whether there is to be a home,” called out one of -the gentlemen visitors. - -“Oh, there will be a home, all right, even if a few of us have to -support it,” declared Mr. Richards, positively. - -“After hearing and seeing our gifted Little Citizens we all think the -same as Mr. Richards--there must be some form of home provided until -the children are self-supporting,” added a lady. - -“The thing to decide upon is, how many of you will join in this -endeavor and enlist others to help support the home. Miss Selina has -promised to close up this country place for the winter and take up -her residence at the Home. Miss Martin, who is a most valuable and -experienced Settlement Worker and Nature teacher, has also agreed to -help Flutey look after the house and children. I, too, will agree to -take up a permanent residence at the place to be on hand during the -evenings and holidays to advise and help in any way I can. There will -be other friends who will eagerly offer their time and help also, I -am sure. The sum of money we may have to use for this venture will -determine the size of the house we can secure and pay for.” - -“You will need a regular asylum to house all these Little Citizens, -and those extra ones you still expect from the city,” remarked a -pessimistic man. - -“Oh, it isn’t at all likely that everyone here this summer will take -up a residence in the city home. In fact, the invitation is only open -to those who can prove themselves efficient in some manner of work or -study. Not that we shall discriminate between trades or professions--we -shall not--but in order to be an inmate of our home a Little Citizen -must prove that he is steady, ambitious, moral, and obedient to rules, -before he can become a member in our family. - -“We will not consider the application of anyone who is resentful or -malicious in thought, or disobedient in purpose as well as in deed. -Anyone who will willingly mislead a companion to disregard rules and -regulations cannot be accepted, as one child can upset a whole colony -in a little time.” - -“Well, Mr. Talmage, you seem to have decided upon having such a home -and it only remains for us to join the number who have already agreed -to experiment with the idea for the future welfare of our little ‘Jenny -Lind,’ the budding ‘Thomas Edison,’ the great band leader ‘Sousa,’ and -a few other famous people or their young namesakes,” said one of the -Committee chosen for the Easter Outing that spring. - -“That’s about it,” acknowledged Uncle Ben. - -“Then count on me--or count on my check which is more to the point,” -laughed the man. - -“There now--Richards, hand Sam the agreement to sign at once before he -changes his mind. Sam you can mention the size of the check you will -donate after you sign your name. You will find several names already -signed,” said Uncle Ben, passing the long legal paper to Mr. Richards -to hand over to the man. - -The first visitor to join the new organization read the paper handed -him and then stood up. - -“I think I will read aloud the names of the members who have already -joined and donated to this Winter Home--it may inspire others to ‘go -and do likewise.’ - - “‘The Blue Bird Society of Oakdale’--collectively $500 - Each individually 10 - - “‘The Bobolink Society of Oakdale’ each individually 10 - - “‘The Bobolink Publishing Society’ 500 - - “Mr. Benj. Talmage, each month for Home donation 100 - - “Mr. Benj. Talmage, for starting Home and furnishing 1,000 - - “Mr. F. H. Richards 500 - - “Miss Selina Talmage, monthly for expense account 500 - - “Miss Selina Talmage, to start fund of Home 5,000 - - “Miss Martin, each month during life of the Home 50 - - “Mr. and Mrs. Starr of Oakdale--monthly 100 - - “Mr. and Mrs. Talmage of Oakdale, monthly 100 - - “Mrs. Catlin of Oakdale, for starting fund 500 - - “Mrs. Catlin of Oakdale, monthly for expenses 100 - - “Parents of Blue Birds and Bobolinks collectively 1,000 - -“So you see, my friends, we already have a goodly sum to add our mites -to. Mr. Talmage, I will agree to start with a thousand dollars, and -pay a monthly sum of a hundred dollars. If you find yourselves in need -of financial support let me know and I will pull you out to a certain -extent.” - -The Blue Birds and Bobolinks had been most interested listeners to the -discussion which would mean a successful launching of the city home -for their Little Citizens, and when the last speaker concluded and had -agreed to donate so liberally, Ned sprang up and shouted: - -“Three cheers for the Home for Little Wonders!” - -And the rousing cheer that replied to his call showed everyone that the -interest was genuine and not for display purposes as is the case in so -many charitable gifts that are made. - -The agreement to donate passed through every hand of the visitors -present and when it was returned to Uncle Ben, it was filled with -names. The grand total was more than enough to assure success to the -venture for the first year at any rate. - -As the result of the visit and circus entertainment was made known to -all, the Little Citizens looked dumb with surprise. Such a lot of money -as these people agreed to spend just to give them a good winter home! - -Then Bill jumped upon his feet--he had been kneeling in a corner of -the Refectory listening with all his might. - -“Say, you kids, wassa matter wid cheerin’ Uncle Ben and all his -fren’s--not a sickly cheer but a good healthy one!” - -“Nuttin’s de matter wid dat! Hey all! Git ready now! One-two-t’ree!” -yelled Joe, and he swung his old cap as he counted. - -“Hip! Hip! Hurrah! fer everybuddy here!” shouted every lusty youngster -present, and the din spoke well for their health. - -“Heigh--once more--whad’s de matter wid Uncle Ben?” called Bill, -excitedly. - -“He’s all right! Hip! Hip! Hurrah fer all!” - -Then Bill seemed to remember an important matter. - -“Mister Uncle Ben, please kin I say somethin’?” - -“Certainly Bill--speak.” - -“What kin we do to help a poor dog what is a genius?” - -Everyone laughed at the question, but Bill took no offence as he was -too concerned about finding a home for Crummie, where the canine -intelligence might be expanded. - -“Why, it stands to reason that if you prove yourself efficient enough -to join our home this winter, Crummie will be most valuable in helping -Miss Selina to keep away tramps and those who have no business about -our house. At odd times the dog can practice his own profession and -report to you at night.” - -Bill grinned joyfully and Crummie, who had been crouching beside him, -thumped his tail upon the floor in satisfaction. - -The time was at hand when all the automobiles were summoned to carry -the visitors back to New York, and soon after the last whirr of wheels -was heard going down the driveway, the Little Citizens scattered to -their evening tasks. Some to see that the precious Fire-engine was -safely housed again, some to Police the community where laxity had -prevailed all day and Little Citizens had broken the strict laws laid -down by the Chief of Police; but the majority of the children were too -tired and sleepy to think of anything but a cup of milk and a piece of -bread and butter, before tumbling into their Nests for the night. - -At Flutey’s house, the Blue Birds and Bobolinks were too excited to -think of supper or bed. The sum total of the donations signed up that -afternoon amounted in their opinions to such an enormous lot of money -that they thought it possible to buy outright a big ready-made Home -somewhere in the city. - -“You country children do not understand the value of city real estate. -Why all of Mossy Glen and Oak Crest together would not sell for enough -cash to pay for one dirty old tenement on the East Side. So you can -understand that the sum which has been promised us will not seem so -much after a few months’ rent is paid in advance. Besides we must have -good plumbing and ventilation, and repairs cost money, too.” - -“Then don’t choose an old house--get a brand-new one,” suggested Dot -Starr. - -“But a new one will cost a great deal more to start with, and every -month besides. We can lease an old one and renovate it to suit -ourselves, with lots of little rooms for chambers and great big -assembly rooms on the first floor, and the rent will be but half as -much as if the owner makes repairs,” explained Mr. Richards. - -“I don’t see why the Starr family has to stay in Oakdale all winter. -Other folks go to live in the city when it’s cold--why can’t we?” -grumbled Don, who would have preferred living with the Little Citizens -wherever they were to be located. - -“If the Talmages and Starrs moved to New York this winter where could I -take the Little Citizens every Saturday for the weekly outing?” asked -Uncle Ben. - -Don had not thought of this, and he brightened up instantly. Then Dot -thought of something. - -“Besides, if we all went to live in the city how would the magazine -ever get published? And without a magazine you would have no way to pay -that donation.” - -“It seems to me, that everything is arranged wisely and well, so there -is no need for Blue Birds or Bobolinks to wish they were in other -birds’ nests,” added Flutey. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -MISS MARTIN’S LITTLE STORIES OF GREAT PEOPLE - - -The Blue Birds and Bobolinks had only a few days more to stay at Happy -Hills, and they all wanted to make the most of them. They were at camp -from early morning till late at night, and in that time they became -better acquainted with the lives and hopes of their Little Citizens -than years of casual visits would have accomplished. - -Miss Martin had formed a daily story-telling class for anyone -who wished to sit and listen. But she was most determined about -interruptions. If you wanted to hear the story you were welcome, but -you must not scuffle across the Refectory floor when the tale was half -finished, and once you came quietly in to listen, you must remain till -the end! - -So it became a custom for many of the Little Citizens to so manage -their play and work that they might have the noon hour to spare for the -story-telling. - -The day after the circus, Miss Martin pleased her hearers by saying: - -“The theme of the story today, friends, is about some famous people. -But they will be such short stories that it will be necessary for each -one to look up the longer story and history of my heroes and heroines -in the large book here on this table. I will leave it for Jinks or Ned -to read from if anyone wishes to hear the full account of the famous -ones I shall mention. - -“My first story will be of a poor little peasant boy who became a great -poet. - -“It was a cold night in winter, and in the old-time kitchen of an -English abbey, a number of servants were seated about a blazing fire. - -“Now an abbey is a place built to shelter and protect the people who -need sanctuary in times of strife or war. And in olden times the people -needed such refuges as there was constant warring and fighting with -lawless men. - -“So this abbey, half-house and half-church, had a number of servants to -keep it in order. These men now sat resting after the day’s work was -done, talking or singing songs as the wind whistled out-of-doors. - -“‘Whose turn is it now?’ asked the head-servant. - -“And so they took turns in singing their favorite songs until the -cow-herd saw it would soon be his turn to sing. He thought he could not -sing a note and he dreaded being jeered at by his companions, so he -crept quietly away and hid in with the cows in the straw in the stable. -Here he remained waiting for the men to retire and forget about him. - -“Then, suddenly, he seemed to fall into a deep sleep, and a glorious -figure appeared before him. The humble fellow thought it was an angel, -and when she spoke in stern yet loving tones, he trembled and wanted to -run away. - -“‘Sing,’ said she. - -“The cow-herd gazed pitifully up at her, but could not open his mouth -to utter a sound. He was as mute as when he feared his companions in -the kitchen. - -“‘Sing of God and his Creation!’ continued the angel. - -“Then the frightened lad tried to make a sound and to his astonishment -he sang several pure notes, so he continued. As he sang of the -Spiritual Creation which was made so perfect and eternal by the Father -of All, the kine turned their heads and listened. When the farmer-boy -had overcome his shyness in singing such wonderful truths, the angel -disappeared but the singer knew it not. He was now so uplifted by his -singing that he even failed to hear the men who came running from the -kitchen to see who the great singer could be. - -“Fancy their amazement when they found their humble cow-herder singing -in the stable. Then they waited, breathless, till he had concluded, and -led him back to the house. There he was made to sing for the mistress -and other women who took charge of the abbey. - -“They, too, listened in hushed surprise and as the inspiring lines -poured forth, they bowed their heads in reverence, for they knew that -the Lord had given the lowly shepherd the gift with which to voice His -praise. - -“And so this cow-herd, whose name was Cædmon, became a great singer and -poet of England.” - -Miss Martin concluded the first story and Maggie was greatly pleased, -as she took the story to herself, but some of the boys who were -beginning to show a gift in singing, also felt that the story was told -for their benefit. - -“Now I’m going to tell you how a very humble man became rich and -famous. He was poorer than any of you Little Citizens could ever be, -for he was a slave. He was the property of another man and even though -he worked very hard, he could never have anything of his own while he -was a slave. - -“But one day, his master found he would have to sell his slaves, so he -had them all go to a slave-market in a distant city. - -“Each slave had to carry a load of goods, as the master expected -to sell many of his valuable possessions at the same time that he -accompanied the slaves. - -“In those days there were no carriages or beasts to ride and carry -baggage, for the slaves were expected to do this labor. Great bundles -were made up so that each slave might have a goodly-sized load. These -were waiting for them to shoulder when the procession came from the -house. - -“The young slave who was a deep thinker, had pondered over the various -pieces of baggage, and thus had discovered which one held the food for -the three days’ journey for the entire party. - -“This great package, Æsop chose for his burden. The other slaves -laughed at his foolish selection for their own burdens were smaller -and lighter. But the young slave said nothing. He started away with -his load, and the others followed him, jeering. The master rode last -and also wondered why the best young slave he had should choose so -cumbersome a load. - -“They had started out at daybreak and after travelling several hours, -stopped by a well for the morning meal. Æsop opened his baggage and -spread out the rations for breakfast. All ate, and the slave again -shouldered his load, but it was a bit lighter. - -“At noon they stopped and ate again, and the load was then much smaller -and still lighter. That night, the entire party ate supper, and the -burden grew still lighter and much smaller. - -“The three meals the following day more than lessened half the burden -Æsop carried, and before the travellers reached the city, hot, weary, -and exhausted from carrying such loads so far, Æsop had nothing to -carry as the food was eaten and the load was gone. - -“The master was so impressed at this wisdom shown by the slave that he -told the story to the men in the city. They said that Æsop was a wise -man and must bring a goodly sum to his owner. - -“A very rich man heard the story when he came to the slave-market to -select a servant, and he determined to secure Æsop, so he bid high and -purchased him. - -“Xanthus, the new master, took Æsop to Samos, his home, and there the -slave became known everywhere for his wisdom and judgment. He always -had a fable to apply to any need or cause, so that he was sought by -rich and poor alike for advice and help. - -“Finally, Xanthus gave Æsop his freedom and the man who once had been a -slave with no rights to own anything--not even himself--became famous -and was sought by kings and statesmen for his wisdom.” - -As this story was ended, one of the boys shouted, “That’s what I’m -goin’ to be--a wise judge!” - -“To be a wise judge, you must first learn to think and do only right -and just things yourself; then you can find the wisdom to judge -others,” replied Miss Martin. - -“That’s what I’m goin’ to do, Miss Marting,” promised the eager lad. - -“Now another short story that I will tell you, is about always speaking -the truth. Truth is a great power in the world, and we may sometimes -think we have been wrong to adhere strictly to the truth, but in the -end we find we have gained in everything. - -“A great Persian king named Cyrus sent his son to a far city to study -in a famous school that he might be ready to reign over Persia at the -King’s death. - -“Otanes had always been taught the great value of truth, and as he -stood ready to depart from his home with the company of men who were to -see that he arrived safely, his parents again reminded him to always -adhere to truth and he would lose _nothing_! - -“The caravan had travelled all day and halted at sun-down for rest when -a band of outlaws rode from ambush and demanded all that the travellers -possessed. There was no use in resisting so large a company of thieves, -so the merchants gave up their property. One of the rascals spied -Otanes who was silently watching the proceedings, so he called to the -boy: - -“‘Have you anything to give me?’ - -“‘I have gold,’ replied the lad. - -“‘Gold! How much and where do you carry it?’ - -“‘In my hat, and it is enough to pay my way.’ - -“‘Ha, ha, ha! That’s a good joke,’ laughed the man as he passed by. - -“Then the Chief of the band rode up to the boy, and said: ‘Well, I -don’t suppose you carry anything of value--you are too young to be -trusted with gold.’ - -“Otanes said nothing to this as it required no answer, but when the -Chief looked at the silent boy, and said again: - -“‘But have you anything of value about your person? What do you happen -to have?’ - -“‘I have gold for my journey and education.’ - -“‘Gold! Why, you’re a mere boy! Where do you hide it?’ - -“‘In my hat.’ - -“‘Let me see,’ ordered the robber. - -“Otanes removed his hat and displayed the gold. The Chief stood in -surprise for a moment, and then said: - -“‘Why did you tell us you had it--we would never have dreamed that you -had gold hidden on your person?’ - -“‘Did you not ask me?’ wondered Otanes. - -“‘Yes, but you could have denied it, you see.’ - -“‘That would have been an untruth, and I am not a coward that I must -lie to any man!’ replied Otanes, proudly. - -“The Chief was so impressed with the lad’s words that he gave back his -gold and said: ‘May you always live up to that ideal.’ - -“And Otanes did, for he became one of the great and famous men of his -day.” - -There was silence as Miss Martin concluded this tale, then one of the -boys said: “Maybe Otanes wouldn’t have been so honest about giving up -dat money if it was all he had; but he knew he could git more from his -fadder when he got to de city.” - -“I am quite sure Otanes would have acted exactly the same whether he -were a newsboy in New York or the king’s son in Persia. Besides, he -could _not_ send back home for more money from his father, as it took -a long time to cross the desert and it might be months, or a year, -before another caravan would reach his father and be able to bring back -money for the boy. So that was not the reason of his telling the truth, -you see,” replied Miss Martin. - -“Miss Marting, won’t you please tell us somethin’ about children what -made pickshers an’ grew into fine painters!” asked one of the children, -and little Nelly Finn smiled with anticipation. - -“I told you about the great Raphael in my last talk and also about the -slave who watched his master and thus educated himself to become even -greater than his teacher. Now I will tell you about a simple shepherd -lad who used to make pictures on the rocks and pieces of bark, with a -burnt stick for crayon. - -“He was working with such interest one day that he failed to see a -man approach him. The stranger watched the work for a time and was so -amazed at the talent shown that he touched the boy on the shoulder. - -“The lad sprang up and courtesied, then the man said: ‘Who taught you -to draw like that?’ - -“‘Myself, master.’ - -“‘Who are you, and whose sheep are those?’ - -“‘My name is Giotto and I am the shepherd-boy to a rich man who lives -near here,’ replied the boy. - -“‘Would you like to know how to paint pictures of other things as well -as of trees and sheep?’ - -“Giotto’s joy was answer enough, so the man called upon the owner of -the sheep and told him what a great painter he thought the lad would -make. Then he also went to the humble home of the shepherd-boy and -asked the father to let him take his son to be educated. - -“The stranger turned out to be Cimabue, the greatest painter of his -day, and Giotto accompanied him to Florence where he was taught to -paint wonderful pictures. In fact, Giotto became even a greater painter -than his master, and the simple shepherd-lad was the friend of many -great men at that time.” - -Nelly expressed her satisfaction at the story, and the other Little -Citizens who liked to draw, also clapped their hands. Then Miss Martin -stood up and the children sighed for they did not want her to end her -stories so soon. - -“Ah, tell us somethin’ ’bout our own American people, Miss Marting!” -begged one of the boys. - -“Yeh, Miss Martin! Tell us about Thomas Edison, and Mister Colonel -Roosevelt, and McKinley, and other famous men of now!” added many -voices. - -Miss Martin laughed, as she replied: “Why you children know as much -about our present-day heroes and great men as I do, but perhaps you do -not know about Robert Fulton, or the poets and painters of recent years -in America.” - -“No, no--tell us!” quickly demanded a chorus of voices. - -“Well, Robert Fulton was a little country boy who loved to fish and -swim and paddle about the creeks just like any other little boy does in -summer-time. - -“One day he and his chum were fishing but the boat was heavy and -lumbering, and had to be pushed about by means of a long pole. It was -slow work and as Bob was trying to reach a spot in the stream where the -fish might bite better, he grumbled at the arduous task of moving the -tub. - -“‘Why don’t we use a row-boat the next time?’ asked his friend. - -“‘Even rowing is hard work, and there ought to be an easy way for boys -to push their boats about,’ said Robert. - -“So the next day Bob called his friend and together they went to the -wood-shed to make something Robert had thought out the night before as -he lay in bed. - -“‘What is it, anyway?’ asked his chum. - -“‘You’ll see--it’s something to move our boat about without much work.’ - -“After a great deal of sawing and hammering, the two boys came from the -wood-shed with two cumbersome looking things that looked like small -fans on an old wind-mill. - -“‘What’s that you’ve got, Bob?’ called a boy in passing the lads. - -“‘Oh, we’ve got a scheme to make a boat go without working!’ replied -Bob. - -“The older boy laughed and passed on his way, but the two friends -hurried to their scow with the heavy paddle-wheels and managed to -fasten them, one on each side of the boat. An old rod reached across -the boat from one wheel to the other, and when all was ready, the boys -jumped in. - -“Bob Fulton sat on the seat and took hold of the iron bar. This he -turned like one would turn the crank on a well-handle. In revolving, -this bar turned the paddles around in the water and the propelling -moved the boat through the water. - -“The boys were so delighted at the success of the plan that they did -nothing else all day but ride up and down the stream. - -“That night the boys told of their invention and fun, and Bob was -praised for his work. Then he thought of the value such an idea might -have for others, and he worked and planned until he finally evolved the -side-wheel boats. Later, he invented the way to propel boats by steam -instead of horse-power in turning the wheels. - -“From this small beginning, we have today the great ocean steamers and -other craft that sail our seas.” - -“Dat’s a fine story, Miss Martin. Tell us anudder like it,” said the -children. - -“You Little Citizens are always hungry for more,” laughed the -story-teller. - -“Well, yeh see, Miss Marting, a feller can’t never get enough of truth, -kin he?” remarked a young wonder. - -Miss Martin was so struck by the logic of this reply that she sat down -and looked at the little speaker in amazement. Then she said: “For -that remarkable sentence, Jimmy, I will tell you a true story of King -Solomon, the wisest judge and man of words that ever lived. - -“Of course you have heard me speak of the Queen of Sheba and how she -tried to catch Solomon in many ways but failed! - -“One day she brought in two garlands of flowers exactly alike. One -could not tell one from the other, so alike were they. - -“‘Oh, King, I have here two garlands of flowers for you to see and tell -me which is the real and which the false,’ said the Queen, after the -ceremony of presentation was over. - -“As Solomon gazed at the lovely flowers he was at a loss to say which -was Nature’s result and which the one made by the cunning of man. - -“Then he looked from the window to think how he might detect the false -wreath. As he did so, he saw some bees buzzing in and out of the -blossoms hanging from a vine over the window casement. This gave him -the idea he needed. - -“He ordered a slave to open wide the window, and it was done. Soon -after, a bee flew in and circled about for a moment, but scenting the -sweet flowers, made straight for the wreath in the Queen’s left hand. -Another bee followed almost immediately after and settled upon the -honey-laden blossoms. Other bees flew in and began sipping the nectar -from the cups of the flowers and Solomon said: ‘You have your answer, O -Queen!’” - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -THE END OF A HAPPY SUMMER - - -“Say Micky, dis is some trip from Noo York to Happy Hills, ain’t it?” -remarked Skelly, as he fidgeted in the seat. - -“It’s cuz yeh are so anxious to git there. Now I’m a lookin’ out the -winder at all the trees and little houses we pass an’ I ain’t so tired -wid de ride,” replied Micky. - -“Mick, do yeh really t’ink dey kin make a real artist of Nelly? Why, -she’s on’y a kid,” said Skelly to whom it seemed impossible that quiet -and meekness should have any power hidden under its cloak. - -“Dat’s what Mister Uncle Ben tol’ me last week in his office, yeh know.” - -“Why ain’t you or me got some such talent in our heads?” persisted -Skelly, complainingly. - -“Maybe we have, but we are so chuck full of work and fight that the -quiet t’ings ain’t got time to sift out, yeh see. Ef we was to settle -down quiet-like for a week at Happy Hills mebbe somethin’ would show -up fer us, too.” - -“Well, t’ank goodness we got a ticket to take a vacation anyway! I hope -to goodness, dey don’t make you sing church hymns and pray every udder -minute of de day!” muttered Skelly. - -“Don’tche go an’ spoil everyt’ing at camp wid your kickin’, Skelly! Ef -you don’t like de way t’ings are run yeh kin always go back to de city, -yeh know. It ain’t costin’ yuh nuttin’,” advised Micky, with anxious -concern. - -“Oh, I’ll try and stick it out fer a week, as long as you t’ink you’ll -stay too.” - -When the station was called out where the two boys had to leave the -train, they looked eagerly about at the lovely scene. Green grass, -green trees, green bushes everywhere and no sign up: “Keep Off, Private -Grounds”--or familiar boards such as they knew of in the city parks -which read: “Keep off the Grass”--“Don’t pick flowers.” - -“Gee, Micky! Even de sky looks green wid de udder green t’ings -a-shinin’,” breathed Skelly, softly. - -A lark suddenly began his lay and the two boys looked at each other, -then about them for the songster. - -“Dis is somethin’ like, eh, Skelly?” chuckled Micky. - -“Bet’cher life, pard! Come on, le’s hurry to camp an’ see what it’s -like. Ef it’s anything like dis, I kin stand a week of it,” replied -delighted Skelly. - -Before either boy could see which country road to take, a touring car -sped up and Uncle Ben hailed the travellers. - -“Oh, there you are, my boys! I was delayed down the road by a blow-out -or I would have been here when the train pulled in.” - -The boys grinned and looked at each other. Were _they_ going to ride in -that swell car? - -“Jump in now, and we’ll soon be whisked back to Happy Hills where your -friends are waiting to greet you.” - -So the two over-worked little newsboys scrambled in and dropped upon -the soft leather cushions with a sigh. - -“Hully gee! Dis is de life, all right, Mister Uncle Ben,” gurgled Micky. - -“While we are passing this lovely country-side you can look about and -see what an ideal place it is for boys and girls. See the big lake for -the older boys where they can fish and swim? Over there is a stretch -of forest land where we often go to hunt up wild flowers and other -interesting things in Nature. And just a few miles on the other side of -the station there is quite a town where we can buy anything we might -need during the summer. Now when we reach Happy Hills you will see how -complete everything is there for an outdoor life for Little Citizens.” - -The boys paid attention to the remarks and agreed with Uncle Ben that -the location was ideal for everyone. Then the car neared the woods from -whence rose a noisy babel of sound--happy laughter and singing, or -calling, of many children. - -“Here we are, boys--and there comes Nelly!” - -Micky could not believe his eyes. Was that rosy, plump little girl -who was running to meet him, his sickly, crippled little sister? Even -the precocious, hardened little Skelly was impressed by the great -improvement in the little girl. - -“Oh, Micky, I’m so glad you are here! And Micky I kin make pickshers of -ladies’ dresses all de time now, and make money for you and me, some -day!” cried Nelly, flinging her arms about her brother’s neck. - -From that moment, Skelly was a subdued young man, for he was too -interested to remember his threats about going back to the city, and he -saw so many familiar faces of children--yet not familiar as they had -been once, for these faces were round and rosy, and the children happy -and always busy about something which is the secret of true happiness -and contentment. - -Little Mother Maggie was introduced to Nelly’s two visitors, and after -a time, the little hostess asked Maggie to sing and show the boys how -she was improving. - -Without demur, Maggie sang her old favorites, and even though they -sounded suspiciously like “the goody-goody hymns” he had heard before, -Skelly sat and listened, keenly appreciative. - -“Come and see my prize asters, now,” said Maggie, turning to lead the -way to the Little Farms. - -“Oh, and Micky, what you think?” exclaimed Nelly, eagerly. - -“What?” - -“Dutchy Bill what blows de brass horn, won a prize fer best playin’ dis -month!” said Nelly, delightedly. - -“An’ Ikey Einstein, your friend, took the medal for courage when Bob, -the horse, ran away wid on’y two little kids in the buckboard. Ikey -jumped out and hung on de horse’s neck till Mister Uncle Ben could -catch up and help,” added Maggie. - -“We raised seven fine hogs for market, boys. But Mister Uncle Ben -bought them from us hisself, and is going to use ’em in the Blue Bird -and Bobolink Home dis winter, you know,” laughed Nelly, eagerly. - -So the four rattled on, telling great bits of news--at least it was -great for Little Citizens--and finally they reached the garden plots. - -Micky and Skelly were surprised at seeing all the fine vegetables and -flowers growing in each square, and when Nelly told them of string -beans, radishes, lettuce, and other produce that the children had -gathered and sold to the housekeeper at Happy Hills, the two city boys -began to see how profitable and pleasant a life on a farm must be. Ten -times more profitable than selling papers! - -Maggie’s pet aster was admired to her heart’s content, but when Skelly -bent down to sniff at it, that he might please Maggie by praising its -perfume, he could not truthfully say a word in its defence. - -Maggie laughed merrily. “You don’t like de smell, do you?” - -“Hully chee, Maggie! I t’hot it was sweet like roses, but it’s just -like medicine smell!” said Skelly. - -A few Police sauntered up, eager to be introduced to the two strangers, -and because the newcomers were a year older than the other boys at -camp, they were shown about with much pride. - -The Fire House and apparatus were displayed and admired, then the -base-ball diamond and the team that was practicing for a match game -against the Police Team was visited. - -After this, the pigs had to be exhibited, and the Street Cleaning -Squads were interviewed. By the time Micky and Skelly had met the -Health Board, and the many other Squads and Boards formed that summer, -they had met every Little Citizen at Camp, for everyone was a member of -one or more organizations. - -Miss Martin was very pleasant to the strangers and took them to the -Refectory for some refreshments although it was not suppertime and -dinner was long past. Later they were shown the Nest they might occupy -for their visit, and when Skelly was removing his shoes that night -preparatory to retiring, he whispered to Micky: - -“Say, Mick! Ain’t dis a place, dough! Wish to goodness we had come out -here sooner and stayed longer, eh?” - -“It’s fine, all right, but yeh see, ef we hed been here and tooken up -the place fer two sickly boys, it wouldn’t-a been right! We’se is big -and healthy and didn’t need country-life like some of dem poor little -kids we saw coming away from Noo York dat day in summer,” replied -Micky, thoughtfully. - -The next day was the Saturday preceding Labor Day and on the following -Tuesday, the Camp would close at Happy Hills and all the Little -Citizens were to be taken back to the city: some to take up a residence -in the new home, and some to join their families or friends again, -after a long, wholesome summer in the country. - -That morning after Miss Martin’s usual story-hour, Uncle Ben stood up -to address the children. - -“Our New Home, thanks to the efforts of Mr. Richards and others, is now -ready to receive all those who will belong to our family this winter. -Those who hold passports for this privilege will stand over to my left -side.” - -In a short time a crowd of boys and girls had grouped themselves as -directed. Then the speaker continued: - -“Now I have some good news to offer the others. One of the visitors -who was present at our circus saw a great need for a good home for -other children than those who had some talent to develop, and she went -to work and secured the large house adjoining our home. This she has -renovated and turned into a lodging-house for those boys and girls who -earn a living, or for those who do not wish to live separate from their -brothers or sisters. For a small weekly fee, a Little Citizen can live -comfortably and well in the next-door house to our home. - -“Now I wish to know if there are any present who would like to engage a -room with board at this house, so we can tell how many to provide for -on the day we all go back to the city.” - -“Oh, hully chee! What wouldn’t I give to be a Little Citizen right -now!” sighed Skelly, while Micky looked wistful, too. - -Bill overheard the remark and a thought came to him. - -“Hey, Mister Uncle Ben! Can’t anyone like an outsider what is workin’ -fer his livin’ join dis house?” - -“The new house is open for anyone who can pass a satisfactory -examination by the Board. Of course, you all know we have to question -every applicant so as to keep out bad characters. Any honest, -respectable boy can secure a home at this house.” - -At that Micky and Skelly exchanged looks, and Ikey Einstein ran over to -join them. - -“Gee whiz! Boys le’s join quick! What a fine home we will have next to -Mister Uncle Ben’s place!” - -Miss Martin laughed as she heard the cause for rejoicing and called out: - -“It will not be because you live next to Uncle Ben, but because you -will be half of his family, as he will not leave you without his -company once we are settled down for the winter.” - -A score of boys had started towards Uncle Ben to sign an application -for a home, when Micky and Skelly followed close upon Ikey’s heels to -secure permission to live in such a heavenly place as Ikey described it -to be. - -While they were waiting in line to sign, or place a mark after their -applications, Ikey whispered to his chums: - -“Miss Marting said dey got a music-box and lots of good records fer de -boys to play. Dey got a tank in de cellar fer us to swim in, and a big -back room what is made over into a gym. And every feller’s got a bed -and burear fer himself. He can lock de drawers, too, and ef he wants to -be alone, he kin pull his curtains about his room and shet himself away -from de udders!” - -“I guess ye’re talkin’ about de swell home fer de gurls and talents, -ain’t cher?” remarked Skelly, skeptically. - -“Naw! _Dey_ got _real_ rooms fer demselves! Little square ones all -fixed up fine! And downstairs in de big living room is a _real_ piano -fer music makers. And all sorts of new-fangled things fer good times. -Oh, dat Blue Bird and Bobolink City Home is one grand place, I kin tell -yuh!” - -“Who tol’ you all about it?” queried Micky. - -“Maggie, what is called ‘Margaret’ by the grown-ups!” bragged Ikey. - -“Well, as fur as I care, de camp kin shet down now and start us all -back to dat city home. I never had a home, es I kin remember, in all my -life!” said Skelly. - -“Your turn next, Skelly,” called Uncle Ben at this moment, and the two -city boys quickly went up and signed their names on the register. - -“And you will be there Tuesday without fail?” asked Uncle Ben. - -“Of course, we will, Mister Uncle Ben!” declared the newsboys. - -And so they were. Not only were they eagerly welcomed to the first good -home they had ever known, but the “Little Wonders” found at Happy Hills -were welcomed to _their_ “Blue Birds’ City Nest” where many interesting -and wonderful things came to pass that year, all about which will be -told to you in the next book, entitled “Blue Birds’ City Nest.” - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - - Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLUE BIRDS AT HAPPY HILLS *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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