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Page 72
"They are Allison's prot�g�s," she said. "Sylvia Gibbs's children, you
know. They are always on the outskirts of all the festivities when they
think they can pick up any crumbs in the way of refreshments. But
they'll have some good excuse to give for coming, you may be sure."
"Oh, they are the children who acted the charades at the old mill
picnic," said Eugenia, drawing nearer. "Get them to talk if you can,
Mrs. MacIntyre. Please do."
Except for a broader grin in token that they heard Mrs. MacIntyre's
questions, they were as unresponsive as six little black kittens, and
Keith, coming up just then, was sent to find Miss Allison. "They always
talk for auntie," he said. "She is over in one of the tents, and I'll go
get her."
Keith was right. Miss Allison proved the key that unlocked every little
red tongue, and they answered her questions glibly.
"We don brought sumpin to Miss 'Genia," stammered Tildy, shyly.
"M'haley, she got a chicken in dis yere box wot she gwine to give to
Miss 'Genia to take away wid her on de kyars."
"A chicken!" repeated Miss Allison, laughing, "What did M'haley bring
Miss Eugenia a chicken for?"
"'Cause Miss 'Genia, she give M'haley her hat wid roses on it ovah to
the ole mill picnic, when it fell in de spring an' got wet, and we
brought her a chicken to take away on de kyars fo' a pet."
An old bandbox tied with brown twine was promptly hoisted up from the
outer darkness into the light of the red dragon lanterns on the porch.
The sides had been pricked with a nail to admit air, and the lid was cut
in slits. Through these slits they could discover a half-grown chicken,
cowering sleepily on the bottom of the box. It was a mottled brown one,
with its wing feathers growing awkwardly in the wrong direction.
"Imagine me carrying this into the Waldorf," laughed Eugenia, when she
had expressed her thanks, and Mom Beck had been called to take the
children away and give them cake and cream in the background.
"But you'll have to take it," said Miss Allison, "at least to the
station, for you may be sure they'll be on hand to see you start, and
their feelings would be sadly hurt if you didn't take it, at any rate
out of their sight."
It was time for the leave-takings to begin. Joyce and Eugenia put on
their hats, and Eliot hurried out with the satchels as the carriage
drove up. At the last moment Mom Beck waylaid them in the hall with two
huge bundles.
"I couldn't do nothin' else fo' you chillun," she said, as she offered
them. "Ole Becky ain't got much to give but her blessing but I can
_cook_ yit, and I done made you a big spice cake apiece, and icened it
with icin' an inch thick."
The girls thanked her till her black face beamed, but they looked at
each other ruefully when they were in the carriage.
"How I am ever to reach New York with a big frosted cake in my arms is
more than I know," said Eugenia. "I'll have to cut it up and pass it
around on the train."
"But think of me," groaned Joyce. "I have my cake and Bob, too, and
nobody to carry my satchel and umbrella."
The kissing and hand-shaking began, and a cross-fire of good-byes. "Give
my love to your mother, Joyce." "Write to me first thing, Eugenia."
"Good-bye, Betty." "Good-bye, Lloyd." "Keith and I won't make our adieux
now; we'll follow you to the station and see you off on the train."
"Good-bye! Good-bye, everybody!"
At last the carriage started on, but was brought to a halt by a shrill
call from Rob. They looked back to see him standing on the porch beside
the Little Colonel, who was excitedly waving a bunch of flowers which
she had been carrying all evening. The light from the red lantern above
her threw a rosy glow over the graceful little figure, the soft light
hair, and smiling, upturned face. That is the picture they carried away
with them.
"Wait!" she cried, a smile dimpling her cheeks, and shining with a
mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Wait! You've forgotten something!
Eugenia's chicken!"
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