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Page 15
They became so absorbed in this new sort of play that again the
time flew and it was dinner-time before they knew it.
Grandma did not invite Molly to stay to dinner, for she thought
Marjorie ought to rest, but she asked the little neighbor to come
again the next morning and continue their game.
After dinner Grandma darkened the room and left Marjorie to rest
by herself, and the result of this was a long and refreshing nap.
When she awoke, Grandma appeared again with fresh water and
towels, and her afternoon toilet was made. Marjorie laughed to
think that dressing for afternoon meant only putting on a
different kimono, for dresses were not to be thought of with a
sprained ankle.
And then Uncle Steve came in.
Uncle Steve was always like a ray of sunshine, but he seemed
especially bright and cheery just now.
"Well, Midget Mops," he said, "you have cut up a pretty trick,
haven't you? Here, just as I wanted to take you driving, and
walking in the woods, and boating, and fishing, and perhaps
ballooning, and airshipping, and maybe skating, here you go and
get yourself laid up so you can't do anything but eat and sleep!
You're a nice Midget, you are! What's the use of having an Uncle
Steve if you can't play with him?"
"Just you wait," cried Marjorie; "I'm not going to be in bed more
than a few days, and I'm going to stay here all summer. There'll
be plenty of time for your fishing and skating yet."
"But unless I get you pretty soon, I'll pine away with grief. And
everybody out on the farm is lonesome for you. The horses, Ned and
Dick, had made up their minds to take you on long drives along the
mountain roads where the wild flowers bloom. They can't understand
why you don't come out, and they stand in their stalls weeping,
with great tears rolling down their cheeks."
Marjorie laughed gayly at Uncle Steve's foolery, and said: "If
they're weeping so you'd better take them some of my pocket
handkerchiefs."
"Too small," said Uncle Steve, scornfully; "one of your little
handkerchiefs would get lost in Dick's eye or Ned's ear. And old
Betsy is weeping for you too. Really, you'll have to get around
soon, or those three horses will run away, I fear."
"What about the cow; does she miss me?" asked Marjorie, gravely,
though her eyes were twinkling.
"The cow!" exclaimed Uncle Steve. "She stands by the fence with
her head on the top rail, and moos so loud that I should think you
could hear her yourself. She calls 'Mopsy, Mopsy, Moo,' from
morning till night. And the chickens! Well, the incubator is full
of desolate chickens. They won't eat their meal, and they just
peep mournfully, and stretch their little wings trying to fly to
you."
"And the dogs?" prompted Marjorie.
"Oh, the dogs--they howl and yowl and growl all the time. I think
I'll have to bring the whole crowd of animals up here. They're so
anxious to see you."
"Do, Uncle Steve. I'd be glad to see them, and I'm sure they'd
behave nicely."
"I think so. The cow could sit in that little rocking-chair, and
the three horses could sit on the couch, side by side. And then we
could all have afternoon tea."
Marjorie shook with laughter at the thought of the cow sitting up
and drinking afternoon tea, until Uncle Steve declared that if she
laughed so hard she'd sprain her other ankle. So he said he would
read to her, and selecting a book of fairy tales, he read aloud
all the rest of the afternoon. It was delightful to hear Uncle
Steve read, for he would stop now and then to discuss the story,
or he would put in some funny little jokes of his own, and he made
it all so amusing and entertaining that the afternoon flew by as
if on wings.
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