Before she had made an inquiry, she heard a squeal from Amy Lou and turned to see if Doris were having trouble with her. But it had been a happy squeal, not a cross one. There was Father, with his baby in his arms and Doris holding to one hand! A very thankful girl ran back to her family.

"I'm so sorry, Betty," said Mr. Lee, "that you have had this wait and worry. I had expected to meet you right at the train and take you to our own car. Come on. We'll talk after we get started. It was an important business conference and I could not leave early. Then traffic was heavy and it was farther to the station from our office that I thought. That was all."

Watching for trucks, street-cars and machines of all sorts, they made their way to where the new car was parked. Exclamations of delight pleased Mr. Lee. d.i.c.k wanted to know all about it. It was not of a highly expensive make, but as their father said, it would hold them all.

"I almost need a smaller one, too," said he, explaining, "though I'm not on the sales end of affairs. They've done me the honor to put me among the executives, kiddies, and ask me to tell how I managed to do so well in my little factory. I told the president, that it was nothing, only quality of goods and good management; but he had me discuss products and management at this conference."

"Good for you, Pop!" said d.i.c.k.

"But I'm going to ask you all to help me, children. To make this change and to live in a city is going to draw heavily on what I had saved. In fact, there isn't any too much left, except some property in the home town. So don't get any big ideas of what we can do here in the way of living like some of the people you will see."

"Aren't there any folks just like us, Papa?" asked Doris, rather bewildered. They had started now and slowly Mr. Lee was driving the car, up a hill and behind an immense truck.

"Plenty of them, Doris, and thousands not half so well off."

The children were now too much interested in their surroundings to ask questions. Their father explained a little about some of the streets through which they pa.s.sed, and pointed out some of the buildings, though he was not yet familiar with the city and was compelled to keep to well-known thoroughfares on his way out to the suburb where they were to live. "This is what they call 'downtown,'" said he. "When your mother and I considered locations near we found nothing suitable. So we are out where we can have a few flowers in the yard at least."

Betty looked with "all her eyes," as she said. Streams of cars filled the streets. Her father watched the lights carefully and was prepared to get out of the way when a reckless driver shot in front of him, almost shaving a street car. "Hey, you!" exclaimed d.i.c.k, but the man could not hear. "Why, if you hadn't swerved to the right that fellow would have hit us!"

"Yes, d.i.c.k. He was either intoxicated, or just reckless. There are many such in the city."

But in spite of what tired Betty considered several narrow escapes, they successfully reached the suburb desired, where rows of houses, some of brick, some of frame, some of stone, had a bit of yard in front and behind; and on the porch of one there stood a slender and familiar figure.

"Mamma!" cried Amy Lou, wiggling down from between Betty and Doris. But Betty kept a stout hold upon her little sister until the car stopped in front. "I'll let you girls out here," said Mr. Lee, "but d.i.c.k may come with me to the garage."

Amy Louise flew to her mother, while the other two girls walked briskly up the short distance from the barberry hedge to the porch. The house was of brick, well-built and attractive. "Why, this is real nice, Mother!" exclaimed Betty, the last to be embraced, but as warmly welcomed. Betty was trying to remember to call her parents Father and Mother, since some one had told her it was more dignified.

They entered a hall of fair size, then a large front room with a big window in it, the piano in the right spot, a fireplacewhy, it would be home after all! Familiar rugs and furniture met Betty's eyes. Of them her last view had been what Betty called "ghastly," all done up ready to be moved in that horrid truck. But the "horrid truck" had brought them unmarred to their present position. Here were all of their treasuresand each other.

"I don't believe, after all, Mother," said she, looking around, "that _walls_ make so, so _much_ difference!"

"Not with our own pictures on them," replied Mother, understanding. "I wish that all you could have helped me decide where to put things; but if you girls think of any good changes, we shall make them."

"Did you have a very dreadful time to find a place?" asked Doris.

"It was not easy. An apartment house did not seem to be the best place for children. This is not one of the most modern houses, but there are enough bedrooms, hard to find, and something of a kitchen. I could not imagine myself cooking for this family in some of the tiny kitchenettes we saw. We shall be comfortable, I think.

"We have the whole first floor. It is just a big house made into two apartments or flats. Only two people are above us. There are two furnaces and we have our own gas and electricity. We are to look after the yard. Running the lawn mower will be d.i.c.k's job." Mrs. Lee looked teasingly at d.i.c.k as she spoke.

"I thought I'd get out of that in a city," returned d.i.c.k; but he did not seem to mind the proposition very much. He was still thinking of the new car, though he had been content to leave more detailed examinations until the next day. "The thing that's most like home," continued d.i.c.k, "is that good smell of cooking in an oven somewhere. Is it a roast, Mother? Yes, and I smell cookies!"

"Right, son," and Mrs. Lee led the way to the kitchen, where cookies still warm from the baking were to be nibbled by hungry travelers. They would still have things to eat in the city!

Still further investigation disclosed a "den," which had become a sleeping room for d.i.c.k; a dressing room off the main bedroom, making a safe and cosy place for Amy Lou's bed, and a good bedroom for Doris and Betty. A large bathroom was at the end of the hall. "You haven't any idea, children, how thankful I was to find this, with enough room, all on one floor, and nice and clean, with new plumbing!"

Betty looked thoughtfully at her mother. It was new to her to think about homes, which, so far as she had ever thought, grew upon bushes.

And that rent was terrible. Wouldn't it take more than Papa earned? Her mother a.s.sured her that it would not, but remarked that the increase in income did not amount to as much as they had supposed, because of increased expenses.

"Let's go back," said Betty, reacting to her first lesson in economic lines. But she was laughing.

"You know you wouldn't do it for anything, Betty Lee," cried Doris. "I'm just as glad as I can be. Won't it be great to go to all these wonderful places?" This was after their mother had suddenly left them in their room, to answer a call from her husband.

"Yes," sighed Betty, "but now listen, Dorisplease don't begin by throwing your things all around. We've a big closet, anyhow; but do let's keep things straight as we can!"

"You can, if you want to. I'm getting into my bathrobe the quickest I can," and Doris kicked a shoe under the bed.

"I suppose you are tired," and Betty sighed again. "I don't really care, either. It's certainly good to pa.s.s Amy Lou over to Mother."

"She could have been worse coming down, but I'm glad I'm not the oldest.

She always gets stubborn when _I_ try to do anything with her."

Betty felt like telling Doris that she did not try the right way; but did not want to start further argument and realized that her own disposition was not in its best state after her day of being "chief boss," as d.i.c.k had put it several times. Doris might take her hot bath first. Then it would be tub for her and bed as soon as possible after supper, which would be called dinner now, Mother said. Happily it was the week-end. There would be Sat.u.r.day and Sunday for getting settled, seeing the city and hearing church music of the best. Then would come Monday and school. What a vista for Betty Lee! The future, though unknown, was enticing.

CHAPTER III: "THE FATEFUL DAY"

The "fateful day," as Betty's father jokingly called it, had arrived. On Monday morning there were great stirrings in the Lee menage. Betty's mother was up early, getting everybody else up on time, seeing that the school credentials were at hand, ready to be taken by the children and presented at the schools. Amy Lou, fortunately, slept on, not waking until everybody else was at the breakfast table.

Betty started to get up when a mournful wail came from the bedroom. Amy Lou had been Betty's responsibility and she could not quite realize that in school days now her first concern was to be her lessons, as her mother's custom desired it to be, though in moments of stress, Betty knew well, she was to be on the "relief corps," another of her father's expressions.

"Not you this time, daughter," said Mrs. Lee, rising. "Finish your breakfast and be ready when your father goes. You'd better take charge of all the grades and give Doris and d.i.c.k their papers when they get there."

It was very exciting. What would the new big school be like? d.i.c.k and Doris talked steadily during breakfast. "If old Bill was just here,"

said d.i.c.k, "I'd give him the Merry Ha-ha about our going to a junior high school!"

Doris settled her beads about her neck, looked down at her neat frock, chosen as suitable by her mother, then thrusting her napkin by her plate, she scampered, unexcused, from the table, to do last things.

Betty exchanged an amused glance with her father, who rose and went out to bring up the car. Betty hastily carried a few dishes, from their places, to the kitchen, as Mrs. Lee came out with a cross Amy Lou, and then ran off herself to get ready.

It seemed no time at all before they were in the car, driving to the school, which they had seen only in pa.s.sing. The morning traffic was heavy and swift. Cars were making their rapid way in the direction of "town." Street cars clattered. Trucks and buses avoided them by inches only. Overhead there was the occasional roar of a plane from the flying field.

At last they had reached the green campus of the school. "I'm glad we go here," said Doris, "instead of to that school we saw where the grounds are all gravel."

"That was a new building, Doris," said her Dad, "the grounds are probably not finished."

"I don't think so, Papa," returned Doris. "You know how the school board man at home said that there was no use in sodding our new school grounds because the boys would spoil it all playing ball and things. And they put gravel on it, and every time you fell down running it hurt like everything."

Doris had no reply to this, for Mr. Lee was stopping before the concrete sidewalk that bordered the school grounds. "Hop out, children," said he.

"I'm sorry that I can't stop with you. You know what the buildings are, however. Inquire your way to the office of the princ.i.p.al, you know. Sure you know what cars to take to get home?"

"Yes, Father," Betty answered. "d.i.c.k promised to wait for Doris; so if they can't find me they'll go home together. My, what a crowd!"

Mr. Lee glanced with some fatherly pride at the little group of three that walked from the car to the entrance of the grounds. There a long walk, paved and lined with beautiful shrubbery, led to the impressive front of the building that spread so widely with its wings and corners.

Then he detached himself from the rest of the cars that were either drawing up to discharge pupils or were parked in a long row along the curb. The Lee children were already lost in the kaleidoscope of moving boys and girls, of all ages, heights, and costumes, most of them very nice-looking, Betty's father thought. He hoped that there would be no trouble about their entrance papers. Mrs. Lee could scarcely risk taking Amy Lou to the school, and he had told her that the children might just as well begin to depend on themselves, even if the city was new to them.

Nevertheless, it would have been better if it had been possible for a parent to accompany them, and no one knew that better than Mr. Lee. The hurry of their becoming settled had not been easy for any of them and a city offered many dangers, especially those of traffic. But as the fever of hurry had not yet infected them, it was likely that they would be careful in crossing streets and would observe the traffic regulations.

He was glad to see that a traffic officer had been stationed at the school crossing.