"Where have you children been all the morning?" Mother Blossom asked Dot and Twaddles. "You look excited, too. Is anything the matter?"

The twins were bursting with news--any one could see that.

"All you have to do, Meg," Twaddles informed her casually, "is to deliver the kittens; we have it all fixed."

"Deliver them? Deliver them where?" said Meg, staring.

"Oh, around," Twaddles returned airily. "Dot and I have been out and found homes for them all."

"Not the whole seven?" said Bobby, staring in turn. "Seven homes, Twaddles? Who wants seven kittens?"

Mother Blossom looked at Aunt Polly and laughed.

"Do you wonder Daddy says he doesn't know what to expect when he comes home at night?" she said. "Twaddles and Dot, will you please stop talking in riddles and tell us where you have been and what you have done?"

Thus encouraged, the twins began to talk at once, and though it was difficult to understand them the family finally managed to learn what they had done.

"My goodness, I call that a good morning's work," said Aunt Polly at last. "To find places for seven kittens! Why, Dot and Twaddles, there isn't anything you can't do, if you stick to a plan as you have to this."

"But one kitten is lost," Meg pointed out. "There are only six left."

"That was the sample," said Twaddles calmly. "We left it at Miss Alder's house, because she likes tiger cats."

And then Bobby and Meg were surprised again, to hear that the twins had been to Miss Alder's house, and they had to hear what had happened there and what she had said to them.

"Will you help us take them around this afternoon?" asked Dot. "We can do it faster if we all go; they are so squirmy to carry."

Of course Bobby and Meg promised to help deliver the cats and they hurried home from school to keep their promise. As the houses where the kittens were to go were pretty well scattered--the twins had worked hard and they had covered most of Oak Hill that morning--it was decided that Dot and Twaddles should take three of the kittens and Meg and Bobby the other three. The twins were to go to the grocery store and two houses near there, including Mrs. Tracy's, while Meg and Bobby would deliver the cats at the other end of the town.

"You never know what those children are going to do," said Meg as she and Bobby walked down Spruce Avenue, "but I am awfully glad they found homes for the kittens; Mr. Fritz will be glad, too. I don't believe he wanted them drowned, but he didn't know what to do with them."

Bobby nodded absently. He was watching some one further up the street.

"That looks like Charlie Black," he said. "I don't want to pa.s.s him when we're carrying these kittens--he might try to start an argument and hurt them; let's go down this next street and cut around the block."

Meg was willing, for she knew that Charlie Black--who was on his roller skates again, might try to s.n.a.t.c.h a kitten, and would certainly do his best to torment them in some way.

The people who had promised the cats a home were very glad to see the kittens, and Meg and Bobby felt glad to think that the little creatures would be sure of care and attention. Meg was planning to tell Annabel Lee all about it that night, when around the corner came Charlie Black and almost skated into them before he saw them.

"You take the kitten, Meg," said Bobby hurriedly. "I'll wait for you."

There was only one kitten left and Meg ran across the street with it and up the steps of Mrs. Anderson's house.

She had to wait a few minutes for some one to answer the doorbell and a few minutes longer were required to explain to Mrs. Anderson's sister, who had not been at home that morning when the twins called, and then Meg ran back to rejoin Bobby.

"What are you doing, peddling cats?" asked Charlie disagreeably.

"We're not drowning them," Bobby replied.

"Think you're smart, don't you?" said Charlie. "Well, Bobby Blossom, you're not so smart as you seem to think--catch me, if you can," and he made a dive at the little basket in which Meg had carried the kittens.

He twisted it from her hands and shot off down the street, Bobby after him. But Charlie had a good start and as the pavement was cement and exceptionally smooth, he seemed to be having things his own way for the first two blocks. Then he turned his head to see how close Bobby was and an ash box tripped him.

"Go away!" he whined as Bobby caught up with him, Meg following closely on his heels. "Go away--don't you dare touch me!"

Bobby leaned over him and took the basket, handing it to Meg.

"You get up and let me punch you!" he said hotly, but Charlie was in no haste to get to his feet.

"Let me alone," he cried. "You let me alone and I'll tell you something, Bobby! Honest I will. I'll tell you who spilled the ink on Miss Mason's book."

Meg heard and almost dropped her basket.

CHAPTER XVIII

TIM ROON IS FOUND OUT

Bobby continued to stand over Charlie Black, ready to pounce on him should he try to jump and run.

"Honest, Bobby," Charlie whined again. "I'll tell you who spoiled the book."

"Well, who did?" demanded Bobby gruffly.

"You won't hit me? Promise," said Charlie, very much frightened.

"All right, I won't hit you," promised Bobby. "Who did it? You?"

Charlie Black scrambled to his feet.

"I'll get killed if I'm found out," he declared, "but Tim Roon did it, Bobby. I saw him. He spilled ink all over it, 'cause he was sore at Miss Mason. An' he wouldn't let me tell."

Bobby and Meg were so excited that they hardly knew when Charlie Black skated away, after insisting that Tim Roon would certainly murder him if he ever discovered that he had told the secret.

"Tell? Of course we'll tell everybody," said Meg, dancing along beside Bobby, who had taken the box from her again. "Oh, hurry up, Bobby.

You're so slow, and we must let Mother know."

At home the news was received with great rejoicing, and the twins had to relieve their feelings by banging on the dining-room gong till Norah descended on them and confiscated the padded stick. But Bobby was rather sober through all the noise, and presently Mother Blossom perceived this.

"I don't think it's fair to tell," said Bobby, when she questioned him. "I'll get Tim Roon into trouble, and Charlie Black, too. Course I'd like Miss Mason to know I didn't do it, but I hate to make such a fuss."

"Isn't he silly, Mother?" demanded Meg. "If you don't tell, Bobby Blossom, I'm going to school before you're up and tell every one I meet."

"Now, Meg!" remonstrated Mother Blossom. "This is Bobby's affair, remember. But, Son, you shouldn't feel as you do. Every one who heard that you were accused of spoiling the book has a right to know that you have been absolved. I will write Miss Mason a note and explain it fully, and then Tim and Charlie will have to take the consequences. Any boy that will stand aside and let another be unjustly accused deserves whatever he gets."

Mother Blossom's cheeks were quite pink and her blue eyes had little sparks in them, just as Bobby's did sometimes when he was angry.