Old Mr. Ford declared he had not laughed so much in twenty years as he did at the antics of the boys and the beetle. His bedtime pa.s.sed before he knew it.

Ikey went to sleep with the balloon tied to the head of his bed, feeling that after all his friends _did_ care. The next day the doctor replaced the ugly yellow plaster with something white that was more pleasant to look at, and in a short time his nose was as well as ever, except for a slight scar.

Bess had thought of giving a masquerade ball in his honor, to be held in the star chamber, and at which he was to appear as "The Man in the Iron Mask," but owing to his rapid recovery it was given up. She was rather disappointed, for it seemed an interesting way in which to help a neighbor in affliction. She and Louise were very anxious to be helpers, but were not content with small every-day opportunities.

"I can't think of things as Dora does," she complained to Aunt Zelie one evening.

"What has Dora been doing?" her aunt asked.

"Oh, it was at school to-day, when we were reading together at recess in a new story book of Elsie's. There was Elsie and Constance, Dora, Louise and I, and that meek little Mamie Garland kept walking up and down looking at us. n.o.body likes her, because she is a telltale. Then before we knew what she was going to do Dora jumped up and ran after Mamie, and asked her if she didn't want to hear the story. You could see she was surprised, but she came, and Louise made room for her."

"And did she spoil the story?"

"No--not really, but it is nicer to have just the people you like. But I suppose it is pretty mean to go on having a nice time when somebody else isn't--even if you don't like them--and not ask them."

Aunt Zelie smiled at this remarkable sentence. "It is easy to be selfish with our good times," she said; "but don't be discouraged, you will be more quick to see an opportunity next time. If I am not mistaken I saw a little girl put away her book to play with her small sister not so very long ago."

"Do you think that would count?" Bess asked earnestly.

"I certainly do," answered her aunt, pinching the rosy cheek.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE M.KS.

Bess stood at the window, her brows drawn together in a decided frown.

Not that the sunshine was dazzling; quite the contrary. It was what Aunt Sukey called a drizzle-drazzle day. The air was full of a penetrating mist that put outdoor amus.e.m.e.nts out of the question.

Stormy Sat.u.r.days were particularly trying, and to-day the rain interfered with an expedition to which the children had been looking forward for a week.

"I wish I were a fairy," said Louise, who sat on the floor building a block house for Carie; "I wouldn't have any rainy days."

"A mighty nice world 't would be, I reckon, if you had the fixin' of it," Sukey remarked sarcastically.

"Oh, well, perhaps I'd have _some_ rain, but only at night."

"Don't you s'pose the good Lord knows what kind of weather is best for us a heap better than a no-account fairy?" Sukey continued, seeing an opportunity for some moral teaching.

"Of course he does, but I shouldn't think one Sat.u.r.day would make much difference."

"That ain't for us to say. Folks can't have all they wants in this world, and they has to be taught it."

"Louise, I see Miss Brown at her window; don't you think it would be nice to go to see her?" said Bess. "We could wear our waterproofs."

"Yes, indeed; may we, mammy?" asked Louise, jumping up. Though Sukey professed to be a stern disciplinarian she rarely denied the children anything, so after a careful survey of the weather she thought they might go if they would wear their overshoes. Miss Brown saw them as they came out of the door and raised a big umbrella. "Where can they be going?" she wondered as they disappeared from her view. A few minutes later, however, they came in sight again, this time on her side of the street, and stopped at her gate.

"You are a pair of rainy-day fairies!" she exclaimed as they entered.

They both laughed at this, and Bess explained that it was just what Louise had been wishing to be.

"Then we each have our wish, for I have been longing for some good fairy to cheer me this gloomy day."

Miss Brown's sitting-room was a pleasant place even on the darkest day. A bright fire burned in the grate behind the high bra.s.s fender, some yellow chrysanthemums bloomed in the west window, the mahogany chairs and tables shone with the polish time gives to such things, and behind the gla.s.s doors of the corner cupboard stood rows of pretty old china. From above the mantel, old Mrs. Brown--at the age of eighteen, with stiff little curls over each ear and immense leg o'

mutton sleeves in her low-necked pink gown--looked down, smiling impartially upon everybody.

"Don't you think rainy days are tiresome?" asked Louise, seating herself in the window beside the flowers.

"Not when I have company," was the smiling reply.

"Aunt Zelie has been staying with Cousin Helen this week, and Carl went home with Aleck yesterday, and we were going out to spend the day to-day and come home with them. But of course we couldn't on account of the rain, and there is n.o.body at home but Carie and Sukey, for Helen is at Aunt Marcia's." The tone in which Bess spoke was so doleful it was almost tragic.

"Uncle William says there is always a bright spot somewhere, and perhaps there is for us, but we haven't found it," added Louise; then looking across the street she gave a little laugh. "I was just thinking of the Magic Door," she explained.

Miss Brown wanted to hear about it, so Bess told the story, growing quite cheerful as she proceeded.

Miss Brown was more pleased with it, if possible, than Dora had been.

She said it explained why she was so contented and happy in her new home.

"My old aunt left me this house with all its contents on condition that I would occupy it. At first it seemed out of the question, but the more I thought of a home of my own the more I wanted to try it, and now I feel settled for life! You see," she went on, "how beautifully it came about this afternoon. Here I was feeling stupid and a little lonely; I looked at the Big Front Door, and presently it opened and you came out and straight over here, to make me cheerful again."

The children beamed on her with faces that said plainly: "Here is an appreciative person."

At this moment who should appear but Mary, with a plate of warm spicy cookies! The climax of sociability was reached!

"Miss Brown, is it hard to knit?--to learn, I mean," Louise asked presently, looking admiringly at the bright wools the lady was working with.

"Not at all; I learned when I was a little girl."

"I should like to know how, it is such pretty soft work," said Bess.

"I shall be very glad to teach you. We might have a knitting cla.s.s for rainy afternoons."

"And after awhile perhaps we could make an afghan for Uncle William!"

cried Louise delightedly. "Wouldn't that be fun, Bess?"

"If it would not be a trouble to Miss Brown."

"It would be a great pleasure to me," she answered, smiling at the bright faces.

"It would be nice--" Bess began.

"Well, dear, what?" as she hesitated.

"I don't know whether I ought to ask you, for it might be a bother to you, but I was thinking how nice it would be to have a club, and ask Dora and Elsie."

"Bess, that is a _lovely_ plan!" exclaimed her sister.