Elsie at Ion Read online

  CHAPTER VIII.

  “WHAT in the world has become of that bugler?” queried Croly, peeringamong the trees and shrubs.

  “Were you wanting to speak to him, Mr. Croly?” asked Rosie, gravely butwith some difficulty restraining a desire to laugh.

  “No, not particularly, but I have a slight curiosity to see him and askfor another specimen or so of his skill.”

  “He seems to be skilful in making his disappearance, doesn’t he?”laughed Rosie.

  “He does, and I suppose I shall have to give up the hope of making hisacquaintance,” returned Croly. “But it is really singular that no oneof us has been able to get sight of him.”

  “It is indeed,” assented Mary Keith. “I have been watching closely, butwithout obtaining so much as a glimpse of him.”

  “Well, cousin, don’t despair; perhaps it will be better luck nexttime,” Herbert said laughingly. “Ah, we are just in time, for I seethey are setting the tables beneath the trees.”

  “Oh, that’s good,” cried Lulu. “I think it is such good fun to eatout of doors.” Then aside to Mr. Lilburn, “O Cousin Ronald, can’t youdo some of those things you did at Cousin Betty’s wedding? It would besuch fun.”

  “Wait and see, bit lassie,” the old gentleman returned with a smile.

  Just then Walter came bounding to meet them. “I’m glad to see you,” hesaid half breathlessly. “I’ve been hunting all around for you, becausetea is nearly ready and Zoe was afraid you might not be here in season.”

  “Eh, laddie,” laughed his brother Herbert, “so you forgot, did you,that we had appetites and watches?—the first to remind us of our needof food, the second to tell us when it was likely to be served.”

  “I thought it kinder to hunt you up than to trust to appetites andwatches to bring you in good season to get everything at its best,”returned Walter good-humoredly.

  Then stepping close to Mr. Lilburn’s side, he asked in an undertone,“Cousin Ronald, please won’t you make some of the same kind of fun forus that you did at Cousin Betty’s wedding?”

  At that Mr. Lilburn laughed, saying: “Well, well, laddie, you and yourniece here (you’re Lulu’s uncle, aren’t you?) seem to be of one mind inregard to that matter. We’ll see what can be done.”

  “Walter’s niece!” laughed Lulu. “He’s younger than I am and would be alittle uncle for me.”

  “So I would,” laughed Walter in turn, “but if your father is my brotherI suppose you must be my niece, and you’d better mind what I say toyou.”

  “I will—when it suits me,” she replied in merry retort.

  They were now nearing that part of the lawn where they had left theolder members of the party and the little ones.

  “Ah, I am glad to see you,” said Zoe, coming forward to meet them, “forit is nearly time for the summons to tea.”

  “Yes; we hope we have not kept you waiting?” returned several voices.

  “Oh, no,” she replied cheerily, “you are just in good season. I heardyour father inquiring where you were only a moment since, Lulu.”

  “Oh, did you, Aunt Zoe? Well, I’ll tell him,” replied Lulu, hurryingaway in his direction, for she could see him seated under a tree atsome little distance, with Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, Grandma Elsie, MammaVi, and several others. Lulu stole up behind him, put her arms roundhis neck, and laid her cheek to his.

  “Ah!” he said, taking hold of the small white hands, drawing her aroundin front of him, and seating her on his knee, “where has this eldestdaughter of mine been for the last hour or so?”

  “Down by the lake with the older ones, papa,” she replied, softlystroking his beard with one hand and smiling archly into the eyesgazing so fondly upon her. “I thought you were always willing that Ishould go about the grounds here without asking special permission.”

  “Yes, so I am, provided you do not go on the water without my knowledgeand consent.”

  “I wanted to, but I didn’t,” was her reply. “You didn’t think I would,papa, when you had forbidden me?”

  “Certainly not, daughter. It would be a sad thing indeed if I could nottrust you out of my sight.”

  Their conversation had been carried on in an undertone and the otherswere not listening, but chatting among themselves.

  In the mean while Cousin Ronald had drawn Zoe aside and held a moment’slow-toned conversation with her, which seemed to interest and amuseher. Then Edward joined them, Zoe seemed to repeat to him what theold gentleman had said, Edward responded with a smile, then the threeseparated, and the young host and hostess—the mother having resigned tothem her duties in that line for the evening—proceeded to seat theirguests at the tables, and servants appeared bearing the viands preparedfor their entertainment.

  Mary Keith, Marian McAlpine, and Will Croly were all three at one andthe same table, Mr. Lilburn, Harold, Herbert, Rosie, and Evelyn Lelandsharing it with them. The last two and the brothers exchanged furtiveglances of amused expectancy. Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore, Grandma Elsie,Walter, and the Raymonds occupied the next two; the rest of the companyothers not far distant.

  Almost every one seemed in gay spirits and all were blessed with goodappetites, the satisfying of which kept them very busy for a time,though not to the entire exclusion of mirthful chat and laughter.

  But when the more substantial dishes had been duly discussed, carriedaway, and replaced by cakes, fruits, and ices, in a moment ofcomparative silence there came a sudden sound as of flapping of wingsoverhead, followed by a shrill call—

  “Lu-lu! Polly wants a cake. It’s supper-time and Polly hungry.”

  “Why, Polly, how did you get out and fly all the way here?” cried Luluin astonishment, and looking up, as did almost every one else, amongthe branches overhead. “I didn’t think you knew the way; and there isplenty for you to eat at home.”

  “Lu-lu! where are you? Polly’s hungry. Polly wants a cup of coffee,”came in return in what seemed evidently Polly’s own shrill tones.

  “Go home and get it, then,” laughed Lulu. “You weren’t invited here,and well-behaved people always wait to be asked before they govisiting.”

  “Polly’s hungry. Poor old Polly—poor old soul!” came in response.

  “Why, where is she?” queried Grace, peering up among the branches ofthe tree from which the sound seemed to come.

  “I don’t know,” said Lulu. “I can’t just see her, but she has a goodhiding-place up there where the branches and leaves are so thick. Buthow she found her way here I can’t think. Oh!” as she suddenly caughtsight of Mr. Lilburn’s face and noted the twinkle of fun in his eye.

  “Perhaps you have given her too much liberty, Lulu,” her father said inso grave a tone she was at loss to decide whether or not his suspicionstoo had been aroused.

  “So you have a poll-parrot, Miss Lu? Quite a talker too,” said Croly.“I should like to make her acquaintance. Can you not tempt her to comedown?”

  “I’ll try to keep her at home after this, papa,” said Lulu; “but shallI see if I can coax her to come down now?”

  “You may if you choose,” he answered with unmoved gravity.

  “Tell her she can have a cup of coffee and anything else she wants ifshe will come,” added Grandma Elsie, with a look of amusement.

  So Lulu called, “Polly, Polly, come here and you shall have a cup ofthe nicest coffee and anything else you want.”

  Then for a minute or more everybody seemed to be looking and listening;but Polly neither answered nor showed herself, and at length baby Nedbroke the silence with, “I ’spect Polly’s done ’way to our house adain.She won’t tum when Lu talls her.”

  “She seems to have taken her departure very suddenly,” remarkedRosie. “Strange she should do so if she were really as hungry as shepretended.”

  “I don’t b’lieve she was, Aunt Rosie,” said little Elsie, “for nobodyever gets starved at our house, ’cause papa always buys plenty foreverybody to eat.”

  “It’s good food too, and well cooked,”
added Grace.

  “I think that is all true, Mr. Croly, and I hope you will come and seefor yourself,” laughed Violet.

  “Hush, hush, hush! you talk too much, Polly,” came in a shrill screamapparently from the top of the tree; then in a coaxing, complainingtone, “Poor Polly’s hungry! It’s breakfast-time. Polly wants a biscuit.Polly wants a cup of coffee.”

  “Why, she’s quite a talker. I’d really like to get a sight of her,”said Croly, making a more determined effort than before to do so.

  “Humph! savin’ all your pity for hungry birds! Never a bit of it togive a starvin’ human creeter,” snarled a man’s voice that seemed tocome from a clump of bushes a yard or two in Croly’s rear. Every headat once turned in that direction, but the speaker seemed invisible.

  It was Grandma Elsie who replied: “There is abundance of food here, andI would have no one starve or suffer at all from hunger. Step up to thetable and your wants shall be supplied.”

  “There is no empty seat at your table, ma’am,” snarled the voice.

  “True,” she returned, “but there are abundance of seats near at hand,and you can carry your food to one of them when you have received it,and there sit and eat at your leisure.”

  “Why, where on earth is the fellow?” asked Croly of Harold, speakingin an undertone. “I cannot catch so much as a glimpse of him.”

  “It really looks very mysterious,” returned Harold, with difficultyrepressing a smile. “What had better be done about it, do you think?”

  “Surely that is for your mother to say,” returned Croly; “but if I werein her place I should have the grounds thoroughly searched for thatimpudent fellow, who is probably a thieving tramp.”

  “Hardly, I think,” said Harold, “for they are somewhat scarcehereabouts; at least, we seldom see one.”

  “Ah? then you are fortunate in that respect.”

  “But how odd that both bird and man should be invisible!” exclaimedMary Keith. “I must own that I cannot understand it.”

  “No,” remarked Herbert gravely; “there are many things happening inthis world that we cannot understand.”

  “But it surprises me to see how easily you take all this. Now I shouldwant to hunt him out and send him about his business before he does anymischief.”

  “Perhaps that might be the better plan,” returned Harold. “Here,Prince,” as Max’s dog was seen slowly approaching, “hunt out thatfellow yonder,” pointing to the clump of bushes from which the voicehad seemed to come. “Sick him! sick him!”

  At that Prince pricked up his ears, wagged his tail, and rushed towardthe bushes barking furiously; but only for a moment or two, evidentlyfinding no one there. He came slowly back with lowered tail anddrooping ears, plainly feeling that he had been sold, and mortifiedthat he had fallen into the trap laid for his unwary feet.

  “Poor fellow,” said Herbert, “that chap seems as hard to find as thebugler was a while ago; but never mind—you did your best.”

  “Take him to the kitchen, Sam, and comfort him with a good dinner,”said Grandma Elsie to a servant.

  “Well, Croly, what is it?” laughed Herbert. “You really look as if youhad put on your thinking cap.”

  “Yes, so I have,” returned Croly, glancing searchingly about, “and theconclusion I’ve reached is that we must have a ventriloquist among us.The next question is, who is he?”

  “A ventriloquist!” exclaimed Mary Keith. “How delightful! Such funas we shall have if that is really the case! But who can it be? You,captain?” looking searchingly at him.

  “I should be very willing to plead guilty to the charge could I do sotruthfully, Cousin Mary,” he replied in a playful tone.

  “Oh, no, I think it can hardly be the captain,” said Croly. “He wasnot down at the lake with us, and doubtless the invisible bugler wasthe ventriloquist, or the ventriloquist the bugler, whichever way youprefer to put it.”

  “There! I dare say you are right,” she returned. “Now, Harold, it wasyou, wasn’t it? You may just as well own up first as last.”

  “But really, Mary, I have nothing to own up to,” he said; “you are byno means on the right track.”

  “Then who could it have been but you, Herbert?” she queried, turninglaughing eyes upon him.

  “I can truthfully aver that it was not I, Cousin Mary,” returnedHerbert with grave earnestness, though there was a twinkle of fun inhis eye that half convinced her he was in jest.

  She wore a puzzled expression for a moment, then turning suddenly toLulu, “I wonder now if it can have been you?” she said, giving thechild a searching look.

  “Oh, no, indeed, Miss Mary,” laughed Lulu. “I only wish I could sayyes, for there’s nothing I’d like better than to be able to make suchsport for myself and others.”

  “But you know who it is?”

  “Why do you think so, Miss Mary?”

  “Something in your look and manner tells me that you know all about it;besides, you were on the shore while we in the boat heard the sounds ofthe bugle apparently coming from among the tree-tops.”

  “Really, now, Miss Mary, I don’t see that all that proves anythingagainst me,” laughed Lulu. “Do you think it does, papa?”

  “Not at all,” replied her father. “A ventriloquist on the boat might,I think, make it seem to others that his voice came from among thetree-tops on the shore. But really, Mr. Croly,” turning toward theyoung man as he spoke, “I do not see that you have any positive proofthat there is a ventriloquist here.”

  “Why, sir, did we not hear a strange voice speaking apparently fromyonder clump of bushes, and on examination find that there was no onethere?”

  “True; but who shall say it may not have been some one very nimble andfleet of foot who made his escape all too quickly to be caught?”

  “Well, sir,” returned Croly slowly and with meditative air, “I supposethat is just possible. Perhaps too the same fellow was the bugler whomwe all heard but none of us could see.”

  “Edward,” said Mr. Dinsmore gravely, “you may as well have thepremises searched for that fellow; for one so adroit at suddenlydisappearing from sight might readily enter the house and carry offvaluables.”

  “Yes, sir; I’ll see that he does not,” Edward replied with equalgravity, but carefully abstaining from an exchange of glances with Mr.Lilburn.

  “Take care that he doesn’t steal your parrot, Lu,” said Zoe. “She’sworth stealing, and as she is such a good talker I’d be loath to loseher if she were mine.”

  “Indeed so should I,” exclaimed Lulu. “I wouldn’t part with her for agreat deal; especially as she was a present from papa.”

  “We will be careful not to leave her here when we go home to-night,”said the captain.

  “I hope you are not afraid to trust her with us, captain,” said Zoe. “Iassure you we would be good to her, and I dare say she would prove agreat amusement to my babies.”

  “I have not a doubt that you would treat her well, sister Zoe,” repliedthe captain, “and if Lulu is inclined to lend her for a few days, Ishall not object.”

  “Then I’ll not take any trouble to hunt her up when we’re ready to gohome,” said Lulu.

  All had now satisfied their appetites, the tables were presentlyforsaken, and the company gathered in groups here and there underthe trees, some amusing themselves in playing games, others withconversation; but it had been a long June day, and before the sun hadfairly set most of them were on their homeward way; for Mr. and Mrs.Dinsmore and Grandma Elsie, hardly rested after their journey, began tolook weary. Mr. Lilburn, at the urgent invitation of the captain andViolet, returned with them to Woodburn to complete his visit there,which they said had not been half long enough. Marian too was withthem, so that they were quite a little party.

  Grace and the little ones went directly to bed on reaching home, butthe elder ones passed a pleasant hour or two on the veranda beforereturning.