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DENISE 
 AND NED TOODLES 
 
:Lls 
 
 THE NEW PONY. 
 
DENISE 
 AND NED TOODLES 
 
 a Urue Stoq? 
 
 BY 
 
 GABRIELLE E. JACKSON 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
 
 C. M. RELYEA 
 
 NEW YORK 
 THE CENTURY CO. 
 
 1906 
 
Copyright, 1898, 
 By The Century Co. 
 
 The DeVinnc Press. 
 
TO MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS 
 
 /IDaE an& Xillian 
 
 WHO HAVE PROVEN THEM- 
 SELVES VERY KIND AND GEN- 
 TLE CRITICS.THIS LITTLE TALE 
 IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY 
 INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I A Birthday Surprise i 
 II "Some Days must be Dark and Dreary" ii 
 
 III Ned's Christmas Gift . . . .21 
 
 IV How Denise and Ned set up House- 
 
 keeping 27 
 
 V Gentleman Ned's Quarters . . 34 
 
 VI Cooking, Housekeeping, and " Pokey " . 42 
 
 VII Farmer Sutton 52 
 
 VIII An Inviting Lane 64 
 
 IX House-Cleaning and Mischief . . 70 
 
 X An Epidemic of Mischief . . .81 
 
 XI Ned Develops a Taste for Taffy . 90 
 
 XII Captain Hamilton's Plan . . . 101 
 
 XIII Patsy Murphy 109 
 
 XIV Birthday Plans 121 
 
 XV Pokey has a Dream .... 130 
 
 XVI A Nutting-Party 137 
 
 XVII Pokey Tries to Study Botany . . 148 
 
 XVIII The "Chapel" 155 
 
viii CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 XIX Anxious Hours 166 
 
 XX An Hour of Anguish . . . . 176 
 
 XXI Thanksgiving 182 
 
 XXII Pokey Comes to Spend Christmas . 192 
 
 XXIII Ned is Put through his Paces . . 199 
 
 XXIV Stockings 207 
 
 XXV The Star Actor's Farewell Appearance 217 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 The New Pony Frontispiece 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Last of all Came the Good-by to Ned, and 
 
 it was more than denise could endure . 1 5 
 A Beautiful Little House had been Built 
 
 in the Yard 29 
 
 Funniest of all were the Dinners given to 
 
 Ned, Tan, and the Dogs . . . -45 
 
 Denise and Pokey Petted the Little Lamb 61 
 After the House was in Order, the Dolls 
 
 had to be Dressed 73 
 
 The Pan and Spoons were Flying Wildly out 
 
 into the Middle of the Road . . 93 
 
 Patsy 113 
 
 Ned Reached out and Grabbed the Candy. 117 
 It Took Many Days and Much Patience be- 
 fore Ned was Pronounced Perfect . 127 
 The Birthday Party in the Woods . . . 141 
 
 In the Chapel 159 
 
 Anxious Hours .169 
 
 Sleighing on Thanksgiving Day . . . 185 
 
 The Thanksgiving Party 189 
 
 Christmas Morning 209 
 
 The Tiny Cutter Skimming over the Smooth Ice 221 
 
DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 
 
 Many years ago (so many that the writer's 
 little daughter, when told how many, asked : 
 "Mama, are you a hundred years old yet?") 
 there lived in a pretty town on the banks of 
 the Hudson River, not many miles from New 
 York, a little girl named — well, we will call 
 her Denise. That was not her real name, but 
 some one who is very closely related to her 
 now bears it, and so we will give it to her. 
 She had neither brother nor sister, and was 
 sometimes a little bit lonely, even though she 
 
2 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 had a number of pets, including dogs, kittens, 
 rabbits, birds, and a beautiful big goat named 
 " Tan " to drive about in a little carriage. 
 Tan loved her dearly, and, when not har- 
 nessed to his carriage, would follow her about 
 like her big Newfoundland dog, " Sailor." 
 No matter where Denise went, the goat " was 
 sure to go," until people used to laugh and 
 say, " Here come Tan and Denise," instead 
 of " Denise and Tan." 
 
 The little girl loved her pets as dearly as 
 they loved her ; but the dream and desire of 
 her life was to have a dear little pony to ride 
 and drive, and — last but by no means least — 
 to love ; her fondness for horses amounted to 
 a passion, and with them she was absolutely 
 fearless. They, in turn, seemed to love and 
 comprehend her to a wonderful degree, re- 
 sponding to her voice and submitting to her 
 caresses when they were often fractious and 
 quite unruly with others. 
 
 So it seemed a very gratifying ending to 
 the long-cherished wish, when, on her tenth 
 birthday, one bright October morning, her 
 father said to her : 
 
 " Many happy returns of the day, my pet ! 
 Run to Mama, and ask her to dress you for a 
 
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 3 
 
 walk. I 've a surprise at the end of it for 
 both her and you." 
 
 " Another surprise ! " exclaimed Denise. 
 " Why, I thought I 'd seen all the surprises 
 before breakfast ! " 
 
 " No, dear ; I 've another. It 's a little 
 thing, and if you don't like it you may tell it 
 to just run away, as you have no place for it." 
 
 "Now, what can it be?" thought Denise, 
 as she hurried up-stairs, and, bursting into 
 Mama's room, cried : " Oh, Mama, dress me 
 quickly, please, for Papa has a walk "at the 
 end of a surprise, and you 're not to know a 
 thing about it, either ! " 
 
 Never were curls made tidy so quickly, or 
 clothes scrabbled on in such a hurry. Before 
 Papa had time to find hat, gloves, or cane, a 
 very excited little girl stood before him cry- 
 ing: " If you don't start quickly, I just know 
 my head will fly off — like a bottle of soda- 
 water that 's all fizz ! " 
 
 About thirty minutes' walk along the shore 
 of the beautiful river, whose waters seemed to 
 dance and sparkle in sympathy with Denise 
 as she pranced and skipped along, brought 
 them to the village, where Papa turned down 
 a side street which led to a livery- and board- 
 
4 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 ing-stable. Denise's heart began to beat so 
 loudly that she felt sure it could be heard, 
 and her brown eyes to sparkle as though 
 some one had dropped a little diamond into 
 each. 
 
 " Oh, me ! " she whispered to herself. " I 
 just know it 's a new carriage and set of har- 
 ness for Tan ! Papa has asked Mr. Andrews 
 to get it for me because he heard me say that 
 the old ones were getting very shabby for 
 such a handsome goat." 
 
 Tan, by the way, was an unusually large 
 specimen of his kind, measuring quite thirty- 
 two inches at the shoulders, and boasting a 
 head and pair of horns that were the admira- 
 tion of all who saw them. He was named 
 Tan because of the color of his hair, which 
 was a bright tan, and shone like satin when 
 well brushed by John, the coachman. So the 
 prospect of a new harness and carriage for 
 Tan was quite enough to set Denise's heart 
 dancing. 
 
 At last the stable was reached, and the 
 first thing her eyes fell upon was a beautiful 
 little phaeton with bright yellow wheels, and 
 a shining top that could be raised and low- 
 ered, "just like big folks'." 
 
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 5 
 
 In the bottom, for her feet to rest upon, 
 was a little yellow Angora-wool rug, to match 
 the color of the wheels. On the seat was a 
 soft, white wool blanket, bound with yellow 
 silk, and in one corner was fastened a big 
 blanket-pin that was certainly intended to 
 pin that blanket snugly around something's 
 throat. Over the shining dash-board was 
 folded a handsome fur robe, made of a leop- 
 ard's skin, and trimmed all round the edges 
 with wildcat's fur. 
 
 The leopard's head looked very fierce, as it 
 stared at Denise with big glass eyes ; but I 
 hardly think that a live leopard would have 
 made much impression on her, so speechless 
 and dumb had this fascinating sight turned 
 her. 
 
 But when she went closer, and took out the 
 exquisite little whip which stood in the whip- 
 socket, and read her own initials on the gold 
 band which held the dainty ivory handle to 
 the snakewood stick, her joy began to pour 
 forth in a torrent of words which quite 
 drowned the remark of old John, who stood 
 by, enjoying it all as though the whole thing 
 had been planned for one of his own little 
 Johns at home. 
 
6 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 "Whisht, darlint ! while I roon and fitch up 
 the little hoorse that fits insoide," said he, as 
 he disappeared through a side door. 
 
 Presently Denise's ears heard a patter, 
 patter ! patter, patter ! Looking behind her, 
 she beheld the dearest, darlingest little pony 
 that any one ever saw ! 
 
 He was black as a crow from the tip of 
 his saucy little nose to the end of the long 
 silky tail that dragged on the ground behind 
 him, except one little white moon just back 
 of his right eye, which seemed to have been 
 put there on purpose to kiss, it was so soft 
 and round. 
 
 For a moment Denise did not move or 
 speak, and then, with a cry of delight which 
 amply repaid her father for his long weeks of 
 searching and planning for this perfect little 
 turnout, she flung her arms around the pony's 
 neck and laughed and cried and kissed him 
 until the poor little fellow was quite bewil- 
 dered, and did not know whether his new 
 mistress was one to be desired or avoided. 
 
 Presently, however, he decided that it was 
 all right, and, with a little neigh, he thrust 
 his soft nose into her hands, pressed his 
 face close to hers, searched her pockets for 
 
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 7 
 
 sugar, and tried to say as plainly as a horse 
 could : 
 
 ' 'This is my new little mistress, and as she 
 seems to love me already, I 'm going to show 
 her how much / can love her." 
 
 Then John produced the harness that fitted 
 the "little hoorse" which "fitted insoide,"and 
 before many minutes the new pony was har- 
 nessed to the phaeton that had been made to 
 his measure. 
 
 No words can express the rapture of that 
 drive. To hold the pretty reins and feel the 
 prompt response given by the well-trained 
 little animal ; to watch his pranks and antics 
 as he dashed along, apparently trying to show 
 how graceful he could be in order to con- 
 vince his new mistress that he left nothing 
 to be desired — it really seemed too good to 
 be true, and Denise feared that it might all 
 be a dream from which she would waken and 
 find that pony and all had vanished ! 
 
 The little feet fairly flew over the ground, 
 and the drive home was quite the shortest 
 she had ever known. 
 
 Mama stood on the piazza, watching for 
 the surprise to come ; and when she saw the 
 handsome pony and the carriage with her 
 
8 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 husband and her own little daughter sitting 
 in it come dashing up the driveway, she was 
 as much pleased as mothers usually are when 
 they know that their little girls' dearest wishes 
 are realized. 
 
 The entire household had to be summoned 
 to see and admire this pony, which was surely 
 more wonderful than any pony that had ever 
 lived ; and the charming little fellow was 
 talked to and caressed and petted and fed 
 with apples and sugar until he was in a very 
 fair, way to be made ill. 
 
 "And now," said Denise, "what shall we 
 name him, Mama ? " 
 
 " You must name him yourself, darling," 
 answered Mama, " for he is all your very 
 own, to love and care for." 
 
 "Well," said Denise, in a tone which set- 
 tled the matter beyond all question, " I 'm 
 going to call him 'Ned Toodles'; 'Ned' 
 because he is as black as old darky Ned 
 who comes for the ashes, and ' Toodles ' be- 
 cause he is so little and round and roly- 
 poly." 
 
 So "Ned Toodles" was the name given to 
 the dear little pony, who thenceforth figured 
 very conspicuously in the life and pranks of 
 
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE 9 
 
 his mistress, and now and again caused many 
 a twinge of jealousy among the other pets. 
 
 At last Denise was persuaded to let Ned 
 be led away to his new quarters, John ex- 
 claiming, as he marched off with his small 
 charge in tow : " Faith ! howiver am I to clane 
 sooch a shcrap of a thing as this ? I '11 have 
 to be hoontin' up a big box to shtand him 
 on ! " 
 
 And, sure enough, that was exactly what 
 he had to do, and it took but a short time for 
 the intelligent little animal to learn just what 
 the box was for ; as soon as his stall was 
 opened, he would march out, get upon the 
 box, stand very still while he was curried, 
 and then lift first one dainty little foot and 
 then each of the others to have it properly 
 cleaned and washed. 
 
 Nothing gave John greater satisfaction 
 than to brush the beautiful coat until it shone 
 like moleskin, and to comb the silky mane 
 and tail until each particular hair seemed to 
 stand out for very pride. 
 
 Ned soon grew to love his little mistress 
 very dearly, and to answer with a loud neigh 
 the queer, piping whistle by which she always 
 called to him. 
 
io DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 No pen can describe the delightful drives 
 of the charming - autumn days. Jack Frost 
 seemed particularly gracious that year, and 
 painted the trees more gorgeously than ever 
 before. At least, it seemed so to Denise ; 
 but perhaps seeing it all from her own little 
 carriage as she drove along in the golden 
 sunshine, singing to Ned a certain little song 
 of which he never seemed to tire, gave an 
 added charm to everything. 
 
 This song was all about a "poor little 
 robin," whose name was " Toodle-de-too"; 
 and Ned seemed to think that it had been 
 composed especially for him, and would in- 
 variably go very slowly as soon as Denise 
 began to sing it, and would turn back one 
 ear, as though to hear it better. 
 
 When the song was ended he would give 
 a funny little jump of approval, and then trot 
 on again. 
 
 And so the happy autumn days sped by, 
 and the longer she owned him the more cer- 
 tain little Denise felt that there never had 
 been so happy an introduction before as that 
 which made her acquainted with her saga- 
 cious, affectionate pony, Ned Toodles. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 SOME DAYS MUST BE DARK AND DREARY " 
 
 [HE days slipped quickly by. Each 
 crisp, frosty morning Denise drove 
 Papa to the station, and each even- 
 ing went to fetch him home. At first Ned 
 did not know what to make of the big iron 
 horse that came snorting and panting into 
 the depot, and was strongly tempted to jump 
 and run. But Denise was too good a horse- 
 woman to permit such pranks, and it was 
 not long before she quieted his fears, and in 
 a short time he was ready to follow her right 
 up to the engine and touch it with his nose 
 wherever she laid her hand upon it, let it 
 pant and puff as hard as it could. 
 
 The engineer seemed to consider it a good 
 joke, and often came down out of his cab to 
 speak to Denise and stroke little Ned's soft 
 nose. 
 
 Many years have passed, but the engineer 
 
12 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 is still at his post, running engine 274, and 
 never fails to have a kind word and smile for 
 the little Denise who now skips and dances 
 beside the one whose pony he used to pet 
 and helped to teach that locomotives were 
 not going to run off their tracks just to chase 
 small horses. 
 
 The confidence Ned grew to feel in his 
 little mistress was wonderful to witness, and 
 there was simply nothing she could not do 
 with him, or induce him to do for her. Each 
 morning brought its lessons with her gov- 
 erness, Miss Meredith, and from nine until 
 twelve o'clock Master Ned had to amuse 
 himself by watching John or the big horses, 
 and telling his adventures to them in horse 
 language. 
 
 He was very happy in his new home, and 
 surely never was pony more beloved and 
 petted. 
 
 So we cannot wonder that Denise felt as 
 though her heart must break when, one even- 
 ing in November, Papa said that it would be 
 necessary for them to go to town for two or 
 three months, and the house would have to 
 be closed and left in the charge of the ser- 
 vants. 
 
"SOME DAYS MUST BE DARK AND DREARY" 13 
 
 "But, Papa," said Denise, "surely you will 
 not leave Ned behind ? " 
 
 " I fear we must, little daughter," was the 
 reply. "We shall have no place in town to 
 keep him ; and even had we, I should not 
 like my little girl to drive, through the city 
 streets, and we shall not be near the park." 
 
 Denise was not a model child, and did not 
 possess a submissive spirit by any means ; 
 but she had been taught one thing, and 
 taught thoroughly, and it was that teasing 
 is selfish and inconsiderate, especially when 
 once a wise reason has been given. 
 
 The reason was always forthcoming, and 
 she was encouraged to look upon a question 
 from all sides, and consequently many a 
 wretched hour and trying scene were spared. 
 
 So now she struggled against the tears 
 which would well up in spite of her bravest 
 efforts, and said : 
 
 " Please, Papa, may I come sometimes to 
 see him and the other children ? " For her 
 pets seemed like children to her, which must 
 be loved and taught as she herself was by 
 Papa and Mama, whom she considered the 
 very wisest and best that had ever lived. 
 
 " Darling, let me tell you something," said 
 
14 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Papa, drawing her to him and holding her 
 close. " I do not wish to promise something 
 I may be unable to fulfil, and so I '11 tell you at 
 once that it is very improbable that you will 
 get out to see 'the children ' before our return 
 in March. But I want my little girl to try to 
 be patient, as the months will soon slip away 
 and I hardly think she will regret it in the 
 end. Ned will be well cared for during your 
 absence, for John is very fond of his small 
 charge, and will never forget his morning 
 lump of sugar, nor the tidbits for the other 
 pets. 
 
 All too soon came the morning when all 
 was ready for the short journey to the city. 
 It was a gloomy, showery morning, as though 
 the weather was in sympathy with Denise 
 and was glad to feel dismal too. 
 
 The pets were all visited for the last time. 
 The rabbits had their parsley, the kittens 
 their saucer of milk, Sailor a bone saved from 
 breakfast, and Tan his carrot. 
 
 The four birds and " Beauty Buttons" — 
 the little black-and-tan terrier — were to ac- 
 company the family to town, so only Ned 
 and the big horses remained to be bidden 
 farewell. 
 
LAST OF ALL CAME THE GOOD-BY TO NED, AND IT WAS MORE 
 THAN DENISE COULD ENDURE." 
 
"SOME DAYS MUST BE DARK AND DREARY" 17 
 
 Into the great box-stalls went Denise with 
 her sugar, for the little girl was perfectly fear- 
 less, and knew that the horses loved her too 
 dearly to harm her in any way. 
 
 Their big, silky heads were thrust down 
 beside her face, and the great, intelligent eyes 
 looked at her as though trying to express 
 their love and good-by in a language we 
 can soon understand if we are fond of the 
 beautiful dumb creatures. 
 
 " Good-by, 'Sunshine,'" said Denise, hold- 
 ing the warm muzzle close to her face. " Be 
 a good horse and don't forget me." 
 
 Then going into the adjoining stall, she 
 laid her face against " Flash's " silky neck, 
 and the great beast, although well meriting 
 his name, was as quiet as a lamb. 
 
 " Good-by, dear old horse. I '11 come back 
 just the very minute I can, and give you and 
 Sunshine such lots of sugar to pay up for all 
 you '11 miss while I 'm gone." 
 
 Last of all came the good-by to Ned, and 
 it was more than Denise could endure ; so 
 putting her arms around the soft, warm neck, 
 she hid her face in the shaggy mane and 
 sobbed as hard as she could sob. 
 
 " Oh, Ned, Ned, Ned ! how am I ever to get 
 
18 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 on without you?" she cried. And the little 
 fellow seemed to realize that something was 
 very, very wrong, for he laid his head on her 
 shoulder and gave a soft, subdued little 
 whinny, very unlike those he usually gave 
 his little mistress, as though he was trying to 
 comfort her. 
 
 It was a comfort, for after a time the bitter 
 sobs ceased, and Denise kissed him again 
 and again, and at last left him to good John, 
 who was much affected by the pathetic little 
 scene, and vowed a mighty vow in his kind 
 Irish heart that "thot shmall hoorse should 
 be afther havin' the best attintion John 
 Noonan could give him." 
 
 When Denise joined her father and mother, 
 the traces of tears told them how hard the 
 parting had been for their little girl. 
 
 "Poor little thing," whispered Mama; "I 
 really believe she has suffered as keenly as 
 you or I would, were we called upon to part 
 with a dear friend, for Ned has become a part 
 of her very existence." 
 
 "Well," answered Papa, "if it is within my 
 power, I shall make it up to her in some way, 
 for she has yielded without a murmur and 
 made her sacrifice very bravely, dear little 
 
"SOME DAYS MUST BE DARK AND DREARY" 19 
 
 body ! But I have a plan in my head, which, 
 with a little help from you, dear, I think, will 
 make her return home such a happy one that 
 she will never regret having been so con- 
 siderate of us." 
 
 Presently all were on the train speeding 
 toward New York ; and as they flew along, 
 going farther and farther from the beloved 
 pony, Papa and Mama talked over the plan 
 in a tone too low for Denise to guess that she 
 was the subject of the conversation, or ever 
 to dream of the wonderful plan which was 
 being turned about for her happiness. 
 
 So her little moan was made ; and at the 
 end of a few hours she found herself estab- 
 lished in a big hotel in the city, with enough 
 noise and bustle all about her to keep both 
 eyes and ears busy, and help her forget for a 
 time a pert little head and pair of soft brown 
 eyes far away up the river. 
 
 But only for a short time ; for often during 
 the three months in town she felt as though 
 she must run away for one hug and one kiss 
 on the tiny white moon beside Ned Toodles's 
 right eye. 
 
 Good reports, however, came from John, 
 for the faithful creature nearly paralyzed his 
 
20 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 fingers in his endeavors to keep Denise well 
 informed ; and before she realized it Decem- 
 ber had nearly passed, and Christmas, with 
 its innumerable pleasures, surprises, and what 
 not, was at hand ; and Christmas to Denise 
 usually meant a great deal, and brought with 
 it enough to keep eyes, ears, and hands busy 
 for several months. 
 
 This year was to be no exception, for Ned 
 must figure in all the plans, and how he fared 
 must be told in another chapter. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 NEDS CHRISTMAS GIFT 
 
 ^MA," said Denise, one morning, 
 shortly before Christmas, "what 
 cd7i I get for Ned's Christmas pres- 
 ent ? He does n't need a new blanket, or 
 anything of that sort, so what shall it be ? " 
 
 " Surely he must have something, and who 
 shall say what ? " answered Mama, who usu- 
 ally entered heart and hand into her little 
 girl's plans. 
 
 " Seems to me he has just everything now, 
 and I can't think of a single thing for him," 
 said Denise, in despair. 
 
 " Suppose we ask Papa to help us answer 
 so weighty a question," suggested her mother. 
 
 "Just the thing ! " cried Denise ; and when 
 Papa arrived the problem was given to him 
 to solve. 
 
 " Something for Ned ? Have n't you for- 
 gotten that little black scamp ? " said he, 
 pinching Denise's cheek. 
 
22 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 "Forgotten Ned! As though I could for- 
 get him for one half-minute!" exclaimed Ned's 
 mistress, indignantly. 
 
 "And he must have something, must he? 
 Why not send him a little stick and have it 
 fastened up in his stall to act as a hint for 
 good behavior ? " 
 
 "You 're not to tease me another bit, but 
 just sit down in that chair, so" — pushing 
 him into the easy-chair — "and let me crawl 
 into your lap, so " — curling herself into a lit- 
 tle round ball like a kitten — "and think as 
 hard as ever you can think." 
 
 "'A horse! ahorse! My kingdom for a 
 horse ! ' — a very little one !" said Papa, laugh- 
 ing. "That ever I should have to sit down 
 and think seriously of what I should give a 
 horse for his Christmas, you small tyrant ! 
 Well, there, suppose we take a walk to- 
 morrow a. m. to a store I happen to know of, 
 and we will see what can be found." 
 
 " I just believe you 've ordered something 
 already," said Denise, "and have talked all 
 this nonsense to make me believe you had n't 
 thought a thing of it." 
 
 "You do 'muchee thinkee,' as Sam Sing 
 said to me a few days since, when I asked 
 him how he managed to keep track of all his 
 
NED'S CHRISTMAS GIFT 23 
 
 laundry work. That little head of yours 
 should n't be able to ' muchee think ' at 
 Christmas-tide, don't you know that ? " was 
 her father's answer. 
 
 Bright and early the next morning the 
 trio started out, Papa leading the way to a 
 big harness-store on Broadway, which he 
 entered as though he were no stranger to the 
 place. 
 
 " How is my order coming on, Mr. Lenox ?" 
 was the first question put. 
 
 " Finely, sir ; what do you think of it ? " 
 said the salesman, bringing from a case a 
 beautiful little side-saddle, bridle, and whip. 
 
 Denise clapped her hands and exclaimed, 
 "I knew it! I knew it!" but whether she 
 meant the saddle or whip was not explained. 
 
 " Is this the young lady who is to mount 
 this saddle?" asked Mr. Lenox. "Suppose 
 we try how it sits, little miss"; and he placed 
 it upon a small wooden horse standing at 
 hand. After adjusting everything properly, 
 he lifted Denise to her seat and placed the 
 reins and whip in her hands. 
 
 " Oh, if it were only Ned Toodles ! " said 
 she. " It would be simply perfect ! Do you 
 think it will fit, Papa ? " 
 
 " I should n't wonder if it did, for Ned sent 
 
24 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 me his waist measure and told me he pre- 
 ferred gray castor to brown for the seat." 
 
 "I 'm going to write to John the very min- 
 ute I get home, and ask him to tell Ned all 
 about it. He '11 understand and be delighted, 
 I know," said Denise, half beside herself with 
 pleasure. 
 
 But, as often happens, one acquisition ne- 
 cessitates number two, and it was soon dis- 
 covered that a saddle and bridle without a 
 habit were very like a cart without a horse ; 
 and the next question to be answered was, 
 What shall the habit be ? 
 
 "That," said Papa, "is not in my line, and 
 I '11 leave it to Mama and you." 
 
 "Then my suggestion," said Mama, when 
 the question was submitted, "would be a 
 brown habit, brown hat, and brown gloves to 
 match brown eyes and brown hair. What 
 do you say to it ? " 
 
 So, brown it was ; and in due time all was 
 completed, and it was only necessary for 
 spring to come in order to try the effect of 
 saddle, bridle, habit, and all. 
 
 Christmas morning dawned bright and 
 frosty, and "Merry Christmas!" "Merry 
 Christmas!" sounded back and forth from 
 Denise's room and Papa's and Mama's; for 
 
NED'S CHRISTMAS GIFT 25 
 
 sleep was quite out of the question, when a 
 big tree with plenty of pretty things on it, 
 and bundles galore lying beneath, stood just 
 beyond a closed door in Mama's sitting-room. 
 So instead of forty extra winks for a holiday 
 it was many less, and the dressing was done 
 in short order. 
 
 Denise could scarcely swallow her break- 
 fast, so eager was she to see the gifts. And 
 well she might be, for few little girls were 
 more generously remembered than this for- 
 tunate little one whose true story I am telling 
 you. But at last the breakfast was disposed 
 of, and to Denise it seemed as though Papa 
 had never eaten so heartily or so slowly. 
 
 But all things come to an end, and in time 
 Papa's appetite was appeased, and he was 
 ready to distribute the pretties. 
 
 First, a wonderful dolly with a wardrobe 
 which might have served as a model for any 
 society belle, and a perfect little trunk in 
 which to keep the charming toilets. This 
 was Papa's gift. From Mama came the 
 entire set of Miss Alcott's stories, prettily 
 bound, and ready for Denise's little library 
 at home. Aunt Helen sent a bedroom set 
 for the young lady doll, consisting of bureau, 
 bed, wash-stand, table, and chairs, and also a 
 
26 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 dear little sideboard for the dishes at home. 
 Then, too, there were games and all sorts of 
 pretty remembrances from friends far away 
 who never forgot her, no matter how great 
 the distance that separated them. 
 
 Of course the dolly had to be named, and 
 Denise usually managed to think out some 
 name befitting the recipient. In this case it 
 happened to be Rosamund Marie Lombard ■ 
 and all agreed that it suited the young lady 
 admirably. Every costume had to be tried 
 on and admired and criticized by the assem- 
 bled family. But after many trials the lav- 
 ender satin ball dress was pronounced the 
 "loveliest," and the young lady wore it the 
 entire day, to the great distress of the other 
 dolls, who felt decidedly cast into the shade 
 by her splendor. 
 
 It was no wonder that, with so much to 
 read and play with, the days after Christmas 
 slipped away so quickly that February crept 
 upon them before Denise could realize it. 
 Soon there were only weeks, then only days 
 to be counted before it would be time to pack 
 the trunks for the homeward journey. These, 
 too, soon slipped by, and the grand day itself 
 arrived. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 HOW DENISE AND NED SET UP HOUSEKEEPING 
 
 JN the way home Denise felt as if she 
 must shout and sing - for very joy. 
 It was simply a physical impossi- 
 bility to keep still, when the prospect of 
 meeting Ned Toodles was so near at hand ; 
 and her fellow-travelers smiled from sheer 
 sympathy when they caught sight of her 
 happy face and heard the incessant chatter of 
 the excited little maid. 
 
 As the train drew into the station, Denise's 
 eyes swept the driveway at one glance. 
 
 " Oh, I see him ! I see him ! " she shouted ; 
 '' John has brought him to meet me ! " and she 
 almost plunged headlong upon the platform. 
 
 Sure enough, there was little Mr. Ned, as 
 perky as ever, with both ears pointing for- 
 ward to hear her voice, which he at once 
 recognized and answered with a loud and 
 joyous neigh. 
 
 27 
 
28 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Such a happy meeting ! It was difficult to 
 tell which was the happier, Denise or Ned, 
 for he whinnied and snorted and " hoo-hooed," 
 and made all sorts of remarkable sounds. He 
 put his head first on one and then on the 
 other side of Denise's face. He turned it so 
 that the little white moon could be kissed, for, 
 though probably quite unaware that any little 
 white moon was there at all, he still remem- 
 bered that it was just there she most often 
 kissed him, and he wished her to know that he 
 had not forgotten it. It was plain that he wished 
 her to know that he had not forgotten her. 
 
 " Denise, my darling," said Mama at last, 
 "won't you please get into the phaeton and 
 drive home, or I fear there will be no Ned left 
 to carry you." 
 
 Little did Denise dream of what had hap- 
 pened during her absence, or what a delight- 
 ful surprise awaited her at the end of the 
 drive. 
 
 The first thing that caught Denise's eye as 
 she drove into their own pretty grounds was 
 a beautiful little house that had been built in 
 the yard near the stable. A pretty little 
 French-roofed affair it was, with a window on 
 every side, both up-stairs and down, and two 
 
DENISE AND NED SET UP HOUSEKEEPING 31 
 
 doors, one of which looked very like the front 
 door of a house, and the other decidedly like 
 a stable door. 
 
 " Now, whatever can that be?" thought 
 she. "Surely it can't be for John and his 
 family, for it is n't big enough for them. 
 Why have they built that funny little house 
 in our grounds ? " 
 
 Meanwhile her father and mother had left 
 their carriage and had walked over to this 
 remarkable house ; so Denise drove over to 
 them, for a branch road from the main drive- 
 way led most invitingly to it. On the door 
 was a little brass plate, and upon it was 
 engraved : 
 
 MISS DENISE LOMBARD 
 
 AND 
 
 MR. NED TOODLES. 
 
 " Papa," exclaimed Denise, " you 've had a 
 play-house built for Ned and me ! Oh ! oh ! 
 oh ! was ever anything so sweet ? " and she 
 spun around in a perfect ecstasy. 
 
 "May we walk into your parlor?" asked 
 
32 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Mama. " Here 's the key." Denise took it 
 as if it were something that might vanish if 
 roughly handled, and opened the door. 
 
 She stood transfixed upon the threshold, 
 too astounded to go farther. The front door 
 opened into a little room fitted up like a din- 
 ing-room. On the hard-wood floor lay a 
 pretty rug, upon which stood the dolls' ex- 
 tension-table, with table-cloth and dishes all 
 laid for dinner. In one corner stood Aunt 
 Helen's present, the little sideboard, which 
 had been sent on with the other luggage a 
 few days before. 
 
 Two chairs stood beside it — chairs that 
 had never been made for big people, al- 
 though quite strong enough to hold them, 
 if necessary. 
 
 A door from this room led to another just 
 beyond, which was evidently the kitchen, for 
 there stood the little cooking-stove, and in it 
 crackled and snapped a fire of charcoal, while 
 a little coal-hod stood beside it, filled with 
 fuel, so as to keep the tiny stove always well 
 supplied. 
 
 Poker, shovel, and holder were handy by, 
 on the hooks ; and upon shelves stood all the 
 things needed in a complete kitchen. The 
 
DENISE AND NED SET UP HOUSEKEEPING 33 
 
 table stood waiting to be used, and even the 
 tiny kitchen-apron was not forgotten. 
 
 As soon as she could move, Denise rushed 
 from one thing to another, nearly beside her- 
 self with excitement, while the authors of this 
 charming plan stood reaping their reward for 
 all the thought and care spent upon the hap- 
 piness of their little girl. 
 
 " You precious, precious Moddie ! " cried 
 Denise, throwing her arms about her mother's 
 neck; "you did all this for me, and I don't 
 know how I 'm ever to thank you hard 
 enough ! " 
 
 " But, darling," said Mama, as she un- 
 wound the little arms, " it was not / alone. 
 You must let dear Papa and Miss Alcott 
 share the thanks, for it took all three to 
 bring about this pleasure for you. Papa 
 thought of one part, I another; and when we 
 read ' Little Men ' this winter, Aunt Jo's 
 kitchen for Daisy and Nan suggested this 
 one for you. And I want my little girl to 
 use hers as carefully and wisely as they used 
 theirs, and to become as skilful a little cook. 
 And Ned Toodles is to be your company, for 
 he is close by. Now, dear, open this door, 
 and find out to what it leads," 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 GENTLEMAN NED's QUARTERS 
 
 ,ENISE crossed the kitchen, and 
 opening the door, found herself in 
 a complete miniature stable. Be- 
 fore her stood the phaeton, and also a new- 
 wagon of the sort called a "depot- wagon." 
 It had two seats, and was certainly built for 
 service. Just beyond was a big closet with 
 a glass door, through which could be seen 
 the harness, the blankets, and a shining new 
 collar to be used with the depot-wagon. 
 
 There, too, hung the saddle and bridle, 
 and a dozen other things necessary for a 
 well-bred and self-respecting pony* At the 
 farther side of the room were two dainty 
 box-stalls — one, with two wooden bars across, 
 for a day-stall ; the other with a door bal- 
 anced by heavy weights so that it would 
 raise and lower like a window-sash. The 
 bars on the day-stall were held in place by 
 
 34 
 
GENTLEMAN NED'S QUARTERS 35 
 
 wooden pegs, which fact led to serious mis- 
 chief a few months later. 
 
 The weights that balanced the door of the 
 night-stall hung down on the inside, and the 
 door was as easily raised and lowered as a 
 well-hung window. Directly in the center a 
 hole had been cut in which to place the hand 
 to raise the door; and peeping through that 
 hole Denise saw a big brown eye, while 
 through the door came the unspellable sound 
 horses make when they welcome you — 
 " Hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo ! " It meant, 
 as plainly as words could have said it, "I 
 want to come out, for I don't belong in this 
 stall in the daytime." 
 
 While Denise had been admiring her play- 
 house, John had unharnessed Ned and 
 tucked him safely away ; for he was more 
 than anxious that all should be in proper 
 shape to receive the little mistress's first 
 visit. 
 
 " Hush ! " whispered Denise. " Let 's make 
 believe we don't hear him." 
 
 Presently a great bang, banging began ; 
 for, failing to attract his share of attention 
 by snorting, Ned decided to resort to more 
 active measures, and set about slamming the 
 
36 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 weights against the side of his stall by poking 
 them with his saucy little nose. 
 
 " Mercy me ! " exclaimed Denise. " He 
 will bang the door down ! " and she flew to 
 open it. 
 
 , Out walked the young scamp, as serenely 
 as though slamming weights about had never 
 entered his head. 
 
 Stopping for a moment to take a good look 
 at his guests, he decided that they were his 
 friends, that this was his own domicile, and 
 that the bin of oats was his own property. 
 
 Walking over to it, he proceeded to get at 
 the contents by calmly raising the lid with 
 his teeth, and then prepared to eat his fill. 
 
 "Well," said Papa, "you are a young fel- 
 low of resources. When did you learn that 
 trick?" 
 
 "Faith," said John, "he '11 just be afther 
 doin' that iviry chance he gets ; and he niver 
 has to learn anything. He knows it alriddy." 
 
 "Well, we can't have him up to such 
 pranks, or he will eat till he kills himself. 
 John, you must put a fastening on this bin. 
 And you" he added, as he dragged Ned away 
 by his forelock, "just toddle back to your 
 stall ! " 
 
GENTLEMAN NED'S QUARTERS 37 
 
 But Master Ned had no notion of being 
 shut up in his stall again, and with a saucy 
 shake of his head, and funny little jumps, he 
 went straight over to the barrel of soft feed 
 which stood beside the pail of water, and 
 lifting off the lid, plunged his nose into the 
 meal, which flew in all directions. 
 
 " I declare, he is worse than a monkey ! " 
 cried Papa, as he made a second dive for the 
 marauder. But Denise caught his hand and, 
 between her shouts of laughter, begged her 
 father to let Ned be, and see what next would 
 happen. What Ned did was to poke and push 
 the barrel until he had tilted it over toward 
 the pail of water, when a lot of the meal ran 
 into the pail. This he proceeded to swish 
 about till he had a most delectable mess, and 
 he was daubed with meal from his nose to his 
 ear-tips. 
 
 It was funny beyond words to watch the 
 sagacious little pony, for he seemed to reason 
 out exactly how a thing should be done, and 
 then do it. 
 
 When at last he was safely bestowed in 
 his day-stall, he promptly turned his back 
 upon his visitors, and acted as if he would 
 have nothing further to say to them. 
 
38 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 " John," said Papa, as they were about to 
 leave the stable, "I think you had better have 
 combination locks put on everything, and 
 then we shall be safe — at least, till Ned 
 Toodles learns the combination." 
 
 Returning to the play-house, they mounted 
 the pretty staircase that led up aloft, and 
 came to a little bedroom with all Denises 
 furniture and dollies. Off this was a small 
 room in which were placed her various toys 
 and treasures. A partition divided this from 
 the "up-stairs" which belonged to Ned's side; 
 and Denise said it was a mercy that he had 
 not learned to climb steps during their ab- 
 sence, or he would dispose of the provisions 
 stowed away for him here. 
 
 " Am I really to play here, and have it all 
 for my very own ? " asked Denise, as if it 
 were too delightful to be true, and must hold 
 some conditions to make it really, truly hers. 
 
 "It is really your very own, my pet," said 
 Papa. "Play here all you like, and make your 
 patty-cakes or putty- cakes, or whatever you 
 call them. Mama and I have done this to 
 thank you for doing so much for us." 
 
 " Why, what have* I done ? " asked Denise 
 in surprise. 
 
GENTLEMAN NED'S QUARTERS 39 
 
 " You have always given us both that which 
 we would rather receive than all the costly 
 gifts you could find — cheerful obedience. It 
 was hard to leave the new pet last fall, we 
 know, and we were both grieved to compel 
 you to do so ; but you did so without a mur- 
 mur, and we chose this way to prove how much 
 we appreciated it." 
 
 Denise's eyes filled with tears, and she 
 clung tightly to the dear ones whom she 
 loved so tenderly, feeling that her reward 
 was more than she merited. 
 
 But the sunshine soon came back, and was 
 all the brighter for the tender little shower. 
 
 So there was the complete little play-house, 
 and next door was the tiny stable which held 
 the dearest little playfellow one could desire. 
 
 Of course the other pets had to be visited 
 before Denise could tear herself away long 
 enough to go into the big house to lay aside 
 her belongings. 
 
 All were happy to welcome her home, and 
 each showed joy in its own peculiar manner. 
 Tan, the goat, bleated and licked her hand. 
 Sailor, the Newfoundland, threatened to up- 
 set her at every step by rubbing against her 
 and getting under her feet. The pussies 
 
40 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 purred and mewed and jumped into her lap 
 and on her shoulder. Even the bunnies 
 seemed to realize that their little mistress had 
 come home, and all came hurrying up to the 
 fence when she called to them, their ears flap- 
 ping and noses wriggling in bunny fashion. 
 
 John had to answer at least fifty questions 
 regarding the condition and behavior of the 
 family, and was never weary of extolling their 
 exemplary conduct — especially Ned's ; for 
 Toodles, he declared, was "the best and 
 jolliest little baste he iver had the curryin' of." 
 
 " W'u'd ye belave it? — he l'arnt how to turn 
 on the wather-spigot when the hose-poipe is 
 on ; and may I be bate if he don't take the 
 ind of the poipe in his mouth and dhrink like 
 a sojer ! Come now till ye see him " ; and 
 he led the way into the stable. 
 
 After fastening on the short hose-pipe, he 
 let it lie on the floor, and then went over to 
 Ned's stall and took down the bars. Out 
 came the small atom of horse-flesh, and walk- 
 ing over to the hydrant, turned the little 
 handle that started the water running. When 
 it came flowing out at the end of the hose 
 he deliberately picked up the spout with his 
 teeth, and sucked away till he had all he 
 
GENTLEMAN NED'S QUARTERS 41 
 
 wanted, when he let the hose fall, and marched 
 back to his stall. Shouts of laughter from all 
 greeted this performance, and Ned seemed 
 quite gratified. 
 
 At last the excitement subsided, and all 
 went indoors. Papa said he believed the 
 arrival of a circus could not have caused a 
 greater commotion ; and certainly no circus 
 could have had a pony who could learn more 
 cleverly than little Mr. Ned, although his 
 training had but just begun, as later events 
 and association with his bright and original 
 little mistress proved. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 COOKING, HOUSEKEEPING, AND "POKEY" 
 
 OW am I ever to tell all that took 
 place that spring? I don't believe 
 I can remember one half; and if I 
 could, I doubt whether the lads and lassies 
 who read this would think it true. But they 
 must ; for, if they wish, they can go to that 
 town and see the very house where it all 
 happened. 
 
 The old apple-trees still stand there, and I 
 dare say the blossoms are just as sweet as 
 they were that spring when they showered 
 white flakes on Denise as she sat beneath 
 them in her hammock, or climbed up into the 
 branches where John had nailed seats and 
 fastened a box, all nicely covered with oil- 
 cloth, to hold her books and treasures safe 
 from wind and rain. 
 
 Of course the lessons filled the mornings 
 from nine to one o'clock till vacation came in 
 
COOKING, HOUSEKEEPING, AND "POKEY" 43 
 
 June; but the afternoons were given up to 
 Ned and the " Bird's Nest," as the play-house 
 was named. 
 
 Every Saturday morning Mama donned a 
 big gingham apron and went out to the Nest 
 to give lessons in cooking ; for this delightful 
 play had been planned not wholly for amuse- 
 ment, but that Denise might learn in the 
 pleasantest way imaginable how to become a 
 skilful little cook. And years after she often 
 had cause to thank the good, thoughtful 
 mother, who so wisely combined lessons and 
 pleasure that one forgot all about the labor, 
 and saw only the fun. So bread was baked, 
 and biscuits were made — although the latter 
 might at first have served for bullets, had such 
 been required. But that occurred only when 
 the pretended "Bridget" forgot so trifling a 
 matter as baking-powder. Then there were 
 cakes that rose nearly to the top of the oven, 
 and pies that smelt so delicious that they 
 caused old Sailor to act as Denise's devoted 
 attendant till she had to drive him off by 
 threats with the rolling-pin. 
 
 It was funny to see the serious way in 
 which she went about her housekeeping. No 
 staid old housekeeper ever felt weightier re- 
 
44 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 sponsibility than Denise found in the care of 
 this tiny house ; for besides the cooking- 
 lessons, there were sweeping-, dusting, bed- 
 making, and mending to be learned. People 
 who keep house properly, and have families 
 on their hands, have, of course, to know all 
 these things. 
 
 Funniest of all were the dinners given to 
 Ned, Tan, and the dogs. After some delec- 
 table mess had been prepared, the table was 
 set, and the viands were placed thereon. 
 Then Denise would whistle, and in would 
 walk Master Ned, followed by old Tan. 
 
 In they would come ; and Denise, leading 
 first one and then the other to his place at 
 the table, would admonish them not to touch 
 a thing till she helped them. Nor would they, 
 although they looked with longing eyes at 
 the cakes and other tempting things, and 
 Sailor and Beauty stood beside her with 
 tongues fairly lolling out of their mouths. 
 
 Then Denise would place something on 
 each little plate, and when that point was 
 reached animal forbearance could stand it no 
 longer, and the dainty would vanish in one 
 gulp. The articles of diet which found their 
 way down those animals' throats I should n't 
 
COOKING, HOUSEKEEPING, AND "POKEY" 47 
 
 dare name. But all was fish that came to their 
 nets, and if Denise ate it they would, providing 
 it was a vegetable production. Sailor and 
 Beauty were a great blessing, for what Ned 
 and Tan disdained, they regarded as princely 
 fare, and Mama used to say that they robbed 
 old darky Ned's pigs. 
 
 To see the little girl seated at her table in 
 her tiny dining-room, with a shaggy black 
 pony standing at one end, a big tan-colored 
 goat at the other, and a dog at either hand, 
 made a picture which still dwells in the minds 
 of many of the neighbors, who often came to 
 witness the funny spectacle. To this day her 
 very original and remarkable performances 
 are talked of, and amusing tales are told of 
 this peculiar child whose parents sanctioned 
 such extraordinary conduct so long as the 
 lessons were never neglected and absolute 
 obedience given them in return for any happi- 
 ness they could give to her. 
 
 Although utterly unselfish, Denise usually 
 liked best to play alone with her pets. Her 
 intense love for them seemed to give her a 
 keener understanding of animals' natures than 
 children usually feel, and she and they had a 
 common language. 
 
48 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 While other children might not be actually 
 unkind to them, they sometimes could not re- 
 sist teasing them a little ; and that was more 
 than Denise could tolerate. In Denise their 
 confidence was boundless ; but, at the same 
 time, they understood that they must obey 
 her, and her word could always guide or 
 control them. So, with the exception of a 
 few young friends who sometimes came, and 
 a little girl from Brooklyn who visited her 
 every summer, she rarely had other play- 
 mates than her four-footed ones, and was as 
 happy as the day was long, and sang like a 
 lark from morning till night. But she and 
 the city friend, who were probably as unlike 
 as two children well could be, always got on 
 capitally together, and the date of her arrival 
 was eagerly looked forward to. The wel- 
 come was invariably a warm one, and the 
 wildest pranks were reserved for her visit. 
 So no wonder that Denise should count the 
 days that must pass before July could come 
 and bring with it her beloved "Pokey"; for 
 by this name, which fitted her so exactly, the 
 boon companion was called. None could 
 have suited her better, for she was never 
 quite ready for anything; and breakfast, 
 
COOKING, HOUSEKEEPING, AND "POKEY" 49 
 
 luncheon, and dinner always found her just 
 a little behind time, but invariably amiable. 
 
 Pokey was a thin slip of a girl with big 
 blue eyes, light brown hair which fell far 
 below her waist, and delicate, nervous fea- 
 tures, and an expression that appealed to all, 
 as it always seemed asking for affection, and 
 rarely failed to win it, despite her sensitive 
 nerves and many blunders. For Pokey cer- 
 tainly was a blunderer. How she ever man- 
 aged to survive her many mishaps, no one 
 ever attempted to guess, but accepted it as a 
 matter of course that Pokey would come out 
 all right, somehow. 
 
 But July, like March, came at last ; and 
 one bright, sunny afternoon, Denise drove to 
 the depot to welcome her beloved Pokey. 
 No princess could have felt greater pride 
 than Denise, as she sat in her pretty little 
 phaeton, awaiting the arrival of the train. 
 
 Ned was looking his best, for John had 
 brushed and groomed him until he shone like 
 satin; and Denise had spent hours tying pale 
 blue satin ribbons on him, till mane, forelock, 
 headstall, collar, saddle, breechen and whips 
 fairly bristled blue satin bows, and his little 
 owner, dressed in a dainty white gown with 
 
50 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 blue sash, and blue feathers bobbing on a big 
 white straw hat, lovingly greeted the aston- 
 ished Pokey when Papa assisted her from the 
 train. 
 
 After a rapturous meeting, Pokey was 
 comfortably established in the phaeton, and 
 Denise's pent-up feelings found vent in hold- 
 ing forth upon the innumerable good quali- 
 ties of Ned. "Is n't he just all I wrote about 
 him, and lots more ? " she asked. 
 
 " Yes, he is sweet ; but does he always go 
 so fast and bounce about so much ? " asked 
 Pokey, whose experience with ponies in gen- 
 eral was very limited. She had some misgiv- 
 ings about the conduct of this particular one. 
 
 " Bounce ! " exclaimed Denise. " You 
 don't call that bouncing, do you ? Why, he 
 is n't going fast now. Shall I make him, just 
 to show you how well he can trot ? " 
 
 " Mercy, no! " cried Pokey ; for the ground 
 seemed fairly to fly under them, and she fan- 
 cied that Ned had a particularly mischievous 
 sort of gait. 
 
 "Would you like to drive him a little 
 way ? " asked Denise, a moment later. " He 
 has a lovely mouth, and you can guide him 
 with the slightest touch." 
 
COOKING, HOUSEKEEPING, AND " POKEY " 51 
 
 " Drive him ! " cried Pokey, in dismay. 
 "I would n't drive him — not for — not for 
 — well — pounds of candy ! You must drive 
 always ; and don't you ever get out of the 
 carriage and leave me in it, or I shall have a 
 fit, right off!" 
 
 Denise's laugh rang out sweet and clear, 
 and Papa called back from the big carriage 
 to know if the fun had already commenced. 
 
 " Oh, yes ; you will learn to drive, too. 
 By and by you will get so fond of him that 
 you will love him as dearly as I do." 
 
 "Maybe," was the skeptical reply; "but I 
 don't believe I '11 ever drive him." And she 
 never did, but was perfectly content to sit 
 quietly beside Denise and enjoy it all in her 
 own subdued way. 
 
 These were blissful days for Pokey, and all 
 the rest of the year was as a blank compared 
 to the time spent in the country with the 
 friends who always had such a warm welcome 
 for her, and were so quick to appreciate her 
 truly lovable character that with them all that 
 was sweetest in their little visitor was drawn 
 forth, as sunshine draws the perfume from the 
 violet. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 FARMER SUTTON 
 
 UCH a vacation was never known 
 — never were skies so blue, breezes 
 so balmy, or rainy days so conspic- 
 uous by their absence. No day seemed quite 
 long enough to hold all that was planned for 
 each ; and indeed they must have been forty- 
 eight hours long to have enabled the children 
 to carry out all their wild schemes. Pokey 
 soon got used to Ned, even though she could 
 not quite overcome the idea that he knew she 
 was afraid of him, whether he was harnessed 
 or following Denise about the grounds, and 
 that he would roll his eyes at her as he never 
 rolled them at any one else. It really 
 seemed as if both Ned and Tan realized her 
 fear, for if animals ever have a sense of fun, 
 they certainly had. It was a common thing 
 to see Pokey go flying across the lawn with 
 Tan or Ned, and often both, in hot pursuit. 
 
 52 
 
FARMER SUTTON 53 
 
 The poor child would fly for her life, and 
 they would chase until they overtook her, 
 and then pass by like a whirlwind; manes 
 and tails straight up in the air, and blaating 
 or snorting like wild things. But they never 
 offered to molest her in any way and seemed 
 to consider her running a huge joke. 
 
 Pokey usually rushed to an old apple-tree 
 which grew in one corner of the grounds, 
 and, once safe in its low-hanging limbs, 
 breathed a sigh of relief. 
 
 Meanwhile, Denise, choking with laughter, 
 would call to her to stop running, assuring 
 her that Ned and Tan would not hurt her, 
 and would n't run if she did n't. 
 
 " It 's all very well to say ' stop running,' but 
 I guess you 'd run if you had a great pair of 
 horns flying after you, and that little black 
 villain who just knows he can frighten me 
 nearly to death ! Why does n't he chase other 
 people, I 'd like to know ? " asked Pokey. 
 
 " It 's just because you do run. He and 
 Tan often play tag with me, and as soon as 
 you start to run they think they must too ; 
 and you do look just too funny for anything, 
 and I cant help laughing." 
 
 "Well, you may laugh all you want to, but 
 
54 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 I 'm going to stay up in this tree, for I know 
 they can't climb it even if they do put their 
 feet on that low limb down there and try to. 
 I think it is fine up here, and John was just 
 splendid to fix all these little seats in it. I 
 would rather stay up here and read, than have 
 to run away from wild animals." 
 
 "All right," said Denise, "you stay there 
 and read ; but don't forget to lock the books 
 in the box, please, when you Ve done, for 
 John put it up there on purpose for them and 
 covered it all over with oil- cloth so the rain 
 could n't wet them. Now I can go up there 
 and read and not have to carry them back to 
 the house when I have done. I 'd rather stay 
 down here in the hammock, and then Ned 
 and Tan can come and see me whenever they 
 want to, and get their old noses rubbed." And 
 Denise stretched herself out for a midsum- 
 mer day's dream. She had not swung long 
 when a patter of feet over the lawn told her 
 that her mischievous "children" were near at 
 hand, but hastily closing her eyes, she pre- 
 tended to be sound asleep. 
 
 On they came, and slowly approaching the 
 hammock thrust their warm noses very gently 
 into her hands. 
 
FARMER SUTTON 55 
 
 She kept perfectly still, and the little crea- 
 tures stood motionless beside her, quite con- 
 tented to be near and within reach of their 
 little mistress's stroking fingers. It was a 
 pretty picture, and one which Denise — who 
 is now grown up and has a little Denise of 
 her own — often recalls. She remembers the 
 beautiful summer weather ; the pretty house 
 with its attractive grounds ; the old apple- 
 trees on the lawn, with the hammock swing- 
 ing beneath in their shade, and the little girl 
 lying in it, with a great tan-colored goat at 
 one side, and a little black pony on the other, 
 with their heads in the hammock, and their 
 soft noses within reach of her hand. Sailor 
 and Beauty lay on the grass close by, and, 
 perched in the tree overhead, the little friend 
 in her bright gingham dress looked like some 
 gay fairy. Rather too literary, however, for 
 Pokey v/as a veritable bookworm, and never 
 happier than when left absolutely alone to 
 read. 
 
 Not long after Pokey's arrival, Papa and 
 Mama went on a journey, leaving Denise and 
 Pokey to the care of Aunt Helen, who came 
 to stay during their absence. Denise loved 
 her almost as dearly as she loved her father 
 
56 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 and mother, and was always delighted when 
 she came, for Auntie indulged her little niece, 
 and was always ready to enter into any plan 
 for her pleasure. Denise used to say she 
 liked "just to look at Aunt Helen; that it 
 made her feel good because she was so 
 pretty." And pretty she certainly was, with 
 her great dark eyes, wavy black hair, and 
 pretty white teeth. 
 
 Such plans as were made when Aunt Helen 
 was installed as mistress of ceremonies! — tea- 
 parties in the Bird's Nest; long drives with 
 Ned, and little picnics at the end ; bathing- 
 parties in the river, with Sailor to act as 
 swimming-master, and Beauty to stand on 
 the shore barking like mad. 
 
 But the old saying that " when the cat is 
 away the mice will play " had still to be veri- 
 fied, and these two children would have been 
 more than mortal, had they not entered into 
 some mischief. 
 
 One morning Aunt Helen announced that 
 she must run into the city for a few hours, 
 but would surely return by the one-thirty 
 train for luncheon. 
 
 " Now, Denise," said she, as she was about 
 to start, "be very careful during my absence. 
 
FARMER SUTTON 57 
 
 If you need anything, go directly to Mary, 
 and she will attend to you. John will harness 
 Ned at nine o'clock, and you and Pokey may 
 take a nice drive. If you want an errand, 
 you may go over the hill to Farmer Sutton's 
 and tell him I am ready for the promised 
 poultry. You will enjoy that, I know; but 
 come directly home." 
 
 At nine o'clock Ned was put to the phae- 
 ton, and the small maids started. 
 
 "We will go over by the mountain road, 
 and come back by the turnpike, so Ned will 
 have all the hills at the start," announced 
 Denise as they started. 
 
 "All right," said Pokey, who usually did 
 say "all right" to any proposal of Denise's. 
 
 About an hour's drive brought them to 
 Farmer Sutton's neat farm. His big, round 
 face beamed with pleasure when he saw them 
 drive into the barn-yard; for Denise was a 
 prime favorite of his, and the kind man was 
 never so happy as when loading her phaeton 
 with all the good things his farm would pro- 
 duce. So he hastened to welcome her and to 
 bring forth his possessions, of which there was 
 a bountiful supply ; for he had a fine farm and 
 took unusually good care of it. Soon she 
 
58 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 looked like a vender of fruits ; and as for Ned, 
 he had eaten apples till he simply could hold 
 no more. 
 
 Then the sleek cows had to be visited, the 
 funny little pigs to be fed, and all the live 
 stock inspected and talked about. All this, 
 of course, took time ; and just as Denise was 
 beginning to think that Ned's nose should be 
 turned homeward, Farmer Sutton said: "Now, 
 you young ones, come right along o' me, an' 
 let Mrs. Sutton fetch up some cold milk out 'n 
 the spring for ye. It 's proper good milk, I 
 tell ye, and ye '11 jist enj'y drinkin' on it " ; and 
 he led the way to the dairy. 
 
 Mrs. Sutton, a stout, pleasant woman, 
 whose chief happiness lay in ministering to 
 others' comforts, bustled about and soon had 
 two glasses of icy cold milk on her dairy 
 table. 
 
 " Now, jist ye wait one little minute, 
 dearies, whilst I fly into the butt'ry and git a 
 bite for ye, 'cause ye must be starvin' after 
 yer drive in the fresh air." And away she 
 hurried, to return with a big blue dish piled 
 high with cookies, crullers, doughnuts, and 
 great slices of pound-cake. 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Sutton," cried Denise, "we 
 
FARMER SUTTON 59 
 
 can't eat half that. We should n'l be able 
 to stir one step if we did ! " 
 
 " Never ye mind whether ye eat it all or 
 not. That don't matter a mite. Ye jist tuck 
 it away in yer little go-cart out yander, and 
 trot it along home. Children is allers hungry, 
 'cordin' to my experience." 
 
 The children labored earnestly to make 
 Ned's homeward load lighter, and certainly 
 succeeded to an amazing degree, if stowing a 
 large quantity in a small space could help 
 matters. At any rate, the cake-plate pre- 
 sented a far less generous appearance half an 
 hour later. 
 
 " Now come along o' me, and let me show 
 ye the cunningest live critter ye ever clapped 
 yer brown and blue eyes on," said their hos- 
 tess, when she felt convinced that they really 
 could not eat any more. She led the way 
 to the wash-house yard, and as soon as she 
 entered it she was greeted by a funny little 
 bleating. 
 
 "Yes, yes, Molly, I be a-comin'," said she 
 to a tiny lamb which was tied to a little tree 
 in the middle of the yard. 
 
 Denise and Pokey ran across the grass to 
 see the little snowball, for certainly "Molly" 
 
60 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 looked like nothing else. She was not more 
 than five weeks old, and as happy and frisky 
 as a kitten. It was funny to see her snuggle 
 up to Mrs. Sutton, whom she seemed to con- 
 sider as her mother. And, sure enough, the 
 farmer's wife was the only mother the poor 
 little thing had ever known, her own having 
 been killed when she was only a few days 
 old. 
 
 Mrs. Sutton produced a bottle of milk from 
 her pocket, and little Miss Molly took her 
 dinner as nicely as a baby might have done. 
 
 "Now, what do ye think o' that? Ain't 
 it a funny baby ? Why, it 's almost as much 
 care as a baby ; but it was so little and help- 
 less that I jist could n't let it die ; and it took 
 to its meals as nat'ral as ye please. How do 
 ye think I keep her so clean ? I wash her 
 every Monday, and stand her in the tin oven 
 ter dry. Jist poke her in head foremost, and 
 let her stand and warm till her wool is dry as 
 a bone. She ain't got sense enough to turn 
 round and come out, and we don't never let it 
 get too warm. She follers me everywhere, 
 and if I did n't keep her tied up she would git 
 into mischief every minute." 
 
 Denise and Pokey petted and fondled the 
 
DEXISE AXD POKEY PETTED THE LITTLE LAMB. 
 
FARMER SUTTON 63 
 
 pretty little thing, and it seemed to see that 
 they would not harm it; for it got into 
 Pokey's lap as she sat on the grass beside it, 
 and made itself comfortable as for a morning 
 nap. 
 
 At last they realized that time was slipping 
 by, and putting Molly on the grass, they bade 
 Mrs. Sutton good-by. 
 
 But after their bountiful luncheon it was 
 small wonder that their appetites failed to ad- 
 monish them that noon was upon them, and 
 they would barely have time to reach home 
 before Aunt Helen's train was due. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 AN INVITING LANE 
 
 'ET *S go down this lane a little 
 way," said Denise, when they were 
 about half-way home. " I Ve never 
 been down it, and it always looks so inviting 
 that I 've often wanted to go." 
 
 "Do you think there will be time?" asked 
 Pokey. " You know Aunt Helen said we 
 must be back by one o'clock." 
 
 " Oh, yes, I guess so. Let 's see what 
 time it is, anyway. Why, where is my 
 watch ? " was the startled exclamation. 
 
 "You did n't put it on. I saw it on the 
 bureau when I went back to get my pocket- 
 handkerchief, just before we started." 
 
 "Oh, me! Now we are in a fix. But, 
 anyway, I guess it can't be later than twelve 
 o'clock, and we are more than half-way home 
 now." And Denise turned Ned's head down 
 the lane, much to that wise beast's disgust, 
 
 6 4 
 
AN INVITING LANE 65 
 
 for he had not found apples particularly sus- 
 taining, and his craving for something more 
 substantial hinted the time of day more cor- 
 rectly than Denise's guessing. 
 
 By way of manifesting his disapproval, he 
 wriggled from one side of the lane to the 
 other, leaving a perfect snake-track behind 
 him. 
 
 " Did you ever see anything act as he 
 does?" demanded Denise. "He is too ex- 
 asperating to be endured. Ned Toodles, 
 behave yourself!" And the whip was cracked 
 menacingly. 
 
 A fig cared Ned for the whip. It never 
 had caused him much fear, and he did n't 
 believe it was going to do any great amount 
 of harm now. So, giving two or three tanta- 
 lizing jumps of defiance, he rushed into a 
 barn-yard in which the lane suddenly termi- 
 nated. Not a particularly attractive barn-yard 
 was this, either, for it was littered with all 
 sorts of farm paraphernalia, and simply alive 
 with cows, chickens, ducks, dogs, and young- 
 sters. The latter at once swarmed around 
 the pony and carriage, and began to ask 
 questions at the rate of forty a minute. 
 Denise began to feel that following an invit- 
 
66 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 ing lane was perhaps not the wisest thing she 
 had ever done, and to wish most heartily that 
 she had kept to the homeward road. 
 
 The eldest of the tribe, a girl of about 
 eleven years, elected herself spokeswoman, 
 and began to catechize the new arrivals most 
 freely. 
 
 " Hullo, Sis ! Is this yer pony yours?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Where did yer git it?" 
 
 "Papa gave him to me." 
 
 "Where did he git him? What did he 
 have to pay fer it? Lots er cash, I '11 
 bet." 
 
 " I don't know what it cost," said poor De- 
 nise, trying to find some way out of the scrape 
 and the barn-yard. Turning Ned's head, she 
 made the attempt, but "Griselda Goose" was 
 not to be done out of her rare treat so soon. 
 
 " Here, hold on a minute. I don't want 
 yer ter go yet," said she, holding Ned by the 
 bridle, while brothers and sisters crowded al- 
 most into the carriage, one taking out the 
 pretty whip, another tugging at the linen lap- 
 cover, another unrolling the curtain behind — 
 in short, swarming over the whole thing like 
 ants. 
 
AN INVITING LANE 67 
 
 " Say, what 's yer name, anyway, and where 
 do yer live ? " 
 
 " My, don't I wish I had a little horse like 
 that ! Are yer rich ? Guess yer must be, ter 
 have such things." 
 
 Meanwhile, unhappy Pokey was growing 
 more and more miserable, and at last turned 
 to Denise and said desperately : 
 
 " Do for mercy s sake try to get away; they 
 are just awful, and besides, I know we shall be 
 late ! " 
 
 " You must let me go," said the distracted 
 Denise. " We shall be late for luncheon." 
 
 "What 's that? " asked her tormentor. 
 
 " What is what f " 
 
 "Why, that thing yer just said — ludgen. 
 Is it a train ? " 
 
 " No, dinner" said Denise, trying politely 
 to hide her laughter. 
 
 "Oh, is that what yer call it? Yes, I 
 reckon it is most dinner-time, for Ma she 
 said we must all set to and git ours down 
 right smart, for she had to go over to see 
 Uncle Josh this afternoon. He 's been awful 
 sick. See that barn down yander? Well, 
 he 's there. He 's jist gittin' over smallpox. 
 Ever had it ? " 
 
68 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 But Denise did not wait to inform her. 
 With a slash of her whip which took Ned off 
 all four feet and scattered the youngsters in 
 every direction, she started out of that barn- 
 >yard at a pace which defied pursuit, and 
 reached the main road in much less time than 
 it had taken her to reach the farm. 
 
 But her troubles were not yet ended, for 
 about half a mile from home she was met 
 by John mounted on Flash, he having been 
 despatched by Aunt Helen, who had arrived 
 by the one-thirty train and was nearly dis- 
 tracted when she found that the children had 
 not yet returned. 
 
 " Faith, wheriver have yez been to at all ? " 
 demanded he, lapsing into his richest brogue 
 in his excitement. " It 's scared half dead yer 
 aunt is wid the froight ye 've put her in." 
 
 " Oh, John," cried Denise, half in tears, 
 " don't say one word, for we 've had an awful 
 experience, and been near a man who has 
 smallpox." 
 
 " Presarve us ! Wheriver could ye have 
 been at all?" 
 
 But Denise offered no explanation, and 
 hurried home at a pace which would have 
 scandalized her had she been less excited. 
 
AN INVITING LANE 69 
 
 Aunt Helen's feelings can be more readily 
 imagined than described, and no time was 
 lost in sending John off for Dr. Swift. He 
 soon calmed her fears, by assuring her that 
 there could be no possible danger for the 
 children, as both had been vaccinated that 
 spring, and had such not been the case, no 
 harm would have come of it, as the man was 
 quite recovered. But the scare had done 
 both the girls good, he said ; and the kind, 
 jolly doctor threw back his head and laughed 
 heartily. 
 
 But never again did Denise explore invit- 
 ing lanes. Public roads and broad highways 
 were quite to her taste ever after. Nor did 
 she leave her watch at home when going on 
 a trip upon which it was necessary to know 
 the difference between half-past twelve and 
 half-past two o'clock, although it is true that 
 she soon after got into an epidemic of scrapes 
 which cast that one into the shade. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 HOUSE-CLEANING AND MISCHIEF 
 
 [HINGS ran very smoothly for some 
 time after Demise's exploring expe- 
 dition, and the time for Mr. and 
 Mrs. Lombard's return was near at hand. 
 
 Aunt Helen began to congratulate herself 
 that a delightfully clear record could be re- 
 ported when the commanders-in-chief should 
 once more assume control, for, to tell the 
 truth, she never felt quite certain as to what 
 might turn up next, and much preferred 
 visiting when the responsibility for the little 
 girls rested with them instead of herself. 
 
 " I am so glad," said she to the children, as 
 they sat at breakfast one morning, " that only 
 one little scrape has to be reported when 
 Papa and Mama come. It 's such a comfort 
 to have had you behave so well, dearies, and 
 I am going to put an extra lump of sugar in 
 each cup just by way of reward " ; and she 
 
 7 o 
 
HOUSE-CLEANING AND MISCHIEF 71 
 
 laughingly selected the biggest two she could 
 find in the sugar-basin. 
 
 " Here comes John with the mail now ! " 
 cried Denise. " Maybe there is a letter from 
 Papa to tell us when they are coming" ; and 
 she flew out of the dining-room to get the 
 letters. Whisking back again, she thrust the 
 mail-bag into her aunt's hands, saying excit- 
 edly : " Open it quickly, Auntie, please do." 
 
 " Yes, here is one from Papa, and now let's 
 see what he has to tell us." After reading a 
 few minutes, she said in a surprised tone : 
 
 ''Why, he will be home to-night by the 
 six-o'clock -express, and will bring Captain 
 Hamilton with him for a little visit." 
 
 " Won't Mama come too ? " asked Denise, 
 in a disappointed tone. 
 
 " No ; she will stay with Grandma a week, 
 and when she returns will bring her too." 
 
 " Oh, goody, goody ! Won't that be just 
 splendid ! Will she stay long ? " 
 
 "Yes, a long time, I think — perhaps all 
 winter. But now we must set about prepar- 
 ing for our visitors, and have everything put 
 in spandy order." 
 
 Little did poor Auntie dream how much 
 "putting in order" she was destined to do 
 
72 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 before sunset, or how easy it is to count one's 
 chicks before they are out of the shell. 
 
 Turned loose for the morning, Pokey and 
 Denise made straight for the Bird's Nest, and 
 such a scouring and cleaning as was gone 
 through with ! Of course, upon so important 
 an occasion, it had to be well swept and 
 dusted from garret to ground floor. It was 
 a wonder that the rugs had any fringe left on 
 them, for Denise banged them so energetically 
 that they flapped aboutlike witches on abroom- 
 handle, and her dusting-cap flew wildly off, 
 and roosted on a neighboring tree. 
 
 After the house was in order, the dolls had 
 to be dressed, and I grieve to relate that in 
 being carried from the dining-room, where 
 they had sat around the table since the night 
 before, to the bedroom above, poor "Ange- 
 nora Manuella" slipped from Pokey's arms and 
 rolled to the bottom of the stairs, cracking her 
 crown and shattering an arm. 
 
 "Oh, you precious, precious child!" shrieked 
 her mother. " I know you are killed ! Pokey, 
 fly for Dr. Glue this instant, and fetch him with 
 you at once, while I heat some water. You 
 know he always wants it first thing." 
 
 Pokey rushed off to the house for the bottle 
 
HOUSE-CLEANING AND MISCHIEF 75 
 
 of glue which represented the doctor, and in 
 a few minutes poor Angenora Manuella was 
 undergoing a surgical operation. 
 
 The fortitude the dear child displayed was 
 really beautiful to witness in one so delicately 
 organized, for she never uttered a sound, and 
 fell asleep the instant she was placed in her 
 bed. 
 
 But at length the Nest was all in apple- 
 pie order, and Pokey stood upon the threshold 
 and breathed a sigh of relief. 
 
 " I used to think that I just hated to do any 
 housework or to wash dishes," she observed 
 soberly; "but I just believe I sha'n't ever mind 
 it again. I '11 shut my eyes and make believe 
 I 'm out here with you, and then it will all be 
 fun. Don't let 's touch a pin on that cushion, 
 for they are all put in in little squares, and I 
 believe it took me over an hour to do it." 
 
 " Now let 's go look after Ned," cried Ned's 
 energetic mistress. "What color ribbon would 
 you tie on the harness to-day?" 
 
 " Why don't you tie rose color ? You know 
 that stands for happiness, and I guess you are 
 glad that Mr. Papa is coming home, are n't 
 you?" 
 
 "Just the thing. How do you ever get to 
 
76 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 know all those things, Pokey?" asked De- 
 nise, quite impressed with Pokey's deep 
 learning. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know. I guess I read them 
 somewhere, and they sort of stick in some 
 part of my brain till something makes one 
 hop out." 
 
 So fully another hour was passed in brush- 
 ing Ned's mane and braiding into it a long 
 rose-colored ribbon. John had taught De- 
 nise how to braid it in one long braid, which 
 ran the whole length of his neck, and ended 
 in a little pigtail at the withers. 
 
 Then the forelock had to be parted and 
 braided into two braids decked with ribbons, 
 and as a suitable conclusion to his personal 
 adornment, his tail was braided into three 
 braids and finally looped up with a big bow 
 of ribbon. 
 
 "Faith, he looks like a monkey!" said 
 John, laughing. 
 
 "No, John, he does n't, either — do you, 
 dear? It 's a hot day, and he is much more 
 comfortable without all that hair flying about, 
 I know." 
 
 " I hope he won't go and get all mussed up," 
 said Pokey, as she surveyed him approvingly. 
 
HOUSE-CLEANING AND MISCHIEF 77 
 
 " He is so black and shiny that those ribbons 
 look just too sweet on him." 
 
 "Ned Tpodles," said Denise, admonish- 
 ingly, as she turned him into his day-stall 
 and fastened the bars, "don't you go scrooch- 
 ing up against the sides of your stall and 
 mussing even one end of a ribbon, or you 
 sha'n't have any sugar for a week ! " 
 
 Then the harness was decked, and when a 
 bow was tied on the whip the effect was pro- 
 nounced superb. 
 
 Noon hour struck before all was finished, 
 and Auntia, coming out to summon them to 
 lunch, blessed the good fairy who had put the 
 idea of the Bird's Nest into Papa's head, as it 
 kept the children happy and out of the way 
 of grown-up folk who had their hands full. 
 
 "John," said she, giving him a letter, "be- 
 fore you return from your dinner to-day, I 
 wish you would mail this letter for me. I 
 want it to go out by the two-o'clock mail, 
 without fail, so you had better go home at 
 once." 
 
 "Very good, miss. I '11 be goin' roight off. 
 Shall I close Ned's stable door, or will Miss 
 Denise do it whan she goes in ? " 
 
 " I '11 shut it when I go," answered Denise. 
 
78 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 "All roight, thin; but don't be afther for- 
 gittin' it, or there 's no tellin' what that young 
 villain will be doin' at all ! " 
 
 " Don't you call Ned a villain, John. He 
 would n't do anything bad for all the oats in 
 the bin." 
 
 " Now, don't you be too sure of that, thin. 
 I 'd not thrust him out of me soight." And 
 with a good-natured laugh John left the 
 grounds. 
 
 " Come in at once, children," said Auntie, 
 as she returned to the house. 
 
 " We 're coming this very minute, for we 're 
 half starved." 
 
 " Now, my little maids," said Auntie, when 
 the famished children were sustained by a 
 generous supply of luncheon, "you may amuse 
 yourselves in any quiet way you choose, till 
 it is three o'clock ; and then come to me for 
 your baths, and I '11 make you both as sweet 
 as roses to meet Papa and Captain Hamilton." 
 
 Away went the children, and, taking Auntie 
 at her word, chose a charming " quiet way " to 
 amuse themselves on a hot summer afternoon. 
 
 " Let 's make some taffy," said Denise. 
 " I have plenty of molasses in the kitchen, 
 and we can boil it in no time." 
 
HOUSE-CLEANING AND MISCHIEF 79 
 
 " It will never get hard on such a hot day 
 as this is," answered Pokey. 
 
 "Why, yes, it will, if we put it in cook's re- 
 frigerator," insisted Denise. 
 
 " I don't believe it, for it 's awful stuff in 
 summer-time," said skeptical Pokey. 
 
 " Well, we '11 try, anyway " ; and Denise 
 soon had a fire sputtering in the stove and a 
 pail of molasses bubbling on top. 
 
 "What can be the matter with Ned ? " she 
 exclaimed, when the smell of the boiling candy 
 had filled , the house and adjoining stable. 
 " He is stamping about at a great rate ; I 
 just believe he smells this candy." 
 
 " I dare say ; he loves sweet things like a 
 little bear," said Pokey. 
 
 " Do go into the stable and see what he 's 
 up to," begged Denise. " I can't leave this 
 candy now, or it will burn." 
 
 " Indeed I shan't," affirmed Pokey. " He 'd 
 roll his eyes and bounce at me." 
 
 " Now, how could he bounce at you, when 
 he is fast in his stall ? " demanded Denise. 
 
 "I don't believe he is fast; he could n't 
 walk round so much if he was." 
 
 "Why, how in the world could he get out? 
 His bars are up, and I don't believe even he is 
 
80 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 wise enough to pull the pegs out. You stir this 
 candy, and I '11 go see, if you are afraid to." 
 
 And Denise handed over a very sticky 
 spoon to the willing Pokey and started for 
 the door communicating with the stable. 
 She opened it and gave a scream, for there 
 in the middle of the floor, and in all his 
 goodly array of rosy ribbons, stood Master 
 Ned, looking at her in the most tantalizing 
 way, as though to say : " Can't I pull out the 
 pegs with my teeth, and can't I jump over 
 the lower bar, and cant I fly through this 
 door which you forgot to shut after John 
 told you to ? " and with a rush and a clatter he 
 tore out of the stable and over the lawn, 
 flinging up his heels and tossing his head 
 and making straight for the big gate, which 
 unfortunately stood wide open. 
 
 Denise stood rooted to the spot for an in- 
 stant, and then screaming, " Pokey, Pokey, 
 Ned has run away ! " she tore out of the 
 stable and made after him as though she had 
 wings to her feet. 
 
 Aunt Helen heard the uproar and rushed 
 out just in time to witness Ned's final kick-up 
 as he flew up the road with Denise in hot 
 pursuit. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 AN EPIDEMIC OF MISCHIEF 
 
 OW we are in a fix!" Aunt Helen 
 exclaimed to Pokey, who had man- 
 aged to get as far as the piazza, but 
 had forgotten to lay down the sticky spoon, 
 to which she still clung, as if its tenacious prop- 
 erties might have power to hold Ned, could 
 she but lay it upon him. " John a mile away, 
 and Ned in a fair way to be ten if he goes on 
 at the rate he has started, and with no halter 
 on to fetch him back with when he is caught ! " 
 Meanwhile Ned and Denise tore on ; he 
 glorying in his freedom, and she vainly trying 
 to overtake him. But as though the very 
 spirit of mischief had entered into him, he 
 made a sudden turn and headed straight for 
 the railway station. Denise was just near 
 enough to see him dash upon the platform, 
 rush across it and into the station as though 
 carrying a danger-signal to the astonished 
 
 81 
 
82 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 ticket-agent, who sat in his little office, into 
 which Ned tore full tilt, scaring the good man 
 nearly to death. 
 
 But Master Ned found the place very 
 like an eel-pot, — much easier to get into than 
 out of, — and Mr. Smith was a man of prompt 
 action, as one who might have to deal with 
 runaway engines, whether four-footed or four- 
 wheeled, is obliged to be. So promptly clos- 
 ing his office door, he had the beribboned 
 runaway a fast prisoner. 
 
 A moment later Denise, panting and puffing 
 like a small steam-engine, and with perspira- 
 tion pouring down her face, rushed into the 
 office; whereupon Mr. Smith sat down to 
 laugh, and Denise, with what breath was left 
 her for laughter, followed his example. 
 
 "Oh " she panted, "did you ^wr know such 
 a bad little thing as he is, to lead me such a 
 chase? What do you mean," she demanded, 
 shaking Ned by his forelock braids, "by scar- 
 ing me so? John said you were a little villain, 
 and I think you just are." 
 
 " How will you get him home, Miss De- 
 nise?" asked Mr. Smith. "Shall I send one 
 of the men with you ? " 
 
 "No, indeed, thank you. I don't need any 
 
AN EPIDEMIC OF MISCHIEF 83 
 
 help. I '11 get him home," And, springing 
 up, she caught Ned by his braids, saying, 
 " Come home this minute," and, tugging him 
 along, she got him out of the office and started 
 for home, with the little scamp walking as de- 
 murely beside her as though he had never 
 done anything mischievous in his life. 
 
 That was the funniest bit of Ned's make-up. 
 No matter how mischievous and full of pranks 
 he might be at one moment, his weather would 
 straightway change, and he would be as meek 
 as possible, or else look at you in a surprised 
 way, as if to say: "Why, you must be mis- 
 taken. / did n't do anything." 
 
 Aunt Helen and Pokey met them at the 
 gate, and the former said: "When you have 
 put Ned into his stall and shut the stable door, 
 you had better come to me for your bath, for 
 I fancy you feel the need of it." 
 
 Denise only waited to push Ned in his 
 night-stall by way of punishment, and bang 
 down the door, when she rushed into the play- 
 house for the precious candy, which Pokey had 
 poured into a pan. Running into the kitchen 
 with it, she put it into cook's refrigerator, and 
 then went up-stairs to Aunt Helen. 
 
 " Children," said Aunt Helen an hour later, 
 
84 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 when soap, water, and clean clothes had meta- 
 morphosed the two scapegraces into two 
 dainty little maids in white frocks, " no more 
 mishaps to-day, I beg of you. Go out and 
 drive quietly about in the phaeton till train- 
 time, and then let Papa find you spandy 
 nice." 
 
 " We will, Auntie ; we truly will " ; and De- 
 nise started down-stairs. 
 
 Pokey lingered to ask, " Aunt Helen, please 
 let me fill the tub again. I do love to see 
 the water pour in." 
 
 " Yes, you may fill it, but be careful not to 
 get splashed," answered Aunt Helen, whose 
 soul was filled with apprehension for unlucky 
 Pokey. 
 
 " I '11 be careful," was the reply, as she 
 seated herself on the edge of the tub, and 
 started both faucets. 
 
 Meanwhile Denise was waiting in the hall 
 below and calling to Pokey to hurry up. 
 
 " I 'm coming in just half a minute. Just 
 wait till the tub gets full." 
 
 " There ! " she exclaimed ; " it 's just up to 
 that little ring, and now I 'm going — oh ! " — 
 and, suiting the action to the word, which 
 ended in a prolonged howl, Pokey lost her 
 
AN EPIDEMIC OF MISCHIEF 85 
 
 balance and slid backward into the tub — 
 white frock, pink sash, and all. 
 
 For an instant Aunt Helen stood speech- 
 less, too startled to know whether to laugh or 
 scold, as the unfortunate child struggled to 
 regain her feet. 
 
 " Elizabeth Delano ! " she cried, as she 
 stood the dripping child on the tiled floor, 
 where the puddles could form without harm- 
 ing anything. " I certainly feel as though I 
 could shake you thoroughly, for the limit of 
 my patience is reached, I believe ! " 
 
 11 Oh ! — oh ! — oh ! " gasped Pokey, nearly 
 in tears. "I 'm so sorry, and so wet. I 
 did n't mean to slip so far back." 
 
 " I believe you ; and now let me get you 
 into dry clothes just as quickly as possible." 
 
 At the howl of anguish Denise had rushed 
 up-stairs to find Pokey decidedly moist, for 
 tears fell from her eyes and water dripped 
 from her skirts, as Aunt Helen hastened to 
 get her out of her wet garments. Denise 
 took in the situation in an instant, and the 
 bubbling laugh which was never far below 
 the surface came rippling out. 
 
 " Oh, Auntie ! " she cried. " Does n't she 
 look just like a drowned rat? Don't cry, 
 
86 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Pokey ; you will soon be all dry, and Auntie 
 won't scold very hard, will you, Auntie ? 
 'Cause she did n't mean to." 
 
 " I would n't mind the scolding," said Pokey, 
 "'cause I half believe I ought to get one, but 
 I Ve just gone and spoiled all the water for 
 Aunt Helen's bath." Which remark was so 
 perfectly characteristic of Pokey. 
 
 Another half-hour and another start. This 
 time Auntie gave no admonitions, feeling, 
 perhaps, that it would be best to let Fate 
 direct things herself. Surely Fate was in a 
 particularly tantalizing mood that day, and 
 delighted in tormenting these little specimens 
 of frail humanity. 
 
 Down to the porch went the two delin- 
 quents, fully determined to be model children 
 for the remainder of the afternoon. 
 
 Mischief, however, must have been in the 
 air, and they particularly susceptible, for the 
 door was scarcely passed when Denise, stop- 
 ping, exclaimed : " The candy, Pokey ; let 's 
 not forget that. We can take it with us and 
 we can go up under the trees on Hillside road 
 to eat it." 
 
 Soon the candy was produced, but in a con- 
 dition far more resembling cold molasses than 
 
AN EPIDEMIC OF MISCHIEF 87 
 
 candy, and as delectable a mess as two young- 
 sters could wish for. 
 
 " I '11 tell you what we '11 do," said Denise, 
 who was decidedly a young woman of re- 
 sources and not easily discouraged. "We '11 
 take the pan and two spoons, and we can eat 
 it that way." 
 
 " Won't it be awful sticky ? " demurred 
 Pokey. % 
 
 " Well, never mind if it is. We won't have 
 to touch it if we have our spoons," said 
 Denise. 
 
 When John saw the pan of sticky stuff 
 about to be carried into the phaeton, he ex- 
 pressed himself very plainly on the subject : 
 
 " Now, Miss Denise, ye know ye should n't 
 be takin' that sticky stuff into yer little phae- 
 ton at all. Ye '11 just be sthook from yer 
 head to yer heels wid it, and be in a foine 
 sthate." 
 
 " No, we won't, John. We '11 be careful." 
 
 "Well, Oim much mistaken would yer aunt 
 let ye, did she know." 
 
 But Denise did n't wait to ascertain, and 
 giving the pan and spoons into Pokey's keep- 
 ing, started off in great haste, in all her goodly 
 array of rose-colored ribbons. 
 
88 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Hillside road was a delightful one ; more 
 lane than public driveway, it wound up the 
 mountain to a beautiful residence at the top, 
 where lived old Colonel Franklin, one of Mr. 
 Lombard's most intimate friends, and a great 
 admirer of Denise, for whom he cherished a 
 hearty friendship. 
 
 On one side of the road magnificent maple- 
 trees cast their shadows upon a tiny rill that 
 trickled and sang beneath them, and upon 
 the other the ground sloped by long, gentle 
 undulations to the river half a mile away; 
 giving a charming view of the Tappan Zee, 
 which sparkled in the afternoon sunshine that 
 shone on it and on the beautiful homes of 
 Irvington. 
 
 It was an ideal spot to choose for an after- 
 noon drive, and delightfully cool and quiet 
 for a little rest when one had gone about half- 
 way up. 
 
 Denise had an eye for the beautiful, and 
 stopping Ned under a spreading maple just 
 where the road was most inviting and the 
 view simply perfect, she announced com- 
 placently to Pokey : 
 
 " Now, this is what I call a lovely spot, 
 and we '11 just sit here in the phaeton and eat 
 
AN EPIDEMIC OF MISCHIEF 89 
 
 our candy, and not have anybody to bother 
 us, for people don't often come this way." 
 
 Giving Pokey one spoon, and arming her- 
 self with the other, she set a sweet example 
 by dipping up some of the mess and eating it 
 with a relish. Pokey followed suit, and pres- 
 ently about half of it had vanished. But little 
 by little their tastes became sated with sweets, 
 and their relish began to lessen. 
 
 " I don't believe I can eat any more," said 
 Pokey. " Is n't it too sticky and sweet ? " 
 
 "Well, rather," said Denise, reluctantly; 
 "but it 's good." 
 
 Meanwhile, Master Ned had caught the 
 scent of something eatable, and manifested a 
 desire to share the feast, whatever it might 
 consist of. He turned his head first to the 
 right and then to the left, and stretched his 
 neck nearly out of joint in his endeavors to 
 see what it might be. He hoo-hooed, whin- 
 nied, and pawed till Denise could no longer 
 resist his appeals. So, jumping out of the 
 phaeton, she set the pan on the ground in 
 front of him with the command : 
 
 " Now, Ned Toodles, you may just eat the 
 candy in that pan, and see that you leave it 
 perfectly clean and shiny ! " 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 NED DEVELOPS A TASTE FOR TAFFY 
 
 |ED needed no second bidding, but 
 at once set himself to the task most 
 assiduously, licking and slobbering 
 to his heart's content and his head-stall's 
 ruination. 
 
 In about ten minutes the mess had van- 
 ished, and he raised his head, a spectacle for 
 a tidy hostler to groan over. 
 
 Molasses and foam dripped from his mouth; 
 his bit was literally stuck fast to it ; the hair 
 about his muzzle was beautifully plastered 
 with taffy, and, alas for the rosy ribbons, 
 they were so sticky that Denise had to throw 
 them away. 
 
 His shaggy mane and forelock had been 
 nicely sprinkled, as he tossed his head about 
 in his vain endeavors to free himself of the 
 sticky stuff. 
 
 Buckles and straps were well coated, and 
 9 o 
 
NED DEVELOPS A TASTE FOR TAFFY 91 
 
 he himself was as disreputable and rowdy a 
 little beast as one could find anywhere; but 
 he had enjoyed himself — oh, dear, yes ! — and 
 snorted and begged for more. 
 
 "Dear me, what shall we do with him?" 
 groaned Denise. 
 
 Pokey could only look on, filled with dismay 
 and apprehension as to what their reception 
 at home wo"uld probably be. 
 
 " I know what I '11 do," exclaimed Denise. 
 " I '11 wash his face with the carriage robe. 
 It 's linen, and lots easier to clean than the 
 harness." 
 
 So Denise, catching up the robe, dipped 
 one corner of it into the brook, and then 
 proceeded to scrub Ned till she had succeeded 
 in getting the mess well off of him, and nicely 
 transferred to herself. 
 
 In the midst of the operation the sound of 
 approaching wheels caused her to glance up 
 the hill, to behold in the distance Colonel 
 Franklin's elegant victoria coming down the 
 road, with the Colonel, his wife, and daughter 
 therein. 
 
 " Quick, quick ! " she cried. " Get into the 
 phaeton, and take care of the pan and spoons, 
 while I drive home as fast as I can go, for 
 
92 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 here comes the Colonel, and I would n't have 
 him catch us in this mess for anything." 
 
 Bouncing into the carriage, she caught up 
 the reins, and, turning around like a whirl- 
 wind, was soon tearing down the hill at a 
 breakneck speed, and making a lively chase 
 for the big horses prancing behind ; for when 
 little Ned chose to go he could get over the 
 ground in a very lively manner. 
 
 Pokey sat breathless, holding fast to the 
 pan and spoons; but as the chase grew live- 
 lier, she was seized with a desire to glance 
 behind ; and that one glance was their un- 
 doing; for she forgot all about the pan and 
 spoons, and the next moment they were 
 flying wildly out into the middle of the road. 
 
 "There! Now you have done it!" ex- 
 claimed Denise, petulantly, for her temper 
 was much disturbed by thoughts of past, 
 present, and future, and her patience was not 
 very elastic. 
 
 Nothing could be done but go back to 
 gather up the scattered articles, and by the 
 time that was accomplished, Colonel Franklin 
 was upon them. 
 
 " Good afternoon, young ladies," said he, 
 with a courteous bow, while his wife and 
 
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 " THE PAN AND SPOONS WERE FLYING WILDLY OUT INTO THE 
 MIDDLE OF THE ROAD." 
 
NED DEVELOPS A TASTE FOR TAFFY 95 
 
 daughter bowed pleasantly. "You seem 
 to be enjoying yourselves," he continued, as 
 his twinkling eyes took in the situation. 
 " May I ask if this is a private picnic in which 
 Mr. Toodles is an honored guest, and has 
 had the lion's share of the sweeties ? " 
 
 Poor Denise was covered with confusion, 
 and scarcely knew how to reply ; but catch- 
 ing sight of the funny side of the predica- 
 ment, she burst out laughing, and was joined 
 very heartily by all. 
 
 " Did you ever see such a looking thing as 
 he is?" she demanded. "He likes taffy 
 altogether too well, and oh, me ! what a mess 
 he has made of himself; and what Aunt Helen 
 will say when we get home, I just don't 
 know. I don't suppose we shall ever hear 
 the last of it, do you, Colonel Franklin ? " she 
 added slyly. 
 
 "No; I 'm afraid you never will." And 
 she never did ; for years after the Colonel 
 would ask: "Well, Miss Denise, do you still 
 make taffy ? " But, at the time, he added 
 cheerily : 
 
 " Don't you think we had better act as es- 
 cort, Miss Denise ? I fear Ned's liberal sup- 
 ply of liquid taffy has rather unsettled him, 
 
96 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 and he seems to be in a very rowdy frame of 
 mind." 
 
 So the big carriage and the little one rolled 
 along, side by side, till the home road was 
 reached. There they parted, with the Colo- 
 nel's assurance that he had never been in 
 sweeter society. 
 
 " How could we act so ? " said Denise, re- 
 morsefully, when the Colonel's carriage had 
 passed on.' "I 'm just as sorry as I can be, 
 and I 'm going straight to Auntie to tell her 
 so. I would n't blame her if she shut us up 
 in a little box for the rest of the afternoon, for 
 we 've done nothing but plague her ever 
 since luncheon." 
 
 Soon they were at the front door, a very 
 different party from the one that had left it 
 an hour earlier. John was in a most right- 
 eous rage when he was summoned to take 
 Ned back to the stable, and he gave vent to 
 his wrath in smothered Celtic as he led the 
 pony away. 
 
 And well he might be angry, for Ned was 
 the pride of the devoted creature's heart, and 
 the time and care he lavished upon the little 
 scamp no one ever guessed. 
 
 " Faith, I belave the Ould Bye himsilf has 
 
NED DEVELOPS A TASTE FOR TAFFY 97 
 
 got into the childer to-day ! " John muttered, 
 shaking his head. 
 
 Pokey remained on the lawn to swing in 
 the hammock while Denise went in search 
 of Auntie to confess her misdeeds to that 
 much-enduring woman. 
 
 She found her just ready to descend to the 
 porch for ah hour's rest before the train should 
 arrive, but Auntie promptly learned that "the 
 best-laid plans o' mice and women " can be 
 upset by — well — taffy, ponies, and small 
 children. 
 
 Nothing could be done but to return to her 
 room and get the sticky youngster restored 
 to a proper condition ; and it is small wonder 
 that Auntie's patience came near giving out, 
 or that Denise should get a decided lecture. 
 
 " I am more annoyed than I can tell you, 
 Denise. How you cou/dhave been so thought- 
 less and selfish to-day, I can't understand." 
 
 " Selfish ? " echoed Denise, in a tone of sur- 
 prise. " Have I been selfish, Aunt Helen ? " 
 
 "Yes, I am sure the word will apply to 
 the case, for you have taken no pains to make 
 my duties lighter, when you could not fail to 
 know that I had a great deal to think of in 
 this big house, now that Mama is absent and 
 
98 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 I must assume the entire responsibility. Then, 
 too, you knew a guest was coming and that 
 I wished to have all in proper order for his 
 comfort, and that I must get Papa's room 
 ready, as well. All this made extra work for 
 Mary, who must now set to work and clean 
 this candy off your dress, besides having 
 Pokey's to dry and iron just when she is at 
 her busiest. 
 
 " So you see that, instead of trying to be 
 thoughtful for others and making as little 
 trouble as possible, you have gone on from 
 one prank to another, till now the climax is 
 reached. John must work this evening to 
 get Ned tidy. I have had to dress you again, 
 just when I was ready to sit down and rest 
 after a fatiguing day, and Mary must work 
 too. It is trying for us all." 
 
 "But I could n't help it if Pokey got upset, 
 could I ? — and was n't it just too funny for 
 anything ? " and, in spite of her aunt's rebuke, 
 up bubbled a little laugh at the recollection. 
 
 " No, dear, I 'm not blaming you for Po- 
 key's mishaps," was the answer; "but I want 
 my little niece to be more careful of her own 
 conduct, and by so doing to help Pokey over- 
 come her blundering ways." 
 
NED DEVELOPS A TASTE FOR TAFFY 99 
 
 "Can I, Auntie? I never thought of that." 
 
 "Yes, dear, you can do a great deal toward 
 it, for you know Pokey loves you dearly, and 
 admires you as well as loves you. She has 
 not such a happy home as yours, nor is she 
 taught as carefully as you are. Nothing helps 
 us so much as good influences and a wise 
 example. We may not realize it at the time, 
 but the impression is just as strong, and, un- 
 consciously, grows with us. 
 
 " Some day when you are grown, and look 
 back upon this dear home life, you will under- 
 stand what I mean, and be so grateful to dear 
 Papa and Mama for giving you such a happy 
 girlhood, and teaching you in such a sweet 
 way. There, darling, my little lecture is 
 ended, and I don't believe we shall need an- 
 other for some time, shall we ? " 
 
 " No, Auntie, we won't. We truly won't ! " 
 and she clasped her arms around the kind 
 aunt who never scolded, no matter how strong 
 the provocation might be. 
 
 Just then, the train's whistle told them that 
 in a few moments Papa would be with them, 
 and both hurried down to the piazza, where 
 Pokey joined them. 
 
 Soon Denise was gathered into a pair of 
 
ioo DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 arms which held her close, while their owner 
 said : 
 
 " How has my darling little daughter been 
 getting along without us all this time ? " 
 
 " We have missed you dreadfully," was the 
 reply, " and if it had n't been for Pokey and 
 Ned we never could have endured it! I want 
 to see Mama so badly that I don't know how 
 I can wait a week longer." 
 
 "She sends you ninety-nine kisses by me, 
 and I shall have to give them on the instal- 
 ment plan ; so here are ten to begin with ; 
 after dinner you may have some more." 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 captain Hamilton's plan 
 
 'ELL, little Miss Muggins," said the 
 Captain, when they were all seated 
 at dinner, " how are the children 
 flourishing, and what is this I hear about a 
 remarkable play-house ? I 've not been out 
 here in such a long time that I 'm quite in the 
 dark regarding the important events of the 
 family. Will you take me out for a visit 
 after dinner ? " 
 
 " Indeed I will," answered Denise, with alac- 
 rity, " and Pokey will show you how fast Ned 
 and Tan have learned to run ; won't you, 
 Pokey?" 
 
 Pokey very promptly turned the tables by 
 answering: "Yes, if you will tell them how 
 fond of taffy Ned has become, and how nicely 
 he can pull out pegs." 
 
 Naturally these mysterious remarks had to 
 be explained, which caused a hearty laugh all 
 
102 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 round, and effectually dispelled any sign of 
 clouds which might have remained. 
 
 As soon as dinner was finished all strolled 
 out to the Bird's Nest, where the children dis- 
 played their treasures and explained their ex- 
 ceptional merits. 
 
 Sailor and Beauty seemed to think that 
 they must assist in doing the honors, so while 
 one tore around, the other paraded about with 
 his great plumy tail waving like a banner, and 
 his big soft eyes showing the affection he could 
 not speak. 
 
 Then all the pets were visited in turn, from 
 Ned down to the twenty-seven bunnies, whose 
 house stood in an adjoining field. These little 
 bobtails demanded no small amount of care, 
 you may well guess, for there were "fathers, 
 mothers, uncles, cousins ; families by tens and 
 dozens," of all sizes and ages. 
 
 " What in the world do you ever intend do- 
 ing with all these pussies ? " asked the Captain. 
 "Are n't Hero and Leander enough in that 
 line, with just half a dozen here for company? " 
 
 " Hero" and " Leander " were Denise's cats, 
 and had been so named by Papa, who had res- 
 cued them from a watery grave when they were 
 wee kittens. 
 
CAPTAIN HAMILTON'S PLAN 103 
 
 "Captain Hamilton," said Denise, impres- 
 sively, "I wish I could answer that question, 
 but I can't." 
 
 "You have roused a vexed question, Cap- 
 tain, for she won't hear of one of those bunnies 
 being sent to Bunny Land, and if the family 
 continues to increase for the next two years 
 as it has in the past, we shall have to buy a 
 ten-acre field to keep it in," said Mr. Lombard. 
 
 " Eh, is that true ? Why, the matter is 
 serious ; but it 's lucky we spoke of it, for 
 I 've a fine idea, which I 've borrowed from 
 George, and if you will just sit down here on 
 the grass beside me, I '11 tell you in two min- 
 utes," said the good-natured Captain, who 
 had a family of eight boys far away across 
 the sea in England, and was only too glad to 
 have a chat with little people for the sake of 
 his own at home. 
 
 So the party settled themselves on the soft 
 lawn in front of the Bird's Nest, the children 
 snuggling close to the Captain, and listening 
 eagerly. 
 
 " You see, George had some rabbits given 
 him about three years since, and as we 'd 
 only a place about fifteen feet square in which 
 to keep them, in the course of time he found 
 
104 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 himself very like the old woman who lived in 
 a shoe. What to do with his big family he 
 did n't know. However, about three weeks 
 before I sailed, some garden truck was 
 brought to Mrs. Hamilton by a farmer who 
 lived a little way back in the country, and 
 one of his boys happened to come along with 
 him. I give you my word, that boy went 
 nearly wild over George's rabbits, and 
 George's mother suggested that some should 
 be given him. 
 
 " So the bargain was struck in this way : 
 four bunnies were to be given to each boy, 
 providing he would promise the best of care 
 for them, and, as there were four boys, that 
 disposed of sixteen bunnies. 
 
 " They were put into a big box, and away 
 they went with the farmer's lad, George 
 going along too, that he might be sure they 
 had good, comfortable quarters, although he 
 would have to walk all the way back home, 
 and it was a good six miles, too. But he 
 never cared a rap for that. 
 
 ''When he got home in the afternoon he 
 was as muddy a young tramp as you could 
 wish for, but as happy as possible ; and so 
 were we," he added, in conclusion. 
 
CAPTAIN HAMILTON'S PLAN 105 
 
 "Was n't that splendid!" cried Denise, 
 clapping her hands. " Papa, do you suppose 
 Farmer Sutton's boys would like some of my 
 bunnies ? " 
 
 " I 'm sure they would be overjoyed to 
 have them," said her father, heartily and with 
 charming decision. 
 
 " Do you truly ? Well, I 've a plan. John 
 is to harness Sunshine to the garden cart, 
 and drive Pokey and me and some bunnies 
 over there to-morrow morning. May he ? " 
 
 " Don't you think you will find it rather 
 rough riding?" 
 
 " Oh, no ; we shan't mind it, shall we, 
 Pokey? It will be fun." 
 
 Pokey seemed to think that the jolts would 
 add to the novelty, and permission was given 
 with delightful promptness, and John was 
 told to have everything ready by nine o'clock. 
 
 Never did he receive a more gratifying or- 
 der, for the bunnies were beginning to seem 
 like a millstone about his neck. 
 
 When the pets' territory had been left be- 
 hind, and the children had gone for a romp 
 with Sailor and Beauty, Mr. Lombard said : 
 
 " Captain, I feel called upon to offer a vote 
 of thanks, for you have proved yourself a 
 
106 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 public benefactor and capable of solving a 
 deep problem." 
 
 " Never you mind the problems. Let the 
 lads and lasses have their good times and be 
 happy with their pets. It 's good training 
 for them against the time they grow up and 
 have pets that they can't send off to the neigh- 
 bors to be looked after, and it will make them 
 all the more affectionate and patient. But I 
 can't see them grieved, and if a little manceu- 
 vering can save a tear, let 's have the ma- 
 nceuver, say I." 
 
 Next day the bunnies were sent off. Pokey 
 and Denise perched beside John in the gar- 
 den cart, which went jiggerty-jog, jiggerty- 
 jog, as Sunshine trotted along. 
 
 Never was a jollier ride, for they sang 
 songs all the way over, and John told stories 
 of Ireland and its jaunting-cars, while the 
 children hung their feet over the sides of the 
 cart and played they were going to Dublin. 
 
 Surely the road was rocky enough to sug- 
 gest it, and it was a wonder that they were 
 not shaken to bits on the way. 
 
 No need to tell how happy the boys were 
 to get the pretty rabbits. In an hour's time 
 they had built a nice house for them in a big 
 
CAPTAIN HAMILTON'S PLAN 107 
 
 orchard near the house, and the bunnies were 
 well settled in new quarters and seemed quite 
 at home. 
 
 " We 're jist powerful obleeged to ye," said 
 the old farmer; "and them boys won't git a 
 wink o' sleep to-night fer thinkin' on them 
 rabbits. Reckon ye need n't worrit about 
 their bein' fed reg'lar. They '11 be stuffed like 
 geese. Now come along and let me fill that 
 thar cart, and then ye can play ye 're farmers 
 goin' ter markit." 
 
 Soon the cart was filled with all sorts of 
 good things, for Dame Sutton had a private 
 supply of her own for the children, and there 
 was no danger of famine. 
 
 " Don't you want to go down this lane a 
 little way ? " asked Pokey, slyly, when they 
 were returning home. 
 
 " No ; I 'd rather stop and gather button- 
 balls for walnuts," said Denise, laughing, for 
 Pokey's last achievement had been to gather 
 a half-bushel of these balls, supposing them 
 to be walnuts, and to lug them home in tri- 
 umph, only to be laughed at for expecting 
 to find walnuts in August. 
 
 " I don't care if you all did laugh at me. 
 I 'm going to make something pretty of them 
 
lo8 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 for Christmas, See if I don't," said Pokey, 
 nodding her head wisely. 
 
 And the clever child actually did make an 
 exceedingly pretty hanging basket by string- 
 ing the balls on wires, and lining her basket 
 with gray moss. 
 
 Ferns were to be had for the digging, and 
 when Pokey returned to town two weeks later, 
 she carried with her a pretty souvenir which 
 suggested her country visit long after the visit 
 had ended and the snow had buried the other 
 ferns and buttonballs. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 PATSY MURPHY 
 
 'HY is it that the good times slip by 
 so quickly and the tiresome ones 
 drag? Can some one answer that 
 question ? 
 
 Hardly had the joy of Mama's return and 
 Grandma's arrival subsided, than it was time 
 for Pokey to return to her home and begin 
 her lessons ; for she went to a school which 
 opened its doors the first Monday in Septem- 
 ber, even if the days were hotter than when 
 it had closed them in June. 
 
 So poor Pokey had to tear herself away 
 from her delightful frolics with Denise and 
 "the children," and to prepare to stew her 
 poor brains till little hint of the roses she had 
 found in the country remained to tell the story 
 of fresh breezes and sunshine. 
 
 For a time Denise was utterly forlorn, and 
 even the pets failed to console her. The 
 7 109 
 
no DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 weather was still very warm, and her studies 
 would not begin till the ist of October, when 
 Miss Meredith would return. 
 
 And in the interval she hardly knew how 
 to occupy herself, for the Bird's Nest seemed 
 lonely and dull without its second chirper, and 
 Denise dreaded to go into it and find there 
 no happy-go-lucky little body who was always 
 amiability personified and ready with some 
 splendid plan for a new play. For Pokey 
 read to some purpose, and had no end of 
 pleasant ideas stored away in her wise little 
 noddle. 
 
 So Denise tried to console herselt with long 
 rides on Ned. John had taught her to ride, 
 and Ned was perfectly trained for the saddle. 
 Such delightful rambles and races ; for Ned 
 could pace, canter, or run as the turn of the 
 bridle or position of the whip indicated to him, 
 and was equally delightful in any gait. 
 
 And so they would swing along in the sun- 
 shine, or under the big trees ; Denise singing 
 or talking to him, and he tossing his head as 
 though he understood perfectly. 
 
 Often she would lean forward and clasp 
 both arms around his warm, soft neck, lay her 
 face in his shaggy mane, and let him walk 
 
PATSY MURPHY in 
 
 whither he would. And how the dear little 
 fellow enjoyed his petting ! Never did an 
 animal display greater reciprocity of affection, 
 or prove more plainly that to him Denise 
 was the dearest being in the world. 
 
 One warm, dusty morning, Denise and 
 Ned were going along a path which ran close 
 by the river, when they suddenly came upon 
 a little urchin known to the town as Patsy 
 Murphy, the dirtiest, most harum-scarum little 
 ragamuffin the place produced. 
 
 Perched upon a rock close to the water's 
 edge, he sat " skipping " stones into the river 
 as if life held no greater pleasure. 
 
 Barefooted, his trousers in rags and tatters 
 and held up by one suspender, which had 
 doubtless originally belonged to his father ; a 
 gingham shirt guiltless of a button and held 
 together by an old brass safety-pin ; his red 
 hair cropped short to avoid the trouble of 
 combing, and his elfish little freckled face 
 artistically streaked with dirt and perspira- 
 tion, he was a fair specimen of the spirit of 
 mischief. 
 
 Ned stopped and regarded him as a curios- 
 ity, while Denise gazed upon him with min- 
 gled disgust and amusement 
 
112 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 " Tip o' the day to ye, Miss Denise," said 
 Patsy, unabashed. 
 
 " How do you do ? " was the reply. 
 
 " Is it how I do, ye V axin' ? Well, I 'm 
 jist afther scuttlin' out av the school, an' nary 
 a bit will I set me fut insoid it this day." 
 
 " I should think you would be ashamed to 
 say so, when you know your mother wants 
 you to learn something. She works hard 
 enough, I 'm sure ! " — reprovingly. 
 
 " L'arn su'thin', is it ? Don't I know su'thin' 
 alriddy ? Whisht now, whilst I tell ye what 
 I l'arnt the day. T'acher she axed me had I 
 tin apples an' Johnny Doyle five, how many 
 more would I have thin Johnny ? An' I told 
 her fifteen, bekase I 'd moighty soon swipe 
 Johnny's an' roon wid 'em." 
 
 Denise felt that Patsy's arithmetic was a 
 little beyond her, so she ignored the last re- 
 mark, and said severely : "I don't see how 
 you can get so dirty. You are just not fit to 
 be seen. A great boy nine years old, with 
 such a dirty face." 
 
 " Is me face dirty?" — innocently. "Now 
 howiver c'u'd I know that when the lookin'- 
 glass is broke ? An' listen whilst I tell ye a 
 sacret." And hopping off his rock, he came 
 
PATSY MURPHY 115 
 
 close to Denise and said in a confidential 
 tone : 
 
 " D' ye know when I got out av me bed 
 this marnin', I said I 'd wash me face, an' I 
 wint to git the bowl. But what do ye think 
 me mither says ? Says she, ' Patsy, don't ye 
 be takin' that bowl. I 'm jist afther cl'anin' 
 it ter make bread in.' Now, do ye mind, I 
 could n't be clane fur thot r'ason ? " said the 
 incorrigible. 
 
 " I never saw such a boy in my life ! " ex- 
 claimed Denise, gathering up her reins ; and 
 she went on, leaving Patsy glorying over his 
 victory. 
 
 Could she have seen him after the turn in 
 the road hid him from her sight, her peace of 
 mind would doubtless have been even more 
 exercised, for, giving his ragged scrap of a 
 hat a toss, he proceeded to execute a dance 
 of triumph by turning handsprings over the 
 sand. 
 
 Following the pretty path along the shore, 
 Denise soon reached a road which led ab- 
 ruptly up the bank and brought one to a 
 little country store — one of those stores in 
 which a miscellaneous collection of articles is 
 sold, a place patronized by people who did 
 
Il6 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 not care to walk to the village when a spool 
 of thread, a pound of sugar, or a fish-line was 
 needed. 
 
 For several very good reasons, Ned had a 
 strong fancy for this particular store. First, 
 only three steps needed to be climbed to 
 enter it, and those gave him no trouble 
 whatever. Next, chocolate creams were sold 
 there, and he was very fond of them. 
 
 And last, but by no means least, Mr. Jones, 
 the storekeeper, thought it a great joke to 
 have him come pattering in with Denise on 
 his back, walk up to the counter, and whinny 
 for cream-drops. 
 
 So you may be sure that he needed no 
 urging when once he found himself headed 
 in the direction of the store, and he scrambled 
 up the steep hill as though the impish Patsy 
 were in hot pursuit. Faster and faster he 
 walked ; then he broke into a trot ; and, at 
 last, finding that he was not restrained by word 
 or rein, he broke into a brisk canter which 
 soon brought him to the object of his desire. 
 
 Denise let him have his own way, so, mak- 
 ing straight for the entrance, he scrambled 
 up the steps, clattered across the little stoop, 
 and bounced into the store. 
 

PATSY MURPHY 119 
 
 Two or three steps brought him to the 
 counter where the cream-drops were kept, 
 and a loud neigh made known his wants to 
 Mr. Jones, who had just laid a stick of pep- 
 permint candy upon the counter for a little 
 girl, who, doing her best to produce a penny 
 from an atom of a pocket, was so absorbed 
 by the struggle that she paid no attention to 
 the queer customer who had just entered. 
 
 But to Ned the temptation was too great, 
 and in just about half a second he had reached 
 out and grabbed the candy. 
 
 The sudden move caused the child to look 
 up, just in time to catch sight of the end of 
 a pink-and-white stick vanishing in a black 
 mouth. 
 
 It had all happened so quickly that Denise 
 was helpless, and it was so funny that she could 
 not help laughing when she discovered it. 
 
 But the defrauded child did not see it in a 
 funny light at all, and lifting up her voice, she 
 howled dismally. 
 
 " Oh, don't cry ! " said Denise. " I '11 buy 
 some more candy. And you must n't blame 
 Ned, for he thought Mr. Jones had put the 
 stick there for him. Did n't you, you little 
 scamp ? " she asked, pulling his mane. 
 
120 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Soon more candy was produced, and Little 
 Forlornity was sent on her way rejoicing over 
 ten cents' worth of chocolate creams, while 
 Ned was made happy with his allowance of 
 five, and was quite ready to turn his inquisi- 
 tive nose toward home when the word was 
 given. 
 
 " You are a bad little scrap," said Denise, 
 as he clattered out of the store, " and if you 
 don't behave better, I 'm afraid you won't get 
 any birthday present, and in a few weeks you 
 will have a birthday, you know. At least / 
 shall, and it 's all the same. So you 'd better 
 behave ! " 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 BIRTHDAY PLANS 
 
 jNLY think, Mama; in three weeks 
 I shall have had Ned one whole 
 year. It seems to me as though 
 I 'd always had him," said Denise, one morn- 
 ing, as she sat in her mother's pleasant room. 
 
 " Do you think, darling, that you ever en- 
 joyed a year as well ? " asked her mother. 
 
 " No ; I 'm sure I never did. Of course I 
 loved Sailor and Beauty and Tan, but I don't 
 think any one could love a goat or a dog as 
 well as they could love such a dear little wise 
 pony as Ned is. Do you ? " 
 
 " Hardly. But don't you think we ought 
 to have a frolic to celebrate Ned's anniver- 
 sary, and let him share in it ? " 
 
 "Oh, Mama, can we? Would n't it be 
 fun ! What could we do ? " 
 
 " I think we can have the frolic, dear, for 
 there is just the hint of a shade of an idea in 
 
122 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 my head this very minute ; and if my darling 
 little daughter will come and sit on the arm 
 of my big chair while I sit here to rest, 
 I would not wonder if it took form and 
 shape." 
 
 " Moddie, Moddie, Moddie ! Whatever 
 should I do without you ? " said Denise, 
 snuggling close to her mother. " Now 
 I 'm all ready to hear ' the hint of a shade.' " 
 
 So, cheek to cheek, they talked it over, and 
 three weeks later it carried happiness to five 
 other children, lads and lasses. 
 
 "Let me see," said Mama. "The ioth 
 falls on Saturday. How would it be to have 
 Pokey come out on Friday afternoon and 
 stay with us till Monday morning? On your 
 birthday we could invite May, Murray, Harry, 
 and Tom, and all go off on a grand nutting- 
 party. We can go to Sheppard's Brook ; 
 and Papa, Miss Meredith, John, and I could 
 go in the surrey and make ourselves gener- 
 ally useful. 
 
 " You could take the depot-wagon, and 
 divide up the rides as the fancy took you. 
 The boys won't mind the walk in the least ; 
 but if they should suddenly grow weary," — 
 and Mama smiled suggestively, — " you girls 
 
BIRTHDAY PLANS 123 
 
 could do a little walking without taking any 
 harm." 
 
 " Of course we could; and would n't it be 
 perfectly splendid ! " 
 
 " John can drive us," continued Mama, 
 "and when we reach there he can be general 
 utility-man, looking after Ned and Sunshine, 
 getting out the lunch-baskets, and climbing 
 the trees if they prove too much for the boys. 
 What do you think of my plan, dear ? " 
 
 "Mama," said Denise, solemnly, "what do 
 you suppose girls do who have n't mothers 
 that think out lovely plans for them ? I don't 
 see how I 'm ever going to pay back all you 
 do for me." And she looked seriously bur- 
 dened with her obligations. 
 
 " Put the speaking-tube to my lips, so 
 that no one else can hear, and I '11 tell you 
 how to cancel your obligations," said Mama, 
 smiling. 
 
 Denise laughed, and pushing back her 
 long brown curls, put her soft ear close to 
 her mother's lips. 
 
 " By being a thoughtful, obedient, unself- 
 ish little gentlewoman," was whispered in 
 the speaking-tube. , 
 
 " I will, Moddie, indeed I will ; for I don't 
 
124 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 see how a girl could be anything else when 
 she has such a precious Moddie ! " cried 
 Denise, kissing her mother tenderly. 
 
 Denise was delighted, and consequently 
 the letter was written to Pokey that very day, 
 and as quickly as the mail could bring it the 
 reply came to state that Pokey would accept 
 with pleasure. 
 
 Between that and the time set for Pokey's 
 arrival, Denise spent most of her time in 
 hunting up all the baskets and bags to be 
 had, and in telling Ned over and over again 
 that he was to go on a nutting frolic on his 
 birthday. 
 
 On the 29th Miss Meredith returned, and 
 on the 1 st of October the studies began 
 again, and helped the time pass more quickly 
 till Pokey should come. 
 
 Denise had an active little brain, which 
 made it a pleasure to teach her, so she and 
 Miss Meredith got on capitally. Moreover, 
 Miss Meredith was a born teacher, and helped 
 the bright little mind she had in her care to 
 unfold as naturally as a flower. No matter 
 how prosy the subject might be, she possessed 
 the rare faculty of turning it into a fairy tale, 
 and she had oftener to say, "We will keep 
 
BIRTHDAY PLANS 125 
 
 the rest for another day " than " Let us finish 
 this to-day." 
 
 Lessons were always ended at one o'clock, 
 and all the beautiful autumn afternoons Denise 
 was free to follow the bent of her fancies, 
 while Miss Meredith enjoyed her rest and the 
 society of Grandma and Mama. 
 
 And Denise had plenty to occupy the after- 
 noons, for she had undertaken to teach Ned 
 the tricks she had seen a circus pony perform, 
 and the modus operandi was funny enough. 
 John, naturally, was general factotum, and 
 entered into the spirit of the thing with a 
 zest; for he firmly believed that Ned was the 
 {t intilligintest baste " that ever lived, and it 
 was simply a question of telling him what to 
 do, and he would do it at once. 
 
 The first move was to make a ring about 
 sixty feet in circumference out in the dis- 
 mantled vegetable garden ; and the next to 
 take a big box, five feet long, three wide, and 
 one foot high, and fasten a large block of 
 wood at the left-hand corner — a block about 
 fifteen inches high. Beside this was a post 
 about ten inches higher. 
 
 Then the whole thing must be covered with 
 one of Flash's old blankets, carefully cut and 
 
126 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 tacked on, so that Ned need not slip, and his 
 pedestal was complete. 
 
 An old carriage rug laid in the center of 
 the ring served as kneeling-mat, and then 
 they were ready to begin. 
 
 And I can assure you that it took many 
 days and much patience before Ned was pro- 
 nounced perfect and fit for a public per- 
 formance. First he had to be taught to go 
 around the ring by himself, and one after the 
 other the various tricks were learned ; but we 
 will tell of these at another time. 
 
 The 9th came very quickly, and Denise 
 was in a perfect fever of excitement. Long 
 before the train was due she was at the depot, 
 driving up and down to keep little Ned from 
 taking cold in his head, for the days were 
 growing frosty, and by four o'clock one felt 
 grateful for a snug jacket. 
 
 But at last the whistle sounded, and in a 
 moment more the train had deposited Miss 
 Pokey and Papa upon the platform. 
 
 Presently the little depot-wagon had all 
 it could hold, for Papa and the big satchel 
 filled the back seat, and the two chatter- 
 boxes occupied the front, as Ned whisked 
 them away. 
 

 wwi tsm 
 
 - '4' 
 
 "IT TOOK MANY DAYS AND MUCH PATIENCE BEFORE NED WAS 
 PRONOUNCED PERFECT." 
 
BIRTHDAY PLANS 129 
 
 " Did you bring an old dress and jacket ? " 
 was the first question. 
 
 " Yes ; and old shoes too, for Mama said 
 I 'd be sure to need them." 
 
 " I feel sure you will, and I '11 let you have 
 my boating-cap, and then you will be all fixed 
 out." 
 
 " Oh, won't it be fun ! " cried Pokey, with 
 a bounce, as if already jumping up after the 
 falling nuts. " Is n't it splendid to be out 
 here again and sniff the fresh air ? " 
 
 "Are n't you afraid of Ned's bouncing 
 now ? " asked Papa. 
 
 " No, indeed, I 'm not. He can bounce 
 all he wants to, for if he spills us we shall 
 tumble on the soft grass beside the road, and 
 not on the old city stones''' replied Pokey, 
 rather recklessly. 
 
 " Papa, do you think the day will be fine ? " 
 
 " Made to order," was the reassuring reply. 
 " Just look at old Sol taking himself off to 
 bed behind the mountain. Tell me, did you 
 ever see the old fellow looking jollier ? " 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 POKEY HAS A DREAM 
 
 KNOW I sha'n't sleep one wink 
 to-night," said Pokey, as the chil- 
 dren settled themselves in bed at 
 an early hour, in order to be up betimes in 
 the morning. 
 
 " Yes, you will, too. You '11 just go right 
 off to the Land o' Nod, as you always do, and 
 leave me talking to the darkness." 
 
 " I sha'n't, either. Don't you suppose I 
 want to talk just as much as you do ? Only 
 you know Mrs. Mama said we were not to 
 talk too long, or we should n't be able to wake 
 up early enough in the morning." 
 
 "Well, we won't talk too long; but how 
 
 many bags do you guess we shall gather 
 
 to-morrow ? " 
 _ * 
 
 "Twenty, at least," was the wise reply; for 
 
 Pokey's nutting expeditions had been few and 
 
POKEY HAS A DREAM 131 
 
 far between, and her ideas on the subject 
 were decidedly vague. 
 
 "Well, I know that we sha'n't," — posi- 
 tively. "Why, if we get six it will be a lot." 
 
 " Six ! I believe I could gather six all by 
 myself. Are the bags as big as my satchel ? " 
 
 "As big as your satchel! Why, Pokey 
 Delano, they are empty flour-sacks, and hold 
 just heaps and heaps ! " 
 
 " Oh, I thought they were little bags ! " 
 And Pokey subsided to think over the pros- 
 pect of filling six flour- sacks. 
 
 Ten minutes passed without a word from 
 either, and then Denise asked suddenly : 
 
 " Pokey, are you going to sleep ? " 
 
 "No!" — promptly. "I am just as wide 
 awake as you are, and am lying still to think 
 about the fun we will have to-morrow. I 
 never went on a real nutting-party before, 
 and I know this one will be just splendid ! " 
 
 " Of course it will. Everything Mama 
 thinks out is splendid. There never was a 
 better mother than mine, I believe." 
 
 " No ; I don't believe there ever was," 
 agreed Pokey. " How do you suppose she 
 ever thinks of so many lovely things ? " 
 
 "I asked her once," replied Denise, "and 
 
i 3 2 DEMISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 what do you suppose she told me ? She 
 said that way down in one corner of her 
 heart was a little spot that was all mine, and 
 nobody else ever got into that particular spot, 
 not even Papa, for there was another place 
 that was his. Well, in my little spot lived 
 two tiny fairies ; one was the play fairy, and 
 the other one was the wise fairy. The wise 
 fairy kept telling her just what was best for 
 my comfort, and how to take care of me and 
 make me grow up a sweet little gentlewo- 
 man. The play fairy put all the bright ideas 
 into her head, so that I might have the happi- 
 est childhood imaginable, and that would help 
 the wise fairy's work, because if I was happy 
 and merry all the time it would be much 
 easier for the wise fairy to make me grow up 
 just as she would like to have me. 
 
 " So when Mama wants some extra nice 
 idea she just goes off and has a quiet little 
 talk with her play fairy, who has never failed 
 to help her when she wants a new idea for a 
 frolic. 
 
 "Then, you see, the wise fairy is happy 
 too, for she knows that the pleasant time is 
 my reward for trying to be what she wishes 
 me to be." 
 
POKEY HAS A DREAM 133 
 
 " I think that is as sweet as any fairy story 
 I ever read. I wish my mama had some 
 fairies too," said Pokey. 
 
 Then both lapsed into silence, one to think 
 sweet thoughts of a mother whose whole 
 life was dedicated to her little daughter's 
 physical, mental, and moral welfare and hap- 
 piness, and the other to wonder wherein the 
 difference in her own and her little friend's 
 life lay, feeling it, but quite incapable of de- 
 fining it. Sober thoughts for little people, 
 and not conducive to insomnia. 
 
 In what, to Denise, seemed about ten min- 
 utes, she started up, realizing that she must 
 have dozed off. Her first thought was : 
 
 " I wonder if Pokey caught me going to 
 sleep ? How she will laugh at me, if she did!" 
 . "Pokey,"— softly. 
 
 No answer. 
 
 " Pokey ! " — a little louder. 
 
 Still silence, broken only by Beauty But- 
 tons, who slept on a rug at the foot of the 
 bed, and roused up enough to wag his tail. 
 
 By this time Denise was wide awake, and, 
 reaching over to shake the sleeping Pokey, 
 was scared nearly out of her wits to find the 
 bed empty. 
 
134 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 " Mercy me ! where is she ? " cried the star- 
 tled child, and bouncing out of bed, she 
 rushed to turn up the gas. There were Po- 
 key's clothes upon the chair where she had 
 placed them upon retiring, but no sign of 
 their owner could be seen. 
 
 Meanwhile Beauty, who seemed to think it 
 a good joke, had jumped up from his rug and 
 ran about the room, wagging his tail and act- 
 ing altogether like a crazy dog. 
 
 " Catch them ! Catch them ! Don't you 
 see that they are all running away ? " was 
 shouted in muffled tones from beneath the 
 bed. And then came a bang and a scream, 
 as Pokey wakened from her dream of hunt- 
 ing in the leaves for nuts, to find herself 
 under an iron bedstead, against which she 
 was bumping her head in her sleepy en- 
 deavors to get out. 
 
 As soon as the true state of affairs had 
 dawned upon Denise, her scare vanished, 
 and seating herself in the middle of the 
 floor, she laughed until she could n't laugh 
 any more. 
 
 In came Mama to learn what upon earth 
 had happened, and to find Pokey seated upon 
 the edge of the bed trying to rub the sleep 
 
POKEY HAS A DREAM 135 
 
 out of her eyes, and Denise rolled up in a 
 little heap in the middle of the rug. 
 
 " You crazy children! What are you doing 
 at this hour of the night ? " 
 
 " Oh, Mama, is n't it just too funny?" And 
 Denise went off into another fit of laughing. 
 
 "Why, you see," explained Pokey, "I 
 dreamed that we were 'way off in a field, 
 picking up nuts, and at the edge of the field 
 was a steep bank, and all the nuts were roll- 
 ing away down it. So I went down to catch 
 them, and I guess I must have crawled out 
 of the bed instead, for I don't see anything 
 like a nut — unless it is this lump on the top 
 of my head," she added ruefully, as she rubbed 
 a big bump. 
 
 Mama could not help joining in the laugh- 
 ter; and after fetching a healing lotion and 
 binding up Pokey's bruises, she tucked the 
 children safely in bed, and with a good-night 
 kiss for each, said : 
 
 " Now go straight to sleep, and don't think 
 of another nut till daylight, for it is nearly 
 two o'clock." 
 
 "Two o'clock!" echoed Denise, "and I 
 thought I 'd been asleep only ten minutes!" 
 
 According to Denise's method of reckoning 
 
136 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 time, another ten minutes had scarcely passed 
 when she was awakened by a bright ray of 
 sunshine falling across her face. 
 
 "Wake up, Pokey; wake up this minute!" 
 she shouted to the sleepy little mortal be- 
 side her, who gradually uncurled herself. 
 
 "Oh, dear! I don't believe it 's morning 
 yet, and you are waking me up to laugh at 
 me," was the sleepy reply. 
 
 " No, I 'm not, either. Just look at the 
 sunshine, when you 've got the sandman out 
 of your eyes, and you '11 see that it is morn- 
 ing. So hurry up, or we sha'n't finish break- 
 fast before the others get here." 
 
 Such a glorious October morning ! It was 
 just crisp and frosty enough to make one feel 
 frisky, and you may be sure that no time was 
 lost in getting ready for breakfast. 
 
 Soon the children ran out of their room, 
 one to receive a cheery good-morning greet- 
 ing from the family, and the other tender 
 birthday wishes and many pretty gifts ; for 
 even John remembered the little girl who 
 occasionally made life a burden to him, and 
 brought as his offering a beautiful pot of 
 white chrysanthemums which he had watched 
 and tended for months. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 A NUTTING-PARTY 
 
 LEVEN years old to-day," said 
 Denise, in a sober voice, as she sat 
 at the breakfast-table. " Just think; 
 I 've been in this world eleven whole years ! 
 Mama, how did you ever get on before I 
 came ? You must have been very lonely ; 
 were n't you ? " 
 
 " Do you think you are so essential to my 
 happiness, little Miss Conceit ? " asked her 
 mother, jokingly. 
 
 " Well, yes ; I guess that I am, rather," said 
 Denise, positively, " for you once said that 
 Papa was the sun and I the sunbeams in your 
 life, and people are dull without those, are n't 
 they?" 
 
 " Yes, darling, we need both, and I keep 
 mine very close at hand," said Mama, with a 
 smile and happy glance from sunny little 
 daughter to kind husband. 
 
 137 
 
138 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 " Papa," cried Denise, a moment later, — for 
 her busy tongue must keep going when the 
 brain had so many thoughts pressing for- 
 ward, — "I wonder how old Ned is; do you 
 know ? " 
 
 " Yes ; I think I can tell you that pampered 
 young creature's age ; for when I bought him, 
 one year ago, he was seven years old." 
 
 "Why, he is only eight now! I thought 
 he must surely be as old as I." 
 
 " No, indeed. He would be getting pretty 
 well on, even for a Welsh pony, if he were 
 eleven." 
 
 Before breakfast was finished, shouts and 
 voices outside announced the arrival of the 
 lads and lasses who were to complete the 
 party, and Denise and Pokey rushed out to 
 welcome them. 
 
 Presently all were gathered out on the lawn 
 to watch the bestowal in the surrey of some 
 very comfortable-looking baskets and pack- 
 ages, as well as ropes, bags, and little baskets 
 for the pickers. 
 
 Ned, harnessed to the depot-wagon, was 
 quite as important as any member of the 
 party, and did his share by carrying his own 
 and Sunshine's dinner, halters, and blankets. 
 
A NUTTING-PARTY 139 
 
 In less time than one would have thought 
 it possible to get such a lively party in order, 
 the whole van was on the way, the girls sing- 
 ing, and the boys romping and tearing about 
 as only boys can. Although it was three 
 miles to Sheppard's Brook Farm, the distance 
 was traveled in no time. 
 
 Ned seemed to consider it a party made up 
 especially for him, and acted altogether like a 
 little scalawag — tearing along on a dead^run 
 as the boys ran beside him, scrambling up the 
 hills with the boys helping by pushing, and 
 then rushing down the other side as though 
 determined to break his neck. But the little 
 Welshman was too sure-footed to be easily 
 upset, and bounced along like a goat. 
 
 Sailor and Beauty were permitted to join 
 the party ; but poor Tan had been compelled 
 to remain behind, although he blaated most 
 piteously when he saw them start off without 
 him. 
 
 As soon as the big fields in which the great 
 shellbarks grew were reached, John unhar- 
 nessed Ned and turned him loose, and blanket- 
 ing Sunshine, fastened him to a neighboring 
 tree. For Sunshine, although three times as 
 big, was not nearly so wise as little Ned, and 
 
140 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 would soon have gone prancing off if left to 
 himself. But Ned was very sociable, and still 
 more curious, therefore he never gotout of sight 
 of anything unusual, and Denise's whistle 
 could summon him in an instant. So while 
 he amused himself by poking his inquisitive 
 little nose into every corner of the field, the 
 two-legged picnickers fell to work with a will, 
 and soon had the nuts flying in all directions. 
 
 Never was day so lovely. Never were nuts 
 so big and plentiful. In no time the baskets 
 were filled and emptied into the big sacks and 
 ready to be filled again. 
 
 All joined in, and while John and the boys 
 thrashed the trees with long, limber poles, 
 raining nuts on anybody who happened to be 
 beneath, the others gathered till their bended 
 backs ached. 
 
 By one o'clock all were ready for a good, 
 substantial lunch, and Mama and Miss Mere- 
 dith proceeded to set it forth. 
 
 I should n't dare tell of the quantity of food 
 consumed that day. But who would not be 
 hungry after three hours' lively exercise in the 
 delightful October sunshine and air? All sat 
 or sprawled about on the warm, dry grass, 
 and ate or drank at their own sweet wills. 
 
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY IN THE WOODS. 
 
A NUTTING-PARTY 143 
 
 Nobody minded an interruption in the shape 
 of Ned marching into the middle of the table- 
 cloth to search for sugar, or Sailor and Beauty- 
 making a foraging expedition for sandwiches. 
 
 After luncheon came a grand rest for an 
 hour, during which all talked or various mem- 
 bers of the party told stories. 
 
 " Papa," said Denise, " I am just as old to- 
 day as you were when you had your first 
 coat-tails. Do tell us the story again. It 
 was so funny." 
 
 "Oh, yes; do, do!" cried all the others. 
 
 Papa laughed, and began : 
 
 "When I was a lad I lived in a little town 
 on Cape Cod, called Truro. We were a long 
 way from Boston, and there were no railroads 
 in those days to carry us back and forth. But 
 we did not miss them, because we had never 
 known what it was to have such things, and 
 were well satisfied to have everything brought 
 down from Boston by packets, as the boats 
 sailing between Truro and Boston were called. 
 
 " My mother, brother, and myself lived in a 
 big house which stood high on a hill, and 
 from it we could watch for the coming of the 
 packet, and also for my father's ship ; for he 
 was a sea-captain, and used to sail on long 
 
144 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 voyages which often kept him from home a 
 year or more at a time. 
 
 " Father had sailed from home in March, 
 and when he left us he said to me : ' Now, 
 my boy, when I get back in September you 
 will be eleven years old ; and if I get good 
 reports of you in Mother's letters I shall bring 
 with me your first coat-tails, at the end of a 
 jacket with brass buttons.' 
 
 "'And long trousers, too?' I asked, for it 
 was the fashion in those days for boys to wear 
 short jackets and breeches until they were 
 about ten or eleven, and then they could dress 
 like their fathers ; and you may be sure the 
 first coat-tails were longed for with as much 
 eagerness as the first long trousers are to-day," 
 said Papa, with a nod at the lads before him. 
 
 " ' Yes ; the trousers too, all complete, on 
 one condition,' said he. 
 
 " ' And what is that ? ' I asked eagerly. 
 
 " 'That you keep Mother's wood-box well 
 filled,' was the answer. 
 
 " That seemed an easy thing to do, and so 
 I promised very readily. 
 
 " So Father sailed, and I counted the days 
 which must pass before August, when I 
 should be eleven years old. 
 
A NUTTING-PARTY 145 
 
 " Meanwhile the wood-box was kept filled, 
 and Mother's reports were good. 
 
 " At last, August 7, my birthday came, and 
 Mother wrote a letter to Father which would 
 reach him in Boston, where he was expected 
 to arrive the 1st of September. She gave 
 him my measure, and nothing remained but 
 to keep my impatience bottled up till the 1st 
 of September, when he should be at home. 
 
 "He came four days sooner than we ex- 
 pected him, and the new suit with him. I tell 
 you it was superb ! It was dark-green cloth, 
 and had satin facings and gilt buttons. 
 Then there was a stock and frilled shirt, just 
 like Father's, and the hat and shoes to com- 
 plete it all. 
 
 "You may be sure I lost no time in get- 
 ting into it, and it was pronounced simply 
 stunning. 
 
 "Fathers arrival was a great event in the 
 family, and that evening all the aunts, uncles, 
 and cousins came to tea to welcome him, and 
 the best parlor was made ready and a rous- 
 ing fire built in the big open Franklin stove. 
 
 " My logs of wood snapped and sparkled, 
 and we youngsters had great fun roasting 
 apples and chestnuts in front of them. 
 
146 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 " I, in my swell suit, was the ' biggest toad 
 in the puddle,' and paraded up and down be- 
 fore the admiring eyes of the other children. 
 At last, growing conscious of the tight new 
 shoes, I chose a novel place in which to rest 
 myself and relieve my feet of the burden of 
 my body. I sat down on the fender of the 
 Franklin, and was so absorbed in caring for 
 my weary feet that I utterly forgot that I was 
 the owner of coat-tails, and left them to take 
 care of themselves. 
 
 " Pretty soon Mother turned round and said 
 excitedly : 
 
 "'I smell wool burning. What on earth 
 is it ? ' and then she caught sight of me. 
 
 "'Lewis Lombard! Are you stark mad? 
 Your whole back is afire ! ' 
 
 "I sprang up, but the coat-tails remained 
 behind — a charred, blackened heap. Mother 
 tore off what remained of the coat, and the 
 danger was soon over; but I was the most 
 unhappy boy in Truro that night, and have 
 never heard the last of my first coat-tails to 
 this day," said Papa, as he finished the story 
 amid shouts of laughter from the children. 
 
 After the laugh had subsided, Papa said it 
 was high time to attack the chestnut-trees in 
 
A NUTTING-PARTY 147 
 
 the adjoining field, and all fell to work again 
 with a will. 
 
 By four o'clock six big bags had been filled 
 with chestnuts and hickory-nuts, with a few 
 hazels thrown in for variety, and the mem- 
 bers of the nutting-party were glad to prepare 
 for the homeward ride, leaving the bags to 
 the care of the farm-hands, who promised to 
 take them over the mountain early Monday 
 morning. 
 
 So Ned and Sunshine were harnessed, and 
 while John went to the farm-house to thank 
 Mr. Sheppard for his hospitality and the nuts, 
 Papa packed away the belongings and col- 
 lected his party. 
 
 Such a jolly, tired crowd as walked, rode, 
 or " cut behind," as they went over the moun- 
 tain toward supper and bed, which all felt 
 would be welcome ! 
 
 But, alas ! Pokey had to prove that "there 's 
 many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip." 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 POKEY TRIES TO STUDY BOTANY 
 
 IHE road wound up the mountain, in 
 and out, up and down, sometimes 
 through deep woods, and then down 
 into little valleys, -where a brook trickled be- 
 neath thick ferns which nearly hid it from 
 view, and in many such spots it was decidedly 
 boggy. 
 
 The summit of the mountain was gained 
 and the descent begun when just such a spot 
 was reached. 
 
 Pokey was walking, and, as usual, was con- 
 siderably behind all the others, when she was 
 seized with a desire to gather a beautiful wild 
 flower which grew a little way in the woods. 
 
 Never stopping to consider the wisdom of 
 the step, or ask a question, she stepped 
 straight off the road, and found herself up to 
 her knees in a bog which the ferns had 
 wholly concealed. 
 
 148 
 
POKEY TRIES TO STUDY BOTANY 149 
 
 Her screams caused the occupants of the 
 surrey — which by this time had gotten well 
 ahead — to turn round and behold Pokey 
 floundering about and getting deeper and 
 deeper every instant. In about half a minute 
 John had her on firm ground, but a spectacle 
 to behold. 
 
 Frightened as they were, the children could 
 not help shouting at the forlorn object before 
 them, for certainly poor Pokey was as muddy 
 a little girl as one could conceive of. 
 
 " Ugh ! " she exclaimed. " I feel just like a 
 frog, and I do believe I should have gone 
 right down to China if John had n't fished 
 me out ! " 
 
 Soaking and muddy, she was rolled in Sun- 
 shine's blanket and put into the surrey, to 
 be driven home as quickly as possible, while 
 John remained behind to look after the rest 
 of the party, and finish his homeward journey 
 on foot. 
 
 By the time they reached home Pokey had 
 been scraped, and was ready to welcome 
 them with her imperturbable good nature. 
 
 Soon the baskets and various traps were 
 disposed of, Ned led off to the stable, the 
 " good nights " said, and the extra members 
 
150 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 of the party departed, singing at the top of 
 their lungs: 
 
 " Miss Pokey wanted a posy, oh ! 
 
 Heigh-ho, Miss Pokey! 
 And after it she had to go, 
 And souse into the bog — oh ! oh ! 
 Up to her knees she went, you know, 
 And John he pulled her out just so. 
 
 Heigh-ho, Miss Pokey!" 
 
 to the tune of " A Frog He Would A-wooing 
 Go." 
 
 " Pokey," asked Denise, a few hours later, 
 when the family was seated around the cheer- 
 ful log fire, " what do you think you will 
 dream of to-night?" 
 
 " Nothing, I hope ! " was the quick reply, 
 " for if I did, I 'm afraid it would be about 
 getting stuck in bogs." 
 
 " I trust that your dream might not be as 
 real as one my brother once had," said Mama. 
 
 " Do tell about it," begged Pokey, who 
 dearly loved a fireside tale. 
 
 " It was a great many years ago, when I 
 was a young girl. Charley and I used to go 
 every summer to spend a few weeks with 
 Grandfather, who lived on a large farm in 
 the central part of New York State. 
 
POKEY TRIES TO STUDY BOTANY 151 
 
 " It was an immense place, and he had any 
 number of horses, cows, and all sorts of farm 
 stock. 
 
 " One afternoon Charley and I had been 
 rambling through the fields, when we came to 
 a large pasture, where a beautiful Holstein 
 bull was feeding. We looked at him over 
 the bars, but kept at a respectful distance, as 
 we did not know what manner of beastie he 
 might be. Charley was much struck with 
 him, and but for me would have gone straight 
 into the field. 
 
 "When we got home we asked Grand- 
 father about him, and he told us that he was 
 a very valuable animal, but not an amiable 
 one, and for that very reason he kept him in 
 that distant pasture and behind a stout paling, 
 and it was lucky for Charley that he had 
 stopped outside. 
 
 " No more was thought of it ; but that 
 night, at about two o'clock, I was wakened 
 by something falling upon the floor in front 
 of my door. 
 
 " I jumped out of bed, and looked out in 
 the hall, but failed to discover the cause. 
 
 " It was a beautiful moonlight night, but 
 the hall was dark. I slipped back to my 
 
152 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 room and lighted my candle, for I felt sure 
 something must be wrong." 
 
 " What was it — thieves ? " asked Pokey, 
 breathlessly. 
 
 "No," said Mama, laughing; "only a shoe. 
 There it lay in the hall. But in an instant it 
 flashed upon me that it was Charley's. 
 
 " Then I knew what the matter was. He 
 was walking in his sleep, as he sometimes did 
 at home. Rushing back to my room, I scrab- 
 bled on my shoes and stockings and some 
 clothes, and then flew to Grandfather's door, 
 crying : ' Grandfather ! Grandfather ! Wake 
 up, quick ! Charley is walking in his sleep.' 
 In about two minutes, which seemed two 
 hours to me, Grandfather came out of his 
 room, dressed in trousers, dressing-gown, and 
 slippers, and off we started — down-stairs to 
 the lower floor, where we found the kitchen 
 door wide open, which told us he had gone 
 that w r ay ; and out on the grass lay his sock, 
 where he had dropped it. 
 
 " In one second it came upon me that 
 Charley had gone off to see his Holstein 
 bull, for we had come home by the fields and 
 across this very lawn; and my heart nearly 
 stood still when I thought of it. 
 
POKEY TRIES TO STUDY BOTANY 153 
 
 " I told my fears to Grandfather, who said : 
 ' Bless us and save us ! I hope not. That 
 beast is not a pleasant creature in the day- 
 time, let alone at night.' 
 
 "The moonlight shone brightly, and it was 
 almost as light as day as we approached the 
 pasture. 
 
 " On the ground at our feet lay a white 
 object, which proved to be Charley's hand- 
 kerchief, and left us no doubt as to his er- 
 rand. The next instant we beheld a sight 
 which simply held us spellbound. The 
 whole pasture lay plainly before us, bathed 
 in the clear moonlight ; and flying across it, 
 with the great bull in hot pursuit, was Char- 
 ley, barefooted, in his night-shirt and hat. 
 
 "Never before had he gone at such a rate 
 of speed, and how he ever managed to fly 
 over the ground as he did that night we 
 never could guess. 
 
 " But the bull gained upon him at every 
 step, and but for a very miracle he must have 
 been killed. At the critical moment his hat 
 flew off, almost into the animal's face, which 
 he seemed to resent as an open insult ; so 
 turning his wrath upon that, he stopped to 
 stamp it into shreds. That was just enough 
 
154 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 to save Charley, for he reached the paling, 
 flung himself over it and into a ditch at the 
 farther side. There he lay, too frightened to 
 move, for until he had stepped into a puddle 
 of water while in the field he had not been 
 aware of his terrible danger. That awak- 
 ened him, and he then fled for his life. 
 
 " When we got to him he was the most 
 startled boy you ever heard of, and although 
 sixteen years old, and a stout, big fellow, he 
 was as weak and shaky as a little kitten." 
 
 " Oh," said Pokey, when the tale ended, " I 
 believe I should have gone dead right off! 
 Did he ever walk in his sleep again ? " 
 
 " Yes, many times, but never after that got 
 into such a scrape. And now, off to bed, but 
 no dreams ! " 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE "CHAPEL 
 
 S though Dame Nature had a tender 
 spot in her heart for the city child 
 who so rarely had an opportunity 
 of enjoying the lovely things she had ready 
 to show her, Sunday was, if possible, even 
 more delightful a day than Saturday had 
 been. 
 
 It was one of those still, dreamy days that 
 come to us about the middle of October, when 
 Nature seems resting from her work of the 
 past months, when she has been so busy 
 making and bringing her works to perfection. 
 It was a yellow, mellow day, steeped in a 
 rich golden haze which hung over mountains, 
 river, and valley, and made the Tarrytown 
 hills beautifully soft in outline. 
 
 The Tappan Zee lay like a mirror, which 
 plainly reflected the various craft idly floating 
 upon it. Scarcely a breath of air stirred, and 
 
 155 
 
156 DEN1SE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 indeed a perfect Sabbath stillness rested upon 
 all things. 
 
 "I don't see how any one could do or think 
 a bad thing to-day," said Denise, as she and 
 Pokey walked home from Sunday-school at 
 eleven o'clock. 
 
 "It seems to me," she continued, "that on 
 such a perfect day as this everybody ought to 
 feel thankful to be alive, and I guess God 
 sends such days to make us try all the harder 
 to be good " — for she was quick to feel the 
 beautiful, and benefit by it. 
 
 " I wish I lived in the country," said little- 
 Pokey, wistfully. " Sometimes I get so hun- 
 gry for a piece of it that I don't know how 
 to live without it. I just feel as though I could 
 run away, and never see the city again." 
 
 " I wish you did live here," answered De- 
 nise, heartily. "Would n't we have gay 
 times ? Never mind ; you must come just as 
 often as ever you can, and have half of all my 
 nice times and good things. You know, it 's 
 a great deal nicer if some one goes halves." 
 
 " I should think I did go halves now. 
 Why, I come so often, and get so many 
 pretty things every time, that Mama says I 'd 
 better live here altogether. I wonder why it 
 
THE "CHAPEL" 157 
 
 is you are all so nice to me," said Pokey, in- 
 nocently, wholly unconscious of her many win- 
 some qualities and of the affectionate nature 
 that endeared her to all. 
 
 "Why, we are nice to you because we all 
 love you ; and Mama says that if we would 
 always remember to ' do unto others as we 
 would be done by,' we would never be un- 
 happy, and could make everybody happy 
 too." 
 
 " I wish you would ask Mr. Papa to go up 
 to the Chapel this afternoon. I do so love 
 to go there. It is so quiet and sort of peace- 
 ful that it makes me t feel good all over, and 
 as though I never could get cross any more." 
 
 " Of course I will. It is so warm that it 
 will be just lovely there this afternoon, and I 
 guess Mama and Miss Meredith will go too. 
 We will take a nice book, and ask Miss 
 Meredith to read aloud. She is so kind 
 that she never minds reading a bit, and her 
 voice is so soft and sweet that it 's just like 
 little bells." 
 
 The " Chapel " was a charming spot about 
 a third of the way up the mountain, just 
 where the open fields ended and the dense 
 woods began. From it an uninterrupted view 
 
158 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 of miles lay before one, for the brushwood 
 had been cut away, and the great forest-trees 
 formed a lovely framework for the picture. 
 
 Just within the wood rustic seats and tables 
 had been made, hammocks swung, and cozy 
 nests constructed of moss and branches, so 
 that almost anybody could be comfortably 
 bestowed. 
 
 Prettily carved around the top of the big 
 rustic table, which formed the very central 
 point of the Chapel, was the quotation : "■ The 
 woods were God's first temples." A delight- 
 fully cool, restful spot in which to spend a 
 quiet Sabbath afternoon, after the hurry and 
 cares of the week, and an excellent place in 
 which to lay wise plans for the coming one. 
 
 Nearly every Sunday afternoon, when the 
 weather permitted, the family betook them- 
 selves thither to read, write letters, talk, 
 dream, or drowse, as the fancy prompted. 
 No wonder that Pokey, whose brain was so 
 wearied with weeks of helter-skelter study 
 that she did n't know whether nine times nine 
 were eighty-one or eight hundred, longed for 
 this peaceful spot. 
 
 So, directly dinner was ended, all armed 
 themselves with climbing- staffs and started 
 
THE "CHAPEL" 161 
 
 for the Chapel, Tan, Ned, Sailor, and Beauty 
 following or leading - , as the notion took them; 
 for they always went with the rest, and 
 needed no leaders, being only too ready to 
 go with their beloved little mistress to the 
 very ends of the earth, should her fancy lead 
 her that way. 
 
 Pokey stood in respectful awe of Denise's 
 children, and kept close beside Miss Mere- 
 dith, who laughingly said it was the book 
 she carried which made Pokey so devoted 
 to her. 
 
 It did not take long to reach the Chapel, 
 and once there, Sailor and Beauty stretched 
 themselves on the dry, warm earth for a 
 snooze; but Ned and Tan thought it better 
 fun to poke about in the woods, one to eat 
 leaves and bark, and the other to nibble 
 daintily at the straggling wood-grasses. 
 
 After much plumping and arranging of pil- 
 lows, — with which each had come so well 
 provided that a neighbor who saw them start 
 asked if they were playing at " Pilgrim's 
 Progress," like Miss Alcott's heroines, — all 
 settled down for a luxurious rest. 
 
 " Now, Miss Meredith, please turn Ichabod 
 Crane loose, and let him roam about hill and 
 
162 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 dale ; for this is an ideal spot for him, and 
 Pokey looks as though she were positively 
 suffering in her impatience to meet him," said 
 Mama, when all were comfortably settled, she 
 in one big chair, and Miss Meredith in an- 
 other, with plenty of cushions to make them 
 comfortable. Papa stretched in one hammock, 
 Pokey and Denise swinging in another. 
 
 So Miss Meredith began : " In the bosom 
 of one of those spacious coves which indent 
 the eastern shore of the Hudson," — and soon 
 had carried her good friends straight across 
 the glassy river and into the Sleepy Hollow 
 which could be seen so plainly from their 
 lovely outlook. 
 
 Pokey sat breathless, lost to everything but 
 Ichabod and his pursuer, till the tale was 
 ended, and then said in a serious way which 
 convulsed her hearers : 
 
 " Did they ever catch the real Hessian ? I 
 don't mean the pumpkin one." 
 
 "They had n't done so at last reports," an- 
 swered Papa, " and I should n't wonder if he 
 was still on the rampage." 
 
 " Let 's have a swing," said Denise, pres- 
 ently, after Pokey had digested and pondered 
 over Papa's reply ; for she had sat still as long 
 
THE "CHAPEL" 163 
 
 as it was possible for her, and longed for 
 some motion to act as safety-valve. " You 
 sit still, and I '11 get the hammock swinging 
 real high, and then sit in it as it swings back, 
 just as I 've seen Papa step into a rowboat 
 after he pushes it off." 
 
 This being successfully accomplished, they 
 enjoyed a swing of about five minutes, when 
 "the old cat" began to "die," and the opera- 
 tion had to be repeated. 
 
 Denise had served her turn four or five 
 times, when Pokey thought it only right that 
 she should supply the motive power, and said 
 to Denise : 
 
 " Now you sit still this time, and I '11 give 
 you a good one." 
 
 "Take care you don't make it too good, 
 and spill us both out." 
 
 " Now don't you suppose I can do it just 
 as well as you can, when I 've seen you do it 
 four times ? " demanded Pokey. 
 
 " Well, be careful, anyhow," was the warn- 
 ing given. 
 
 Up she hopped, and soon had the ham- 
 mock swinging at a wild rate ; but, alas ! 
 Pokey's idea of philosophy, natural science, 
 the center of gravity, or whatever it is that 
 
164 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 keeps hammocks right side up, was not as 
 keen as Denise's. Instead of getting into the 
 hammock as it swung backward, she stood 
 stock-still, back to it, as it swung forward, 
 and then, jumping up, tried to sit in it as it 
 swung tinder her. Unfortunately, not having 
 eyes in the back of her head, she could not 
 gage the distance correctly, and instead of 
 sitting into it, she sat completely over it, 
 thereby instantly turning it bottom side up, 
 and landing herself and Denise in such a pro- 
 miscuous heap that it was difficult to tell their 
 heads from their feet when Papa rushed to 
 the rescue. 
 
 "Oh, Denise, Denise! are you dead?" 
 came in imploring accents from one part of 
 the heap. 
 
 Denise was not dead, by any means, only 
 decidedly mussed and shaken up by the sud- 
 den somersault. 
 
 Tan had been so startled by the spectacle 
 that he jumped about a foot straight up into 
 the air, and then stood with ears and tail 
 erect, and blaated like a distracted thing; 
 Ned stampeded to a safe distance, and then 
 stood regarding such frivolous conduct in a 
 way which clearly indicated his disgust ; while 
 
THE "CHAPEL" 165 
 
 Sailor and Beauty barked as though set upon 
 by thieves, and it rested with them to rouse 
 the town. 
 
 Peace was restored, however, and then it 
 was decided that the homeward walk must be 
 begun, for the afternoon was beginning to tell 
 that an October evening was nearly upon 
 them. 
 
 Monday morning carried Pokey back to 
 town, consoled only by the thought that at 
 least a bushel of nuts would speedily follow 
 her, and that she was already invited for the 
 Christmas holidays. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 ANXIOUS HOURS 
 
 FEW days after Pokey's departure, 
 Denise, coming into her mother's 
 room after an afternoon's ramble on 
 Ned, found her lying upon her couch and 
 complaining of headache. 
 
 V Poor Moddie ! let me sit here and smooth 
 the ache away," said she, crawling up to the 
 top of the couch, and taking her mother's 
 head in her lap. " See ; I '11 smooth all the 
 little knotty kinks out, and then the ache will 
 go away." 
 
 But even the gentle touch failed to dispel 
 the ache, which seemed to grow worse as 
 evening approached ; and although Denise 
 had sat "pooring" for more than an hour, 
 Mama's eyes grew duller and duller, and the 
 poor head throbbed the harder. 
 
 At last she fell into a restless sleep, and, 
 placing her comfortably upon the pillows, 
 
 1 66 
 
ANXIOUS HOURS 167 
 
 Denise went in search of Grandma, filled 
 with an indefinable sort of anxiety, as of 
 something distressing about to come upon 
 her. 
 
 Going into her grandmother's room, she 
 said : " Grandma, won't you come and look 
 at Mama? I am afraid she is quite ill, for 
 I 've been with her more than an hour, and 
 she does n't seem a bit like herself." 
 
 Instantly Grandma was ready to follow, 
 and she and Denise went quickly back to 
 Mama's room. 
 
 By this time a decided change had taken 
 place, and Grandma noticed with serious 
 alarm that, although apparently asleep, the 
 sleep was far from being a restful one, and 
 Mama had a high fever. Not wishing to 
 frighten Denise, she said: "I wish, dearie, 
 you would step down and ask John to saddle 
 Flash and go for Dr. Swift. Such a severe 
 headache as Mama's ought to be relieved at 
 once." 
 
 Noiselessly Denise flew down the stairs, 
 
 and in a few moments John had started; for 
 
 the good man was always ready to speed at 
 
 the need of the mistress to whom he, as well 
 
 as the other servants, was sincerely attached. 
 10 
 
168 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Meanwhile Denise had gone to her room to 
 put on her softest slippers, and then returned 
 to Mama, whom Grandma and Mary were al- 
 ready preparing for her bed. Denise flitted 
 about, arranging the pillows, filling the hot- 
 water bags, and helping like any little nurse ; 
 for she had a wise little head on her frisky 
 body, and her love for her mother seemed to 
 suggest the things which would make her 
 most comfortable. John was not long in fetch- 
 ing Dr. Swift, who looked very serious as he 
 put question after question to Grandma. 
 
 Denise stood by with an anxious little face, 
 seeming to beg an encouraging word ; but 
 none came, and Dr. Swift took his departure, 
 after ordering perfect quiet and careful atten- 
 tion to his directions. 
 
 As he was about to get into his carriage, 
 Denise caught his hand, and said: "Dr. 
 Swift, please tell me if Mama is going to be 
 very sick." 
 
 "That is more than I can say, little girl; 
 but you must trust to Dr. Swift to bring her 
 through safely, if the good Lord will let him," 
 said the kind doctor, with a pat on Denise's 
 upturned face. 
 
 When Papa returned at six o'clock he took 
 
*. 
 
 I 
 
ANXIOUS HOURS 171 
 
 matters in hand at once, and a telegram was 
 soon speeding on its way to Aunt Helen, 
 asking her to come immediately, and fetch 
 with her a trained nurse. 
 
 At midnight Denise was wakened by 
 Auntie's kiss, and putting up her arms, she 
 hugged her close, and begged her to take 
 good care of Mama. 
 
 Auntie needed no urging, and at once the 
 care of the household fell to her share, while 
 Grandma and the nurse devoted themselves 
 to the invalid. 
 
 The next morning all realized how ill she 
 was, and for many days the doctor came and 
 went without being able to give much en- 
 couragement, or conquer the obstinate fever, 
 which was doing its best to change Mama into 
 a mere shadow. 
 
 To Denise the days seemed the longest she 
 had ever known ; for she tried to be brave 
 and to keep her fears to herself, lest she give an 
 added care to those who already had so many. 
 
 It seemed to her as though she lived in a 
 sort of nightmare, and could not get awake. 
 The house was very still, the parlors and 
 library deserted, and even the door-bell was 
 silenced, for a maid anticipated every ring, 
 
172 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 and gave word of the invalid's condition to the 
 many who came with kind inquiries or offers 
 of assistance. 
 
 Gentle Miss Meredith had not the heart to 
 force the lessons, for she saw very plainly that 
 Denise's mind was too much tossed about to 
 study, and so she determined to let the tasks 
 wait, and meanwhile try to help the unhappy 
 child by reading with her such books as might 
 help her forget, and yet would put new ideas 
 in the little head, which later would profit 
 thereby. 
 
 Strange as it may seem, Ned was her best 
 consoler during these dark days. She had 
 no heart to ride or drive him, but would go 
 off and sit on the ground under the trees, 
 with Ned cuddling beside her like a huge 
 dog, and with his head held close in her lap 
 she would talk to him as though he were a 
 human creature and could understand all she 
 said. 
 
 Many a bitter tear fell upon his shaggy 
 mane as Denise held him close and sobbed 
 out her grief. 
 
 Sitting thus on one of the soft October af- 
 ternoons when all was so still, she said : 
 " Little Toodledums, do you know how sick 
 
ANXIOUS HOURS 173 
 
 Mama is ? God did n't give you a voice to 
 speak with, but I know you think and love, 
 and maybe you know more than I do, after 
 all." 
 
 A soft neigh answered her, and accepting 
 it as a reply, she continued: "Toodledums, 
 Mama may go away from us, and never 
 come back any more, and whatever, ever 
 should we do without her? Do animals have 
 any way of asking God to help them ? Can't 
 you tell me, when you know I love you so 
 dearly ? I don't think he would put creatures 
 in this big lovely world, and not let them tell 
 him how much they loved him and enjoyed 
 being here. So if you can do so, you must 
 ask him to make Mama well again." 
 
 The soft brown eyes looked at her with 
 almost human intelligence, and it was small 
 wonder that the little girl, who loved her pet 
 so dearly, should be tempted to believe that 
 between him and his Creator there should be 
 some power of communication of which we 
 human creatures know naught. 
 
 Just then the doctor's carriage came to the 
 door, and she flew to hear the report he had 
 to give on his return from the sick-room. He 
 stayed longer than usual, and when he came 
 
174 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 out said to Mr. Lombard : " Yes, you may 
 telegraph for Dr. Burton, for I believe a con- 
 sultation to be best." 
 
 Neither noticed the little girl behind the 
 screen, but directly the doctor had gone she 
 came out, and taking her father's hand, said, 
 " Papa, is Mama worse ? " and hid her face in 
 his coat. 
 
 Her father gathered her in his arms, say- 
 ing : "We fear so, little one, and to-night 
 must decide it all for us." 
 
 She made no sound, but her quivering body 
 told her anguish. 
 
 The house knew no rest that night, for at 
 ten o'clock the great doctor came from town, 
 and he and Dr. Swift talked long and 
 earnestly. 
 
 The hours crept slowly on, and the house 
 was so still that Denise could plainly hear the 
 great hall clock ticking, and now and again a 
 low moan that nearly broke her heart. Curled 
 up on the couch in Mama's sitting-room, she 
 fell into a restless sleep, and dreamed that she 
 and her mother were sailing down a swift 
 river whose waters were inky black, and the 
 boat was obliged to pass between high banks 
 which were so narrow that she could almost 
 
ANXIOUS HOURS 175 
 
 touch them, but so high and steep that it was 
 impossible to climb them. Upon their tops 
 were queer creatures with animals' heads, 
 which seemed trying to reach down and drag 
 her mother from the boat as it sped by, yet 
 were not quite able to reach her. She clasped 
 her arms tightly around her, and cried out: 
 " No, no ; you cannot go from me ! " and with 
 the cry wakened to find Aunt Helen standing 
 beside her and saying: " Come, Denise, and 
 speak to Mama." 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 AN HOUR OF ANGUISH 
 
 'ITHOUT a word she took Aunt 
 Helen's hand, and, as if still in a 
 dream, passed into her mother's 
 room. Going to the bedside, she knelt be- 
 side it, and taking the poor, thin hand in her 
 own, laid her cheek upon it. 
 
 No sound came from the sufferer, and it 
 seemed as though she had already passed be- 
 yond the care of those who stood or sat so 
 silently beside her. The gentle, white-capped 
 nurse sat waving a fan softly back and forth, 
 while the doctors and Mr. Lombard stood 
 watching every breath. 
 
 In the absolute silence every sound seemed 
 intensified. 
 
 Then a strange thing happened. High 
 and clear on the soft night air came little 
 Ned's loud neigh, just as he called to De- 
 nise whenever he saw her in the distance. 
 
 176 
 
AN HOUR OF ANGUISH 177 
 
 Whether he was wide awake and called her, 
 or had whinnied in his dreams, no one ever 
 knew, but the call was unmistakable, and De- 
 nise almost started to her feet. As she did 
 so her mother slowly opened her eyes, and 
 seeing Denise, whispered: "Yes, darling: 
 Ned is calling to us to come for a drive , we 
 will soon be ready." And with a smile she 
 turned her head and fell into her first refresh- 
 ing sleep. 
 
 Papa left the room, for it was impossible 
 for him to control his feelings ; but Denise 
 never stirred, and not until three o'clock had 
 struck could they induce her to leave the 
 bedside. 
 
 No one attempted to send her to bed, and 
 going down-stairs, she said to John, who had 
 sat in the hall throughout all the long, anxious 
 night : " John, did you hear Ned call to me ? " 
 
 " Faith, I did, thin, Miss Denise ; and the 
 holy saints be blessed, for a good omen it is 
 when a horse whinnies afther midnight, and 
 the dear missis will be gettin' better soon," 
 said he, crossing himself. 
 
 "John, I want you to take me to Ned; I 
 want to see him." And the kind-hearted 
 John never hesitated an instant, but led her 
 
178 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 out to the ^Bird's Nest, and unlocking the 
 door, lighted the gas. 
 
 A big brown eye was peeping at them 
 through the slot in the door, and a soft whin- 
 nying was saying good morning as Ned 
 wondered why he was receiving such an early 
 visit. 
 
 Denise did not say a word, but putting her 
 arms about his neck, hugged him close when 
 John led him into the play-house. 
 
 Piling her rugs and cushions on the floor, 
 she sat down, and made him lie down beside 
 her. 
 
 Being but half awake, he was quite ready 
 to snuggle down, and with his head in her lap 
 was soon fast asleep. 
 
 John went back to the house to tell them 
 where Denise was, and when Mr. Lombard 
 came out twenty minutes later to take her in 
 to bed, he found her fast asleep on her cush- 
 ions, with her little pet held tightly in her 
 arms. 
 
 " Did iver ye see the loike of that, soor? " 
 asked John. 
 
 " No, John, I never did ; and through all 
 her sad trial Ned has proved her greatest 
 comfort, and I would not disturb them now 
 
AN HOUR OF ANGUISH 179 
 
 for their weight in gold. She is utterly worn 
 out." 
 
 The next sunshine brought good news for 
 all ; for the fever had broken, and the dear 
 invalid was certainly going to get better. 
 
 But many days had to pass before the lost 
 strength was regained, and meantime every- 
 body was anxious to do something for the 
 beloved mother. Denise's lessons had been 
 resumed, and all went as usual in the mornings; 
 but the afternoons were devoted to the "pre- 
 cious Moddie " — more than ever precious 
 since she had so nearly slipped from them. 
 So many letters to be read and kind messages 
 to be delivered ! 
 
 Scarcely a day had passed without some 
 word from Pokey, who nearly grieved herself 
 to death. Next to her own people, Pokey 
 probably loved " Mrs. Mama" better than any 
 one else in the world, and no one realized 
 how keenly the poor child suffered in her 
 anxiety. 
 
 Her joy on receiving the good news had 
 been unbounded, and Pokey could now study 
 in earnest; for it had been impossible for her 
 to give her attention to school or anything else. 
 
 The second week in November Mama 
 
180 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 began to get about once more, and great was 
 the rejoicing when she again took her place 
 at the head of the table. Denise would have 
 invited all the lads and lasses she knew to 
 help celebrate the great event, but Mama said 
 they had better wait for Thanksgiving, which 
 would soon be upon them. 
 
 " Papa," asked Denise, a few weeks later, 
 when November had fairly set in, and had 
 been selfish enough to destroy all the lovely 
 tints displayed by " Brown, October & Co.," 
 "are you going to live in the city again this 
 winter?" 
 
 " No, little maid, I think not, unless you 
 would prefer doing so." 
 
 " Well, I just guess not. It was hard 
 enough to go last year, when Ned was spandy 
 new, and I had no Bird's Nest; but I just be- 
 lieve I 'd die dead if I had to go this year." 
 
 "You need not prepare to 'die dead' yet, 
 then, for I look forward to a cozy winter be- 
 neath my own 'roof-tree,' and the carving of 
 my own gobbler at Thanksgiving; and this 
 year it must be indeed Thanksgiving, for 
 surely we never had greater cause to be 
 thankful," answered Papa, with a glance 
 toward Mama, who sat reading close by. 
 
AN HOUR OF ANGUISH 181 
 
 " Is that a hint for me?" asked Mama, who 
 was now rapidly getting back her strength 
 and beginning to be her cheerful self once 
 more. 
 
 " I should n't wonder, for I 'm already- 
 whetting my appetite for something extra 
 nice this Thanksgiving, having been cheated 
 out of it last," answered Papa. 
 
 " You shall have it, for now that I am 
 growing so strong, Denise is going to help 
 get up the feast, and you shall see what a 
 skilful little cook the Bird's Nest cooking- 
 school has made her." 
 
 " Good ! I '11 prepare myself for some- 
 thing extra plummy a week from Thursday, 
 and shall put myself on short rations, mean- 
 while, in order to be in prime condition to 
 enjoy it." 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THANKSGIVING 
 
 N about a week Denise and her 
 mother were deep in the mysteries 
 of mince-pies and plum-cake, each 
 in a mob-cap and big apron, and each deter- 
 mined that such a Thanksgiving dinner should 
 never before have been heard of as the one 
 then under preparation. 
 
 Such pies and cakes and jellies as were 
 set away in the store-room the days before 
 Thanksgiving ! No wonder Denise said that 
 she made pies all day and dreamed pies all 
 night. 
 
 Thanksgiving eve began with a heavy snow- 
 storm ; for winter came early that year, and 
 Ned's coat foretold that it would be a long 
 and cold one. 
 
 Such a shaggy little beast had replaced the 
 smooth, silky one of the summer that Denise 
 could hardly believe it to be the same Ned in 
 
 182 
 
THANKSGIVING 183 
 
 his winter dress. He looked more like a little 
 black bear than anything else, for his hair had 
 grown fully two inches long, and stood out all 
 over him in such a soft fluff that his harness 
 was nearly buried out of sight in it. 
 
 But Thanksgiving dawned clear and cold, 
 and brought with it the aunts, uncles, and 
 cousins from town, all ready for a grand frolic. 
 
 As soon as the greetings were over, the 
 older folks settled down for a genuine Thanks- 
 giving "reminis." But the boys and Denise 
 had livelier ideas. As soon as rubber boots 
 could be pulled on, and warm coats and hats 
 put upon the wriggly bodies, they tore out to 
 the Bird's Nest for Ned. 
 
 In short order they had him harnessed to 
 Denise's sled, and away he went, tearing 
 around the grounds with first one boy and 
 then another, apparently enjoying himself 
 as much as any other lad. 
 
 So long as they raced beside him, or flopped 
 down breakneck fashion on the sled bobbing 
 behind him, he was entirely ready to oblige 
 them by supplying the motive power ; but let 
 them unharness him, and try to get upon his 
 back, and they found themselves at an im- 
 promptu circus. 
 
184 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 He would stand perfectly still till he had 
 them safely upon his feet, and off their ow7t, 
 and then — look out ! 
 
 Nothing could be more unsuspicious than 
 his manner of starting, but in one little fleet- 
 ing instant his whole attitude would change, 
 and off he would go like a shot, rushing ahead 
 as hard as he could pelt for about sixty yards, 
 to stop as quick as a flash, and send both 
 hind legs straight up into the air, and his luck- 
 less rider shooting over his head like a rocket. 
 
 By the time they had picked themselves up, 
 Ned had assumed a most innocent expression, 
 and would look around as though saying: 
 "Why, what is the matter? Did anything 
 happen ? " 
 
 Time and again did this performance take 
 place, and no boy was ever known to stick on, 
 though any girl in the place might ride him 
 for hours, and find him gentle as a lamb. 
 
 But Ned's aversion for boys in general was 
 very marked, although the reason therefor 
 was never learned by Denise. Probably he 
 retained in his wise little head a memory of 
 treatment at their hands which was not to 
 be forgiven, and consequently took advantage 
 of every opportunity to pay off old scores. 
 
THANKSGIVING 187 
 
 No wonder appetites were whetted by such 
 a lively morning skirmish, and Papa's gobbler 
 would have quaked if cook's care had not al- 
 ready put him beyond all quaking. 
 
 It was a rosy, bright-eyed, and laughing 
 party which sat down to discuss his various 
 tender points at two o'clock. The boys could 
 not say enough in praise of Denise's culinary 
 ability, when they learned that she had had a 
 finger in the preparation of the Thanksgiving 
 feast and the Thanksgiving pies. 
 
 " By jolly ! I don't know which you do 
 best, drive or cook," said Dick, when he had 
 been helped to mince-pie for the third time. 
 
 "This cake is just prime," added Fred, 
 as a particularly plummy bit slipped out of 
 sight. 
 
 " Then you approve of our combination 
 Cooking and Equestrian School, boys?" 
 asked Mama. 
 
 " I just guess we do ! " answered all three 
 in a breath ; and Rob cut in with : " It 's 
 immense to find a girl that can do all sorts 
 of things. I don't know of another one who 
 can take a horse's harness all to pieces and 
 put it together again without buckling the 
 crupper fast to the head-stall, and then turn 
 
188 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 round the next minute and make such a jolly 
 plum-cake as this." 
 
 Poor Denise was so embarrassed that she 
 * knew not what to say or where to look ; for 
 she idolized her big cousins, and felt that the 
 very height of bliss was obtained when they 
 fell to praising her so wildly. But you may 
 be sure she liked it, and felt amply repaid for 
 many burns and mishaps which had been her 
 lot during the past summer. 
 
 After the boys had disposed of every crumb 
 it was possible for them to hold, all made 
 ready for the Thanksgiving dance, which was 
 to begin at seven and end at eleven o'clock ; 
 for Mama and Papa were old-fashioned, and 
 believed in early hours. 
 
 Denise was as sweet and dainty as a flower, 
 in soft, pale-blue nun's-veiling. 
 
 Soon "the party came in," and the big 
 parlors were pervaded with boys and girls, 
 each bent upon doing him or herself credit, 
 no matter what came. 
 
 So all danced or played games till nine 
 o'clock, when a loud knock at the door caused 
 all to look toward it, and in walked a Pilgrim 
 father. 
 
 Over one shoulder he carried a gun, upon 
 
THE THANKSGIVING PARTY. 
 
THANKSGIVING 191 
 
 the other was slung an immense turkey with 
 wings and tail flapping, while from beneath 
 the lid of a huge basket which he carried 
 upon his arm peeped forth all the good things 
 imaginable. 
 
 Surely it could be none other than Miles 
 Standish, dressed as of old, and come back 
 to tell them tales of long ago, when Massa- 
 chusetts was a wild enough place, and food 
 not so plentiful as his ample supply would 
 lead one to believe ; and certainly the tempt- 
 ing boxes of bonbons which he kept taking 
 out of his basket and giving to the children 
 were things utterly unheard of in his day. 
 
 The children flocked around him, and lis- 
 tened eagerly as tale after tale was told. 
 
 An hour soon slipped by, and then this Pil- 
 grim father did that which would have caused 
 his ancestors to fall down in a spasm. He 
 actually led the Virginia reel, and skipped 
 down through the long line of boys and girls 
 as though a near relative of St. Vitus himself. 
 
 Then came a jolly farewell to stir them up 
 and prepare them for the next merrymaking, 
 which Christmas would soon bring them. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 POKEY COMES TO SPEND CHRISTMAS 
 
 *S though but one touch was required 
 to complete the lovely birthday gift 
 and make the year now drawing to 
 its close the happiest Denise had ever known, 
 the snow seemed to have given it by put- 
 ting into Papa's head a charming idea for 
 Christmas. 
 
 Mama and Grandma were taken into the 
 secret, and for days the most mysterious bits 
 of work were hustled out of sight on Denise's 
 approach, and many whispers caused her 
 curiosity to mount to fever pitch. 
 
 " But then," as she said, " I don't mind 
 being poked into corners and told not to ask 
 questions at Christmas-time. It 's part of 
 the fun, and I like not to know a thing until 
 the very day." 
 
 Then, too, she had her own little secrets, 
 for some pretty gift must be made for each 
 
 192 
 
POKEY COMES TO SPEND CHRISTMAS 193 
 
 member of the family, and the work all her 
 own. "A gift that I just go and buy with 
 the money Papa gives me I don't think is 
 my gift at all. Anybody could do that. I 
 want to work some love into it." 
 
 But Christmas would not be Christmas 
 without her beloved Pokey to chatter to and 
 share the fun with, so once more she was 
 borrowed from her city home, only too glad 
 to go where so hearty a welcome awaited her, 
 for no one could help loving Pokey. 
 
 Therefore it came to pass that Pokey was 
 again upon the festive scene to help cele- 
 brate, and to join in the farewell of this long 
 story of a snort horse — for I think it high 
 time that little Mr. Ned and his mistress 
 were bidden good-by. 
 
 " Little daughter mine, there will be a 
 nearly three weeks' holiday this year for you, 
 as Christmas falls upon Wednesday, and 
 Pokey will surely have the Monday and Tues- 
 day previous. So we will have her out on 
 Monday afternoon"; and Mama kissed the 
 happy little face as she tied the hat-ribbons 
 under the chin. 
 
 "And I just can't keep still," said Denise, 
 prancing for very joy. " Mama, do you think 
 
i 9 4 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Pokey will be pleased with the gifts we have 
 for her?" 
 
 " I 'm sure she will, darling." 
 
 Monday afternoon Denise had to content 
 herself with going in the big sleigh to meet 
 Pokey, for Ned had none, and the snow put 
 wheeling out of the question. 
 
 So, well rolled up in her furs and the robes, 
 she sat waiting for the train, while John 
 flapped his hands about to keep warm, for the 
 day was bitterly cold, and even his fur gloves 
 and big fur cape could not keep Jack Frost out. 
 
 Flash and Sunshine pawed the snow im- 
 patiently, for they much preferred a good 
 spanking trot to waiting at a railway-station 
 on such a day. But their wait was not a 
 long one, and soon they were spinning off 
 home, flinging snowballs at Pokey and Papa, 
 just to give them a sample of what horses 
 could do. It was hard to tell which jingled 
 the louder, the bells on their harness or the 
 tongues in the sleigh. 
 
 " How shall we wait for Wednesday to get 
 here ? " asked Denise. 
 
 " Can you guess what you are going to 
 have for Christmas ? " asked Pokey, with a 
 mischievous twinkle in her eyes. 
 
POKEY COMES TO SPEND CHRISTMAS 195 
 
 " No, I have n't the least idea ; but I know 
 what I wish it could be." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "I 'm not going to tell, but I do believe you 
 know all about it. Do you ? " 
 
 " Well, I should n't wonder if I could 
 guess," replied Pokey. 
 
 " Oh, do just tell me the color, and I won't 
 ask a single word more," begged Denise. 
 
 " Let me see. Maroon, cardinal, dark 
 green, black, white, silver, gold, and a lit- 
 tle pale blue, I think." 
 
 "What under the sun can it be? — a plaid 
 dress ? I don't want any more dresses." 
 
 " No ; it is n't a dress." 
 
 " Maybe it 's the Christmas tree." 
 
 " No ; but you are not to guess any 
 more." 
 
 "Well, I won't, then; but I never can wait 
 without flying all to bits. I wonder if it 
 moves ? " 
 
 "Yes, sometimes, and sings, too." And 
 Pokey laughed as though she could tell a 
 very pleasant secret, if she had a mind ; but 
 never a word or hint did she let slip. 
 
 By this time they were at home, and De- 
 nise flew into the house, crying, " I Ve got 
 
196 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 her ! I 've got her ! " as though Pokey were 
 a wild duck or some such trophy. 
 
 " What have you been doing since my last 
 visit ? " asked Pokey, when they were all 
 seated around the pleasant open fire in the 
 library, that evening. 
 
 "Studying in the morning, and teaching 
 Ned his tricks in the afternoon. You ought 
 to see him do them. He is just too cute for 
 anything ! John made me a regular circus- 
 ring out in the vegetable garden, and before 
 the snow came I taught Ned all sorts of 
 funny tricks." 
 
 " I hope you taught him not to chase me 
 any more," said Pokey, with some feeling. 
 
 " No ; I thought that was too funny to un- 
 teach. But to-morrow I '11 show you what 
 he can do. I can't show you in the ring, but 
 he will do them just as well in the Bird's Nest." 
 
 " How do you keep warm out there in such 
 awful cold weather ? " asked Pokey. 
 
 " Why, did n't you know it was heated by 
 a furnace ? " 
 
 " I never thought anything about it till 
 now, when you said we would go out there 
 to-morrow, and I did n't want to freeze stiff 
 before Christmas." 
 
POKEY COMES TO SPEND CHRISTMAS 197 
 
 " I don't believe she will after; do you, 
 Mama ? " asked Denise, with a laugh. 
 
 " Hardly, unless she takes a fancy to ex- 
 plore Hudson Bay, or some such cold place 
 where seals live," answered Mama. 
 
 Pokey looked very mystified, and failed to 
 understand what possible connection there 
 could be between herself and the seals, al- 
 though Mama's emphasis on seals set her to 
 guessing. 
 
 But Christmas morning she began to get 
 her wits sharpened. 
 
 "This is most unusual weather for this 
 season of the year," said Mr. Lombard, who 
 had walked over to the bay-window to look 
 out upon the snowy landscape shining in the 
 bright moonlight. " If such intense cold 
 lasts," he added, "we shall have skating on 
 the river for Christmas." 
 
 " Oh, do you think so ? " exclaimed Denise. 
 " Just think, Pokey ; we could go on the 
 river, and take Ned with us to drag the sled, 
 for John had him sharp-shod only a week ago. 
 Would n't it be splendid?" 
 
 " You may take Ned, but you won't take 
 the sled, I know," replied Pokey. 
 
 " Why not, I 'd like to know ? Of course 
 
198 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 we will ; and it will just spin over the ice. 
 Why don't you want me to ? " 
 
 " I don't like sleds" said Pokey, with em- 
 phasis on sleds. 
 
 " Why, I thought you loved to coast, and 
 this will be just the same, only nicer." 
 
 " No ; I prefer riding in sleighs" said Po- 
 key, in such a suggestive tone that Mama, 
 who sat behind Denise, shook her head and 
 wagged an admonishing finger at the mis- 
 chievous Pokey. 
 
 " Then I guess you '11 have to go in the 
 big one with Papa and Mama, for I 'm go- 
 ing with Toodledums, if we go at all," said 
 Denise. 
 
 " Well, there is only one more day to wait, 
 anyway, and I hope it will just fly by, for 
 there never were such nice Christmases as we 
 have here, and I can hardly wait for the day 
 after to-morrow to come," was Pokey's reply. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 NED IS PUT THROUGH HIS PACES 
 
 • T is fortunate for little folk that the 
 days preceding Christmas are short 
 ones, or they never would be able 
 to bottle up their impatience and keep the 
 cork in. 
 
 Happily Ned's newly acquired tricks proved 
 a safety-valve for Denise and Pokey. 
 
 As soon as possible, next morning, they 
 betook themselves to the Nest, and Master 
 Ned was put through his paces. 
 
 First Denise put a bridle on, and then 
 slipped a surcingle around him, to which she 
 loosely fastened a check-rein to keep him 
 from poking his inquisitive nose where it was 
 not wanted. 
 
 Ned knew exactly what was expected of 
 him, and directly Denise raised her riding- 
 whip, up he rose upon his hind legs, and 
 walked toward her, pawing the air with his 
 
 199 
 
200 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 front feet, and flirting his long tail behind him 
 like a train of a gown. 
 
 When he reached her, he came down upon 
 all fours, and at a motion from her hand knelt 
 down on his knees and touched the floor with 
 his nose. 
 
 Pokey stood by, with her hands clasped in 
 silent rapture, not daring to stir a speck lest 
 she should distract the performer. At De- 
 nise's command he got up, and then Pokey 
 had a rapture. 
 
 " How did you ever do it, or make him 
 understand what you wanted him to do ? " 
 
 " I half believe he understands every word 
 I say to him, anyway ; for when I stood in 
 front of him, and raised my whip over my 
 head, and said, ' Up, up,' he seemed to know 
 just what I wanted, and got right up on his 
 hind legs. Each time he did it he got a little 
 higher ; and at last, holding an apple on the 
 end of a stick as high as I could reach, I got 
 him to walk after me. 
 
 " When he reached me, and got down on all 
 four feet again, I took hold of one foot, and 
 bent it under him, and said, ' Down, down,' 
 till he got on his knees, and then I put the 
 apple on the floor, and he got it — did n't 
 
NED IS PUT THROUGH HIS PACES 201 
 
 you, you dear old darling ? " said Denise, 
 hugging him. 
 
 " Did you ever whip him ? " 
 
 " Whip him ! Well, I guess not. I only 
 have the whip to point with, and he is no 
 more afraid of it than he is of a piece of 
 straw. I don't believe he knows what it is 
 for. Do you ? " she said to the little pet, 
 whose warm face was snuggled close beside 
 her, and who seemed to feel that the arm 
 thrown caressingly across his soft neck was 
 the nicest sort of collar ever invented. 
 
 **Do make him do something else," said 
 the delighted Pokey, when Ned had finished 
 munching his apple, which was never denied 
 him. 
 
 " Now he is going to be a dead horse — are 
 n't you ? " And Ned nodded his head "yes." 
 
 "And will you get alive again when I tell 
 you to ? " 
 
 Another nod in the affirmative. 
 
 " Do you like to be dead ? " 
 
 A decided shake " no." 
 
 " I guess I won't dead him here," said 
 Denise, laughing. " The floor is too hard. 
 We will go into the dining-room, and he can 
 go dead on the rug." 
 
202 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 Opening the communicating door, she went 
 into the play-house, with Ned following close 
 at her heels, and Pokey bringing up the rear. 
 
 Pushing the table and chairs to the wall, 
 she sat down on the rug, and said : 
 
 " Poor Ned Toodles is so sick ! I 'm afraid 
 he is going to die." 
 
 Then the comical little scamp proceeded to 
 stretch himself out upon the floor, and putting 
 his head into Denise's lap, drew a long breath 
 as though it were his last. 
 
 " Now, who ever heard of a horse dying 
 with his eyes wide open, I 'd like to know ? " 
 demanded Denise, and she put a hand over 
 the big brown eye looking up at her so 
 knowingly. 
 
 When she raised it again the eye remained 
 tight shut, and Ned was to all appearances 
 quite defunct. 
 
 "Sugar!" cried Denise; and up popped 
 the dead pony to search her hands and coat 
 pockets for his beloved sweetie. 
 
 " Not till you dance for it," said Denise, 
 and she began softly to whistle a little waltz 
 song. 
 
 Round and round went Ned in perfect time 
 to the song, giving a funny little hop at each 
 
NED IS PUT THROUGH HIS PACES 203 
 
 turn, as though to emphasize the tune. After 
 five or six turns he felt that he had done his 
 duty, and stopped for his lump of sugar. 
 
 " Now I '11 get John to bring in his pedes- 
 tal, and you shall see him do his ' pose,' " said 
 Ned's proud mistress, highly delighted at the 
 impression her beloved favorite was making; 
 for it was difficult to tell which she loved 
 best, Pokey, or the dear little shaggy play- 
 fellow. 
 
 The willing John soon had the "pedestal" 
 in position, and after giving Ned a good- 
 natured mauling, and charging him to "be 
 afther behavin' hims'lf foine for Miss Pokey," 
 he left the children to their amusement. 
 
 "Come, Ned, and do your pose," said De- 
 nise; and the good-natured little fellow got 
 himself upon the box, and soon had one foot 
 resting on a block of wood, and the other 
 raised to the top of a post which was consid- 
 erably higher and had been fastened to slant 
 a little outward, thus giving him a very grace- 
 ful if somewhat trying attitude. 
 
 He seemed to realize that he looked very 
 handsome perched up there, for he arched 
 his neck and looked as self-conscious as 
 possible. 
 
204 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 " I never, never saw anything like him ! " 
 cried Pokey. "I 've seen big horses at a 
 circus do such things, but he is so little to 
 know so much." 
 
 "Well, I just guess you 've got as much 
 sense as those big horses, have n't you, you 
 precious scrap?" said Denise, when Ned had 
 come down off his perch and been rewarded 
 by a second lump of sugar. 
 
 " I wish you could have seen him play hide- 
 and-go-seek with me, before the snow came. 
 I would leave the stable door open, and tell 
 him to stand still, and he would n't move. 
 Then I 'd go hide somewhere in the grounds, 
 and whistle for him, and he would come as 
 hard as he could run, and hunt everywhere 
 till he found me. As soon as he spied me he 
 would kick up his heels and scramble back 
 to the stable as fast as he could go." 
 
 Certainly the tricks had served to pass the 
 morning in a manner highly satisfactory to 
 all, and the short winter afternoon soon slipped 
 away, to bring Christmas eve and all its jol- 
 lity upon them. All was bustle and fun, for 
 the big tree had to be brought into the 
 library, and all helped to dress it. John was 
 sent up the step-ladder to put the ornaments 
 
NED IS PUT THROUGH HIS PACES 20$ 
 
 on top, while the big people and little decked 
 the lower branches with all manner of lovely 
 trifles sent out from a big toy-store in New 
 York. 
 
 "I hear, soor," said John, from his lofty 
 perch, "that a man is afther dhrivin' over 
 from Tarry town on the ice this afternoon." 
 
 "You don't say so!" cried Mr. Lombard. 
 "That is good news, John, for we can have 
 a sleigh-ride on the river to-morrow. Mind 
 you have Ned harnessed to Miss Denise's lit- 
 tle sled, and tie on a dinner-bell if you can 
 find nothing better ; for we must have bells!' 
 
 "I '11 not forget, soor," said John, with a 
 pleased laugh. 
 
 By eleven o'clock the tree was indeed a 
 pretty sight, and then the packages, big and 
 little, square and round, flat and thick, knobby 
 and smooth, were laid beneath it, to be 
 opened next morning, and the children were 
 hurried off to bed. 
 
 Before they settled themselves for the night, 
 the stockings had to be hung, and much guess- 
 ing went on as to what would be fished out 
 next morning. 
 
 " I 'm going to keep wide awake till Aunt 
 Helen and Mama come for our stockings, and 
 
206 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 then squeak at them after they have filled 
 them," said Denise. 
 
 " I 'm not," said Pokey. " I 'm too tired 
 and sleepy to care what they put in ; and 
 if I go straight to sleep, morning will come 
 quicker." 
 
 " I 'm not going to sleep, if you do," de- 
 clared Denise, with a yawn that nearly split 
 her jaws asunder, and promptly denied the 
 words. 
 
 Pokey laughed, and, snuggling herself 
 down under the covers, was soon dreaming 
 of a Christmas tree upon the top of which 
 Ned was dancing a waltz, while Denise played 
 a tune on a round bundle which she had taken 
 from beneath the tree, and which kept turning 
 into a tin horn. 
 
 Denise, no doubt, intended to keep her 
 word ; but keen wintry winds and snug beds 
 are not likely to keep an eleven-year-old 
 maiden wide awake, so Mama and Auntie 
 filled the stockings without being interrupted 
 by the "squeak." 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 STOCKINGS 
 
 k ERRY Christmas, Pokey, merry 
 Christmas ! " shouted Denise, long 
 before daylight. "Wake up, quick, 
 and let 's see what we have in our stockings " ; 
 and she bounced out of bed to turn up the 
 gas. 
 
 Pokey needed no second shake that morn- 
 ing, and soon both were down on the hearth- 
 rug, with two very fat, queer-shaped stockings 
 before them. 
 
 Before the investigation began, Denise 
 poked the logs, which burst into a blaze, 
 as though they were all ready to join in the 
 merrymaking. 
 
 "You do yours first," said Denise; and 
 Pokey began in her solemn, breathless way 
 to take out one article after another. 
 
 First a dainty box of bonbons ; next a 
 pretty pair of silk mittens, with " Grandma " 
 
208 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 written on a slip of paper and pinned to them ; 
 then a big orange, with eyes, nose, and mouth, 
 as well as mustache and whiskers, cut on it — 
 unmistakably Papa's ; a lot of nuts ; a little 
 box marked " Aunt Helen," and in it a pretty 
 silver bangle ; more nuts, and then a big 
 box which stuck fast in the toe and had to be 
 coaxed out. This was marked " Mama," and 
 upon opening it, another box was found, and 
 opening that, still another, like the magic nut 
 in the story of the " White Cat." 
 
 " I don't believe there is anything. It 's 
 all fun," said Denise, whose patience was on 
 tenter-hooks. 
 
 " Yes, there is, too. I 'm coming to it now, 
 and there it is — oh ! " And Pokey hugged a 
 dainty little gold necklace, with pretty heart- 
 shaped locket, upon which little Dan Cupid 
 was painted in enamel. 
 
 " Is n't it just too sweet for anything ? — and 
 I 've always wanted a necklace. Quick ! take 
 out your things and see what you 've got. I 
 know there can't be anything as lovely as 
 this"; and she put her necklace on over her 
 night-dress to try the effect. 
 
 " Here 's a box of candy just like yours ; 
 let 's eat one to celebrate Christmas. And 
 
CHRISTMAS MORNING. 
 
STOCKINGS 211 
 
 look ! here are mittens from Grandma, only 
 mine are brown and yours blue. I wonder 
 what this can be ? A little box from Aunt 
 Helen. Should n't wonder if I had a bangle 
 too. No, it is n't, either ; it 's — ah ! an opal 
 ring ! That 's my lucky stone, because I 
 was born in October. Is n't it lovely f See, 
 it just fits, and shines just like the flames." 
 
 Several minutes were passed in admiring 
 the pretty little ring as it flashed back the 
 colors of the fire, and then the rummage was 
 resumed. 
 
 " Oh, what can this be ? A big apple with 
 Papa's face cut on that too. Is n't it the fun- 
 niest thing you ever saw ? I wonder how 
 he ever did it ? " And a bubbling laugh came 
 to keep Christmas. " Such a lot of nuts ! I 'd 
 like to eat some this minute, only I know 
 Mama would n't like to have me eat such 
 things before breakfast. 
 
 " Now, whatever is this ? " And Denise 
 undid something carefully wrapped in tin- 
 foil. 
 
 " Oh, Pokey, Pokey, do see ! A big lump 
 of make-believe taffy, and two tin spoons tied 
 on it! That old John! I just know he got this 
 for me. Never mind; there is real candy in- 
 
212 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 side of it, and he can laugh all he has a 
 mind to." 
 
 " Wonder why he did n't put in a pan while 
 he was about it ? " said practical Pokey. 
 
 " Now, let 's hurry and get to the bottom, 
 if I ever can shake out all these nuts. There 
 is a big box in the toe, just like yours. Don't 
 I wish it could be a necklace too! " And De- 
 nise fell to unwrapping box after box as 
 Pokey had done. 
 
 " It is!" And she drew out a beautiful 
 little necklace in rope pattern, with a small 
 locket in the form of a horseshoe, the nails 
 being tiny turquoises. Inside was Ned's own 
 little face on one side, and ^Papa's smiled at 
 her from the opposite. 
 
 She uttered a cry of delight, and fell to 
 kissing them as hard as she could, and it was 
 some time before Pokey could persuade her 
 to leave off to dress for breakfast. 
 
 " I don't believe I can have anything that 
 will please me more than this necklace," said 
 Pokey, when they were both dressed in their 
 pretty plaid dresses, — one in deep reds, the 
 other in deep greens, — and both adorned with 
 the new necklaces, with the bangle to jingle 
 and the ring to glitter. 
 
STOCKINGS 213 
 
 " I 'm sure I don't know of anything else I 
 could have, for I 've got every wish now," ex- 
 claimed Denise. 
 
 Two hours later, all the household, from 
 Grandma down to Eliza Cook, were assembled 
 in the pleasant library, while Papa distributed 
 the gifts ; for in this home none was forgot- 
 ten, and all shared the greatest of all holidays, 
 feeling in the fullest sense " good will toward 
 men." 
 
 Each received some pretty and appropriate 
 gift, and from Grandma's warm sealskin hood 
 for a sleigh-ride, to Beauty Buttons's new ball 
 and collar, the gift suited the recipient. 
 
 Pokey's delight when she opened a box 
 containing a lovely little collar and muff of 
 otter was quite beyond words, and the happy 
 child just hugged them up in her arms and 
 cried over them. 
 
 "Now I know why you said I might like 
 to go to see the seals," said she, when her 
 emotions had been brought under control ; 
 " for otters and seals are cousins, are n't 
 they ? " And she hugged her treasures, too 
 happy to think of trying them on. 
 
 At last the final parcel was presented, and 
 hearty thanks given to those who had so 
 
214 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 wisely and generously remembered each and 
 all. Even Sailor paraded about with a great 
 blue satin bow on his collar, and a huge 
 rubber ball in his mouth, wagging his plumy 
 tail, and getting into everybody's way. 
 
 " It 's just too bad that dear little Ned 
 can't come indoors and have some fun too. 
 We have all had something nice, and he has 
 not had a single thing, and I think it 's a 
 great shame," said Denise, with some feeling; 
 for Ned had shared all her good times for the 
 past year, and she felt only half there without 
 him. 
 
 " So it is," said Papa. " John, go fetch 
 him up to the door, and we will feed him 
 cream-drops, anyway. Put on your wraps, 
 children, and then we can stay out a little." 
 
 By some mysterious power, all seemed to 
 have suddenly become children again, for 
 each hurried into a wrap of some sort, and 
 went out upon the piazza. 
 
 " I guess Ned will get a feast if we all feed 
 him cream-drops," said Denise, as they stood 
 waiting for him. 
 
 In a moment she heard a silvery jingle, and 
 the next instant bonny Ned, harnessed to 
 an exquisite little Albany cutter, dashed 
 
STOCKINGS 215 
 
 around the corner of the Bird's Nest, where 
 John had kept him hidden, all ready to pro- 
 duce at an instant's notice. 
 
 So when Papa gave the hint under cover 
 of cream-drops, John hurried away to get his 
 charge. Whisking off Ned's blanket, he 
 stepped into the sleigh, and gathering up the 
 reins, drove the star actor, with all his prop- 
 erties, before the admiring audience. 
 
 A string of silver bells encircled him, and 
 bright scarlet plumes waved on his head, as 
 he pranced and curveted up to the door. 
 
 Denise was simply speechless. Her eyes 
 went from one point to the other of the dainty 
 rig, and then she walked calmly down the 
 steps ; went up to Ned, and kissed his white 
 moon ; turned to the sleigh, and touched it 
 gingerly, as though afraid it might vanish ; 
 walked around it, and, finally getting into it, 
 drew the beautiful bear-skin robe around her 
 and tucked it in, without uttering one word. 
 
 Then looking up to the piazza, where all 
 stood watching her, she said : " I don't think 
 it is all a dream, and I do believe I Ve got my 
 last Christmas wish ; but if I should wake up 
 and find it one, I think I would just wish I had 
 never come into the world. Pokey," — with a 
 
216 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 sudden change of voice and tone, — " come 
 here this minute and pinch me." 
 
 Down flew the delighted Pokey, crying all 
 in one breath, as she scrambled into the seat 
 beside Denise : "Is n't it maroon, cardinal, 
 dark green, black, white, silver, gold, and 
 a little pale blue ? " 
 
 " I don't know what color it is. I only 
 know I *m going straight up there to hug 
 that blessed Papa's head 'most off, and give 
 Mama a million kisses " ; and out she tumbled 
 to give vent to her pent-up feelings. 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 THE STAR ACTOR'S FAREWELL APPEARANCE 
 
 [FTER Denise had fulfilled her mis- 
 sion, and Papa and Mama had 
 received the reward, which was, to 
 them, the most precious that could be given, 
 she took time to examine the lovely little 
 sleigh, which, from its dainty gold monogram 
 on the dash-board, to the snug foot-warmer, 
 with another monogram embroidered by 
 Mama's kind hands in gold floss upon pretty 
 brown cloth, was as perfect as the united 
 efforts of those who loved her so dearly could 
 make it. 
 
 " Shall I fetch out the little schled and the 
 dinner-bell, Miss Denise ? " asked John. 
 
 " No, thank you ; I 'd rather have taffy and 
 two spoons — it won't melt this weather," 
 answered Denise, with a mischievous laugh. 
 
 "Faith, ye have me there, and no misthake, 
 and so I '11 only be wishin' ye good luck with 
 
 "7 
 
218 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 yer dandy little rig " ; and John's good-natured 
 laugh emphasized his wish. 
 
 When she had finished admiring her pret- 
 tiest of all the Christmas gifts, she drove back 
 to the Bird's Nest to let Ned wait in its 
 shelter till she and Pokey were ready to start 
 for their ride on the river. 
 
 There she found another surprise awaiting 
 her, for the body of the depot-wagon had 
 been placed on a cunning set of " bobs," and 
 was ready for use when the little cutter 
 should prove too dainty for a grand frolic, 
 or too small for an extra large load. 
 
 " I don't believe any girl ever had so many 
 nice things all at once," said Denise, when 
 she and Pokey had hopped in and out of the 
 bob-sleigh about a dozen times, and examined 
 every bolt and bar very critically. 
 
 " I believe I 've the dearest, bestest, nicest 
 Papa and Mama and Grandma that ever 
 lived, for Grandma made the warm mittens, 
 and so helped the surprise." 
 
 " I just guess you have" was the positive 
 reply ; " and they are just as nice to me as 
 they are to you. I think my fur collar and 
 muff the dearest anybody ever had." 
 
 Presently they both ran into the house to 
 
THE STAR ACTOR'S FAREWELL APPEARANCE 219 
 
 prepare for the morning sleigh -ride ; for Papa, 
 Mama, and Aunt Helen were to go in the big 
 sleigh, with John to drive them, and the 
 children would follow in the " toy sled," as 
 John insisted upon calling the cutter, to 
 Denise's intense disgust. 
 
 Ned seemed to enjoy the cutter immensely 
 as it slipped so easily behind him, and the 
 cold weather made him frisk and prance. 
 
 A short drive brought them to the frozen 
 river, which by this time presented a very 
 lively appearance, for the holiday set every- 
 body free to enjoy the sleighing and skating, 
 and a perfect day brought the whole town 
 and the town's friends to the ice. 
 
 Driving down a steep hill, they reached 
 the edge of the ice, and here a very funny 
 thing happened. Ned positively refused to 
 go upon it. He planted his tiny feet close to 
 the edge, and then he stopped, shaking his 
 head, snorting, and evincing every sign of 
 fear ; for he could not understand how it was 
 possible for him to walk on a river, and he 
 had no idea of committing suicide. 
 
 Denise coaxed and scolded, but it was of 
 no use till she got out of the cutter and went 
 upon the ice herself; then the little fellow 
 
220 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 looked at her very questioningly for a mo- 
 ment, and, as she called to him, began to step 
 forward very gingerly, as though he doubted 
 the evidence of his own eyesight. Feeling 
 his way carefully, he got well out upon the 
 ice and close up to Denise, where he stood 
 trembling and looking about him. 
 
 But she soon calmed his fears by stroking 
 him and petting him ; and as Sunshine and 
 Flash dashed by a moment later, the last 
 remnant of his fears vanished, and with a long 
 neigh he was ready to dash after them. 
 
 Giving a final pat, she jumped into the 
 sleigh, and away went Ned full tilt, the tiny 
 cutter skimming over the smooth ice as 
 though it had wings on the runners. 
 
 Such a glorious morning as that was, 
 driving up and down the river, and once away 
 across to Tarry town ; for a steady stream of 
 sleighs was going to and fro, and the ice 
 was thick enough to hold a regiment, if 
 necessary. 
 
 Dinner-hour came all too soon, and our 
 party had to start homeward, much to Ned's 
 disgust ; for he liked the smooth surface to 
 skip over, and was as reluctant to leave it as 
 he had been disinclined to go upon it, and 
 
THE STAR ACTOR'S FAREWELL APPEARANCE 223 
 
 required nearly as much coaxing to induce 
 him to go back to terra firma, where home 
 and an extra Christmas feed awaited him. 
 
 And now we will leave him and Denise as 
 they are climbing the hill toward that dear 
 home and a merry Christmas dinner ; for 1 
 am sure we have told enough about them to 
 please all the lads and lasses who love ponies 
 and their performances, although we know 
 that all ponies are not as wise as the one 
 we have been telling about, or their little 
 mistresses as much indulged. Do you won- 
 der if she grew up to be wise and unselfish, 
 or disagreeable ? Who can tell ? But one 
 thing I know quite positively. To this day 
 she loves horses and ponies, and they love 
 and trust her just the same, and never fail to 
 come to her call ; and as she passes along the 
 streets she often stops to speak to some horse, 
 and pat him, or give him a lump of sugar from 
 a little pocket which she keeps filled with 
 lumps for that very purpose. 
 
 Several horses have gotten to know her 
 quite well, and always whinny softly when they 
 hear her voice. Perhaps she is the only one 
 from whom they ever receive a kind word or 
 gentle touch, and they are always very grateful. 
 
224 DENISE AND NED TOODLES 
 
 But she loves them all, whether they be 
 handsome or ugly, happy or wretched, just 
 for the sake of dear little Ned Toodles. 
 
 But many years passed before she had to 
 bid little Ned farewell, and all were happy, 
 and filled with delightful times, although none 
 was quite equal to the first one, which brought 
 all the surprises. 
 
 Ned, Tan, and " the children " lived long 
 and prospered finely, and were quite as much 
 members of the family as real folk. 
 
 Many of their pictures are still kept by 
 Denise, who often looks at them, and thinks 
 of the happy hours she spent with the ori- 
 ginals, and then tells her own little Denise 
 of the wild pranks in which they figured.