Part 36 (1/2)
It was growing darker with an occasional flash of lightning and an accompanying growl of thunder off in the distance. Mrs. Halford turned to the children with a twinkle of resolution in her eyes and astonished them by saying:
”Yes, you may. Off with your shoes and stockings and put on your gossamers. You may stay out in the rain just as long as you like. You too, Chicken Little, I'll be responsible to your mother. You can take my gossamer.”
”Oh, Mother,” Katy and Gertie both flung themselves at their little mother for an ecstatic hug.
”Yes,” she continued, as soon as they released her. ”You may take those old umbrellas in the woodhouse and go back under the gooseberry bushes if you wish--I want you to be thoroughly satisfied, so you won't always be teasing to go out in the wet.”
”You don't need to think we'll get tired of it, Mother,” Katy a.s.sured her.
”My, I could stay out all day--I love it so,” Chicken Little protested.
”We'll stay as long as you'll let us, Mumsey.”
Mrs. Halford smiled.
Shoes and stockings came off in a jiffy and the children ran out jumping up and down gleefully. They splashed about in the little puddles in the old brick walk, and dabbled their bare toes in the wet gra.s.s. They danced and squealed, catching the splas.h.i.+ng drops in their hands and flinging them in each other's faces until the water was dripping in streams from noses and chins.
”Isn't it grand?”
”My, I never had so much fun in my life!”
”'Tisn't a bit cold.”
They frisked and splashed till the novelty began to wear off a little, then adopted Mrs. Halford's suggestion about going back to their gooseberry playhouse.
The rain was coming down harder now and the roll of thunder and play of lightning were more frequent. But the little girls were too much absorbed with their own plans to notice this.
”I shall not take Minnie out in this rain--she would be sure to take a nasty cold,” said Gertie decidedly, heartlessly denying her child the pleasures she was enjoying.
”Let's leave the dolls in the house--they'll get all messy--besides the paint comes off if you get them a teeny bit wet.”
”Let's play we're sailing in a boat--and the umbrellas can be the sails and----”
”No, let's be Swiss Family Robinson in the tree house--we can just play pull the ladder up after us.”
They all agreed to this and started out to fit up their abode under almost as discouraging circ.u.mstances as that famous family are supposed to have faced. Taking two of the old umbrellas Katy propped them up to reinforce their foliage roof over the driest spot she could find. She worked quite a while before she could get them moored securely. It was hard to manage with the rain driving in her face and the wind tugging at the umbrellas.
”My, it'll be fine when we get it all fixed. See, it's hardly a bit wet here----”
”Let's bring an old piece of carpet and spread down--and a book. We can read here just as snug.”
”Yes, and some cookies and apples--I'm getting hungry.”
”All right--let's.”
The children plodded back and forth under the remaining umbrellas looking like a six-legged mushroom. They found it difficult to get the carpet and provender safely placed without getting wet. And however willing they were to be ducks themselves water didn't seem adapted to carpets or cookies.
Mrs. Halford watched the trio busy and dripping and laughed till the tears stood in her eyes. The Irish maid in the kitchen was scandalized but interested.
”Did you ever see the likes of 'em? They're that wet, ma'am, they leave puddles on me floor every time they come in and they be after stayin'