Gertrude W. Morrison

“ The moment the old business had been disposed of and the way was open for new matters, Laura burst out with:
"Oh, girls! I've got the most exciting thing to tell you!"
"Don't tell us of any other big robbery," sighed Nellie Agnew. "We've heard nothing but robbery at our house ever since Stresch & Potter were broken into. And poor Billy Long!"
"Humph!" muttered Hester Grimes. "I hope they catch him and that he gets all that is coming to him. He always was a mean little brat!"
"Not at all!" cried one of the seniors. "Billy Long never did a mean thing in his life. But he is full of mischief." ”

“ One would be more than you could manage properly; but two is ridiculous. I'd undertake, as I have told you before, to bring my namesake up as a girl should be brought up—and that will leave more money for you to fritter away on your hot-beds and cold-frames, and the like," she added, slily.
"Dora!" exclaimed Mr. Lockwood, with a quaver in his voice, "do you really think I am not doing my duty by Dora and Dorothy?"
"Think it?" sniffed his sister. "I know it! And everybody else with sense knows it. How can a mere man bring up twin girls and give them a proper start in life?" ”

“ You've never made a dollar in your life, Lemuel Lockwood!"
"But—but there has never been any real necessity for me to make money," stammered the horticulturist. "And one of these days we are going to have a plenty. I've got a melon started here on the bench, Dora——"
"You needn't show me any of your nasty plants. They're all ridiculous. And it isn't plants we're talking about. It's girls. Mercy knows how an inscrutable Providence ever came to allow two helpless girl babies to fall into your hands, Lemuel. But they're here and you've the burden of them. ”

“ Lockwood. "I am very sure Mrs. Betsey never has time for such reading."
"Then what does she know about it?" demanded Aunt Dora, triumphantly.
"But they are hardly ever sick—and how pretty they both are!" sighed the father of the twins.
"Bah! never sick! pretty!" ejaculated Aunt Dora, staccato. "What about their souls, Lemuel Lockwood? What about the development of their minds? Have you done aught to make them stern and uncompromising when they meet the world on an equal footing—as all women shall in the time to come? Are you preparing them for their work in life? ”

“ I see him again," whispered Dora Lockwood.
A half-minute's silence, save for the patter of the drops from the paddles as the light cedar canoe shot around East Point of Cavern Island.
"So do I!" cried Dorothy, but in a low tone. "My! what frightful whiskers."
"He looks just like a pirate," declared her sister.
"He is a pirate—or a robber—I wager," returned Dorothy.
"Maybe he's one of those horrid men who robbed Stresch & Potter Tuesday night."
"Oh, Dora! Let's hurry by." ”

“ Dora said to her aunt, cheerfully. "And then Dorothy will take my place——"
"No. You can both come—come together. I couldn't stand you more than a week at a time, I'm sure," said Aunt Dora, with a sigh. "You girls of the new generation are too much for me; though I must admit that you are pretty nice girls, at that! But your father needs you most of the time—needs you to help him cultivate that seedless watermelon, I expect!
"Girls aren't what they were when I was a girl. You twins don't know how to knit, or to make tatting, or to embroider. ”

“ The girls were silent.
"I am separating Dora from her sister for her own good. As you girls grow older you will find that the income your father has remaining will barely support one girl in a proper manner. To divide his responsibility is a kindness to him——"
"That is not so," interjected the mild Mr. Lockwood. "You are more than welcome, girls, to all I have. And—possibly—I might look about and get a little more money for you to use, as time goes on. If you need it——"
"We know all about it, Papa," chimed the twins. "We are satisfied." ”

“ The pistol spoke, and "They're off!" shouted the crowd. Like five huge water-spiders, the eight-oared shells darted along the course. With a strain and a heave at the end of every stroke, the boats were propelled in a magnificent burst of speed. For some rods there was scarcely any difference in the standing of the five crews.
Then, as in old times, Keyport drew ahead.
"Hang to 'em! Like bulldogs!" shouted Bobby Hargrew through the megaphone she wore strapped to her mouth.
Instantly Celia stretched out a little more and the clack of the oars in Central High boat sounded quicker. ”

“ The teacher kept the other girls back and herself took Josephine Morse's place and gripped Laura firmly as the latter hung over the brink of the cliff.
Laura continued to call; but although she thought she had seen the boy on the shelf below move, he did not reply. His face was very white.
"He's unconscious! He's hurt!" Laura gasped.
"How do you suppose he ever got there?" demanded Jess.
"The question is: How shall we get him up?" demanded Mrs. Case, briskly.
"I can get down to him—I know I can," cried Laura. ”

“ Lemuel Lockwood, you haven't any more idea of what those girls need than a babe unborn."
"What do they need, Dora?" asked worried Mr. Lockwood.
"They need a strong hand—a stern and uncompromising spirit to govern them—that's what they need!" declared the militant aunt.
"But Dora, they are good girls and make me no trouble at all."
"Of course they make you no trouble. You let them do exactly as they wish."
"No, no!" urged Mr. Lockwood, hastily. "They don't always do as they wish. Sometimes we haven't the money to let them do with. I've heard Mrs. Betsey say so. ”

“ Couldn't she really tell the twins apart? Wasn't there something in their voices dissimilar? Was there not some mark on their bodies by which Dora could be distinguished from Dorothy? Hadn't one child a scar that the other did not have?
"My dear madam," declared the old housekeeper and nurse, in desperation. "I gave up the question as hopeless ten years and more ago. If those girls do not wish to own up, nobody can tell them apart, you may be sure of that. Yes, they are stubborn—and they are pert. They have never been governed by harshness or by fear. ”

“ But the preparations at the Sitz farm were likely to raise the spirits of any boy or girl. In the first place the farmhouse was a very pleasant old house indeed, and its big grassy yard, with shade trees and vines, was a delightful spot for an open-air party. Under the grape arbors, now in full leaf, long tables had been spread, and as soon as the automobiles arrived Eve called the girls to the back porch to help hull berries already picked, while Otto, her rather slow-witted brother, took the boys down to the strawberry patch to help pick more of the fruit. ”

“ It was a very Happy time for the girls of Central High. Even Miss Carrington was in an especially gracious mood; but Aunt Dora, who had come with the twins, refused to speak to "that four-eyed teacher."
Bobby Hargrew was there, although she could never hope to be a member of the M. O. R.'s herself, unless she changed her mischievous ways. "But," as Laura quoted, "can the leopard change his spots?"
"He most certainly can—unless he goes dead lame," cried Bobby, grinning. "You wait till I'm a junior! I'm going to make the M. O. R.'s and be Gee Gee's prize scholar next year." ”

“ Isn't that fine?"
"Oh, if we could only win it!" cried Jess, clasping her hands.
"You've got about as much chance of winning over Keyport as I have of flying," said Hester Grimes.
"If goodness is necessary to your wearing wings, Hester, I am afraid you really haven't much chance," said one of the seniors, sweetly, and there was a little giggle of approval from the younger girls.
"It is a sure thing that we can't win with our old tub," agreed Laura, nodding a thoughtful head.
"Pah!" snapped Hester. "You girls in that eight couldn't win anyway." ”

“ Laura and Chet (the latter of whom drove the Belding machine) had their own close friends in the smaller auto, and it was well filled. Mr. Purcell stood by the chauffeur of the big car as the Lockwood twins whisked into the front seat, completely filling it. Dora and Dorothy always preferred to keep together, and nobody could get between them here.
The girls heard the automobile owner ask the driver:
"How do you feel now, Bennie? All right?"
"Pretty good, Boss," said the man, who, the twins noticed, was pale.
"Sure you can make it all right? If you feel bad, say so, and I'll take your place." ”

“ Purt felt affectionately for his ears—they stuck out like sails from the side of his head, "trimmed flat across the masts"—and said nothing. He could not retort in his present condition of mind and body. But his schoolmates talked on, quite ignoring him.
"What were you two boys doing out in the Duchess this afternoon, anyway?" demanded Laura. "I thought you were going to see the game between Lumberport and the East High team?"
"Why," said Chet, hesitating, looking at Lance, "if we tell you, you'll keep still about it—all you girls?"
"Of course," said Jess. ”

“ Other boating parties saw them coming and gave the twins a clear way—all but Hester and Lily. They seemed to be waiting, and Hester flung a backward look every now and then as the Lockwood girls drew farther out into the lake.
"They're speeding up, too," said Dorothy to her sister.
"Let's race them, if they want to," Dora returned. "Who's afraid?"
"You know Mrs. Case would rather we did not race crews that intend to compete for the trophies."
"We—ell! The lake's free. And we're going the same way Hester and Lily are. If they race us, what's the odds?" ”

“ I only hope we won't have women pugilists and seven-day bicycle riders!
"When girls like you and your friends race in boats and—ahem!—I hope you won't let any club of girls from the other High Schools take that handsome silver cup away from you, girls," concluded Aunt Dora, with sudden asperity. "That would be a pretty dido, I must say! Don't you let me hear of its passing out of the possession of the girls of Central High."
"We'll do our best, Auntie," replied Dora and Dorothy, their bright eyes dancing at the good old lady's emphasis. ”

“ The shout that went up from the girls and boys who had been watching the unraveling process brought the crowd from the first automobile back, too. Poor Purt looked ruefully at his lost sash, wound around the wheel, and bemoaned his bad fortune most feelingly. But Lance cut off the ball of red worsted and threw it in the gutter.
"I really wish you wouldn't be so careless, Purt," he said, as though the victim were at fault. "Mussing up the whole machine with your fancy fixin's. Don't you do that any more."
"But, my dear boy, I had no idea of doing it—weally!" exclaimed the unfortunate Purt. ”

“ The big berries were heaped upon the wedges of buttered short-cake, and then cream poured over the berries, with plenty of sugar.
"Yum! Yum!" mumbled Lance Darby, with a huge mouthful obstructing his parts of speech. "Isn't this the Jim-dandiest lay-out you ever saw, Chet?"
"I never sat down to a better one," admitted his chum. "But please don't talk to me. Purt is getting more of the berries than I am—and he isn't talking at all. Just pass the sugar, Lance, and then shut up for a while." ”

“ I don't want to get all wet," panted Dorothy.
"Here's another canoe!" cried Dora.
Out of a neighboring inlet shot a second cedar boat, also paddled by two girls.
"It's Laura and Jess!" cried Dorothy.
"Goody! now we can get the boys to shore all right," said Dora, with satisfaction. "Laura will know what to do. She always does."
Laura Belding, who was Chetwood Belding's sister, and who rejoiced in the nickname at school of "Mother Wit," was a girl who possessed a very quick mind. ”

“ Chet had bought a big tin pail and in this he made gallons of lemonade, and everybody ate and drank to repletion.
"Now, if we were only at the park for just a little while, and could top off on ice cream," said Lance, lying back on the greensward with a contented sigh despite his spoken wish.
"I'd rather see that monkey again," laughed Jess. "That's the cutest little beast."
"It weally is surprising how much the cweature knows," said Purt Sweet. "It is weally almost human."
"So are you!" scoffed Lance. "It's an ugly little animal. Never did like a monkey. ”

“ Centerport, although a moderately wealthy town, could not supply fifty thousand dollars, off-hand, for such a purpose; and that was the least sum needed for the establishment of an up-to-date building and field for winter bathing, basketball grounds, tennis courts, a cinder track, and a dancing lawn.
Perhaps Laura Belding was no more interested in the establishment of such a fine field than many other of the girls of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes. Laura was a soph herself; but she saw ways and means to an end more quickly than the others. ”

“ The twins were delighted to be able to row with their mates on the eight-oared crew; but like the other members, they were quite hopeless of winning the race if they had to use the old boat.
"Somebody who owed us a big grudge turned that trick of stealing the shell," Bobby Hargrew declared, again and again.
"But we never did anything to the crews of the other schools to make them hate us so," cried the doctor's daughter.
"Only threatening to beat them in the race," said Laura, doubtfully.
"That shouldn't be a sufficient reason for them to hate us," one of the Lockwood twins declared. ”