The material for the gardener was reduced to a basket of vegetables and what was left of the fruit after Karen had filled the bags.

“Well, Maggie’s off and that rids us of all encumbrances at last. Now, what’s next?” asked Jeremy, standing in the doorway and looking at the eager youngsters who were enjoying their unusual privilege of working in the kitchen.

“What on earth are you kids doing?” He glared down at the children just as Jennifer arrived.

And then suddenly the doorbell pealed through the quiet house. They stopped and looked at each other aghast. What had come now?

“Scram!” said Jeremy in a low tone, and with one accord the little company flew silently up the back stairs, turned out their lights, and crept to their beds, lying motionless while the big brother went to the door!

Chapter 7

And then after all it was only a great box of flowers, lavender and white orchids, for Jennifer from Peter Willis!

“How unspeakable!” said Jennifer, when Jeremy brought them up to her dark room, turned on her light, and showed them to her. She rose up from her bed, where she had been only too glad to lay her weary self for even that brief rest, and scowled at them.

Poor Peter Willis! Only he wasn’t in the least poor. He was very rich. And the orchids were really lovely.

“What can I possibly do with them?” she asked in perplexity.

“Toss ’em!” said Jeremy in disgust.

“But we can’t do that!” said Jennifer. “Beautiful flowers like that!”

“Well, wear ’em, then!” said Jeremy, vexed, slamming down the top of the box in a rage. “Wear ’em pinned all over you and be a marked woman! Let old Peter come running to marry you when they’ve traced you by his flowers!”

“Jerry, don’t be a fool!”

“Well, but what can you do with them? We can’t carry along the right kind of vases to hold them. I tell you, you’ll have to chop them up and make coleslaw out of them and send it to the gardener.”

“Jerry, be sensible. I can’t leave them here. Somebody would be sure to find it out and tell Peter!”

“What’s the difference? But, of course, if you care so much about Peter’s feelings!”

“Jerry, don’t you remember what Mother used to say? Even if a person has what you feel are bad manners, you mustn’t do the same thing yourself, or you prove yourself just as bad as he is. It’s not that I care about Peter, but I care about my own rudeness if I let him know that I do not prize his flowers. He meant to honor me, of course, by sending them. I’ve got to manage this somehow so he will never know that the flowers came at an inconvenient time for me.”

“Okay! Take ’em along if you must, but some of us will have to ride on the running board if you do, for everything’s absolutely full!”

“If we could only send them to some poor sick person who never gets flowers and would enjoy them,” said Jennifer, troubled.

“I know!” said Tryon. “Drive to the charity hospital and leave them at the door. Tell them to give them to the poorest, sickest one there!”

“That’s a good idea, Try,” said his big sister. “We’ll do that, and you can take them to the door.”

“Somebody’ll be sure to recognize us,” grumbled Jeremy. “I knew somebody would throw a monkey wrench into this trip somehow.”

“Don’t worry, Jerry. We won’t run any risks, even if we have to throw them in the river as we cross the bridge. Now, our first concern is to get out of here quickly, before some pestilential relative catches us and spoils the whole scheme. The baggage is all out there in the hall at the head of the stairs, counted and numbered, and there’s a list of the bags so we can’t forget any. You and Tryon carry it out and stow it in the car. Heather, you and Hazel get those sandwiches in the box I gave in short order! Everybody skitter, quick! Robin, come here and I’ll wash that jam off your face. It’s good to start clean, anyway.”

They were all packed into the car at last, and just about to start, when Jennifer remembered the blankets she had left on a chair in the back hall.

“Yes, and there’s someone coming up the drive on a bike!” announced Tryon. “Better lie low! Besides, you’ve left a light on in the front hall, Jerry.”

“Okay!” sighed Jerry wearily. “You scout around, Try, and see who it is. I’ll go get the blankets and turn out the light.”

“Be sure to lock the cellar door,” warned Jennifer.

Tryon came back with a telegram. It was from Abigail Storm, addressed to Jennifer.

Am coming to you at once. Starting first train in the morning. Please have Stanton meet my train tomorrow night.

Cousin Abby

“Holy Mackerel!” said Jerry as he returned with the blankets.