Chatterbox, 1906 Part 79

It was at the top of the hill, where there was a great stone cross, that the women and children collected to watch for the returning boats. It was to this old cross that the homeward-bound mariner first turned his eyes. He knew that his dear ones were standing there waiting, longing for him.

Estelle was charmed with the village, and with the many kindly greetings she received from the peasant folk. All seemed glad to see her, the market-women even pressing an apple or a few plums on her. They, on their side, were delighted with her graceful manner and her excellent French. They seemed to know all about her.

Madame Bricolin, busy over the important business of buying a chicken, vegetables, and fruit for M. le Cure's table, found time to draw her master's attention to the child. The old man was coming down the hill, but he stopped to look at the fair-haired, slender English child, whose high-bred, dainty little air, caused him to ponder. Who and what was she? He smiled when Mere Bricolin brought her to him, and put out his hand to greet her.

Estelle thought he had the kindest of faces, and accepted with joy his invitation to let Jack bring her one day to see him. At that moment the doctor, hastening across the Grande Place, caught sight of her.

'What!' he exclaimed, striking an att.i.tude of surprise, as his face beamed in merriment on her; 'you here, my little patient! Come to life again all right, eh?'

'Have you tried to find out who your little friend is?' asked the Cure, turning to Jack while Estelle laughed with her old friend.

'She cannot remember the name, sir, yet,' replied Jack, 'so I don't know how to set about it. I have not the means to search without some clue.

Anyhow, I thought we would wait till she is stronger. She's hardly up to a journey yet.'

'Journey!' cried the genial doctor, overhearing the last remark, 'who's going to take a journey? Not this little lady? No, no: not yet. We cannot lose our _pet.i.te dame_' (little lady) 'yet.'

'It can't be me,' said Estelle, her face clouding. 'I have nowhere to go.' Then the remembrance of her dreams returning to her mind, she added, 'At least, I can't think what my name is---- '

'All in good time--all in good time,' exclaimed the doctor hastily.

'Why, M. Jack and his mother are here to take care of you---- '

'And kind friends round you also, _pet.i.te dame_,' added the Cure, with his pleasant smile.

It seemed to soothe Estelle, and she went on with Jack, smiling too.

CHAPTER XIV.

The excitement in Tout-Pet.i.t increased as the day of the _fete_ drew near. The arrival of huge vans, decorated with gaudy colours and glaring pictures, was received by a crowd of all sorts and conditions of the peasant folk. This great fair was an annual business, and was held in April each year.

It was held in the great meadows beyond the village, where there was no limit to the s.p.a.ce which it might occupy if its promoters chose to stretch it out--s.p.a.ce for booths innumerable; s.p.a.ce for the great circus, with its big tent for animals as well as men, women and children; s.p.a.ce for the huge varieties of shows, and s.p.a.ce enough and to spare--one would think--for the motley crowd to wander about in.

Neighbours from all the country round visited the _fete_. The richer women, of all cla.s.ses, secured lodgings. The poorer, who could not afford this luxury, procured rooms among friends. Others camped out all night with their husbands and sons, returning to their homes only when the very last van and show had disappeared.

All Tout-Pet.i.t collected to watch the putting up of the booths, the erection of the tents and marquees, and the getting into line of the menagerie. This part of the _fete_ Mrs. Wright and Jack had wished to avoid. Jack would not have allowed Estelle to be exposed to the rough sights which were to be seen on such occasions. He was annoyed that the subject had been mentioned before her. He considered it wiser, however, to make no objection, as the idea had caught her fancy, and he and his mother would be there to protect her. Nevertheless, as the day drew near, he disliked the thought of the crowd more and more. The child might catch any sort of complaint, or meet with unhealthy adventures, or see cruel sights. But even these did not altogether account for the dislike he felt to taking her to the _fete_. After doing his best to get rid of his own fears, he resolved to consult his mother. She, after all, was a better judge than he. Since his great trouble he had shunned any large concourse of people. Rarely had he gone to any village festivity, though he had lived at Tout-Pet.i.t for many years. Mrs. Wright never cared for them either. Estelle's presence had brightened her up, however, and her opinion now appeared to have altered. She spoke of all there would be to see as if she quite looked forward to a bit of pleasure. The desire to please Estelle was of course the reason for this sudden change of mind. It was with some hesitation, therefore, that, Estelle having gone to bed, Jack broached the subject a few evenings before the _fete_.

'What can happen to the child?' asked Mrs. Wright, surprised. 'We will take care not to lose sight of her. There's plenty of room for stirring, and it won't be difficult to steer clear of the crowd. You are a tower of strength, Jack,' she added, with a proud look at him. 'With you as our guardian, we have no one to fear.'

Jack gave an uneasy laugh. 'I can't account for the misgiving I have,'

he said, sighing.

'The child would be bitterly disappointed if we made difficulties now,'

continued his mother, wondering what had suddenly made her son fanciful.

He could not be afraid of meeting any of his own countrymen, could he?

That was not likely. What did he fear then? Concluding that he was out of sorts, she did not encourage his talking more about the subject. She meant to go, she meant the child to enjoy herself for once in a way, and there was nothing in Jack's objections which could reasonably interfere with their intentions.

(_Continued on page 262._)

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'What! You here, my little patient!'"]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'CHORUS, PLEASE!']

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'You have found me out!' said the captain."]

THE CAPTAIN'S PUDDING.

The following story is told of an American captain and his mate.

Whenever a plum-pudding was made, most of the plums, by the captain's orders, were put into one end of it, and that end was placed next the captain, who was rather a greedy and selfish man. The captain, after helping himself, pa.s.sed it to the mate, who never found many plums in his portion.

After this trick had been played for some time, the mate coaxed the steward beforehand, and got him to place the plumless end next the captain. But the captain no sooner saw the pudding than he discovered that he had the wrong end of it.

Picking up the dish, he turned it about in his hands, as if examining the china.

'This dish,' he said, in a casual manner, 'cost me three s.h.i.+llings in Liverpool.' With these words he put down the dish, with the 'plummy' end of the pudding turned towards himself.

'Really,' said the mate, in his turn lifting the dish, 'I should not have thought it worth more than a s.h.i.+lling.'

Then, with apparent carelessness, he put down the pudding, with the plums towards himself.

The two men looked at one another. The captain laughed. The mate laughed.

'You have found me out!' said the captain. 'Well, we will cut the pudding lengthwise, and in future the plums shall be fairly distributed.'

FIRE PICTURES.

Watch the pictures in the fire; How they gleam and come and go, Making trees and birds and cows, And red houses in a row.

Did the fairies put them there When the coal was underground, So that we, at eventide, All their hidden treasures found?

ROUND THE CAMP-FIRE.

By HAROLD ERICSON.

VI.--HOW WE LEARNT SKI-RUNNING.