Grandfather was the best person Ardath and Arthur had ever known to create pleasant surprise situations and keep his secret. When the children awakened on Monday morning at precisely the same moment, the best surprise of all awaited them. Father and Mother were asleep in the big bed.

Ardath felt like running right over to give Mother a big kiss and hug. Arthur felt like jumping on his father's chest as he sometimes did at home, for fun, if he awakened before Father. It was very hard for the children not to do what they felt like doing, especially since they had not seen their parents for a whole week.

Grandfather had so instilled in them the virtue of promptness and regularity, that good habits won. Ardath and Arthur put on their blue silk pajamas as quietly as they knew how to do it and tiptoed down the stair steps.

"That is being a good Knight and Lady", Grandfather greeted them at the foot of the stairs "to come downstairs without waking your parents. They arrived here very late and we talked far into the night".

While grandfather and the children were having their dew bath, Father and Mother awakened. They were both dressed when Ardath and Arthur went upstairs to put on play clothes.

Ardath ran to her Mother. Mother held her close. Both of them laughed and cried at the same time for the joy of seeing one another again. Father shook hands with Arthur after giving him an affectionate squeeze. "How has it been, big boy? Did you get all the work done for Grandfather?"

At breakfast, the children told of their adventures of the week with dramatic enjoyment in the remembering. Father and Mother told of their successful trip and the beautiful mountain scenery they had enjoyed.

Ardath helped Mary with the morning chores, as she usually did, but Mother helped too and they were finished very early.

Father helped Arthur feed the puppies, but it took linger than usual because Arthur taught Father how it should be done and explained every detail of the chore. Father went with him to the implement shed to see him wheel the barrow and gave him some pointers on holding his legs in the proper position before he started to push.

Arthur finally had a wish fulfilled. Father showed him how to catch a frog. Father and Arthur looked at the frog in father's hand.

"What will we put it in to take it home? Father asked.

Arthur had seen a can in the wagon shed and said he would fetch it. When he gave it to Father and the frog was put in the can some of Arthur's enthusiasm for the project left him. Father said the can lid needed to have holes in it, so the frog could get air while traveling.

Father held the frog in his hand, "Poor little fellow, what will he do back in Phoenix? We don't have a pool and all his brothers and sisters will be back here having fun sunning on lily pads and jumping in the pool. I wonder if he will like travelling on the noisy train?"

Father was most convincing in his discourse about the frog.

"Let's put him back in the pond." Arthur decided. He was really beginning to feel sorry for the frog. "I thought you wanted to show it to your friends?" Father questioned Arthur.

"No, they may not like a frog. Anyway, it looks better in the pond than in a can. I don't know what to feed it - it might starve." Arthur had let his father know that he was sincere in his desire to free the frog so it could be content in the pool at Beverly Farm.

Ardath helped Mother repack the travelling cases.

"What time will we be leaving?" Ardath asked Mother.

"We will leave the farm as soon as dinner is finished and take the train into Philadelphia. At Philadelphia, we will take ‘Sleepers' and be in Chicago, tomorrow morning, where we will get on another train for Phoenix." Mother reviewed the schedule of their homeward trip.

During the peaceful week at Beverly Farm, Ardath had forgotten about the noise and motion of trains. She wanted to be with Mother, but she would be glad when they were home in Phoenix, again, she thought.

It was a busy afternoon. Arthur went for the mail as he usually did. Instead of taking the ‘rest and listen' time right after lunch, everyone went into the garden for an hour. Ardath told Mother about the flowers and that she had learned how to make bouquets.

"I wish we could take some bouquets along with us." Ardath hoped they could, but Mother explained that the flowers would not last until they reached Phoenix. Mother and Ardath picked fresh flowers for the house and threw away the water lilies Ardath had put on the dining room table.

Father and Grandfather went into the Study after they all came from the garden and Mother and the children went upstairs, to rest and listen.

Carrying suitcases downstairs before dinner and remembering last minute things to say that had not been said, lent an excitement to the big house that had not been there since the arrival of Ardath, Arthur and their parents. Both children had taken off their play cloths and packed them. They were in travelling clothes at dinner time.

"Is Adam going to drive us back to the station with Will Power and the surrey?" Arthur asked at dinner.

"Wouldn't you rather go in ‘Old English', this time?" Grandfather asked. It seemed Grandfather never stopped asking a question instead of answering one if he could do it, conveniently.

"I like to ride in a wagon, but we might miss the train if Will Power walked too slow." Arthur considered seriously then said, "We better go in ‘Old English'."

Adam stacked the travelling bags in the trunk of the automobile. Father and Mother thanked him for helping take care of the children, then they thanked Mary for her part in helping the children to have good learning experiences.

Father and Grandfather helped Mother and Ardath into the back seat. Arthur said he wanted to sit on the front seat with the men. Grandfather said Father could drive "Old English" to the station. Arthur sat between Father and Grandfather.

At the station, the porter took the travelling cases and put them on the same kind of hand truck he had used when they arrived. He wheeled them down the station platform to the place the baggage coach was expected to stop.

Grandfather waited until the train came. No one said anything, but everyone gave Grandfather an affectionate hug and kiss and thanked him for his teaching and stories.

"Come to visit us, at Phoenix, sometime, grandfather." Ardath invited through the open window as the train pulled out of the Berryville station en route to Philadelphia.

Grandfather waved and smiled.
|Top|