Chapter IV: A Bad Beginning

The next morning was just as bright and pleasant a one as its predecessor had been, and the boys, forgetful of last night's row, got up in very good humour both with themselves and everybody else. They chatted, and planned, and whistled, and threw bolsters at each other, and played off several innocent tricks on Kathleen, until it was nearly time for breakfast, when Fred, seeing a squirrel dart up a tree just beside the house, declared he would "go out and nabble the crittur" as sure as his name was Frederick; and as his toilet was just completed, he bolted out of the room in hot chase, forgetting to read his morning verses or to say his prayers, and leaving Harry to follow or not as he chose.

What Harry would have done--whether he would have followed his brother as soon as his boots were drawn on and his collar and tie neatly fastened in front, who can say; but, opening the door of Kathleen's room with exceeding gentleness and care, so as to be able to send a large hassock at her head, he saw her kneeling reverently beside her bed, her hands clasped and her head bent forward on the counterpane. Harry did not shy the hassock as he had intended, but instead, when he had closed the door softly, he knelt down and said his morning prayers; and when Kathleen entered the room all ready for breakfast, he asked her to read him out a chapter while he was finishing his dressing.

Just as the gong for breakfast was sounding, Fred burst into the bedroom, his coat all covered with the green powder off the bark of the trees, and a large rent across the knee of his trousers.

"I say," he cried breathlessly, "the little brute was nimbler than I thought, and gave me such a chivy as I haven't had this year--up one tree and down another, skipping and jumping like a good un. One time I crept up so dogeously, I had my hand almost on his bushy tail before he caught sight of me. I was certain of nabbing him, for the tree was broken off at the top, and there were no branches long enough for him to get beyond my reach, when all at once the little beggar saw me, and, instead of rushing out on the branch, as I thought he would, he made one bound on my shoulder, rushed down my back, and away out of sight before I could say Jack Robinson. But I say, Kathleen, out with your needle and thread, and sew up this tear I have got right across my knee. It's such a straight one, it won't be seen if you do it properly."

"But the gong has rung, Fred, and I shall be quite late for breakfast."

"Never mind; I shall be late too. You would not have one go downstairs like this, would you?"

"No; but could you not put on another pair?"

"Fiddlesticks! that would be too much bother. If I change one thing, I must change all, for they would not match; so be quick, and you'll set it right in no time."

Kathleen got out her needle and thread, and made the best speed she could; but before the rent was drawn together many minutes had elapsed, and when Kathleen, all covered with blushes, followed her brother into the large dining-hall, morning prayers were over, and all the guests were assembled around the breakfast-table, and Aunt Marian, though she said nothing, looked somewhat grave and put out.

Aunt Marian was a very punctual person herself, and she wished others to be the same, and above all she disliked people being late for prayers; besides which, she thought young persons ought from the very first to learn habits of order and regularity, and her own children were brought up in strict accordance with these ideas. But, nevertheless, she was exceedingly kind-hearted, and had a large measure of human pity; and as she noticed the distress only too visible on Kathleen's face when she entered the room--a distress which seemed to increase when she took her place at the table in the only vacant space immediately opposite the large bay-window--Aunt Marian called out to her in a very pleasant voice,--

"Kathleen, my dear, you will get sick if you sit with your back so close to that fire. Bring up your chair beside mine, and I will make room for you at the head of the table."

Oh, how Kathleen thanked her aunt in her heart; for now, in the process of changing her place at the table, the cruel blushes (which, in the full light of the large window, and in view of her friends opposite, were fast bringing hot tears into her eyes) would have time to go down, or, at least, to begin to go down; and now that her aunt had spoken kindly to her, the sense of disgrace was dispelled, and she could look her companions in the face.

When she took her place beside her aunt, she found already a nice hot cake and a roll of fresh butter deposited upon her plate added; to which, her aunt kissed her very affectionately as she said "Good morning," and bade her eat a good breakfast, as they had a busy day before them; but Kathleen, full of gratitude, did not know until long afterwards that Harry had been her champion on this trying occasion, and had taken the opportunity of the changing of places to come to her rescue and whisper across his next neighbour to his aunt,--"It is not Kathleen's fault that she is late. She was quite ready when the gong sounded, but she waited to mend Fred's clothes." And now that all the company were present, and every one seemed thoroughly happy and enjoying themselves, Aunt Marian only waited for the first pause in the clatter of plates and tongues to make a proposal as to how she thought the day might be spent so as to combine a great amount of amusement with a certain amount of usefulness.

"I am going to make a proposal to the company at large," she said pleasantly; "and let those who approve of my plan hold up their right hand."

"Hear, hear," cried several voices amongst the party, headed by Aunt Marian's own sons.

"I am going to have a grand brewing of jam this week, and I shall want strawberries and raspberries, and currants, black, white, and red, and gooseberries and cherries, gathered in large quantities for this purpose; and so I propose to make you all useful as well as ornamental, and ask you to work in my service, the payment to be deducted on the spot in the form of the fruit most liked, to be eaten on the premises--that is to say, during the process of gathering; but I also propose to give the one who shall have gathered the largest measure of fruit in proportion to the time a prize, which prize shall not be declared until the time of presentation, and that the winner of the said prize shall for the rest of the day be looked on as the head of the company, and select the games or pleasures on which the remainder of the day is to be spent. Now let all who approve of this plan hold up their right hands."

It is scarcely necessary to say that every right hand in the room was extended to its full length, and that cheers and hurrahs loud and long greeted this suggestion of Aunt Marian's; and after this, until the end of breakfast, the hilarity seemed involuntarily on the increase, until at length Aunt Marian deemed it wise to give the signal for rising, and all the company, starting to their feet, made a rush towards the nearest door like a flock of thirsty sheep thronging through a gate to the water.

In about half an hour from this time the whole party were standing ready dressed and watching in front of the house for Aunt Marian, who had promised to meet them at that place and furnish them each with the necessary receptacles for holding the gathered fruit; nor did she keep them long waiting, as she appeared a moment or two later followed by the housekeeper and a couple of footmen, all laden with tin cans of a uniform size and shape, and lined with fresh green cabbage leaves. These she proceeded to dispose of, giving one to each member of the picking force, and which measure was to be filled by them with the fruits named on a label attached to the handle of the can; only those to whom gooseberries were apportioned, and cherries, received cans of a larger size, as they would of course take far less time to pick; and so the whole matter was arranged with a strict view to justice and equity. Nor were those who gathered the fruit named on their labels bound to eat only of that kind. Both gardens, with all their contents, were free to their ingress and egress, and no one was bound to continue his or her labour longer than they liked: but then, whoever was the most steady and industrious was to reap a reward, the nature of which was not yet declared; but Aunt Marian was very generous, and her presents and prizes were always worth having, so the whole party started for the gardens in tip-top spirits, their tin cans glittering in the brilliant sunshine, and the ring of their joyous voices resounding through the morning air.