“No, ma’am! Why, don’t you know? I’m captain of the Base Ball
Star Club. Look at that, will you?” And, as if the fact were one of
national importance, Jamie flung open his jacket to display upon
his proudly swelling chest an heart-shaped red flannel shield
decorated with a white cotton star the size of a tea plate.
“Superb! I’ve been away so long I forgot there was such a game.
And you the captain?” cried Rose, deeply impressed by the high
honor to which her kinsman had arrived.
“I just am, and it’s no joke you’d better believe, for we knock our
teeth out, black our eyes, and split our fingers almost as well as the
big fellows. You come down to the Common between one and two
and see us play a match, then you’ll understand what hard work it
is. I’ll teach you to bat now if you’ll come out on the lawn,” added
Jamie, fired with a wish to exhibit his prowess.
“No, thank you, captain. The grass is wet, and you’ll be late at
school if you stay for us.?
“I’m not afraid. Girls are not good for much generally, but you
never used to mind a little wet and played cricket like a good one.
Can’t you ever do that sort of thing now?” asked the boy, with a
pitying look at these hapless creatures debarred from the joys and
perils of manly sports.
“I can run still and I’ll get to the gate before you, see if I don’t.”
And, yielding to the impulse of the moment, Rose darted down the
steps before astonished Jamie could mount and follow.
He was off in a moment, but Rose had the start, and though old
Sheltie did his best, she reached the goal just ahead, and stood
there laughing and panting, all rosy with fresh October air, a pretty
picture for several gentlemen who were driving by.
“Good for you, Rose!” said Archie, jumping out to shake hands
while Will and Geordie saluted and Uncle Mac laughed at Jamie,
who looked as if girls had risen slightly in his opinion.
“I’m glad it is you, because you won’t be shocked. But I’m so happy
to be back I forgot I was not little Rose still,” said Atalanta,
smoothing down her flying hair.
“You look very like her, with the curls on your shoulders in the old
way. I missed them last night and wondered what it was. How are
Uncle and Phebe?” asked Archie, whose eyes had been looking
over Rose’s head while he spoke toward the piazza, where a female
figure was visible among the reddening woodbines.
“All well, thanks. Won’t you come up and see for yourselves??
“Can’t, my dear, can’t possibly. Business, you know, business. This
fellow is my right-hand man, and I can’t spare him a minute.
Come, Arch, we must be off, or these boys will miss their train,”
answered Uncle Mac, pulling out his watch.
With a last look from the light-haired figure at the gate to the
dark-haired one among the vines, Archie drove away and Jamie
cantered after, consoling himself for his defeat with apple number
two.
Rose lingered a moment, feeling much inclined to continue her run
and pop in upon all the aunts in succession, but, remembering her
uncovered head, was about to turn back when a cheerful “Ahoy!
ahoy!” made her look up to see Mac approaching at a great pace,
waving his hat as he came.
“The Campbells are coming, thick and fast this morning, and the
more the merrier,” she said, running to meet him. “You look like a
good boy going to school, and virtuously conning your lesson by
the way,” she added, smiling to see him take his finger out of the
book he had evidently been reading, and tuck it under his arm, just
as he used to do years ago.
“I am a schoolboy, going to the school I like best,” he answered,
waving a plumy spray of asters as if pointing out the lovely autumn
world about them, full of gay hues, fresh airs, and mellow
sunshine.
“That reminds me that I didn’t get a chance to hear much about