The girls thought it would, but there was so much to plan and think about that they didn’t stay on their little balcony any longer just then, which was something of a pity, for right after they went indoors, somebody came out into the yard— But then, there’s no use telling about her for Mary Jane didn’t see her.
So Mary Jane and Alice went with their father and mother into the room that was to be theirs and they planned just where each bed should be and where was the best place for the desk and dressing table and who should have which side of the closet. And by that time, it was nearly six o’clock—time to go back to the hotel for dinner.
Mr. Merrill stopped at the desk for mail as they went up to their room and there he found a message telling him that their furniture had arrived in Chicago and that it must be taken out of the freight house the next morning.
“Dear me!” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill with a gasp of dismay, “I think it’s a good thing we found that flat! What ever would we have done if we hadn’t! Well, girls, I think we’d better eat a good dinner and then go to bed early for we’ll have to get down there and clean up the flat while father tends to getting our things delivered.”
So bright and early the next morning everybody started to work. Mr. Merrill went down town to meet the moving men he had engaged by ’phone and Mrs. Merrill and the two girls put aprons and cleaning rags and soap, all of which they had brought in their small trunk, into a little grip and went down to the new home.
Mary Jane had lots of fun that morning. First she went down to the basement and borrowed a broom from the janitor. Then she went back for clean papers which she folded neatly and spread on the pantry shelves which Mrs. Merrill with the good help of the janitor’s wife had cleaned and ready. Then she put papers on the shelf of the closet she and Alice were to share and papers in the drawers near the floor of that same closet. By that time—it takes pretty long to fold papers neatly and get every bit of the shelf covered, you know—the door bell rang—a great, long, hard ring.
“Oh, dear! Can you go, Mary Jane?” exclaimed Mrs. Merrill, “Alice and I both have wet hands!” You see, Alice had been washing mirrors that were on the closet doors while her mother and the janitor’s wife did windows and wood work.
“Yes, I’m dry,” said Mary Jane, “and my papers are done and I’d like to go.”
To tell the honest truth, Mary Jane had just that very minute been wishing the door bell would ring. For the janitor’s wife had showed her how to press the buzzer that would release the lock of the front door and let a person come up the stairs. And of course Mary Jane wanted to try it. So she hurried over to the house ’phone, took down the receiver and said, “Who is it?” just as any grown-up person would.
“Here’s your things!” said a gruff voice, “we’ll bring ’em up the back!”