“Won’t I dig for it, next time I go to grandma’s!” cried Cricket. “How much was there in them?”
“I think about three dollars altogether, wasn’t there, Jean? What heart-broken children we were, weren’t we, when we first realized that we couldn’t find the place!”
“Indeed we were. That was my first and last speculation,” laughed auntie.
“Isn’t it funny,” said Cricket to Eunice, “to think that mamma and auntie were ever such little geese!”
CHAPTER XXV.
GOING BACK TO TOWN.
Leaving dear old Kayuna and going back to town was always a time of mourning with the Ward family. They had occasionally lived out there through the whole year, but it was not very convenient for the grown-up members of the family, and there were no good schools for the older ones.
The first of October was the usual time for the flitting. For a week before there was a great flying around among the small fry, who had to put away any of their own possessions which were not taken with them into town, for mamma insisted on their being left in perfect order. All other things must be collected in the nursery to be packed.
These things were always getting hopelessly mixed up, and some treasured article was always being rescued from the packed-away things. Cricket and Eunice had a small trunk which they were allowed to pack all by themselves, with their own books and treasures, and I should be afraid to mention the number of times that this trunk was packed and unpacked.
Then there were all the animals on the place to see for a final good-by. Dear little Mopsie and Charcoal had to have extra feeds of apples and sugar, to make up for the long time before they would see their little mistresses again. Mike had to be charged, over and over, not to neglect to give them enough exercise, and always to let the dogs go, too. Grinning Mike finally said that he believed “Miss Scriket thought he didn’t know a horse whin he met wan in the road,” since she gave him so many instructions.
Then the children must race down to the barns, at the farm-house, and take a last jump on the heaps of soft, dry hay. They must find some eggs to take to the store for a final exchange for candy. They must visit all their favourite haunts by the dear little brook, and say good-by to the dear old woods, now gay in their fall dress of scarlet and gold.