The disposition of her new charges, so that they should not take up too much space in her little home, and the careful packing away in the top-cupboard of the food Bonny-Gay had provided for her pets, kept Mary Jane busy all morning; and her mother had dinner on the table before she observed how the time had flown. But when she heard the cheerful summons:
“Come, father. Come children!” and smelled the freshly cooked fish, she realized that she had given more attention than she meant to her new cares.
“Oh! mother, I didn’t think I was so long! And I wanted to get my part of the ironing done; because I promised Bonny-Gay that I’d go to the park, if you could spare me, and watch her train go by. It’s that fast express, that whizzes so; but she’s to sit on the park side the parlor car, she called it, and she’s to watch for me and I for her. She’ll wave and I’ll wave and that will be our really last good-by. Till she comes home again.”
“That would be how-de-do? Wouldn’t it, child? And the ironing’s all right. I’ve done that so, if father wants to go watch the men this afternoon, you can go with him. Now eat your dinner and be thankful for all your blessings.”
Everybody was always hungry at that table and the dinner was soon over. Then William Bump arose, put on his hat, whistled to a big black dog who lay on the doorstep and started off for his afternoon of loafing.
Mary Jane watched the pair with a pitying love.
“Those two seem just alike, some ways, don’t they mother? Father lost his home and his work and so did Max. Dearly as Bonny-Gay loves that dog, ever since he got her hurt, he doesn’t want to be with her like he used. Didn’t you notice, this morning? When she hugged him and bade him good-by, he was just a little pleased; yet he kept one eye on father and soon’s he could walked back and lay down beside him. Father is dreadful good to Max, isn’t he? He often says he’d never have come back if it hadn’t been for—for us—”
“For you, daughter. Mostly for you, it was, dear.”
“Well, Max helped. He staid right close and coaxing like. Oh! I do wish the Company would give father another try.”
“It won’t. But I’m in hopes, after awhile, he’ll find something else to do. Meanwhile you stay close to him. Don’t give him a chance to get down-hearted again and—you know. Didn’t you say your Gray Gentleman was coming to the park to look at the ‘farms’ this very day? Why, maybe, child, maybe he’d know of a job somewhere. You might ask him.”