“Oh, thank heaven for that! Come to my arms, my darling! My joy! Come——”
Mrs. Soopendyke was proceeding to hurl herself upon her offspring, who was about to elude her, when from the front of the house came an appalling shriek.
“It’s Courtney!” screamed out the unhappy lady. “Oh, merciful heavens! What is happening now?”
CHAPTER III.
AN INVOLUNTARY HAY-RIDE.
Louder and louder came the shrieks and cries, and the party, all of them considerably alarmed, rushed around to the front of the house to perceive what this new uproar might mean. They beheld a sight that made Mrs. Soopendyke begin to cry out in real earnest.
One of her family had, in a playful mood, removed the stones which held Hamish’s hay wagon stationary on the steep grade. As a natural result, it began to slide backward down the hill. But what had thrilled the good lady with horror, and the others with not a little alarm, was the sight of three other young Soopendykes, including the baby, on the top of the load. It was from them and from Master Courtney Soopendyke, who perceived too late the mischief he had done by removing the stones, that the ear-piercing yells proceeded.
“Oh, save them! Oh, save my bee-yoot-i-ful children!” screamed Mrs. Soopendyke, wringing her hands, as the ponderous wagon, with its screaming load of children, began to glide off more and more rapidly.
“Great Scott!” shouted Mr. Dacre. “That deep hole in the creek is at the bottom of the hill!”
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” shrilled Mrs. Soopendyke, and fainted just in time to fall into the arms of Hamish, who came running round from the barn.
“Help! Fire! Murder! Send for the fire department!” screamed Mrs. Bijur, with some confusion of ideas.