“That poor woman!” Mother, to his astonishment, exclaimed. “She’ll be worn out before she gets all those children safely somewhere. Think of sitting up all night with that fretful baby! I’ll tell you, Sunny Boy—we get off in about half an hour now; wouldn’t you like to leave your surprise package to amuse those children who are going farther than we are? I’ll help you tie them up again, and I have two more cakes of chocolate in the bag. You are so careful with your things they are not hurt at all, and it will keep them busy for an hour or two, playing with them.”
Sunny Boy thought this a fine plan, and he hardly had all the packages tied up and in the box again when Mrs. Horton pinned on her hat and gave him his, saying that the next station was theirs. She went down the aisle with him and they gave the surprise box to the five youngsters who were delighted to have something new to look at. And then the train stopped, and the brakeman lifted Sunny Boy down, and he found an old gentleman was kissing Mother.
CHAPTER VI
BROOKSIDE
Sunny Boy found himself looking into two dark eyes so much like Daddy’s that he almost jumped. But the rest of the old gentleman was not like Daddy—no indeed. He was short and round instead of tall, and he had the curliest white hair and beard Sunny Boy had ever seen. Sunny Boy knew this must be Grandpa Horton, and when he was lifted up in a pair of strong arms and given a tremendous hug before being gently set down, he decided that he loved him very much.
“Grandma couldn’t come,” explained Grandpa, leading the way to an old-fashioned carriage and pair of horses drawn up at the other end of the station. “There’s only Araminta to help her with the supper, and Grandma’s heart was set on having the biscuits just right. In you go, Olive. Wait a minute, though, what about your trunk?”
“I have the check, Father,” Mrs. Horton answered. “I thought Jimmie would be coming down in the morning to the creamery. He can get it then.”
“An’ Mother brought her nightie in the bag an’ my pajamas,” contributed Sunny Boy, waiting while Mother and the bag were stowed away on the back seat.