The strange appearance of the little party, soon attracted the attention of the knots of idle boys, who even then infested the more populous parts of New York.
“Hallo, Darky! where’s your hand-organ? What’ll ye take for your monkeys?” shouted one of these young rascals, as he eyed the children in their odd-looking red flannel garments.
Louise clung closely to Daph, who strode steadily on, apparently unconscious of the little troop gathering in her rear. By degrees the young scamps drew nearer to her, and one of them, taking hold of the skirt of her dress, cried out, “Come, fellows, form a line! Follow the captain, and do as you see me do!”
A long string of boys arranged themselves behind Daph, each holding on to the other’s tattered garments, and walking with mock solemnity, while the foremost shouted in Daph’s ear the most provoking and impudent things his imagination and rascality could suggest.
Daph maintained her apparent unconsciousness until she came in front of a large door, with a deep recess, which opened directly on the street, and but a step above the pavement.
With a sudden and unexpected jerk she freed herself from her tormentor, then placing Charlie and Louise for a moment in the recess, she charged upon her assailants. Right and left she dealt hearty slaps, with her open hand, which sent the little crew howling away, their cheeks smarting with pain and burning with rage. The whole thing was the work of a moment. Daph took Charlie in her arms, clasped the trembling hand of Louise, and resumed her steady walk as calmly as if nothing had occurred.
There was much to attract the attention of the strangers in the new scenes about them, but Daph kept her head straight forward, and devoted all her attention to numbering the corners she passed, that she might know when to begin to look out for the house so carefully described by good Captain Jones.
Louise soon grew weary of keeping pace with Daph’s long strides, and the faithful negro lifted the little girl in her arms, and went patiently on with her double burden.
A weary, weary walk it seemed, even to the strong-limbed negro, before they passed the last corner, according to her reckoning, and stood in front of the very red house with blue shutters which she had been so anxious to see. Much as she had longed to reach it, its appearance did not fill Daph’s heart with joy. A sort of dread of the new people whom she was to meet stole over her, but she resolved to put a bold face on the matter, and in this mood she gave a heavy knock at the blue door. Her imperative summons was promptly answered.
The door was opened by a little girl, of about ten years of age, who was covered, from her slender neck to her bare feet, with a long checked pinafore, above which appeared a closely-cropped, brown head, and a small, demure-looking face. The child stood perfectly still, gazing in quiet wonder at the strangers, and waiting to hear their business.