“You don’t need ter worry none ’bout puttin’ us anywheres,” said Duck. “Jist give us a rag or two ter put under our heads, an’ we c’n sleep anyplace you c’n find a piece o’ floor ter put us.”
“I think we can do a bit better than that, Duck,” said old Mr. Highcrofft. “I’m sure Mrs. Delbert …” he stopped, throwing a hand to his forehead. “Mrs. Delbert! I don’t look forward to seeing the look on her face when I return bringing this group with me.”
“Why, I’ve often heard her say she loved boys,” said his grandson, with a mischievous grin.
“Oh yes, I’m sure! Thank you so much for your support, Jonathan,” said his grandfather. “She will especially love having these four descending on her practically in the middle of the night. Well, come on boys, we’ll bear the lioness in her den together.”
“Ain’t you comin’ with us, Robin?” asked Piggy. “I brung yer jacket from the kitchen with mine. It’s in the hall.”
“Robin will be staying here with us, Piggy,” said Jonathan Highcrofft. “I’m sure we’ll all be getting together tomorrow, and we’ll explain everything to you then. Come on, Robin. I won’t ring for Fletcher. We’ll see them out ourselves.”
So after old Mr. Highcrofft had looked down once more on his great-grandson and kissed the baby’s mother lightly on the cheek, he herded the boys from the drawing room into the hall.
As Robin and Jonathan Highcrofft stood waiting for the boys to wiggle into their jackets, they heard Spider saying to Mouse, “Wonder if the place wot we’re goin’ ter is near as grand as this place.”
“Nah, couldn’t be,” replied Mouse.
“Got eight bedrooms,” said Piggy.
“Probable jist countin’ big closicks,” said Mouse. “Ain’t no one in the world got eight bedrooms.”
“Oh my,” Jonathan Highcrofft said quietly to Robin. “If they think this place is grand, wait until they see Grandfather’s house!”
“I expect I’ll hear about it tomorrow,” said Robin.
“Oh yes indeed, I expect you will!” said Jonathan Highcrofft.
Then as the boys went parading out the door behind old Mr. Highcrofft, this conversation came drifting back to Jonathan Highcrofft and Robin:
SPIDER’S VOICE: “Can’t b’lieve wot’ happenin’ ter us. Must o’ been all that holy water we been drinkin’.”
DUCK’S VOICE: “Aw shut up, Spider. Ain’t you over that? Wot’s holy ’bout drinkin’ sink water, I arsks you?”
MOUSE’S VOICE: “Well, I jist thinks as how we got ter be dreamin’. Pinch me, Piggy.”
(pause)
MOUSE’S VOICE: “Ouch! You don’t need ter go pinchin’ me so hard, Piggy. It were only dreamin’ I arsked to be waked from, not the dead.”
PIGGY’S VOICE: “Sorry, Mouse. But now leastways you know you ain’t neither.”
“Robin, I think we are in for some interesting times, indeed!” said Jonathan Highcrofft.
Chapter XXI
Quite a Story Indeed
When Robin returned to the hall with Jonathan Highcrofft, it was also in the company of Adelaide Highcrofft and Danny. They were now ready to go up the winding staircase to the bedrooms, where arrangements were to be made for Danny and Robin.
“Would you like me to send Mrs. Beckett up to you, Adelaide?” Jonathan Highcrofft asked. “I think she can be of great help to you until we find a nurse for Danny.”
“Oh, please do send her, Jonathan,” said Danny’s mother eagerly. “You know, Robin, I confess I don’t know the first thing about baby care.”
“I can help,” Robin said quickly. “Mama taught me how to care for Danny, and I did it when she was so sick before she died. Then after that I took care of him all by myself. If I didn’t know how to do it, I might not have dared to run away with him.”
All of which reminded Robin of something, and he looked around on the walls for a clock. Unable to find one, he went to where his jacket hung on the coat rack, and pulled out Hawker Doak’s watch, which was still in the same pocket. “Danny should be waking up now for his milk,” Robin said, after consulting the watch. “We brought his bottles and diapers in the bag that’s over there.”
“You can’t imagine how grateful I am for that,” said Danny’s mother. “Where would we have found anyplace to get those things tonight? Jonathan, would you please ask Mrs. Beckett to bring along some milk when she comes? Should it be warmed a bit, Robin?”
“Oh, yes!” said Robin, the baby expert. “And you put a drop on your wrist to make certain it’s not too hot. Piggy and I always remembered to do that. And put a bit of syrup in with the milk.”
“You boys are a wonder!” said Adelaide Highcrofft.
“But Adelaide,” said her husband, “do you think you can manage without Robin’s help for a few minutes? Mrs. Beckett will be up at once, I’m sure. I have the feeling that with all that’s gone on, Robin didn’t put away a very big supper and might have room for a little more of that cake, if there’s any left. And I’d like to have some with him.”
“There was a little bit left,” said Robin.
“Then you two run along,” said Adelaide Highcrofft. “I’ll be fine.” She came over and kissed her husband lightly on the cheek, then came and did the same to Robin, which caused his heart to skip a beat. Her kiss felt like a butterfly’s wings brushing his cheek. And it was done so simply and easily, it was as if she had been doing the same thing all of his life.
“Come along, Robin, let’s go summon Mrs. Beckett, and then help ourselves to that good cake,” said Jonathan Highcrofft.
“Mr. Highcrofft,” said Robin, “may I ask you something?”
“Only if you promise me something,” he replied. “We can’t have you going around calling us Mr. and Mrs. Highcrofft. It just won’t do. I know this has all been very sudden, but you’ll just have to get used to calling us Mama and Papa, for that’s what we’re about
