Johnny Blossom

THE LIBRARY-

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

IN MEMORY OF
EDWIN CORLE

PRESENTED BY
JEAN CORLE

Johnny Blossom

TELLEF S GRANDMOTHER

JOHNNY BLOSSOM

From the Norwegian of
DIKKEN ZWILGMEYER

TRANSLATED BY

EMILIE POULSSON

Illustrations by
F. LILEY YOUNG

THE PILGRIM PRESS

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO

COPYRIGHT, 1912
BY LUTHER H. CARY

Published, September, 1912

THB • PLIMPTON -PR ESS

[W-D.O]
NORWOOD- MASS-U'S -A

AVING made acquaintance with Johnny
Blossom in his native land of Norway
through the stories about him by Miss
Dikken Zwilgmeyer, the desire to introduce the
amusing, sound-natured boy to American chil-
dren has resulted in this translation.

Some liberty has been taken with the original
text, chiefly to eliminate circumstances or inci-
dents which would not be clear to child readers
in a different environment; but I have taken
pains to keep the translation faithful to the
original in spirit and expression, appreciating
that in these lies much of the wholesome power
of the book.

Johnny Blossom is not local but universal.
Interest in him is not even limited to boys.
When the book first appeared, a Norwegian
reviewer wrote:

"Our most popular author of books for little
girls has this year forsaken them, and apparently
gone over to the boys, since her book is about a

[v]

20353

,

vi PREFACE

boy; . . . but I have yet to see the little girl
who would not be glad to read of such a boy as
Johnny Blossom. . . . Although a genuine boy,
he is a right-minded little fellow with earnest
childlike spirit; and he can never be thoroughly
content until he has had his mother's full for-
giveness when he has been naughty, or, if he
has wronged any one, until he has made
restitution."

With confidence that such a child will be a
good story-book friend for our children, and a
favorite with them as he is among his little
compatriots, I send Johnny Blossom forth to
meet his welcome.

EMILIE POULSSON
HOPKINTON, MASS.. 1912

PAGE

3

22
33
43
61

I. JOHNNY BLOSSOM'S
FIGHTING . .
II. CRAB-FISHING ....

III. A CREDIT TO THE SCHOOL .....

IV. AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES ....
V. THE RED BUOY ... .....

VI. JOHNNY BLOSSOM'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS . 74

VII. A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC . « . 86

VIII. UNCLE ISAAC'S WILL ....... 97

IX. ONE DAY IN VACATION ...... 108

, X. TELLEF'S GRANDMOTHER . . * . , . 120
XI. THE PET HORSE ......... 130

XII. THE UMBRELLA ADVENTURE ..... 141

XIII. JOHNNY BLOSSOM'S BIRTHDAY PARTY . . 150

[vii]

II lustrations1

TellePs Grandmother Frontispiece

Johnny Blossom's Christmas Presents . Facing page 78

A Present from Uncle Isaac 90

One Day in Vacation 114

JOHNNY BLOSSOM

JOHNNY!

CHAPTER I His FigfvtifVg

H! Everything was so horrid! That
stupid Tellef Olsen! Always boasting
and bragging about his muscle as if he
were the only one in the town who had muscle.
Well, anyway, he wouldn't be coming around
here any more to brag about it.

Johnny Blossom thrust his arm out fiercely
and drew it slowly in again with his teeth set
and his face getting very red. Ha! That was
awfully good muscle there, just what muscle
ought to be — rounding up in your arm and
as hard as iron to feel of. How tired he had
been of the other boys' bragging about Tellef,
too. It seemed as if they never talked of any-
thing else. That was why he had been out of
patience yesterday. Well, he had shown them,
once for all, who was the strongest.

My, oh, my! How he had pounded Tellef!
But he would really like to know whether any

3

4 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

one wouldn't be a little angry if, when he was
sitting on a fence not thinking of a thing, some
one should come and poke him in the back with
a long stick?

For that was just the way the trouble began.
He had been walking on his tallest stilts the
whole afternoon — the stilts that were exactly,
to the dot, one yard fifteen inches and a half
tall — and then had sat himself on the fence
along the back alley. He was facing the yard,,
with his back toward the alley, and that dis-
gusting Olsen boy came past and gave him a
dig in the back with that sharp stick. Just
think of it! Wouldn't anybody say it was
unbearable ?

Like a flash, John had slid down from the
fence and rushed after Tellef; and then came
the fight.

Gracious! how that boy had yelled! Well,
a good pommeling was just what he deserved.
It was rather a pity, though, that there had
come a great split in his jacket and that his
fishpole had got broken to bits in the fight.
Even if it hadn't ever been a good pole, it was
wonderful how much he caught with it. He
had to catch fish for his mother every single
day. People said that at Tellefs house they ate

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 5

fish for breakfast, dinner, and supper, and that
they had scarcely anything else to eat. Ugh!
That must be tiresome! There was nothing so
horrid when one came home from school very
hungry, and shouted at the kitchen door
"What are we going to have for dinner?"
as to have Olea the cook say "Codfish." And
think ! That was about all they had to eat down
in Tellefs shanty.

Well, anyway, Tellef had given him an ugly
scratch on the cheek. It hurt awfully, for it
was a long, deep scratch. Ugh! But the fight
had been a great one, and Tellef and everybody
knew now who was the strongest, and all that
bragging about Tellef's muscle was done with.

It must be grand to be so strong that one
could, well, beat everybody — that is, of course,
all the boys, — if one had a mind to do it. Not
that he, Johnny Blossom, really wanted to
fight everybody; only to have strength enough
to do it, if it were necessary. And to be able
to hold the heaviest things with your arm
stretched out straight!

Every day at home he had a great gymnastic
performance, holding a dining-room chair at
arm's length. He could do it splendidly now,
so lately he had thought he would practise

6 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

holding his sisters up that way. If he began
with the littlest sister he might by degrees work
up to the biggest. Perhaps even so he might
not be able to manage Asta — she was so fat.
But they were all tiresome. They screamed
if he merely touched them. Just think what
happened in the dining room only yesterday?

Without meaning the least harm, and as
nicely as possible, he had taken Dagny up to
see whether he could hold her two minutes
with his arm out straight and stiff. And that
big child, who was a whole year old, had
roared so that they had come rushing in from
every corner of the house, even Father, from his
midday nap, with rumpled hair and angry
looks. Oh, dear! It was horrid. That stupid
child! People might have understood that he
was just trying his strength.

Everything had been disagreeable all the after-
noon, until by and by he happened to think
of trying to dance a mazurka on his highest
stilts. Doing that he had fortunately forgotten
his troubles.

Then came TellePs hitting him in the back
and their fighting, with Tellef, for all his muscle,
getting the worst of it. Of course Mrs. Dahl,
who had seen them fighting, would come and tell

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 7

Mother. Awfully pleasant that would be ! Oh,
well, he didn't mind.

Johnny Blossom put his hands in his pockets
and whistled, " Yes, we love our grand old Nor-
way" loudly and shrilly.

Still, it was perfectly horrid that TellePs fish-
pole had got smashed. That was awfully bad
luck. And his jacket torn, too. But how
could he expect anything else when he was so
horrid with his boasting and everything?

" Yes, we love our grand old Norway" Johnny
Blossom whistled again with great vigor.

Perhaps he ought to be looking after his own
fishing tackle. Every one was talking about
going fishing nowadays and he'd better see
whether his tackle was hanging where it should
be, on the wall of the wash-house. William Holm
had done nothing at school today but brag of
that new fishing tackle of his.

Not a sign of Johnny's was to be seen. Who
could have been so mean as to take it away ? Of
course he had put it in its place. (A great stir-
ring up of things and searching everywhere.)
Dear! How meddlesome people were! Here
they had gone and hidden away his fishing rod.
Really, wouldn't any one be angry?

Oh! there it hung by the boiler closet. But

8 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

what a forlorn, miserable thing! He had not
remembered that it was so worn out. Why,
it scarcely held together! It was almost a
disgrace to have such shabby fishing tackle,
especially now when William Holm had that
brand-new pole and Philip Krag was going to
get one tomorrow. No, this old thing would not
do. He positively needed a new outfit, and that
meant that he simply must have some money.

" Yes, we love" — Why, of course ! He would
go over to Kingthorpe. It was a long time since
he had been there, certainly as much as two
weeks. What a comfort it was to have such an
uncle as Uncle Isaac of Kingthorpe! For one
thing, it sometimes happened that he made
you a present of a quarter, and a person was so
likely to need a quarter — need it badly, dread-
fully, as he, Johnny Blossom himself, did today.

Without further delay off he started on the road
to Kingthorpe, but his thoughts were still busy.

Uncle Isaac had not given him anything the
last time he was there, nor the time before either,
so very likely — Pshaw ! Even if you got noth-
ing at all from Uncle Isaac, it was always more
than pleasant to go to Kingthorpe. He wasn't
going there to beg — far from it ; he wasn't
quite so mean as that.

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 9

Here his steps lingered a little, but he walked
on nevertheless.

Some things about these visits were rather
tiresome. Not exactly with Uncle Isaac, though
you had to be a bit careful with him, too; but
there was that fussy housekeeper of his, Miss
Melling. One was never sure which door she
would poke her nose out of and call: "Walk
quietly, Johnny. Shut the door softly. Have
you wiped your feet thoroughly, Johnny boy?"

The idea of her calling him Johnny boy!
That was perfectly outrageous! What right
had she to call him by that name ? He had out-
grown it long ago, and no one used it now ex-
cept just herself. Here he would be ten years
old in a fortnight, no, in twelve days — or, to be
exact, twelve days and a half, and so surely he
was too old for that baby name.

Perhaps Miss Melling could fly through the
air, but he couldn't; and yet she seemed to
think that he could come all the way over here
without getting his shoes muddy! He would
surely ask her today whether she could fly. She
did not look so very light!

All the floors at Kingthorpe were as shining
as a mirror. Mother said they were waxed. It
was a good thing the floors at home were not

io JOHNNY BLOSSOM

waxed, for it would be an awful job to take care
of them. When he and Asta played tag around
the dining-room table for instance — my, oh
my! but there would be a good many scratches
on the floor! Queer, that rich people must
have every thing so fine! For his part, he
thought such elegance was only a bother.

How disgusting about Tellef's old fishing
tackle! And that his jacket should get that
great split in it, too! The pity about the jacket
was that Tellef hadn't any other. But all the
same, it was mean of Tellef to hit him in the
back.

"Yes, we love our grand old Norway!'9 This
time he whistled almost the whole tune in his
loud, shrill whistle; then he took to his heels
and was soon at the big gate that led into the
Kingthorpe grounds.

It was queer, but the minute you were inside
that gate you felt quiet, almost solemn, and
like behaving your very best. Everything was
orderly and stately and peaceful. The trees
were very old and very tall, with wonderfully
broad, full crowns. The lawns were very
spacious, with not a single twig on the grass
anywhere, and the paths were always smooth, as
if freshly raked.

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 11

Every one said that Uncle Isaac was awfully
rich. Well, then, why did he look so sad and
why was he always thinking and thinking so
hard? What in the world could he be puzzling
about when he was so rich? Why, he had
everything, even to a saddle horse and a pleas-
ure yacht; and the horse was a thoroughbred,
according to Carlstrom the coachman.

It was different with Father. When he looked
troubled, Mother said he was worried about
money matters, and that we had to be very
careful with our money. Pshaw! Why must
some people be so careful about money, and
some ride on fine saddle horses, and some have
nothing but fish to eat, morning, noon, and
night ?

If he only hadn't smashed Tellef s fishing
rod yesterday!

"Yes, we love our grand old Norway!" Sud-
denly he stopped short. Think of his whistling
in Kingthorpe Park! It was to be hoped that
no one had heard. Of course you should be
nice and quiet here. It was to be hoped, too,
that that ill-tempered watchdog would not come
growling along. Not that Johnny Blossom
was afraid of him. Far from it ! But that dog
was so cross, you couldn't like him.

12 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Johnny stood still, unconsciously kicking a
big hole in the path as he meditated. Perhaps
it would be just as well to go straight back home
again without seeing Uncle Isaac; but no — he
really needed a quarter terribly today; and on
he ran through the grounds and burst in at the
big entrance door of Kingthorpe.

The front hall was very grand. It was two
stories high and the floor was of checkered black
and white marble. Here you need not be so
careful about footmarks as on the other floors,
which were all highly polished.

Pshaw! There stood Miss Melling, Uncle
Isaac's housekeeper. "Why! Is it you, John?
Is there anything particular wanted?"

There ! Any one could see by that how horrid
she was — asking if he wanted anything in
particular !

"Oh, I just came to see Uncle Isaac, it is so
long since I was here."

"Long? It seems to me you were here only
last week."

"No, I wasn't."

"Well, I don't know whether your uncle is
well enough to see you today. I will find out."

How tiresome Miss Melling was! Well, if
she offered him cookies and jelly today, as

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 13

she sometimes did, she would find out that
he wouldn't take anything from her. Never in
the world.

Here she was again.

" Yes, you may go in ; but you must wipe your
feet well and shut the door softly and not stay
so long as to tire him."

Wouldn't any one suppose that Uncle Isaac
was her uncle and not his, Johnny Blossom's,
the way she behaved ?

Johnny Blossom, cap in hand, tiptoed with
unusual care over the highly polished floor.
First a gentle knock on Uncle's door, then a
louder one.

"Come right in, my boy."

Johnny Blossom bowed low as he entered.

Gray-haired, delicate, with sorrowful eyes
and long, white hands, Uncle Isaac sat in his
big, carved, oaken chair.

"Good day, John! Now this is very kind of
you to come to me, away out here."

"Yes. I thought it was an awfully long time
since you had seen me."

"True, so it is. I suppose you are very busy
nowadays?"

"Awfully busy. Tonight we are going out
fishing."

14 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"I meant particularly at school."

"Oh! Of course I go to school."

"You are a good scholar?"

"Oh, well, I am not the worst. I'm not one
of the best either, but I'm not the worst,
really."

"But you should be among the best, Johnny
Blossom."

There was a short silence.

"It is awfully hard to be among the best,
Uncle Isaac," with an apologetic smile.

"Not if a person is industrious, John."

Johnny Blossom suddenly found something
the matter with his shoestring. His face was
very red when he straightened up again, saying,
" How provoking shoestrings are ! "

"How are your sisters?"

"Oh, very well."

"My god-daughter, Dagny — she is getting
big now?"

"My, oh, my! She is so heavy! You would
hardly believe how heavy she is; but I almost
know that I could lift her and hold her at arm's
length with my arm out like this, perfectly
straight!"

" My dear John ! You do not try lifting the
child at arm's length, as you say?"

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 15

"Yes, I tried once. I could do it well enough,
too; but you should just see how cross that
child is. She roars at nothing."

"But there might be a bad accident if you
dropped her."

Johnny smiled condescendingly. "You don't
know how strong I am, Uncle Isaac. Look at
my muscle here."

Quick as a flash, Johnny's jacket was off and
he was displaying his little shirt sleeve. "Look
here! Look! Isn't that good muscle?"

Suddenly he glanced around the room. " Isn't
there something here I can lift?"

"My dear Johnny! No, no!"

"Yes, that fire-screen will be just the thing."

"No, no, thank you, John. I am willing to
believe that you are very strong."

"There! This lamp will do."

A little firm brown hand had already seized
upon the big lamp.

Uncle Isaac roused up. "No, no, my boy!
Let go the lamp! Let go instantly!"

"Well, if you don't want me to show you.
But really, if my little finger were only big
enough, I could lift the lamp just with that."

Johnny shook the brown little finger almost
in Uncle Isaac's face.

16 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Why, what have you done to your face,
John ? You have a big scratch there."

"Oh, that? Well, that's — that's noth-
ing."

"But how did you get it?"

"Why — it — it came so."

"Came so? What do you mean?"

"Oh, we were fighting."

"Why were you fighting?"

"It was just that stupid Tellef Olsen. He
bragged so much about being the strongest of
all the boys" —

"And then?"

"The whole school said he was the strongest,
and that was disgusting, for it wasn't true. I'm
a great deal stronger than Tellef. I am really
awfully strong, I am."

"And so you fought?"

"Yes. I was up on the fence yesterday, and
Tellef Olsen went past in the alley and hit me
in the back with a long switch" —

"And then?"

"Why, yes. Then we fought each other, you
know."

A silence followed this remark. Since Uncle
Isaac said nothing, Johnny continued:

"I beat, too! My, what a thrashing I gave

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 17

him! Now they'll know I am the strongest.
I'd rather be strong than anything else."

Again it was very still.

"You say that, do you, John? You think
that to be strong is the greatest thing ? Possibly
it was, in past ages; but in the future, the man
with the most love in his heart, the best man,
will be the greatest. Remember that, little
John Blossom."

The boy looked at his uncle in astonishment.
The man with the most love in his heart the
best man ? He the greatest of all ?

" Yes," continued Uncle Isaac. " He who heals
instead of wounds, he who does good and helps
the needy, he is the greatest, John Blossom."

Heals and not wounds; does good; helps the
needy. Johnny sat staring at his Uncle Isaac.
Deep within his heart there lay a weight, a
sadness. It was the thought of Tellef Olsen's
fishing rod that he had broken to smithereens
— Tellef 's, who had to go fishing every day or
his mother and the children would have nothing
to eat; and of the jacket all split, too, — the
only one Tellef had.

Uncle Isaac was gazing far away, up toward
the sky. "That is being great; the greatest
any one in the world can be."

i8 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

All at once it had become very impressive in
there with Uncle Isaac, who seemed to have
forgotten him and continued gazing up into the
sky. Johnny Blossom turned and fidgeted in
his seat. " I've got to go," he said suddenly.

"Well, well. Wait a minute." Uncle Isaac
took out his pocket-book and gave John two
bright half-dollars. "There is always something
you would like to buy for yourself, little John,
so take this; but don't fight any more, and
remember what it is that makes a man great."

"Thank you, Uncle Isaac. Good-by." With
this Johnny Blossom bowed and vanished.

Out in the front hall stood Miss Melling,
holding in her hand a plate on which was a big
piece of cake with thick frosting on it.

"Johnny boy, see here! Here is something
for you."

He had bitten into the cake before he re-
membered that he never in the world was going
to take any more goodies from Miss Melling.
"Thank you." He bowed low, with his mouth
crammed full of cake. "Thank you." Of course
he couldn't possibly say that he wouldn't have
the cake when she put it right under his nose
that way. He had thought of her asking him
to go into her room to be treated to cookies and

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 19

jelly. That was what he had meant he would
not do.

Soon he was in the grounds again, but he did
not hurry, nor did he give one thought to the
cross mastiff. Every now and then he opened his
hand to look at the two silver pieces. To think
that he really had two half-dollars! He could
get himself extra good fishing tackle for that
much money — far better than William Holm's
even. Yes, as Uncle Isaac had said, there was
always something you wanted to buy for your-
self. What was that other thing Uncle Isaac
had said? The man with the most love in his
heart was the greatest? He who was kind was
greater than he who was strong?

How hard he had hit Tellef in the face ! How
the blood had spurted out from his nose ! It was
too bad. Tellef had not been out to play last
night or today either. How that jacket of his
looked, torn that way! Really, it was a perfect
shame.

Again and again Johnny Blossom opened his
hand and looked at the silver pieces. Suddenly,
speaking aloud in his determination, he said:
"I am going to give these to Tellef. It was
an awful shame for me to fight him like that,
even if he did hit me in the back."

20 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Johnny dashed off at a run. What if they
hadn't had even fish to eat at Tellefs house
today on account of the broken pole ?

The road was very steep and he almost slid
down, landing right near the shanty where
Tellef lived. Oh, dear! What was to be done
next? It would be very embarrassing to say
to Tellef that he felt ashamed of himself. How
could he do it?

Aha! there was Christina, Tellefs little
sister.

"Here, Christina. Will you give these to
Tellef?"

Johnny Blossom handed her the two half-
dollars, speaking fast and feeling in a great
hurry to get away. Christina looked at him
in amazement.

"What for? "she asked.

"Oh, because I fought him; because his
fishpole got smashed."

He was off, leaping up the steep road. Chris-
tina looked at the 'money and then at the dis-
appearing boy and said, "How queer he was!"

For several days Johnny Blossom avoided
meeting Tellef, but he saw that Tellef had
bought a handsome strong fishing rod, and that
he had had fish to take home every single day.

JOHNNY BLOSSOM FIGHTING 21

"That's fine new tackle you have," said
William Holm to Tellef one afternoon.

"Yes/* Tellef cast a smiling glance at Johnny
Blossom.

With that it was as if the old score between
them was wiped out once for all. That same
afternoon they went fishing together and talked
much about the new fishing rod's wonderful
catching powers; but not a word did Johnny
Blossom say as to why he had given the money
to Tellef, nor did Tellef ever mention it. And
there was no more talk between them as to who
was the stronger.

CHAPTER 1 1
Crab FisKiag

N

'OW there was going to be fun in plenty !
Hadn't they come out to Oxen Bay for
the whole summer, Mother and the
three sisters and himself? And wasn't Father
coming every Saturday to spend Sunday ? They
were living in Pilot Taraldsen's small yellow
house, and he and his boy Eric had moved out
into a sort of woodshed for the summer. Johnny
Blossom had turned somersaults all over the
field near the house for pure joy, on his first
arrival at Oxen Bay.

One hot noontide he and Eric lay on the
wharf in the baking sunshine. It was
not Pilot Taraldsen's wharf near the
house, but the old
wharf beyond the —
woods.

22

CRAB FISHING 23

Really it was a delightful old wharf. Near
the shore it was built on rocks and stones, but
farther out there were thick piles on which the
great heavy boards were laid. There was no
railing, and at the extreme end a single board
to which boats could be fastened projected far
out over the water. The boards shone white
and hot in the sun. The piles down in the
water were covered with tiny shells, seaweed,
and greenish slime.

What a clear light green the water was under
the wharf! You could see every single snail
shell, every starfish, and every tiniest stone on the
smooth, light-colored bottom. Whole schools of
small fish darted, quick as lightning, between
the slimy old piles. Once in a while a lazy eel
glided under the wharf, wound slowly in and
out, lay still a moment as if to sun itself, then
slowly, curve after curve, took itself out again.

The path leading down from the woods was so
rough and steep that people never liked to walk
on it; and no boats were kept at this wharf
except the sail-boat belonging to a merchant from
the city. The merchant's boat was an unusually
beautiful one. It was painted a dazzling white
and had "Sea Mew" in golden letters on one
side of it.

24 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Johnny Blossom and Eric, the pilot's son, lay
on the wharf with their heads stretched out
over the edge, gazing down into the water.
" Shall we fish for crabs ? " asked Eric. Of course
Johnny thought this was just the thing to do.
Eric took a long string from his pocket and
tied a stone at the end.

" See that thundering big one away over there ?
I'm going to get her," said Eric, pointing to a
venerable looking crab that had been lying for
a long time squeezed in between two rocks.
The boys dangled the string with the stone on
it temptingly near the big crab. Crabs usually
get excited over a stone swinging above them
that way. They reach up for it, grip it tightly,
and — a jerk and up they come! But this
crab had seen too many such stones in its
long life, and lay stock still without moving a
claw.

"Come, old lady," encouraged Eric.

" She's dead," said Johnny.

"Not a bit of it, Bub, she's only sly."

"Perhaps I can poke her out with a stick,"
suggested Johnny. But not a stick could they
find, though they looked all around. In the
sail-boat, however, there was the finest kind of
a boat-hook.

CRAB FISHING 25

"I'll get that boat-hook," said Johnny,
jumping on board the "Sea Mew." v

"Well, I'll poke her out," said Eric.

"No, I will," said Johnny.

They disputed over this a long time.

"You must remember I got the boat-hook,"
urged Johnny.

Finally they agreed to take turns poking at
the crab, but it would not budge. It lay as if
it were nailed fast to the rocks.

"Get out of that, you old grandmother!"

Johnny Blossom grew more and more excited.
He stood on the tip end of the plank that ex-
tended out over the water.

"There! Now!" Eric cheered him on.
"Reach farther out, Bub! She's stirring a
little. Farther out, I say."

Splash! There lay Johnny Blossom and the
boat-hook in the water. Oh, how angry he was !
"Ugh — Ugh!" he sputtered.

Dropping the boat-hook, he swam the couple
of strokes that would bring him to the wharf,
and climbed up.

"Ugh, how wet I am!" said Johnny, and then,

"Catch that boat-hook there!" he shouted,
as it floated almost to the edge of the wharf.

No — Eric could not catch the boat-hook —

26 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

and there was no boat for them to go after it in ;
so Johnny Blossom had to jump into the water
again, catch the boat-hook, and swim to shore
with it. Ugh! how sopping wet he was!

"Take your clothes off and dry them then,"
said Eric.

Johnny wriggled himself out of his wet blouse
and shirt and everything, wrung them out, and
spread them to dry upon the sun-warmed boards.
In the meantime Eric had possessed himself
of the boat-hook and was poking at the crab.

"Ha! I'll get her out!"

No — Johnny Blossom claimed that it was
still his turn. They had a tussle over it and
Johnny won; and there he stood, stark naked
in the sunshine on the projecting plank, poking
and thrusting with the boat-hook.

Suddenly they heard voices. Who in the
world was coming? The boys looked toward
the forest.

Yes, there was a lady and a gentleman on the
path — that rough path full of tree roots and
stones; and another lady and gentleman —
and following them two ladies — more ladies —
in light dresses and with baskets.

My, oh, my! Here he stood without any
clothes on and with the boat-hook from the

CRAB FISHING 27

"Sea Mew" in his hand! And here came the
merchant who owned the sail-boat.

Eric took to his heels and sped like an arrow
across the beach and up to the forest. Johnny
Blossom sprang after him, throwing the boat-
hook on the wharf as he went. He never thought
of his clothes until he was in the woods.

My! how he ran! He was in such a fright
that he did not once glance back. My, oh, my !
Here he was running along in his bare skin;
while his clothes, wet as wet could be, were
lying down there among all those elegant ladies !

And home was a good way off; first through
the forest, then along the stone wall, and all
across the Karine place, where everybody could
see him. How disgusting! Where Eric was, or
even which way he had gone in the woods,
Johnny had no idea.

From the wharf below came the sound of
laughter. How those ladies were laughing and
shouting! He could not see them because of
the trees, but the talk and laughter was
incessant.

He threw himself down behind a wild rose-
bush. They would probably sail away soon and
then he could go down after his clothes. Pretty
lucky to have got away from that cross mer-

28 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

chant! Eric had always said he was an awfully
cross man.

A long time Johnny lay there and all the while
the sound of talk and laughter floated up to him,
so he knew that the picnic party must still be
on the wharf. The wind began to blow harder;
it blew colder, too, horridly cold in fact, and he
felt almost frozen. Shivering and with his teeth
chattering, he crept back a little way toward the
wharf and gazed down from behind a tree trunk.

Just think! There they sat, in the sunshine
on the wharf, eating from their baskets and
having such a good time; and here was he,
alone, naked, and so frightfully cold. Boo-hoo-
hoo! He wanted to go home to Mother. He
might crawl home through the gutters — but
what would Mother say if he went home without
any clothes? Boo-hoo-hoo!

"What's the matter? What ye cryin' fer?"
It was Nils the fisherman who spoke and whose
coming over the soft grass Johnny had not
noticed.

"Land's sakes! Layin' here naked, boy?"

Then Johnny Blossom cried in earnest.

"Yes" — sob, sob— "my clothes are down on
the wharf and the ladies are sitting there eating
and laughing and — boo-hoo-hoo!"

CRAB FISHING 29

"Hev ye ben doin' suthin' bad? Dassn't ye
go git yer things?"

"I tumbled into the water" — sob — "and we
took the boat-hook from 'Sea Mew' — and then
the people came and I ran" —

"Oh, well! See here. I'll lend ye my blouse.
Put it on and run down fer yer clo'es."

How kind Nils was ! The blouse came almost
to Johnny's knees, but now that he had some-
thing on there was no reason for not going to
the wharf. Still, it was horrid to go among all
those strangers, rigged out in this fashion.

He took his way slowly down, hiding behind
trees, looking out and then sneaking forward
again, until he reached the open beach. The
picnic party was still feasting merrily, making
speeches and drinking one another's health.
Johnny stole along, dodging from rock to rock.
Suddenly one of the ladies called out: "Mercy!
there he is ! " Then they all clapped their hands and
shouted to him and clapped their hands again.

"Come here, boy," called a very stout gentle-
man, the cross merchant who owned the "Sea
Mew."

Oh, dear! How embarrassing it was — per-
fectly horrid! And how they roared again as
he came on to the wharf!

30 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"What kind of a specimen are you?" asked
the stout gentleman.

"I am not a specimen. I am Johnny
Blossom."

"No — are you really?"

Johnny did not see anything to laugh at, yet
they laughed harder than ever.

"May I ask whether it was you that took
the boat-hook out of my sail-boat ? "

The stout gentleman had a tight grip on
Johnny's little red ear.

"Please excuse me about the boat-hook," and
a small brown hand was stretched out and laid
in the merchant's hand.

"Come now. He shall have a cake," said one
of the ladies. "Here, take more; take these,
and these."

"Why don't you eat them?" asked another
lady.

"Oh, I'm going to give them to Nils the
fisherman."

"Why is that?"

"Because he lent me his blouse." Johnny
Blossom was exceedingly serious throughout
the whole conversation.

"Good-by." He bowed, his little naked
heels put together in most formal manner.

CRAB FISHING 31

" Good-by, little Johnny Blossom, and thanks
for the pleasure you have given us."

Just what the pleasure was Johnny Blossom
could not exactly understand.

"You mustn't put those wet clothes on,"
said one lady.

"Oh, they're dry," said Johnny, feeling of
the clothes. "They're as dry as tinder."

At this they all laughed again. There was a
very wet place on the wharf where the clothes
had lain.

Fortunately Mother was out when he first
got home, and Lisa the maid was very kind in
helping him get dry clothes. It was queer, but
perhaps his others had not been as dry as tinder,
after all.

Johnny deliberated all the afternoon as to
whether he should tell his mother what had
happened or not. She was so everlastingly
anxious about such things. But when she
came to his room to say good night, he burst
out with it.

"Mother, I fell in the water today."

"Oh, my boy!"

''Yes, I just tumbled right in." He got up
in bed, eager to show how he fell. " But it was

32 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

horrid afterward, because some fine ladies and
gentlemen came, who ate and drank there on the
wharf a long time ; and then Nils the fisherman
lent me his blouse, and they gave me some
cream cakes" —

"Why in the world should Nils lend you his
blouse?'*

"Oh, because I was all naked and had been
lying behind a bush ever so long" —

"But, John dear!"

"Nils was so happy over the cakes. He took
them home to that sick boy of his."

"Didn't you eat any of them yourself?"

"No — I gave them all to Nils; but that
stout man pinched my ear pretty hard, I can
tell you."

"Had you done something wrong, John?"

"Well — that was because of the boat-hook,
you see ; but I asked him to excuse me and we
shook hands."

"Rather an involved story," thought Mother.
But she said: "Well, now you must say your
prayers and go to sleep."

So Johnny Blossom repeated the little prayers
he had said every night since he was two years
old, and was soon sleeping peacefully.

'CHAPTE _ ,..

'ACredit to the School"

OHNNY BLOSSOM was walking home from
school. He carried his head high; his
turned-up, freckled nose was held proudly
in the air; his cap hung on the back of his
head. Both hands were in his pockets, and
his loud whistling waked the echoes as he
strode through Jensen Alley. Perfectly splen-
did monthly report! Of course he knew it,
word for word, and he said it over to himself
again, as he had many times.

"John has lately been more industrious. With

his excellent ability he is now a credit to the school"

This was signed with nothing less than the

Principal's name. Not just a teacher's — no,

33

34 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

thank you ! A credit to the school. The whis-
tling grew louder and more piercing. A credit
to the school. He was going straight to Father
with this report, and would lay it right under
Father's nose.

Well, he had been industrious. He had gone
over every lesson five times, and he could rattle
off all the exceptions in his German grammar
and all the mountains in Asia, even those with
the awfully hard names.

Really, it was rather pleasant to know your
lessons well and rank with the good scholars.
Now he should be able to crow over Asta.
She often had to sit the whole afternoon with
her fingers in her ears, mumbling and study-
ing, and even then couldn't get her lessons
sometimes, and would cry; but, of course, she
was only a girl.

He would take this report to Uncle Isaac of
Kingthorpe, too. Uncle Isaac was always
questioning and probing to find out how he got
on at school. Now he should see ! Sharp whis-
tling again pierced the air.

Another wonderfully interesting thing was
that "Goodwill of Luckton" had arrived. He had
seen it at Forsberg's wharf when he was going to
school. At this thought Johnny Blossom broke

A CREDIT TO THE SCHOOL 35

into a run. Darting through the little gate to
their own back yard, he burst into the entry
and, in the same headlong fashion, into the
dining room. The family was already at the
table.

" Here is my monthly report and * Goodwill of
Luckton' has come," exclaimed Johnny.

Father and Mother looked at the report.
"Very good, John," said Father; and Johnny
felt Mother's gentle hand stroking his hair.
" But what is it that has come ? "
"Goodwill of Luckton/ of course."
Johnny was gulping his soup with great haste.
"Express yourself clearly and eat properly."
Everything had to be so proper to suit Father.
"The apple boat, the one Mr. Lind and Mrs.
Lind own, you know — that comes every
autumn."

Yes, the apple boat. It was painted green as
it had been last year; the sails were patched ; the
poorest apples lay in heaps on the deck, the
medium sort were in bags, and the best apples
were in baskets. In the midst of this tempting
abundance Mrs. Lind, who was uncommonly
stout, usually sat, knitting. When her husband
was up in town delivering apples Mrs. Lind
took care of the boat, the apples, and Nils and

36 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

everything. Nils, their son, was more to look
after than all the rest put together, for he was
the worst scalawag to be found along the whole
coast.

John kept on eating and talking. "Nils is a
bad boy, Mother. When he talks to his mother,
he keeps the side of his face toward her perfectly
sober ; but he makes faces with the side toward
us. It is awfully funny and we laugh ; and Mrs.
Lind thinks we are laughing at her, and then she
scolds, and oh! her scolding is so funny!"

Shortly after dinner Johnny Blossom was out
in the woodshed whittling a boat. How delight-
ful and how queer that he should be "a credit
to the school " ! He would be awfully industrious
now every single day; go over every lesson six
times, at least.

This boat that he was making was going to be
a fine one — Johnny Blossom held it out and
peered sharply at it, first lengthwise, then side-
wise — the finest boat any one had ever whit-
tled. Every one who saw it would say, "Who
made that beautiful, graceful boat?" Well,
here was the boy who could do it!

One of these days he must carve out a big ship
about half a yard long and make it an exact
copy of a real ship.

A CREDIT TO THE SCHOOL 37

Johnny Blossom lost himself in wondering
whether, when it was finished, he shouldn't
take the ship to school to show to the Principal.
If he did, the Principal would, of course, praise
him very much, for it would be an extraordi-
narily well-shaped, handsome ship.

Yes, Johnny Blossom decided that he would
take it to school for the Principal to see. It
should be painted and have real sails. Oh, dear!
Then he should have to ask Asta to hem the sails !
Horrid tease as she was, she sewed remarkably
well. Girls weren't good for much else.

How would it be to make a sloop next — one
exactly like the "Goodwill of Luckton"?

At this he threw down the boat which was to be
so wonderfully graceful and rushed off toward the
wharf. How stupid of him to stay at home whit-
tling when the "Goodwill of Luckton" had come!

Of course there were several boys hanging
around there — Aaron, Stephen, and Carl.
Otherwise not even a cat was to be seen. Streets
and wharf were deserted in the quiet noon hour.
Mrs. Lind sat nodding upon the deck. Nils
lounged on some bags at the front of the boat,
amusing himself making faces. Mr. Lind was
probably up in the town doing errands.

"Give us an apple," whispered Stephen to

38 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Nils. Nils did not answer, but gave Stephen
a sly look and then made a hideous face.

"Throw some ashore," suggested Johnny
Blossom.

"Just one apiece," whispered Carl.

"Well, don't then, you miser!" said Aaron.

Suddenly Nils, with a slyer look than usual
on his sly face, went down into the cabin. A
minute after he came stamping up again.

" Mother, Mother ! The coffee is boiling over.
Hurry!"

Mrs. Lind waddled hastily across the deck
and squeezed herself down the narrow stairway.

"Come now!" called Nils guardedly to the
boys on shore. "Come now! Hurry up and
take some apples."

The boys on the wharf did not wait to be
called again but jumped upon the deck and
rushed at the bags of fruit.

"Mother, Mother!" roared Nils. "Hurry!
There are thieves at the apples! Oh, hurry!"

In an incredibly short time Mrs. Lind had
come upstairs, and there stood Mr. Lind also,
exactly as if he had shot up out of the ground.

Nils declared loudly : " Before I knew a thing
about it, these boys rushed on board and began
grabbing some of the best apples."

A CREDIT TO THE SCHOOL 39

Oh, how Mr. Lind and his wife scolded as
they seized the astounded boys! Mr. Lind held
two of them and Mrs. Lind two — she had a
remarkably strong grip — while Nils flew after
a policeman. The frightened boys cried and
begged to be set free. A crowd gathered on the
wharf in no time.

Soon the policeman came. "You will have
to go with me to the police station," said he
to the boys. They tried to explain that Nils
had invited them on board, but it availed noth-
ing. "You go with me to the police station,"
was the only reply the policeman made to any-
thing they said.

Oh, but it was horrid, having to go along the
streets with him! Nils should have his pay for
getting them into this trouble! At the police
station their names were recorded and then the
boys were allowed to go. Johnny Blossom,
shamefaced and troubled, ran straight home.

In the afternoon the policeman called to talk
with Father. Father was very serious and
Mother looked frightfully worried. Sister Asta
stared with open mouth. John had a bitter
time of it while the matter was being settled,
and afterward Asta's teasing voice followed
him everywhere as she kept calling out:

40 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Credit to the scho-ol! Great credit! Won-
derful credit! Credit to the scho-ol !"

Oh, how horrid, how horrid everything was!
Well, he wouldn't go out any more today, that
he wouldn't; he would stay in his room with
the door locked. He had been so delighted with
his report, and now even that gave him no
pleasure. Of course he couldn't go to Uncle
Isaac with it after this disgrace.

A sudden thought struck him. He would not
keep the report any longer. To have "A credit
to the school" upon it was too embarrassing
after what had happened.

He had not stolen apples, he really had not;
but he had been taken to the police station and
his name, John Blossom, was written on the
police records. Though he had not stolen apples,
he had known very well that Mr. Lind and his
wife would be angry if boys went on board and
helped themselves to apples, even if Nils had
said they might.

Pshaw ! Everything was horrid. The boys at
school would soon 'know all about it and then
they would tease just as Asta did. No, he
would not keep that report; he would give it
back to the Principal; that was just what he
would do. So Johnny Blossom, saying nothing

A CREDIT TO THE SCHOOL 41

at home of his intention, went with determined
step to the Principal's house. His cap, instead
of being set jauntily far back on his head, was
jammed well down over his eyes.

"Is the Principal at home?"

"Yes, come in."

The Principal was a large man with a thick,
blond beard and sharp, blue eyes.

"Good day, Johnny Blossom! What did you
want to see me about?"

"It is horrid, but" — great searching first in
one pocket of his trousers, then in the other —
"but if you will please take this report back" —

"Take it back? What do you mean, John?"

"Why, because it says here he is a credit to
the school, and he isn't that — not now."

"What is that you say? Speak out, my boy."

The boy looked very little as he stood with
his knees shaking before the big Principal.

" Because — because his name has been writ-
ten in the police records today, and the police-
man took him there, and so it was horrid that
this report should say he was a credit" —

"Come, John. Tell me about it from the
beginning."

"Why, Nils of the * Goodwill of Luckton' got
his mother to go down-stairs and then he called

42 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

us boys to come aboard and get some apples;
and when we went he told his mother there were
thieves on board; and he called the policeman."

" Nils asked you to come on board ? "

"Oh, yes; but for all that I knew Mr. and Mrs.
Lind would be angry. I knew that perfectly
well. But I went, and then I wasn't a credit to
the school ; so if you will please take this report
back"

There was a short silence.

"I think you may keep the report," said the
Principal at last. "For you will surely not do
anything of the kind again, Johnny Blossom."

"No. I shan't have to be taken up by a
policeman ever any more." Johnny shook his
head energetically. "And I'm going to study
hard. Thank you."

At the door he repeated his "thank you" as
he bowed himself out.

When he was in the street he put the precious
report into his pocket, whistling joyously a
beautiful tune that his mother often played.
Who cared for any one's teasing now ? Even the
boys might try it if they liked, for he was ready
for them. The Principal knew all there was to
know. Awfully kind man, that Principal!

CHAPTER IV

Aurvt Grenert sen's Apples

apple tree of Aunt
Grenertsen's was too tan-
talizing! Big, beautiful
apples hung there day after day,
and nobody ever seemed to think
of such a thing as taking one off.
Aunt Grenertsen might, for in-
stance, so easily say to old Katrina,
her housemaid: "Shake down an
apple or two for Johnny Blossom";
but no indeed ! Far from it. Never
in the world had she suggested any-
thing of the kind, although he had
been in there every single day since
the apples had begun to turn.

It was a little farther to go home
around past Aunt Grenertsen's, but
he didn't mind that, for it was in-
teresting to watch how the apples

43

44 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

grew and to see whether Katrina had gathered
any. But day after day everything remained
exactly the same. There hung the apples still —
the only change being that they grew riper and
riper and more tempting. Aunt Grenertsen
sat gazing out of her window from behind the
plants, and old Katrina, grumpy as ever, stood
at the kitchen window peering over the sash
curtain, in exactly the same way every day.

He was just sick and tired of seeing those
apples in that good-for-nothing garden. Good-
for-nothing it certainly was, and very, very old.
There was only one apple tree besides the one
Johnny was so interested in, but its fruit could
scarcely be called apples at all. He would call
them croquet balls — such hard green things
as they were — hard as rocks. Of course if
any of them were on the ground, he bit into
them. In fact, he had eaten a good many of
them first and last, but they were horrid things,
anyway.

The currants in Aunt Grenertsen's garden
were nothing to speak of, either. Awfully sour,
small pinheads! The raspberries were small,
too, but at any rate, they were sweet.

Not another thing was to be found in that
garden — not a decent sugar pea nor a carrot

AUNT GRENERTSEN' S APPLES 45

even; just some stupid mignonette and violets
and other flowers that smelled sweet — as if
they were any good ! No, truly, Aunt Grenert-
sen's garden was not very pleasant.

For that matter, neither was she. She was
not really his aunt and he was glad of it; but
she was Mother's aunt, and so all the family
called her Aunt Grenertsen, just as Mother did.

Aunt Grenertsen had lived in the little house
on King Street for an age, ever since he could
remember ; and everything she had was very old-
fashioned. There was a cuckoo clock, and a
blue glass jar with dried rose-leaves in; and on
the window sill an old gray cat blinked and
purred among the plants.

Aunt Grenertsen was difficult to talk with —
so contrary, somehow, even if not really cross,
that it was very tiresome. She wasn't the least
bit like Uncle Isaac of Kingthorpe, who was
always kind and gentle, always pleasant. Oh,
dear, no! Aunt Grenertsen wasn't like Uncle
Isaac; far, far from it!

Suppose, for instance, that he went to her
house for a little call, £s he often did, for Mother
liked him to go — and Aunt Grenertsen some-
times had exceedingly good cakes which she
called "half moons"; and just now there were

46 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

these delicious ripe apples. During such calls
she could be remarkably disagreeable. "What
is the weather today?" she would say; and be-
fore he could answer, would add "Oh, well!
No use asking you. Children never notice the
weather." Or, "What kind of fish is there
nowadays at the wharf? — but you wouldn't
know that." Or, "Who is to preach tomorrow?
Well there! I wonder at my asking you."

No, she never thought he knew anything about
anything, and that was so exasperating! He
knew very well what the weather was ; he knew
all the kinds of fish that were for sale at the
wharf every day; and he also knew that the
old minister was to preach tomorrow; but do
you suppose Aunt Grenertsen would believe a
thing he told her? "I can't depend on that,"
she would say.

Aunt Grenertsen certainly was difficult to talk
with ; and sometimes he did not even get a " half
moon." He believed he wouldn't go there any
more, or try to please either her or old Katrina,
who was almost worse than Aunt Grenertsen.

Katrina wanted everything done just so; the
garden gate must not only be shut but latched;
he must walk in the middle of the path, and he
must always use the kitchen door. If he went

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 47

to the other door, he was sure to hear "Dear,
dear! How grand he is today! He must come
in at the front door and make some one leave
her work to let him in." No, indeed. He
would not go all that way around by King Street
any more. Their old apples could hang and
hang there forever, for all he cared.

For fully four days Johnny Blossom did not
show himself inside of Aunt Grenertsen's green-
painted garden fence; but on the fifth day he
thought it would be interesting after all to see
whether the apples still hung on the tree. It
seemed an age since he had looked at them, and
it would be disappointing enough if they had
been gathered.

No, luckily, there they hung. And Aunt
Grenertsen was gazing out of the window from
behind her plants, and Katrina peering over the
sash curtains just as usual. Well, he would go
in and see how Aunt Grenertsen was today.
The front door was unlocked, so he could go in
that way without inconveniencing her highness,
Katrina.

"Good afternoon, Aunt Grenertsen. How do
you do?" He sat down in the chair by the door,
where he knew he was expected to sit.

48 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Good afternoon, Johnny Blossom/'

Dead silence for a long time.

Ugh! he would have to try to talk.

"Mother has gone to a luncheon party today."

" I can well believe it," said Aunt Grenertsen.
" People never stay at home in these days. They
are forever flying about."

"Father was at a meeting last night."

"I haven't the least doubt of it."

Absolute silence again. If only the cuckoo in
the clock would come out and call! But it
would be almost a quarter of an hour before that
would happen. Johnny Blossom racked his
brain to think of something to talk about.

"We baked cookies at home yesterday," he
said suddenly.

"Then I presume you ate more of them than
was good for you."

Oh, no, Johnny Blossom had not over-eaten;
he could easily eat some today, too ; he had had
only those that were burnt.

"Burnt, hey? Well, there's nothing a boy
won't put into his stomach."

Aunt Grenertsen was unusually disagreeable
today. Not a word could he say about the
apples, because he had so often before brought
up that subject.

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 49

"Well, I think I must go now," he said, rising
slowly.

"Yes, you had better," said Aunt Grenertsen.
But when he had gone into the hall she called,
'' Johnny Blossom!"

He looked in again.

"Why, there are those ripe apples. You might
climb up in the tree for them, you are so small
and light."

"Yes, Aunt Grenertsen. I'll go right up now,
this minute."

"No. Come tomorrow. It is altogether too
late this afternoon."

The next day, at a little past two, Johnny
Blossom was again in Aunt Grenertsen's garden.
He had gulped down his dinner at an alarming
rate, and then hurried to King Street, stopping
on his way to get Tellef ; for there must be one
person to climb and shake the tree and one to
stand below and pick up the apples. However,
Tellef must stay outside the garden until Aunt
Grenertsen had been informed that Johnny had
brought an assistant.

"Good afternoon, Aunt Grenertsen, here I

am."

"Well, you are early enough I hope. I want

So JOHNNY BLOSSOM

to say this much, Johnny Blossom, that I
won't have it on my conscience that you should
eat any half-rotten apples — and there are
usually a good many half-rotten of this kind
— but those that are cracked or bruised you
may have, for they won't keep anyway."

"Thank you, Aunt Grenertsen."

"I suppose you can get along without Ka-
trina's help."

"Oh, yes, perfectly. For that matter, I have
a boy outside there who will be a fine helper.
He's very quick and oh! awfully strong."

"I hadn't supposed great strength was neces-
sary to pick a few apples."

"He's a very good boy, too, Aunt Grenertsen."

" Glad to hear it. Well, bring your paragon in
and go to work."

At last Johnny Blossom and Tellef stood
under the apple tree with a big basket.

My, oh, my! Just look at all the apples!
There must be fully a half bushel — a good
many for such a little old tree.

"You go up in the tree and shake it," said
Johnny.

"Here I go," responded Tellef. He sprang
to the tree, gripped the trunk with his knees and

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 51

was up in a trice. Vigorous shaking. Five big
apples thumped to the ground.

"Five big ones and all of them bruised, so
they are for us," shouted Johnny Blossom; and
the apples vanished inside his blouse.

"Well, but I want some," answered Tellef
from the tree.

"Of course. I just put them in here to keep."

Another shaking of the branches. Besides
some decayed ones, four good apples fell, hitting
the ground with such force that these, too,
were crushed or cracked. Tellef was down on
the instant. My, oh, my! but they were delicious
apples. Neither of the boys had ever tasted
any equal to them. A sharp knock sounded on
Aunt Grenertsen's window, and Johnny hurried
over there.

"It seems to me you do nothing but eat,"
came through the window.

"Oh, no. These are some that got smashed
and you said we might eat those."

" Such rough shaking, I don't like. You must
pick the apples."

"Yes, Aunt Grenertsen."

Up the tree went both the boys. They picked
six apples, but found it impossible to reach
any more. All the others hung upon thin old

52 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

branches that cracked if you but touched them,
and would by no means bear a boy's weight.
The boys tried and tried to get the apples, but
the tempting things hung exasperatingly out
of reach.

"No use," said Johnny. "I'll have to stand
under the tree and hold the basket, while you
shake the apples into it. Then they won't
whack on the ground and bruise themselves."

First, however, the six perfect apples were
laid carefully upon the porch steps.

John held the basket under a branch while
Tellef shook it. Eight apples bounced and rolled
in the garden path, but not one fell into the
basket and not one but showed a bruise or a split.

"What a stupid you are to shake them off
that way ! " exclaimed Johnny.

"Not a bit. It is you who are stupid about
holding the basket," retorted Tellef.

They stole glances at Aunt Grenertsen's win-
dow. Fortunately, she was not looking out and
so had not seen the unlucky outcome of this
attempt. Hastily thrusting the eight apples
into their blouses, they both climbed the tree
again and stretched and reached their utmost
till one branch broke and the boys nearly tum-
bled from the tree.

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 53

"Well. We'll just have to shake them off."

"Yes, we must; but shake gently/' Three
much crushed and two that were bruised
slightly, with, of course, a number of decayed
ones that did not count.

"These two we'll lay on the steps."

Strangely enough, there were almost no
apples left on the tree now, except those on a
very slender branch. They would have to be
shaken down, for no person alive could reach
them. Violent shaking ensued and apples
pelted down in a shower, every one landing
with a thud that bruised or marred it somewhere.
The boys gathered them hurriedly and deposited
them under a gooseberry bush.

True as you live, there were no more apples
on the tree ! It was remarkable how little time
it had taken to strip it. And on the steps
lay only eight apples, and two of them were
bruised! What would Aunt Grenertsen say at
getting so few? Well, he must take them in to
her.

"Here are the apples, Aunt Grenertsen.
Aren't they beauties?"

"And where are the rest?"

" Why — these are all."

"From the whole tree? Eight apples?"

54 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Well, some were half-rotten, and you said
yourself that we might eat" —

"I said no such thing," interrupted Aunt
Grenertsen.

Johnny Blossom blinked his eyes and scarcely
knew what to say, but suddenly had an idea.
He would begin differently.

"But those that were bruised you said we
might eat, and we have done that," said Johnny
Blossom, frankly and virtuously.

"Indeed! You have done that, have you?
Well — it looks as if they had all got bruised."

"Oh no, Aunt Grenertsen. Six of them are not
bruised at all, and these two only the least bit."

"Well, well! What's done is done. I pity
your stomachs, that's all I can say."

Oh, dear! Aunt Grenertsen wasn't comfort-
able to deal with — not a bit easy in fact — and
never had been.

Johnny Blossom was glad enough to get out
into the garden with Tellef again. The heap
of apples under the gooseberry bushes was
divided with great exactness. Aunt Grenertsen
could not see over there from her window.

The boys walked slowly and lingered much on
the way home, munching apples all the time; and
their well-stuffed blouses were noticeably less

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 55

bulging when the boys finally parted at Johnny
Blossom's gate.

" How did the harvesting of Aunt Grenertsen's
apples go this afternoon?" asked Mother.

"Oh, very well," answered Johnny.

"Did she have many apples?"

"Why, some were half-rotten or all rotten,
and a good many were bruised" —

" But of course you were very careful how you
picked them?"

"Yes, very. We shook them into a basket.
Those that were bruised, Aunt Grenertsen said
we might have."

" Did she ? And how many did Aunt Grenert-
sen get?"

"Oh" — Further probing on Mother's part
to find out what Aunt Grenertsen's share of the
harvest had amounted to, drew forth the truth,
uttered with a show of enthusiasm.

"She had quite a good many — eight big
beautiful apples — and six of them hadn't the
least speck of a bruise on them anywhere."

" But poor Auntie ! Do you mean to say she
had only eight apples for herself? And she so fond
of them too ! How in the world could that hap-
pen when there was so much fruit on the tree?"

56 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"It was queer there weren't more, but none
of the apples would fall in the basket, and they
would whack right down on the ground, and so
they got bruised — and then we ate them, you
see, Mother."

L "Oh ! I am really sorry for Aunt Grenertsen,"
said Mother. "I must see if I can't find some-
thing good to send her to make up for this. It
was not at all nice of you, John — not at all
kind. Poor Aunt Grenertsen who is so lonely
and has so little of everything ! "

Johnny Blossom blinked hard. He began to
feel disgusted with himself. Just think of Aunt
Grenertsen's being very fond of apples — and of
Mother's feeling so sorry for her! Suddenly he
rushed from the door. Perhaps Tellef had some
apples left. Not even a core remained of his
own.

Pshaw! At Tellef's they had eaten all the
apples immediately on Tellef's arrival with
them.

How trying it was that Aunt Grenertsen
should be so particularly fond of apples! Poor
thing! And besides, she was lonely, Mother had
said, and had very little money. It was too bad.

If he only had something to give her — he
himself. Of course Mother would find some-

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 57

thing, but he would like to, too. He hadn't a
cent in his bank. What few cents he had saved
had all been poked out long since, and he hadn't
anything else either. Well, yes, he had that fine
new cake of India ink Father had just given
him; but Aunt Grenertsen surely did not draw
with India ink.

There ! Now he had an idea. She should have
that rare postage stamp from Mozambique,
she certainly should! The whole class and
some of the big boys envied him his posses-
sion of that stamp and had begged and begged
for it; but not one of them should get it, no
indeed !

He found an old pill box, laid the Mozambique
stamp carefully in it, and ran straightway to
King Street.

Everything was as usual. He could scarcely
bear to look at the tree he had gathered the fruit
from, but finding two apples on the ground
under the other tree, he picked them up and
took them into the house. He certainly wasn't
going to eat any more of Aunt Grenertsen's
apples.

"Good afternoon, Aunt Grenertsen."
"Oh, is that you, back here already?"
"I found these apples out in the garden."

58 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Aunt Grenertsen looked at them over her
glasses.

"H'm — they are not bruised, these two."

Johnny Blossom made no answer to this
remark, but got up quickly from his chair by the
door and went over to the window where Aunt
Grenertsen sat.

"I thought you might like to have this."
And Johnny Blossom placed the pill box on the
table and gazed expectantly into Aunt Gren-
ertsen's wrinkled face.

"Pills?" said Aunt Grenertsen. "I have never
taken pills in all my long life."

"It isn't pills, it isn't pills!" exclaimed Johnny
Blossom, hopping about on one foot with joy,
because Aunt Grenertsen would be so pleased
when she saw what it was.

"Just look inside! Just look!" he continued.

Aunt Grenertsen opened the box.

"An old postage stamp," said she.

"Oh, it's a Mozambique stamp, Aunt Gren-
ertsen," explained Johnny Blossom earnestly.
"It is awfully rare. There isn't another one in
the whole town, Aunt Grenertsen."

"Indeed?" Aunt Grenertsen looked at the
little old stamp dubiously, turning it round and
round.

AUNT GRENERTSEN'S APPLES 59

"But why do you give it to me, Johnny
Blossom?"

"Oh, because — because you only got eight
apples, and Mother said" —

"What did Mother say?"

"Mother said that you liked apples so much
— and that you were lonely; and, besides, I was
ashamed of myself because Tellef and I had
eaten so many of your apples."

"And so you want to give me this stamp?"

"Yes. Isn't it interesting, Aunt Grenertsen?
Isn't it a beauty?"

He stood behind her chair, looking eagerly
over her shoulder at the stamp.

"Aren't you glad to have it?"

"Yes, indeed; I thank you very much. And
I want you to have a half moon today."

"Oh, no. I don't want anything."

"Yes, you surely must have one."

The "half moon" was brought forthwith and
was eaten with great relish.

Light-hearted now, Johnny Blossom ran
through the garden, fastening the gate carefully,
while at the window an old face peered out from
among the plants, through tear-misted spectacles.
Then Aunt Grenertsen took the stamp and pasted
it on the window pane nearest where she sat.

60 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"That is a reminder of you," she said later
to Johnny Blossom. And Johnny was proud to
think that the interesting and rare Mozambique
stamp should be a reminder of him.

But how queer old people are! thought
Johnny Blossom.

CHAPTErR V

TKe Red Buoy

NY ONE

would be

sick of it!
thought Johnny
Blossom. He
couldn't even appear
in the street with-
out people rushing
to him to question
and pry as to how it
had happened, and
how he had felt that time he lay out on the
red buoy and they all thought at home that
he was drowned. He was completely sick
of it.

Even the minister had stopped him and
questioned and quizzed like the rest; and when
he had finished, he hit Johnny Blossom on the
back with his cane (not hard, you know) and

61

62 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

said: "You surely are a little rascal, Johnny
Blossom!"

Indeed he wasn't a rascal. The whole thing
had just happened of itself. It was no plan of
his, but it was just as unlucky as if it had been.

The new postmaster's sons were at the bottom
of it really. Such pipestems from Christiania
don't know anything anyway — and they get
scared so easily! That's why they lose their
wits when they get into trouble. No one would
believe how silly they were! Still, they were
good-natured and ready to join in anything,
so they were jolly enough playfellows after all.

Early one afternoon the three boys, Olaf, Her-
man, and Johnny, had a great desire to go row-
ing. They peered everywhere around the wharf
for a boat that they could use. Not a sign of
one was to be seen ; not a boat of any kind —
to say nothing of one that they could borrow
in such a hurry. So they went round to the Cus-
tom House wharf. True as you live, there lay
a dory, with oars and everything, right down
at the foot of the little steps. They wouldn't
have dared to think of taking the boat if it had
been at the big Custom House steps, but since
it was at the little steps near the warehouse, it
was probably not a Custom House boat at all.

THE RED BUOY 63

Johnny Blossom, for his part, was quite sure it
was not.

"Well, we'll take her," said Olaf.

It was a fine little boat. Johnny was captain
and commanded grandly, giving many orders
to the postmaster's sons — those silly pipestems
from Christiania, who did not know anything.

Oh! there was the big English coal steamer
that had been lying at the wharf several days
unloading coal. Too bad that he had not had
a chance to go on board that steamer! He had
tried to go a number of times, but there was
always one or another grimy sailor who chased
him ashore. Ugh! Englishmen were horrid!
The steamer was unloaded now and would surely
sail tonight.

Farther out rowed the boys. Johnny Blossom
boasted of the ships that sailed from the town,
of the sea, and of the church tower that was the
highest in Scandinavia, and the postmaster's
boys boasted of the wonders of Christiania ; and
everything was very jolly indeed. They rowed
past the big red buoy that lay farthest out — the
buoy that is like an immense red pear floating
and rocking on the water.

"Would you dare sit up on the big red pear?"
asked Olaf.

64 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Pooh! That's nothing to do," said Johnny
Blossom.

" Yes, but sit there alone while we row away?"
said Olaf.

"You shall soon see whether I dare or not,"
returned Johnny.

They rowed to the buoy and he climbed out
upon it.

" Now row away, row as far away as you like.
It is perfectly glorious sitting here!"

Olaf and Herman plied the oars as hard as they
could, while Johnny Blossom sat proudly erect
upon the "red pear." He had never thought of
its being possible for any one to sit here. Just
think, only water far and wide around him ! Yet
here he sat entirely at his ease, could sit here
just the same if a storm should blow up — that
would be a small matter for Johnny Blossom.
Now that the boys were away off behind the big
coal steamer, any one might wonder how much
farther they meant to row.

The wind began to blow and the pear rocked
up and down. It was queer the way there came
a whack from the sea against the buoy with
every wave. The pear rocked more and more.
My! oh, my! how the sea hit against it now!
Almost hard enough to send the spray away up

THE RED BUOY 65

to him. What had become of those silly post-
master's boys ? He could see nothing of the boat
anywhere. It was probably behind the wharf.
Not a person was to be seen on the wharf now,
either. It was so late that every one had gone
home.

Johnny Blossom shouted: "Olaf! Herman!"
No answer, only the sea's pounding. A big
wave dashed over his legs, and the pear rocked
and plunged frightfully.

All at once Johnny Blossom was afraid. Not
a little afraid, but overwhelmed with great fear.
Here he was alone out in the midst of the wide
waters, with no one to see him, no one to hear
him, and no one to help him. A great wave
struck against the buoy, leaving his stockings
dripping wet up to the knees.

"Oh, Mother! Mother!" screamed Johnny in
terror.

Another wave came — a stronger one — and
dashed even higher. He would be safer, perhaps,
if he lay on his stomach and stuck his arms
through the big ring that they fastened the
ship's ropes to.

Oh, if he were only at home ! Oh, those wicked
postmaster's boys who had rowed away and left
him ! They should get their pay when — but

66 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

suppose he should die now! "Our Father who
art in heaven." Johnny Blossom, with eyes
closed, said the whole of the Lord's Prayer as
he lay on his stomach on the red buoy. Now
surely God would help him.

The buoy swayed and dipped and the wind
howled. Suddenly he heard a different sound
and turned swiftly to look. There was a boat
right off there. Oh, if only! —

It was some Englishmen from the big coal
steamer, and they were rowing straight toward
the buoy, talking fast. Pshaw! how stupid it
is when people talk English. Without waiting
to say, "By your leave," they took Johnny
Blossom from the buoy, put him into their boat,
and rowed directly to the steamship. One of the
sailors scooped up some salt water in his hand
and splashed it over Johnny Blossom's tear-
streaked face and laughed. Then Johnny
laughed, too.

If it were only German the men spoke! He
had studied German for a half year now and
could have managed with that language pretty
well, he thought.

Here they were alongside the steamer. Well,
Johnny Blossom hadn't the least objection.
How Olaf and Herman would envy him, that he

THE RED BUOY 67

should go on board the big ship after all! The
steamer was full of sailors who talked and
laughed and tumbled him about in rough play
till Johnny Blossom bubbled over with merry
laughter that rang through the whole ship.

Soon a man took him to the upper deck to
the stout, ruddy captain whom Johnny Blossom
knew from having seen him on the street in the
town. He pinched Johnny's ear and said a great
many funny words to him, just as the other
Englishmen had. Johnny pointed to the red
buoy and shook his head for "No," and pointed
toward the town and nodded for "Yes." With
this he felt sure that the captain must know how
the matter stood.

An oldish looking man wished Johnny to go
below with him, and naturally Johnny did not
need to be asked twice, even by signs! It was
wonderful down there. He had never imagined
there could be anything so fine on the dirty coal
steamer; and just think! some crackers were
brought out, and then if that funny man didn't
set a whole jar of preserves before him, too, and
give him a spoon ! My, oh, my ! Mother ought
to see him now, eating with a big spoon right
from the preserve jar!

Johnny Blossom ate plentifully, while the

68 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

strange man sat opposite with elbows on the
table, looking at him and smiling. Suddenly
the man took out a leather case and from it a
photograph, which he handed across the table to
Johnny. It showed two boys about Johnny's
age. The man pointed to the boys and then to
himself and smiled again, and Johnny under-
stood that these were his boys.

How curious to think that this man had two
boys and that they were English ! He certainly
was very fond of them — this queer man with
the gray beard. Now he put the photograph
into the case again and into his pocket, slapped
his breast and smiled. Englishmen were cer-
tainly odd, thought Johnny. And those boys —
just boys like himself — could speak English
without studying it. Think of that !

The man then showed Johnny over the whole
steamer. Above one of the hammocks hung a
picture of the same two boys; and when they
came to this, the man laughed again and laid
his hand upon his heart.

Then he gave Johnny a whistle — a regular
boatswain's whistle. He put it right into John-
ny's pocket, and of course that meant that he
wanted to give it to him. So Johnny Blossom
shook hands with him and bowed his thanks.

THE RED BUOY 69

Ah ! this would be something to show to the boys
at school. How he would blow and play on it.

How awfully good to him this man was!
Johnny would like to ask him to take his
greeting to those two boys. So Johnny pointed
to the picture over the hammock, then to him-
self, and then far out over the sea, with his
little arm stretched at full length. There! the
man must surely understand anything as plain
as that.

At this moment one of the sailors came to
take Johnny Blossom up on deck again, for the
row boat was going to the shore and Johnny was
to go in it. He shook hands with all the sailors
and bowed and said "Thank you." When he
was in the row boat, the ship's deck was full of
grimy-faced men, who stretched over the rail-
ing to look down at him.

Johnny Blossom swung his cap, then suddenly
remembering his whistle, took that out and blew
it hard. Then he laughed heartily and blew it
once more. All the black faces up at the railing
laughed also. After this farewell the boat was
rowed to the shore and Johnny Blossom was
soon running up the street.

Then began all the hue and cry. First,
Squire Levorson stopped him. "What in the

70 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

world! Is this you? They are saying all over
town that you are at the bottom of the sea."

"Far from it," answered Johnny Blossom,
somewhat offended.

Next it was the telegraph operator, Mr.
Nilsen. "Well, I must say! If here isn't the
person every one is talking about — and as
large as life!"

Pshaw ! how silly people were ! And now came
Olea, the cook from his own home, weeping and
wailing aloud. When she saw him she was ready
to drop with astonishment. "Oh, you angel
John! Are you risen from the dead? They
brought us word that you were drowned."

"Not a bit," said John. "It was the fault of
the postmaster's boys entirely. See what I've
got." And Johnny Blossom took his English
boatswain's whistle out and blew it, with beam-
ing face.

No one was in the sitting room at home, nor
in the library; but from Mother's room there
came a sound as of some one crying. Johnny
Blossom tramped in. There lay Mother on the
couch, and Father sat by her side, and they were
both sobbing as hard as they could.

"John!" screamed Mother, starting up. "Oh,
Johnny! my boy, my boy! Is it really you?"

THE RED BUOY 71

"Thought I was drowned, did you?" said
Johnny Blossom loftily. "It never entered my
head till afterwards that any one could get
drowned sitting on the big red pear, you know.
Mother, see here."

A frightfully piercing whistle resounded in
the little room.

"Would you like to hear it again?" asked
Johnny, radiant.

"No, no!" said Mother, with hands on both
ears.

Just then Father grabbed John by the shoul-
der. Ugh ! it was horrid when Father took hold
that way, for it usually meant a whipping.

"Do you know what you deserve?" asked
Father. Not a sound in reply. "You shall
escape this time," continued Father. "I think
you will remember your Mother's tears now
better than a whipping ; but another time —
do you hear?"

:<Yes." Johnny stared at his mother's tear-
stained face.

"The postmaster and his boys came here and
said that you had climbed up on the buoy
farthest out. The boys had rowed back toward
shore just for fun, but they met a man in a row
boat who nabbed them because they had taken

72 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

the Custom House boat. The boys didn't say
anything to him about you, sitting out there
on the buoy" —

"There! Now you can see how stupid they
are," interrupted Johnny Blossom.

"They ran home, crying, and told that you
were out on the ' red pear ' ; but when the post-
master had got a boat and rowed out you were
gone."

"I was on board the coal steamer — that's
where I was. His name is Hobborn, Mother,
and just listen! he set a big jar of preserves
before me — I think it was raspberries — and
I ate a lot, and then he gave me this whistle.
Now I'll blow it." An ear-splitting blast
followed.

Mother hugged him to her and kissed him.
"But that was a horrible present, John," she
said, pointing to the whistle.

"Far from it," said John, "for now I need
never be in danger any more if I just whistle.
If I had had this when I lay out on the red pear,
no one would ever have imagined I was drowned.
A very useful present, it seems to me, and
delightful."

"I can scarcely call it delightful," said Mother.
All the rest of that afternoon, the sound of

THE RED BUOY 73

whistling, incessant and penetrating, filled the
pine grove. Blowing the English whistle in the
house at any time was strictly forbidden.

In Johnny Blossom's opinion, after his ex-
perience on the coal steamer, Englishmen were
the most delightful people on the face of the
globe.

ft

CHAPTCR, VI

Johrvrvy Blossorrx's
CKri&tmas Preserves

Y, oh, my ! Tomorrow would be the day
before Christmas and Johnny Blossom
hadn't thought about a single present
yet, for any one. He would have to hurry now,
though after all he wasn't in such a bad fix, for
he had some money — fifty cents, in fact — and
that was surely enough and to spare.

He ought to give twelve Christmas presents
in all : to Father and Mother, three sisters, both
the maids, Jeremias the wood-cutter, Uncle Isaac
of Kingthorpe, Miss Melling (Uncle's house-
keeper), Miss Jorgensen, who stayed with
them last summer, and Tellef, his special boy
friend.

This wasn't the first year he had given pres-
ents, no, indeed! He had given some last year
and the year before, but then Mother had helped
him. This year he was going to plan them all by
himself. Not a single person, not even Mother,
should get the least idea of any of the presents
beforehand.

74

JOHNNTS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 75

After all, should he give Miss Jorgensen a
present or not? Miss Melling there was no
question about. She was always giving him
presents, and she wasn't the worst person in the
world, even if she was so fussy about boys
wiping their feet. The last time he was at
Kingthorpe she had given him a silver pencil
holder without any reason whatever! It wasn't
his birthday or anything. Yes, he would cer-
tainly give her something — that was settled.

The hardest to find presents for were Uncle
Isaac and Jeremias. Poor Jeremias was sick
now ; he had been in bed for a whole month with
pains in his back and everywhere. Johnny
Blossom had been to his house to see him every
day that he had thought of it, and that was
almost every day. Jeremias lay there alone all
day long, except that Maria Kopp went in morn-
ing and evening to look after him a little. It
was easy enough to get into the little house,
for it was never locked. Any one could lift the
latch and step in; then the thing to do was to
get Jeremias a dipper of water and to fix up the
fire. Jeremias would say, "Thank you kindly,
sir" (he always said that), and then Johnny
Blossom would dash out, fastening the door
again with only the heavy old latch.

76 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

At home that day they had been baking the
Christmas cakes. Johnny Blossom had eaten
not a little of the raw dough, and his sister Asta
and he had made some cakes of remarkable
shapes (though rather dingy from much han-
dling), which they were allowed to bake.

It was while they were busy with the cakes
that it had dawned upon Johnny Blossom that
there was no time to spare, and that he must
decide upon his presents at once.

The present for Father was an easy matter.
The ruler that Johnny had just finished in the
sloyd class was exactly the thing; and Mother
should have the knife box. Carve their names
nicely on the things, and those two presents
would be ready.

Then he would make — h'm — seven baskets
of pretty colored paper and fill them with
peppermint drops. Everybody liked pepper-
mint drops.

This left only Uncle Isaac and Jeremias and
Tellef, and there would be about twenty cents
to spend on their presents. Oh, yes! He could
manage very well.

Suddenly he had a brilliant idea. That
beautiful frame that he had carved in the au-
tumn, he would give that to Uncle Isaac, with

JOHNNY'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 77

a pretty card on which he would write: "A
hearty Christmas greeting from an affectionate
boy. Johnny Blossom."

Jeremias should also have a beautiful card,
but that would have to have a frame of paper
pasted round it. And on the card there should
be a text from the Bible, because Jeremias was
so awfully fond of texts. If he could only find
the right one! At first he thought he should
have to ask his mother, but decided that he
would choose one all by himself.

There ! he had it ! Not that he was altogether
sure of its being a text exactly, but it was so
beautiful ! Then Johnny Blossom, with his head
on one side, his little snub nose almost touching
the paper, wrote, with extraordinary slowness,
because the writing was to be so very, very good :

God will never y never forsake thee.

Pshaw! That was always the way! The
more pains you took, the worse was the writing.
Some of the letters were awfully small and
crooked and others were too big ; and the whole
thing slanted down hill so that there was scarcely
room for his name underneath in the corner;
and of course his name must be there.

Well, there was nothing to do about it. He

78 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

had no more cards so he should have to use this.
With a dark brown paper frame and a red cord
it would not be so bad after all. Johnny Blossom
put his head first on one side and then on the
other and scrutinized the card as a whole. No,
it really was not bad.

For Tellef he would buy some dates — they
were so good — and with this settled, all his
presents were planned.

On the day before Christmas, big, soft snow-
flakes drifted slowly down from a lowering gray
sky. The snow melted as soon as it fell, and from
the sea a raw, wet wind came whining in; but
there might have been worse weather, and
Johnny Blossom, at any rate, was well content.
He was going out to distribute his presents
today. It was so pleasant to take them himself
to the different persons.

First he went to Miss Jorgensen's, for she
lived nearest, in her own tiny white house. She
was in the kitchen washing dishes when Johnny
Blossom's little nose showed itself at the kitchen
door.

"Well, well! Is it you?"

Yes, it was he, and would she accept a little
Christmas present? Johnny Blossom held out

JOHNNY BLOSSOMS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

JOHNNrS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 79

to her the fancy paper basket filled with pepper-
mint drops.

" Set it down somewhere — my hands are
wet. I never eat peppermint candy, but I thank
you all the same. Is every one well at home?"

"Yes, very well."

Johnny Blossom took his leave in some dis-
appointment. Miss Jorgensen wasn't a bit nice
— she was simply horrid. Oh, well, he didn't
mind. Anyway, she couldn't say that no one
had given her a Christmas present.

Johnny Blossom went on to Jeremias the
wood-cutter's. The wind blew straight into the
room the minute the door was opened, and
Jeremias groaned. He looked awfully old today.
Very gray indeed was his stubby beard and very
dull were his eyes as he lay there on his blue
pillow.

"Have you come to see me in all this bad
weather?" said Jeremias.

"This is delightful weather," said Johnny
Blossom, although just then another wild gust of
wind made Jeremias's little house shake violently.

"Here is a Christmas present for you," said
John. "It is to hang on the wall so you can see
it, Jeremias. Isn't it pretty?"

"Yes, indeed, that's a fine piece of work!"

80 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

" Did it all myself," said Johnny Blossom, with
some pride.

"Well, well! You do know how to make
things!" said Jeremias admiringly.

A nail was driven in the wall near the one
that held the big silver watch, and the Christ-
mas present was hung on it at once in plain
sight.

"God will never, never forsake thee," read
Jeremias as his crooked old finger pointed along
the slanting line. "There is balm in those
words, Johnny Blossom/' he said slowly.

Old people were queer, thought John, for
"balm" was something that was used for wounds
— he knew that very well — and yet there lay
Jeremias and said that there was balm in those
words, "God will never, never forsake thee."

"Yes," said Johnny Blossom, for he saw that
Jeremias expected him to answer.

It really looked very pretty hanging there
on the wall.

"How do they manage about the wood at
your house nowadays?" asked Jeremias.

"Oh, very well," replied John. Then he
happened to think that Jeremias might be dis-
appointed to hear that it made no difference
whether he was able to look after the wood or

JOHNNY'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 81

not, so Johnny added quickly, "Mother says
that they don't split the wood fine enough."

Jeremias was plainly enlivened. "There!
Isn't that what I have always said!" he
exclaimed. "Wood should be split just so.
Kindlings ought to be light and pleasant and
coquettish to make the fire dance."

"Yes," said Johnny Blossom.

What a great one Jeremias was to use queer
words !

"Well, Merry Christmas, Jeremias!"

"Thank you kindly, sir. It won't be lone-
some now that I have that to look at," and his
crooked finger pointed up to the little brown
paper frame hanging by its red cord.

John now started on his way to Kingthorpe.
One of his pockets was weighted down with a
big cornucopia of dates, for he planned to drop
in at Tellef's on his way home ; and from another
pocket protruded the greater portion of the
frame he was to present to Uncle Isaac.

Kingthorpe was quiet and stately and a little
awe-inspiring as usual. Miss Melling had gone
to town and Uncle Isaac was ill in bed. After
a little thought, Johnny Blossom sent the frame
in to his uncle by the servant, with his best
Christmas wishes. The servant was in livery

82 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

and always carried a silver tray in his hand.
Even when Uncle Isaac had nothing but gruel,
he had it on a silver tray !

Johnny Blossom was nearly out of the
grounds on his way home when the servant
came running after him to tell him that his
uncle wanted him. Johnny turned back with
great delight. He had known well enough
that Uncle Isaac would wish to see him after
receiving such a beautiful present.

Uncle Isaac lay in the big carved bedstead.
My, oh, my! how pale he was! almost as pale
as Jeremias the wood-cutter.

"Sit here beside me," said Uncle Isaac.
"Thank you very much for this beautiful
Christmas present." The frame stood on a table
near the bed.

"Yes, but you mustn't look at that corner,
for there's a tiny piece off there; nor right
there either; and here it is badly carved, as
you see, Uncle Isaac. But if you hold it like
this and just look at the whole — why, it isn't
so bad," said Johnny Blossom, beaming.

"I will remember," said Uncle Isaac. "I
am to hold it sideways and just get the general
view when I look at it."

"The writing might have been nicer, too,"

JOHNNrS CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 83

said Johnny apologetically, "but I had such a
scratchy, bad pen."

"I like it very much just as it is," replied
Uncle Isaac.

There came a little pause. Johnny felt some-
what abashed and scarcely knew what to talk
about.

" Jeremias the wood-cutter is ill in bed, too,"
he said suddenly.

"Is that one of your acquaintances?"

"Yes. I know him very well. I go in to see
him almost every day."

"Tell me a little about him."

"He has pains in his back — right there —
tearing his back to pieces, he says; and he lies
there alone all day except when Maria Kopp
or I go to see to him. His house is never locked ;
any one can go right in. I've just been there
with a Christmas present for him."

"What did you give him, little John?"

"A Bible text in a frame and with a cord to
hang it by. This was the text, 'God will never,
never forsake thee."

"And was he pleased?"

:<Yes, he said it was balm"

"Did he say that?" And the wonderful, far-
seeing expression that Johnny Blossom could

84 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

never understand came over Uncle Isaac's
face.

"The wood-cutter is right. It is balm," said
Uncle Isaac finally.

Well! Here lay Uncle Isaac with the green
silk eiderdown puff, with the servant in livery
always carrying a silver tray; and there lay
Jeremias the wood-cutter on his blue homespun
pillow, with the wind howling at his very bed-
side — and both of them said that there was
balm in those words! Johnny Blossom thought
it was very queer.

"Some presents will go over to your house
this evening," said Uncle Isaac when he said
good-by.

My, oh, my! Johnny Blossom hopped over
every gutter he came to on his way home.
First over the gutter and then back again and
over again just because everything was so un-
speakably joyful, because it was Christmas Eve,
because Uncle Isaac was going to send some
presents. They were sure to be wonderful
presents, those Uncle Isaac sent!

He met Tellef s littlest sister on the street.

"See here!" he said to her; "here is a Christ-
mas present for Tellef; but just as surely as
you meddle the least bit with the paper, I'll send

JOHNNY'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS 85

a snowball right through your head. So now
you know what to expect."

The little girl went straight into the house
holding the cornucopia of dates stiffly with both
hands, while Johnny Blossom, with snowball
ready, stood and watched her.

No, she didn't meddle with the package at
all. Everything had gone well. Johnny Blos-
som took careful aim and sent the snowball
flying toward the flagstaff at his own home.

The church bells began to ring, ushering in
the holy tide. Christmas Eve! Oh, he must
hurry, hurry home!

Bim! Boom! How the great bells chimed!

CHAPTER, VII

A Present from. Urvcle Isaac i

unexpected certainly happened to
Johnny Blossom that day. He had just

, 1 swung round on the road leading toward
Kingthorpe, with no thought of going the whole
way, for Uncle Isaac was ill and had gone to a
sanitarium, and there wasn't the least bit of
fun to be had just in Kingthorpe itself with all
its elegance. So early in the summer as this
there were no ripe berries in the garden ; and he
must not go into the stables, for Carlstrom the
coachman was a regular crosspatch.

"Be off with yourself, boy!" he would always
say if Johnny Blossom but put his nose in at the
stable door.

Carlstrom was a Swede, with a big black mous-
tache whose ends stuck straight out in the air.
He looked exactly like a stylish colonel to say
the least — a very cross colonel though! No,
there was no use going to the stable.

86

A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC 87

The cow-barn was under the rule of a Swiss
who was almost as cross as Carlstrom. He
always said that the cows ought to be sleeping;
so Johnny Blossom got the idea that the cows
at Kingthorpe never did anything but lie and
sleep.

Inside the big fine house there couldn't be
any fun either. Only those stately halls and
magnificent rooms, one after another, with hand-
some furniture upholstered in silk damask, with
great gold-framed mirrors, but with the shades
always drawn down. The rooms were so im-
mense that every footstep echoed in them.
And oh! how careful one had to be for the sake
of that miserable china that Uncle Isaac had
collected so much of. In the cabinets it was no
trouble, but when it stood on tiny little tables,
Johnny Blossom did not like it at all. He
scarcely dared to breathe when he went any-
where near the tables lest he should knock some-
thing off. Uncle Isaac had once shown him
all the china and explained how old and rare
and precious it was.

"This cup Marie Antoinette drank from, and
this vase belonged to the Bonapartes. This
flagon is from an English royal palace of the
sixteenth century."

88 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Johnny Blossom stood and stared. For his
part he would rather have his own mug at home
with-" For a Good Boy" upon it than all these
fine antiques that so many old mouths had drunk
from!

Poor Uncle Isaac ! He was sick now again —
worse, in fact. He had heart disease, Mother
said. Jeremias the wood-cutter also talked of
a pain in his heart, but since he had begun to
rub himself all over with kerosene, he had
become much better. It smelled dreadfully in
Jeremias's little hut, but he was better. Johnny
Blossom would certainly write to Uncle Isaac
and tell him that all he had to do to cure himself
of the pain was to rub himself with kerosene.

To this point in his meditations had Johnny
Blossom come just as he reached the telephone
pole whence he could see the big entrance gates
to Kingthorpe Park; and there was the hand-
some new carriage rolling out through the gates
that very moment! Carlstrom sat on the box.
My! How stylish he looked today! His
moustache ends stood out in the air more stiffly
than usual, and he never once glanced at Johnny
Blossom standing below in the dusty road. Back
in the carriage sat Miss Melling, Uncle Isaac's
housekeeper, with a white feather in her hat

A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC 89

waving up and down. At her side lay a queer
package of many yellow sticks tied together.
What in the world could that be ?

Johnny Blossom took off his hat and bowed.
Carlstom looked straight ahead ; but when Miss
Melling caught sight of Johnny, there was a
great to-do.

"Why, there he is! Stop, Carlstrom, stop!
Johnny Blossom! Johnny Blossom!" she called,
twisting herself round in the carriage. "You
are just the person I was going to town to see,"
she continued. " I had a letter from your Uncle
Isaac saying that you were to have this fishing
rod at once."

Johnny Blossom looked very small standing in
the road beside the big carriage. The crown and
brim of his hat gaped widely apart on one side,
and out of the opening stuck a lock of dark brown
hair. His blue and white striped blouse had a
daub of pitch in the middle of the front; and
since Johnny Blossom knew it was there, he held
a little brown hand over it, while he gazed up at
the double chin of the imposing Miss Melling.

"See here! Why shouldn't you take it right
now ? To tell the truth, I can't imagine what a
little boy like you should be doing with such a
handsome fishing rod as this. I won't say how

90 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

much it cost — it was very expensive, you may
be sure. Well, perhaps you had better ride with
us back to town again, although you are so dirty,
you are scarcely fit for the carriage."

Johnny Blossom looked up wistfully but
dubiously. Probably he was too dirty.

"Oh, well! you may get in," said Miss Mel-
ling, not ungraciously.

Seldom, indeed, did he have the honor of
riding in the Kingthorpe carriage, because
Carlstrom and Miss Melling were both so fussy,
and poor Uncle Isaac never went to drive. As
they rode along Miss Melling showed Johnny
how to put the rod together. My, oh, my ! How
amazingly long it was! Johnny stood it up like
a flagstaff and his face was radiant.

"Has Uncle Isaac trouble with his heart?"
asked Johnny, thinking he would tell about the
kerosene cure.

"Rich people have trouble everywhere," said
Miss Melling curtly. " Sit still or you'll fall out
of the carriage."

Johnny Blossom sat as still as a stone for
about two minutes; but then they drove past
a great linden tree and he absolutely had to
stand up to see how near the top of the tree he
could reach with his fishpole.

A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC

A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC 91

"Dear, dear!" said Miss Melling. "I think
you had better get out before we have an
accident."

The carriage was stopped and Johnny Blos-
som with his long fishing rod was helped out
unceremoniously.

"Thank you for the drive and for the rod,"
said he, bowing.

Then Johnny Blossom sprang into a run and
dashed homeward. My, oh, my! How as-
tonished the family would be over such a magnifi-
cent fishing rod!

The moment he arrived, the whole household
was called on to admire it — Father, Mother,
three sisters, and the maids — but no one must
touch it or even go very near it but himself.
Dagny put one little wet finger out toward it, but
at this Johnny Blossom became red with fury.

"Are you crazy? You'll ruin it completely!"
he shouted. The little wet finger was drawn
hastily back.

Where the precious rod should be put was a
momentous question. Unfortunately it was, too
long to be accommodated in his own room,
where he could guard it best.

Johnny Blossom's room was a very tiny one,
under the slope of the roof, but small as it was,

92 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

he could never keep it in order. The rug before
the bed was always in a heap; and papers,
skates, bows and arrows, and boots and shoes
were strewn over the floor. There was a little
space on the table and the commode, but on the
floor you could scarcely find a bare spot.

"How this room does look!" Mother was
continually saying.

"Well, that is because I study here," said
Johnny Blossom.

Strangely enough, Mother could not under-
stand what studying had to do with everything
being scattered over the floor; but at any rate,
to make space for the fishing rod in the little
room was plainly impossible. Of course he could
not think of taking the rod apart. Well, it
would have to be left on the veranda tonight.
What if some one should take it? Haunted by
this dreadful thought, Johnny Blossom was
very wakeful. He tossed and turned for a long
time before he finally fell asleep.

The next morning Johnny awoke early and
was wide awake at once. That fishing rod from
Uncle Isaac — out on the veranda — suppose
some one had taken it! He put on his clothes
in the greatest haste. Later he would wash
himself and dress properly, but the only thing

A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC 93

now was to see whether the fishing rod was safe.
Yes, wonderfully enough, there it was. No one
had touched it, so far as he could see.

How still, how still the world was ! How fresh
and cool ! The sun was shining now on the big
pine trees back of the house and their trunks
were deep red in the strong light. What a
fragrance came from the garden — the rich
scent of roses, particularly — and how very
damp the garden path was ! My, oh, my ! The
dew was certainly like pearls, scattered over the
grass — shining white pearls. Johnny Blossom
looked at the clock on the church tower. Two
minutes before five. Pshaw! so early! Oh, well!
Never mind. It was all right. He could do what
he liked until the rest of the family got up.

First, he would try fishing far out over the
flower beds with his rod. There ! he had caught
and broken off a big, dark red rose. The well
was naturally a better place to fish. Johnny
Blossom fished up the most incredible things
from that well. He first threw them in, of course,
and then it was a tremendous piece of work to
get them out again — leaves, flowers, his own
straw hat — yes, it was certainly an extra fine
fishing rod. He would write at once to Uncle
Isaac and thank him for it.

94 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

How pleasant that no one was up yet, and
that he could settle himself cosily at Mother's
writing desk! Uncle Isaac had been his god-
father at baptism, so Johnny Blossom wrote:

"Dear Godfather: A thousand thanks for the
fishing rod. I am so happy. It catches every-
thing splendidly. This afternoon I am going
to fish in the bay. If you have a pain in your
heart, just rub yourself with kerosene, Jeremias
the wood-cutter says. He smells like a lamp,
but he is well now and walks out with a stick.
It's nothing if you do smell if you can only be
well."

Johnny Blossom could think of nothing more
to write about, though he stared long and hard
at the walls. His examination report? No, he
would not write about that, for there were some
9*s for conduct and some marks for lessons that
were not as high as one might wish. No, there
was not an atom more to write. So the letter
was signed:

"Your affectionate JOHNNY BLOSSOM."

After his writing, he went to the wharf and
fished for a while. As it happened he caught
nothing, but it was fun enough just to put out
the rod and draw it in again.

Suddenly the maid Lisa appeared.

A PRESENT FROM UNCLE ISAAC 95

"You are to hurry right home, John."

Father and Mother sat in the study, Mother
with her handkerchief in her hand and with red
eyes.

"We have something to tell you, my boy,"
said Father. "Uncle Isaac has been very sick."

"Yes, but I have just written to him that if
he will rub himself with kerosene he will get
well."

"Uncle Isaac has no further need of anything,"
said Mother. "He died last night, little John."

Mother began to cry again, and there came
a lump in Johnny Blossom's throat. No, he
would not cry. Big boys ought never to cry.

" If any one goes straight into the Kingdom
of God, Uncle Isaac will," said Mother.

It was of no use; he must cry. With his head
in his mother's lap he cried hard. Mother
stroked his head gently. "Uncle Isaac wished
it so much himself, my boy. He was eager to
go to God," she whispered.

"Yes, but it is so sad."

That afternoon Johnny Blossom sat crouched
on the stone steps leading to the road. The
fishing rod lay beside him, but he did not feel
like going fishing. He sat with his elbows on
his knees and his head in his hands, thinking of

96 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Uncle Isaac. It might easily be that just now,
this minute, Uncle Isaac stood outside that
great golden gate — the gate that leads into Para-
dise— and knocked on it. To think that God can
hear a man's little knock. Why, that gate is
surely as big as — yes, as the tallest pine tree
over there, and all of gleaming gold ; and God
looks and throws the gate wide open of course,
for he sees it is Uncle Isaac. And so Uncle
Isaac goes into the Kingdom of Heaven.

If there had only been a chance to thank him
for the fishing rod! Johnny Blossom had some
thought of asking God to thank Uncle Isaac for
him, but he put it hastily aside. No, he was
sure that would not do.

Kingthorpe. Oh ! he should like less than ever
to go there now. Never, never in the world
would he enter that grand place again! Miss
Melling and Carlstrom might have it all to
themselves, for anything he cared.

CHAPTER VIII

ncle Isaac

OHNNY BLOSSOM was the only
child present among all the people
who had assembled to hear the read-
ing of Uncle Isaac's will. He had
wished that he might go home instead of roam-
ing aimlessly, as he had been doing for a long
time, about the grounds which seemed today
more solemnly quiet than ever.

Perhaps he might find Lars Berget, who
worked in the stable under Carlstrom, but who
was always pleasant and had a great deal to
tell about the different horses. Why, there
was Lars now. Johnny scarcely recognized him
in his new black clothes.

"They are asking for you, John," said Lars.
"The will is going to be read now, and we must
all be in the library together, they say, to hear
— right and proper — who shall be master of
Kingthorpe after this."

"Can't you and I go to the stable instead?"
ventured Johnny. " It will be so tiresome in the
house."

97

98 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

No. Lars was firm. Johnny must go to the
library.

Assembled there were the family and those
who were connected with the estate in any way
— the people from the Works and the wharf,
the servants of the house and from about the
place. The great room was packed so full that
it was barely possible for Johnny and Lars to
get inside the door.

John's uncle, the Admiral, stood at the end
of the table reading from big sheets of paper.
He read something about money, but Johnny
Blossom could not understand a bit of what was
meant, and found himself very uncomfortable
standing squeezed in among all these grown-up
people.

Suddenly he heard his own name. "John
Christopher Winkel Blossom," read the Ad-
miral. That was Johnny's own name exactly.
Uncle Isaac had often said that there was
no one among all the relatives who had the
whole of the old name now except Johnny
Blossom.

"It is therefore my last wish that my grand-
nephew, John Christopher Winkel Blossom,
inherit after me my estate of Kingthorpe, whole
and undivided, including the mansion and park,

UNCLE ISAACS WILL 99

the Works, the Bay Point wharves, the Holmen
sawmill" —

The Admiral read on and on.

Lars poked Johnny in the side. "Just listen
to that, boy!"

From the farther end of the hall came
the query: "Is he here? Is Johnny Blossom
here?"

"Yes, here he is," piped a shrill, boyish voice
from the doorway.

"You are to come forward," said the Admiral.
It was so still that the rustle of papers in the
Admiral's shaking hand could be heard through-
out the immense room. Johnny Blossom
squeezed himself through the throng.

Every one looked at him as he stood beside
the Admiral — such a little boy, with comical,
freckled nose and smooth, brown hair. He
looked up at his big, stalwart uncle who was
reading about him, Johnny Blossom!

" I believe that this boy has the qualities that
will enable him to meet rightly the serious
responsibilities imposed by a large property and
great wealth. His character is sound through
and through, and he seems to have been en-
dowed in his cradle with a fine understanding
of the needs and sufferings of his fellowmen.

ioo JOHNNY BLOSSOM

If this grows, he will understand, when he him-
self has become a man, why Uncle Isaac of
Kingthorpe chose him of all others to carry
forward the family traditions in this prominent
station of life. God be with you, Johnny
Blossom!"

The stillness of the crowded room had grown
more impressive. "Do you understand?" asked
the Admiral.

"No," answered Johnny frankly, looking up
at his uncle and shaking his head energetically.

"Uncle Isaac has made you his chief heir.
You are the owner of Kingthorpe, my boy."

Johnny Blossom took instant alarm. Should
he be obliged to live at Kingthorpe in these big,
solemn rooms?

"No," said he hastily — and his clear young
voice, though emphatic, had a note of childish
fear — "no, I don't want to, Uncle; I don't
want to stay here now that Uncle Isaac is
dead" —

"How old are you?" broke in the Admiral.

"Eleven years old in four months and" — he
began to reckon exactly how many days over
there were before he should be eleven years old,
but he did not have time because the Admiral
lifted him suddenly and stood him on the table.

UNCLE ISAACS WILL 101

Right up on the top of the handsome library
table!

"Here he is, friends," said the Admiral, "for
any of you to see who have not known him before,
though I think you all do know him well."

A subdued murmur of assent ran through
the room. Yes, indeed. Of course they all knew
Johnny Blossom.

"And we must hope," continued the Admiral,
"that this boy will fulfil all the expectations
that are centered in him" —

Johnny Blossom thought that the room had
become stiller than ever. A strange, wonderful
feeling swept over him. There was something
serious, something that he alone was to be
responsible for, something expected of him that
no one, no other person, could help him with.

"And with honor to his family fill that re-
sponsible position in life which great wealth
will oblige him to occupy."

"We hope, too," went on the Admiral, "that
he may have inherited also that noble spirit
which was so marked a characteristic of our dear
Uncle Isaac."

There was again a moment of utter silence,
through which broke suddenly Johnny Blossom's
clear little voice:

102 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"I can never be as kind as Uncle Isaac!"

A smile went round, but Mother was crying
and Father, with arms folded, was looking up
earnestly at Johnny. From amidst the group
of workmen, old Rolfsen, foreman at the wharf,
elbowed his way to the table.

"Well," said he, pausing after each word of
his speech, as was his custom, "well, the old
gentleman was a good man, as we all know — we
who worked for him. He was always good to
us, never .anything but good. But now there
is only this to say: we wish to bid this boy wel-
come. We know him, and it will surprise me if
he does not prove the same sort as the old gentle-
man. And that is the reason we welcome you,
Johnny Blossom."

Old Rolfsen reached out a gnarled, rough
hand to Johnny and all the rest of the workmen
came, one by one, and shook hands with him.
It was queer, but it was pleasant, too, for he
knew them all and he smiled at them as they
greeted him. Lars Berget gripped his hand so
hard that it really hurt. And just think! Even
Carlstrom came and made a beautiful bow
(My! how stiff his moustache ends were today!),
and to crown all, Miss Melling pressed forward
and actually courtesied ! At this Johnny Blossom

UNCLE ISAACS WILL 103

was so astounded that he had to look over at
his mother.

Later, when the working people had gone,
there was a tremendous amount of solemn talk
between Father and the Admiral and the other
uncles. Johnny Blossom did not understand a
bit of it, but stood beside his mother, who was
still crying a little, though Johnny could not
see that what they talked of now was anything
to cry over.

When his parents were finally ready to go,
Johnny Blossom thought they would walk home
as usual, but, true as you live, Carlstrom was
waiting with the handsome black horses and
the landau with the damask cushions — a much
grander equipage than the one which had
brought them to Kingthorpe. They had had the
brown horses then.

All the uncles shook hands with Johnny
very ceremoniously. People were still standing
around the steps at the entrance to the mansion
and in the park along the avenue where the
carriage would go, and Johnny Blossom could
hear them saying, "Here he comes! — the heir
of Kingthorpe!"

Again little Johnny Blossom had a feeling
that something was expected of him. So he

io4 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

stood up, put his heels together, bowed as well
as he could in the moving carriage, and said:
"Good-by! I thank you all. Good-by!"

At the far edge of a group stood Lars Berget,
who swung his hat in the air and ventured a
faint, "Hurrah!" No one joined in it, however,
for they bethought them of Uncle Isaac.

Johnny Blossom .sat down again with wonder
in his eyes. It was all so amazingly queer.
Suddenly his mother said, "You must not
think, little John, that your father and I are
altogether glad about this."

No, it had not occurred to Johnny Blossom
that it was anything to be particularly glad
about.

"May God help us to guide you aright!"
added Mother.

Every one they met as they rode along turned
around and stared at Johnny. It was very em-
barrassing, really, to be the heir of Kingthorpe.

When the carriage stopped at the garden gate
at home, Carlstrom asked whether the young
gentleman would not like to ride on the new
saddle horse. He could guarantee that it was
safe. Now indeed was Johnny Blossom alto-
gether dumbfounded. What had got into Carl-
strom today? He was usually so cross.

UNCLE ISAACS WILL 105

"We will consider that later," said Father.

Why was it necessary to consider such an
absolutely certain thing? Of course he wished
to ride. It could easily happen that Carlstrom
would be as cross as usual after today and never
offer the horse again. He knew Carlstrom!
But Father had a very sober face, and when he
looked like that there was no use saying anything.
So Johnny Blossom darted into the house and
raced around to find Asta and the maids, to
tell them the remarkable happenings of the
afternoon.

There they were, all of them, down in the
syringa arbor — Olea the cook, Lisa the nurse-
maid, Asta, Andrea, and Dagny.

"Now you shall hear!" shouted Johnny,
dashing into the arbor. "Just think! I was put
up on the library table, and all the people came
and shook hands with me; old Rolfsen began it,
and he made a kind of speech for me ; and Lars
Berget wanted to shout * Hurrah!' when we
drove out. And if all this isn't true, you may
chop my head off." Johnny Blossom's eyes
shone. He was tremendously in earnest.

Olea the cook knitted slowly and thoughtfully.

"It would be just like you to stand on the
table," she said dryly. "And if the people had

106 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

any bringing up, of course they shook hands
with you as with everybody else."

"No. Nobody stood on the table but me,"
said Johnny Blossom. "And they didn't shake
hands with any one else either; and that is as
true — as true" —

"Humph! It's very likely that they paid
their respects to such a great man as you!"
said Olea.

"My uncle the Admiral made a speech about
me, too," continued Johnny Blossom.

"The boy is crazy," said Olea, knitting on in
unbroken calm.

"What did Uncle say?" asked Asta.

"He said — he said — that I must fill the
station with honor; I didn't understand exactly
what that meant, but he said it because I am to
have Kingthorpe. But I will not live there;
they may all be sure of that."

"He is crazy as a loon!" said Olea. But Lisa
the nursemaid was more interested.

"You are to have Kingthorpe, did you say?"

"Yes, my uncle the Admiral said so; he
read it from a great big paper — he read out
my whole name. JOHN CHRISTOPHER WINKEL
BLOSSOM, he read; and that is as true — as
true" —

UNCLE ISAACS WILL 107

" For the land's sake ! " said Lisa, laying John's
trousers, which she was patching, down in her
lap.

"Well, if that isn't the greatest I ever heard
in all my days," said Olea. "However, I don't
believe it. It is just some of your tomfoolery,
John, you rascal."

"Here comes Mother and you shall hear for
yourself," shouted John. "Didn't I stand on
the table, Mother? And shan't I have King-
thorpe, Mother?" Mother assented soberly.

"Yes, my boy."

John looked triumphantly at Lisa and Olea.

"Now you see what silly nincompoops you
are — never believing a single thing I tell you."

"John dear," said Mother, "you are not to
use such expressions."

Well, Lisa and Olea were really very contrary
both of them. What would they say if they knew
how every one had been calling him the heir of
Kingthorpe? On the whole it was rather pleas-
ant to be called that, although somewhat em-
barrassing. He would not speak of it to Olea
and Lisa after all — not yet, anyway. They
were both staring at him in open-mouthed
wonder.

CHAPTER IX

One D ax
ir\ Vacation,

H, how pleasant it was to lie in bed like
this in the morning now that it was
vacation ! Not to have Lisa the nurse-
maid popping her head in at the door and
saying, "John, it is time to get up. You
must hurry, too." That was what she always
said.

Just to lie here and think!

How people did pry and talk about all that
Kingthorpe heir business! They seemed to
think it something remarkable. The minute
he showed himself in the street, people called
to him and asked him if he wasn't awfully
glad.

What a crazy idea! Glad, when it had all
come about only because Uncle Isaac was dead
— dear, good, kind Uncle Isaac! Every time
Johnny Blossom thought of him a lump came
in his throat. Then he would whistle to try to
get the lump away, but whistling did not help

108

ONE DAY IN VACATION 109

greatly, for he was very sorry and missed Uncle
Isaac so much. No, glad about it he could never
be, never in the world.

Oh, pshaw! It was raining. Johnny Blossom
turned a scowling face toward the window.
Just what one might expect — to have it rain
the very first day of vacation! It always did,
always. Funny kind of rain, anyhow — coming
down in a regular slant. Perfectly horrid. He
had planned to do so much today — be "boat-
man, " for instance.

If it would only rain enough so that the whole
world would be covered with water, there might
be some fun in it. If people had to go in boats,
and nobody could walk anywhere, but every
one had to swim, that would be jolly!

Well, he would not get up yet anyway, since
it was raining so hard. He would lie there and
sing all the school songs. So he began singing
at the top of his voice, "Yes, we love our
grand old Norway" That went splendidly.
Then he started another, but that tune ran up
rather too high for his voice.

Mother appeared in the doorway.

"Come, John, don't lie there and screech in
that fashion."

"Don't you like my singing, Mother?"

i io JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Not that, it was horrible; and people can
hear you away down the road."

It seemed rather pleasant to John, that his
singing should be heard so far.

"Get up now," said Mother.

Happening to see his new paint-box with its
enticing cakes of paint of all colors, Johnny
Blossom in his night gown and bare feet was
soon wholly absorbed in mixing paint.

There was Mother at the door again.

"Why, John! Are you standing there in your
night gown painting?"

"Just see this beautiful color I have made,
Mother," exclaimed John, exhibiting a muddy
yellow mixture as the result of his efforts.
Mother did not seem much impressed with the
new yellow color.

"Wash yourself thoroughly," she said. Oh,
yes ! That was what Mother always said. John
showed her two red ears he had scrubbed, but
she wasn't satisfied. Oh, dear! How many
bothersome crinkles and crannies there were
in an ear, anyway!

After breakfast Johnny Blossom determined
that he must walk twenty-four times back and
forth on the veranda railing, the railing repre-
senting a rope stretched over Niagara Falls.

ONE DAY IN VACATION in

Johnny walked with greatest care, his arms
outstretched and his tongue in his cheek, to
help him keep his balance.

"Oh, John! My boy!" called Mother from
the dining-room window.

" I'm — crossing — Niagara Falls — on — a
— tight-rope," said Johnny.

He scarcely dared to speak, so very risky was
the walking ; but when he could take hold of one
of the veranda posts, he called :

"Now I have got across Niagara Falls, and
all the people are shouting 'Hurrah!"

"Indeed," said Mother.

But my, oh, my! There was the sun. Johnny
Blossom shouted "Asta" everywhere through
the house, for now there was a chance for them
to realize a certain plan that he had made.
Since he could not carry it out alone, he would
make use of Asta, even if she were only a girl,
poor thing!

At last he found her, in a big rocking chair,
reading some stupid girls' book. They rushed
over to Jensen's Wharf, for that was where
Jeremias the wood-cutter kept his boat, and
they had a standing permission to use it when-
ever they wished.

The steamer would arrive very soon — the

H2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

one that did not come in to the wharf and whose
passengers, therefore, had to be rowed ashore if
they wished to land here. Johnny and Asta
thought it would be great fun to row out and
call up to the ship that if any one wished to go
ashore, here were the boatmen for them, boat-
men who were good for something, too.

There lay the steamer already. They rowed
their best, but saw that a big boat carrying
passengers ashore had already started. Pshaw!
Too bad they had come so late! However,
Johnny Blossom rowed swiftly and carefully
alongside the steamer.

"Is there any one who wishes to land?" he
shouted up toward the deck, in as manly a tone
as he could assume.

Yes, there was an elderly gentleman with
glasses who had not gone with the other boat.

"Can you row?" asked the gentleman with
the glasses.

"You may be sure we can," answered Johnny
Blossom, with a very superior air.

So the gentleman got into Jeremias's boat
and Johnny and Asta turned it toward the wharf.
Asta was always inclined to put her oars too
deep in the water, and when she tried to take
them out, she had to get up off her seat almost

ONE DAY IN VACATION 113

every time. Johnny threw condemnatory
glances at her. She was likely to ruin everything,
doing no better than that, after he had assured
the gentleman that they could row.

The boat scraped against the wharf.

"How much for my passage?" asked the
gentleman.

"Do you think five cents is too dear?" asked
Johnny in a businesslike manner.

No, the stranger thought not.

"I declare if there isn't the Kingthorpe heir
himself, hiring out as boatman!" came a voice
from the wharf.

Pshaw! Ola Ramm was hanging over the
railing watching them.

"Kingthorpe heir?" asked the gentleman.
"What does he mean by that?"

"It is what they call me," replied Johnny,
rather soberly.

Asta led the way at once to the candy
shop.

"Perhaps we ought not to have taken any
money," said Johnny.

"I should like to know!" exclaimed Asta.
"As heavy as he was to row!"

The raspberry drops were very good. Why
not be boatmen all summer long?

114 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

A few moments later Johnny remarked,
"The goat ought really to go to Grassy Island
today."

" Really, it ought," agreed Asta.

"We'll bring it right down to the boat now,"
said John. And the goat that had lived all
summer in the yard back of the barn was forth-
with untied and taken out the back way down
to Jensen's Wharf.

It was the cunningest goat you ever saw,
lively but good, and so pretty — light gray,
with a little beard. Mother had bought it early
in the spring. On Sundays it had a blue ribbon
around its neck, and other days a red worsted
collar with a white button. It was a great
pet.

John had lately decided that there was too
little grass for it back of the barn and that the
goat must go every day over to Grassy Island
for a good meal.

There was no trouble in getting the goat down
to the wharf, for it would follow John wherever
he went. To get it into the boat was another
matter, but that was accomplished at last, and
they started out over the water. John rowed
and Asta was to hold the goat; but suddenly it
got contrary. It kicked out in spiteful fashion,

ONE DAY IN VACATION

ONE DAY IN VACATION 115

put its head right against Asta's stomach, and
was altogether unruly.

"Hold it still, why don't you?" shouted
John. Asta struggled and strove, but without
success.

"Oh, how stupid you are!" exclaimed her
brother.

Evidently he would have to attend to the goat
if it was to be made to behave. With this
thought, Johnny Blossom laid his oars down
and scrambled over the thwart. Now indeed
was there a great to-do! The goat kicked and
the boat rocked and tipped in a frightful manner.
Johnny Blossom strove his best to get control,
but the goat's legs went like drumsticks. The
boat took in water at a great rate as it rocked
violently from side to side.

" You'll go into the water, youngsters!"
shouted some one from the shore. It was Pilot
Stiansen.

Indeed, they wouldn't go into the water!
Oh, the horrid little goat!

"You row," shouted Johnny to Asta, "and
I'll hold it."

While Asta was changing her place in the boat,
the goat kicked its liveliest, and the boat tipped
so far over that it seemed as if it must capsize

ii6 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

the next instant. Before they knew it, Pilot
Stiansen was right beside them in his big fishing
boat.

"You wild youngsters! If ever I saw your
equal!" he grumbled behind his red-brown
beard. "Sit still, I tell you!"

Pilot Stiansen produced a piece of rope and,
reaching over, tied the goat's legs together,
then took the children's boat in tow and towards
shore they went. The idea of their being towed !
What a way to be treated! They would have
got along beautifully if that meddlesome old
pilot hadn't come and spoiled all their pleasure.
Perhaps he would tattle about it, too.

"Go home now, like good children," said
Pilot Stiansen, as he untied the goat's legs.
"And don't do anything like this again."

"Pooh! He thought we would drown," said
Asta. "Silly!"

Johnny Blossom also was indignant over the
pilot's interference with their fine plan for
feeding the goat. But it wasn't the stupidest
thing in the world to tie the goat's legs together.
In the afternoon they would do that, and Pilot
Stiansen needn't trouble himself any more over
their affairs.

Johnny Blossom hastened to get Mother's

ONE DAY IN VACATION 117

sharpest scissors — the big shiny ones — for
he intended to cut some long strips of stout
cloth to tie the goat's legs with. Johnny cut
and cut. Suddenly the big blades slipped,
caught Johnny's little finger, and before he knew
it, had cut the tip of it clean off! It hurt awfully
— oh, well — not so terribly after all ; but my,
oh, my! how it bled! Johnny Blossom bound
his not over-clean handkerchief around it, but
still the blood came. Now it was all over his
trousers. Perhaps he had better hide until it
stopped.

"Mother! Mother!" shrieked As ta. "Here's
a piece of a finger, with your big shears, lying
on the attic stairs!"

"It is John's," said Mother instantly and with
the utmost certainty.

The doctor was sent for, the finger-end sewed
on, and the hand bandaged.

" There aren't many persons with a sewed-on
finger tip, are there, mother?" asked John,
with some pride.

"No, fortunately not," replied Mother.

In the evening who should come to visit
Father but the elderly, spectacled gentleman
they had rowed to shore in the morning!

n8 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Why, here are my small boatmen!" said
the gentleman.

"Boatmen?" repeated Father, astonished.

"Yes. They rowed me ashore from the
steamer."

"Now, how pleasant that was, that they
could be of service to you," said Father.

What would Father think if he knew that
they had taken money for rowing a person
ashore? Oh, dear! That had been wrong then.
Johnny Blossom sat doubled together, scowling
fiercely, as was his habit when he was worried
about anything. That miserable five cents —
why had they taken it ?

At night Johnny lay wide awake, waiting
for his mother's good-night visit.

"Aren't you sleepy, John?"

"No, I've got something I must tell you."

"What is it, little John?"

"We took five cents from that gentleman for
rowing him ashore."

" Why, John, my boy ! Did you ? "

"Yes, but I asked him if he thought that
was dear."

"But Father would not like your doing this,
John."

"No, that's why I told you," said John.

ONE DAY IN VACATION 119

"Have you said your prayers?"

"No, I was just thinking about that," replied
John. " I was thinking that perhaps I had better
say, 'Now I lay me' and 'Our Father* both
tonight, on account of the ringer tip and the five
cents and everything else today, Mother." And
John looked inquiringly up at his mother to
see whether she approved.

"Yes," said Mother. So Johnny Blossom
said his prayers with his eyes tightly squeezed
together, and fell asleep immediately after.

"And there are several weeks more of vaca-
tion," sighed Mother.

x Tellers Grarvdmother

"^\ EALLY, no pleasanter place was to be

"vf found than down at Sandy Point, where
11 \^x Tellef lived. The shabby gray hut
stood among locust and wild cherry trees on a
small green plot, and if you went up on the knoll
back of the house you could get a wide view of
the glorious open sea.

Tellef and Johnny Blossom had been friends
ever since that time long ago when they had had
a fight and he had broken Tellef s fishpole, and
then had given him the two half-dollars he had
got from Uncle Isaac. Never since had they
been anything but the best of friends.

Another thing that was pleasant about going
to TellePs was that no one there talked to him
about being heir of Kingthorpe and all that.
He was sick of that subject now.

120

TELLEF'S GRANDMOTHER 121

And yet there was something sad, too, at
Tellefs house, for Tellef s grandmother was
blind. Just think! When she went out of doors
she had to keep her hand on the house and walk
that way, going round and round it; and that
looked so queer. Sometimes she would sit
right down on the grass and cry because she
could not see ; and somehow it seemed especially
sad that she should cry with those sightless
eyes.

"Aren't you glad that you can see?" said
Grandmother to the boys one day. "Don't
you thank God every day for your good eyes?"

No, Johnny Blossom had never thought of
such a thing. He shut his eyes tight so as to
know how it would seem to be blind. Oh, dear,
it must be dreadful ! Think of everything being
dark — always, always dark !

One day he and Tellef took the grandmother
up on the knoll. She longed to feel the salt
wind blowing directly from the water, she said.
So there she stood, with her gray hair tossing
about her wistful old face, and with her sightless
eyes turned toward the sea.

"It was very kind of you boys to bring me up
here/' said Grandmother. "Oh, if I could only
see the water! Is it smooth and bright?"

122 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Yes, it is like a mirror, Grandmother,"
answered Tellef.

"Are there many ships in sight?"

"Yes, there goes a steamer to the east, and a
beautiful boat lies right near here, and far out
there is sail after sail."

"Far out?" asked Grandmother.

"Yes, far out against the sky."

"Far out against the sky," repeated Grand-
mother, staring with her sightless eyes. Then
she sat down to rest, with her hands folded under
her apron and her face still turned seaward,
while Tellef and Johnny Blossom played about
in the heather.

"It must be dreadful to be blind," said Johnny
to Tellef.

"Yes," said Tellef, tearing up bits of heather
and tossing them away. "It is cataracts Grand-
mother has in her eyes."

"Is it?" said Johnny.

When they joined Grandmother again, she
said: "It would be almost too much to ask of
any one, but if the master of Kingthorpe were
alive, I do believe I should have the courage to
ask him for money enough to go and have my
eyes operated upon, so that if possible I might
see the ocean again."

TELLEF'S GRANDMOTHER 123

Then they took Grandmother carefully down
the hill, one boy on each side of her.

"Now that was kind of you," said Grand-
mother as she sat once more on the slope in
front of the house.

Johnny Blossom dashed homeward over the
hill, bounding his swiftest so as to get home
soon, for he had thought of something he was
eager to carry out. If the master of Kingthorpe
were alive Grandmother would ask him for
money, she had said. Well, but really — he,
Johnny Blossom, was master of Kingthorpe
now, so he must, of course, attend to it. And
he knew how he could do it. He would sell the
fishing rod Uncle Isaac had given him — it
cost an awful lot of money, Miss Melling had
said — and Grandmother should have all he
got for it. And his collection of coins — he
would sell that, too. It ought to bring a lot of
money — those old two-shilling pieces were so
curious ; and there was the English coin — my !
that was worth ever so much ! — and the queer
old medal.

Wasn't there something else he could sell so
that Grandmother should see the ocean and
everything again ? Oh, of course — all those
books about Indians; they must be worth a

124 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

good deal and he had at least twelve of them.
And his collection of eggs! Why, yes! They
were perfectly beautiful eggs, and rare, many of
them. To be sure almost every one was broken
a little on one side. That didn't matter a bit
when they were placed nicely in a box, but
perhaps people who bought eggs would rather
have them whole. Well, the fishing rod was
valuable, anyway.

Johnny Blossom was as red as a peony from
his swift running when he dashed in upon his
mother.

"Mother dear, can't you sell that fishing rod
for me that I got from Uncle Isaac?"

"Sell your fishing rod? Indeed, you must
not think of such a thing."

"Oh, yes, I must. I must. And my coin
collection — awfully rare, some of the coins
are, really; and my egg collection, too — there
are three perfectly whole eggs in it, at the very
least, and" —

"But why in the world should you sell all
these things?"

"Oh, so that — so that — I tell you what,
Mother, it is dreadful to be blind."

Mother stared in blank amazement.

"And Tellefs grandmother says that if the

TELLERS GRANDMOTHER 125

master of Kingthorpe were alive, she would ask
him for money to go and have her eyes operated
on. It costs frightfully, you see, Mother, and I
have to be the master of Kingthorpe now; so
I want to give Tellef's grandmother the money.
I must do it because Uncle Isaac would, and I
am the Kingthorpe heir."

Johnny Blossom talked so fast that his words
tumbled over each other. "Oh, I must," he
continued, "for Grandmother said it would be
heavenly to see the ocean once more."

Mother patted Johnny's hand. "We'll think
about it, little John, and talk it over with
Father."

But Johnny went to work at once to take the
fishing rod apart, and then wrapped it very
carefully in old newspapers. Great sport it
would have been to have this fine rod to fish with
— it was such a beauty — but think of not being
able to see, just to walk around a house holding
on to the walls ! My, oh, my ! how frightfully
sad that was!

" I hear that you wish to sell your fishing rod
so as to get money for Tellef s grandmother,"
said Father at the dinner table. "Very well,
John. I will buy it and you shall run over to
Sandy Point with the money this afternoon."

126 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Johnny grew crimson with pleasure. "Oh,
thank you, thank you!"

"You may bring me the fishing rod," said
Father.

"It's all packed," answered Johnny.

Then Father gave Johnny a sealed envelope.

"Take great care of this — there is a good deal
of money in it — and run down to Tellef s grand-
mother with it at once. Say that it conies from
Kingthorpe."

So Johnny Blossom dashed over the hill
again. This was something worth hurrying
for. When he came to Sandy Point, he
saw the grandmother walking alone around
the outside of the house, feeling her way as
usual.

"Good day," said Johnny Blossom, bowing
low. "Please take this" — and he put the
envelope into her hand.

"What is it?" asked Grandmother.

"It's money so that you can be made to see
again," answered Johnny, earnestly.

"What are you talking about, boy?"

"I thought it was so awfully sad that you
couldn't see — not the trees, nor the flowers,
nor the ocean, nor anything — and so — and so
— Father said that I must tell you that this

TELLEFS GRANDMOTHER 127

envelope came from Kingthorpe; but open it,
open it!"

Johnny Blossom was so excited that he kept
hopping around. Grandmother sat herself right
down on the ground.

"It's more than I can bear," she said. "I'm
all weak and trembly in my knees. God bless
you, boy, what is it you say? Shall I see once
more? Oh, God's mercy is great!"

Johnny kept on hopping. "Yes, you'll see
everything, everything!"

" I hear they call you the heir of Kingthorpe,"
said Grandmother, " and I believe you are going
to be just like the old master."

By this time TellePs mother and Tellef and
his sisters had joined them; the envelope was
opened and several bills fell out.

"Did you ever in your life!" exclaimed
Tellef s mother. "Here's two hundred dollars,
Grandmother."

My, oh my! All that money for a fishing
rod, thought Johnny, still dancing gleefully
around Grandmother. But all at once Grand-
mother started up eagerly and began to talk
fast:

"I must go right away. Come and help me.
I have no time to lose. I have not seen the ocean

128 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

for twelve years. I must go right away. Oh,
to think that the good God has remembered
me, poor old body that I am!"

"You must thank Johnny Blossom, Grand-
mother," said TellePs mother.

"I'm fairly out of my wits with joy," replied
Grandmother.

That night when Mother came into Johnny's
room to say good night, she found him wide
awake. His eyes were big and earnest as he
whispered, "Oh, Mother, it is wonderful to be
heir of Kingthorpe." And Johnny Blossom
that night, for the first time in his life, prayed a
prayer that he made himself, instead of repeating
the Lord's Prayer. He said:

"Thank you, God, for all the money for the
fishing rod. Let Tellefs grandmother be made
to see everything again. And thank you be-
cause I am heir of Kingthorpe. In Jesus' name.
Amen."

Tellefs grandmother went away and stayed
a long time. Johnny Blossom had almost for-
gotten the whole matter when Tellef said to him
one day, "Grandmother is coming home to-
morrow, and she can see!" So the next day
Johnny Blossom and Tellef's mother and sisters

, TELLERS GRANDMOTHER 129

with Tellef went to the wharf to meet Grand-
mother, who was coming by boat.

Up the gangplank she walked, entirely alone,
and looking around with a radiantly happy
face.

"You must speak to Johnny Blossom too,
Grandmother," said Tellef's mother. Johnny
came forward, bowed low, and reached out to
Grandmother a little sunburned hand.

"I thank you, sir," said Grandmother. "I
thank you, sir."

Many persons were standing around, all
looking at Grandmother and Johnny Blossom.

"It is this little gentleman who has given me
my eyes again, friends. What a blessed miracle
it is that I can see!"

Everybody looked at Johnny Blossom. Aw-
fully embarrassing to have them stare so ! But
later Johnny sat on the top of the hill and
sang, " Yes we love our grand old Norway," with
the greatest enthusiasm, he was so overflowing
with joy.

CHAPTER fgLJbg • The Pet
XI I Horse

OW impossible Father was to under-
stand! Why couldn't he decide about
Ji the little horse that Carlstrom had said
"the young gentleman" might ride? Johnny
Blossom had been out to the Kingthorpe stables
a number of times to see the horse. My, oh, my !
but it was a beauty ! It was small and trim, dun-
colored, with black mane; and oh, how swiftly
and gracefully it could run on those slender
legs! No, Father could have no idea how re-
markable it was that Carlstrom had offered
to let him ride — and such a horse as that !

However, one morning in the first week of
vacation, Father said : '" You may begin to ride
now, John. I had a talk with Carlstrom
yesterday."

"Thank you, Father."

" I do not need to say that you must be kind
to the horse and do exactly as Carlstrom says."

"Of course. I'm going now." And Johnny
130

THE PET HORSE 131

Blossom ran at topmost speed, so as not to lose
a second's time in getting out to the little yellow
horse.

Carlstrom was extraordinarily kind.

" We could have sent the horse in to the young
gentleman," he said, with extreme politeness.

"Let the horse go away into town just for
me!" said Johnny, amazed. "Oh, no. It is
better that I should run out here. I ran like
the wind."

Oh, what joy it was to ride ! It was like having
wings and flying through the air! Carlstrom
showed him just how to hold the reins and to sit
on the horse; and the little horse trotted and
John rose in the saddle, and his face shone.

"Thank you very much." He bowed low to
Carlstrom when at last he must go home.

After this, the moment he had swallowed his
breakfast, off he would run to Kingthorpe ; come
home at noon, eat his dinner, and run straight
out there again.

Father said it was best he should not ride in
the town, but only out near Kingthorpe. Natu-
rally, however, it was not long before the boys
knew that Johnny Blossom, every single day,
trotted around Kingthorpe on a beautiful horse ;
and of course the boys flocked out to King-

132 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

thorpe. They sat by the big pine tree and waited
until Johnny Blossom came riding along. It
was great fun for him when they thronged around
him, exclaiming over everything, while he sat
erect in the saddle, whip in hand.

Even the great big boys of the Fourth Class
came. Otto Holm himself, who wore a stiff
hat and carried a cane, sat and waited to see
him, little Johnny Blossom! By and by it
came about that they asked if they might not
ride, just a little way — Otto Holm and Peter
Prytz and Gunnar Olsen, and it was too em-
barrassing to say no to such great big fellows.

"If you want to play ball with us in the
afternoons, you may," said Otto.

Indeed Johnny Blossom wanted to! He
had hung over the fence day after day, looking
at the big boys, who played in their shirt sleeves
and without caps, and looked so manly. And
these boys were asking him to play with them!
Of course they must ride, they were so very
friendly to him. It made him feel quite grand,
too, to be the one to decide whether they should
ride or not.

"It isn't worth while for you to say anything
at home about our riding," said Otto. Oh, no!
Johnny wouldn't say anything.

THE PET HORSE 133

Day after day he found the group of big boys
waiting for him. They did not embarrass him
now by asking for rides, but took his permission
so for granted that he himself had scarcely any
chance to ride. However, it was interesting,
because it was his horse, after all, and they kept
appealing to him.

"Isn't it my turn now, Johnny Blossom?"

"He's mean, he is. It's mine!"

"Are you crazy? He rode only yesterday,
John."

"Oh, John! Tell him to get off and let me
ride!"

"Don't you do it! It's really my turn."

My, oh, my ! How exciting it was !

Bob — that was the horse's name — knew
Johnny whenever he went into the stable ; there
was no doubt about that, for the little horse
would turn around in his stall and whinny at
the sound of the boy's step or voice. Of course
Johnny always had sugar for him and brushed
his pretty coat for him every day — dear, cun-
ning little Bob!

One day Otto Holm proposed that they should
see who could ride most quickly over a certain
distance. Otto, who of course had a watch,
should manage the starting; and Peter Prytz

134 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

should be timekeeper at the turning point; and
the time was to be kept strictly, even to the
seconds, exactly as in real races. They all
thought Otto's idea a fine one, but again they
said to Johnny, "Now don't go and tattle
about this at home, for then all the fun would
be over."

Oh, no, Johnny would tell nothing. Great
sport this race was going to be for him, because
of course he would ride the swiftest of all, being
the most accustomed to riding. The boys de-
voted several days to practising for the great
race w,hich was to come off on Saturday.

The weather that day was damp and close,
and the roads were very muddy because it had
rained hard through the night; but all the
boys were assembled at the big pine tree when
Johnny Blossom rode up. They cast lots to
determine the order in which they should ride.
Otto had a notebook and pencil and wrote the
names. Johnny Blossom's, to his disgust, came
last of all.

Otto rode first. He snapped the whip and
galloped off, making the mud fly in every direc-
tion. There was much disputing among the
waiting boys as to whether he started at three or
four seconds after eleven.

THE PET HORSE 135

Why! There he was back again. "Six
minutes and eight seconds going," he shouted,
"and eight minutes and one second coming
back!"

The others went each in turn, all making fine
speed. Johnny Blossom gave Bob two lumps of
sugar after every trip.

Finally, it was Johnny's turn. "You are
really too little to ride properly," said Otto.
"We'll allow you double time."

Too little! Were they crazy? Indeed he
wouldn't have double time. He would ride
better than any of them, he would. Who was
it owned the horse? He would show them who
could ride best; and he struck Bob sharply.
"Away with you, Bob! Faster! Faster!"

But Bob was so queer today. And he breathed
so strangely. He had been breathing something
like that these last few days, but today it was
worse, and he didn't hurry even when Johnny
struck him again with the whip. Finally he
almost stopped, and breathed more queerly than
ever.

Oh, dear! Johnny was in despair. The boys
had all been much quicker than he, and they
would just say that he was too little and must
be allowed double time.

136 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Hurry up, Bob, I tell you!"

At last he reached the turning point. Peter
Prytz, who kept the time there, laughed up-
roariously.

"That was awfully well done, Johnny Blos-
som! Only twelve minutes."

What a shame, what a shame that he should
be the poorest rider of all! On the way back
he whipped Bob so that the horse finally ran,
purring, coughing, and stumbling along.

All the boys laughed and shouted hurrah
when Johnny got back to the starting point.
How disgusting it was to have people make
fun of you !

" Bob breathed so," said Johnny Blossom.

"Is it anything to worry about when a
horse breathes?" scoffed Gunnar Olsen. "He
breathed like a bellows when I rode, but yet I
took only eight minutes and four seconds."

" Six seconds, you mean," said Otto.

"No, four, exactly."

"It was six."

"It was four."

There they stood with their angry faces
close together as they quarreled over the two
seconds. It seemed as if the dispute might end
in blows.

THE PET HORSE 137

"It's pretty bad, the way you've ridden to-
day," said Lars Berget soberly, when Johnny
Blossom came into the stable with Bob. "He
is all used up, poor Bobby!"

"He breathes so queerly," said Johnny
Blossom.

"If you only haven't broken his wind, boy.
Pretty risky — to ride him the way you have
these last days."

Oh, dear! How dreadful! At home no one
knew a thing about anything, and here he had
behaved like this and perhaps hurt Bob. To
"break a horse's wind" was dangerous he knew,
because he had heard about one of the livery
stable horses that had to be shot on account of
being "broken-winded." But Bob! It was im-
possible that it should go that way with Bob!
Oh, it couldn't!

"Why, John dear, aren't you eating any-
thing?" asked Mother that noon.

Oh, he had had enough — plenty.

"It seems to me you are very pale," pursued
Mother. "Are you sure you are not sick?"

Pooh ! Far from it. He wasn't the least bit pale.

Oh, they didn't know anything about the
trouble with Bob, and he didn't dare to say a
word about the racing or anything.

138 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

As soon as they left the table, back he ran to
Kingthorpe. When he went into the stable
Carlstrom was standing looking at Bob.

" It's a dark outlook here for the young gentle-
man," said Carlstrom. "The horse's wind is
broken."

Johnny Blossom sat down upon a box, with his
hands thrust deep in his pockets, and stared at
Bob; but not a word passed his lips.

"The best thing to do is to shoot him at
once," continued Carlstrom.

Away darted Johnny Blossom without a word.
Out of the stable, across the grounds, and up to
an outlying field he ran as if for dear life. In a
far corner of the field he threw himself down,
and burying his face in the grass cried bitterly,
and so hard that his whole body shook with his
sobbing.

Oh, Bob, Bob ! And he, who was heir of King-
thorpe, had abused the little horse! What would
Uncle Isaac say if he knew? And now he could
never ride horseback any more ! Oh — oh — oh !
He must go home and tell Mother. It was
dreadful to do it, but he must, he must.

When he passed Kingthorpe, he took care
not to glance in that direction; it would be too
sad to see the stable and all that. He had a lump

THE PET HORSE 139

in his throat the whole way and was in utter
misery, but he kept on running doggedly. When
some boys called to him he only ran the faster,
without looking back.

Mother sat alone on the veranda. How good
that she was alone ! John sat down on the steps,
all doubled together, and said not a word.

"Well, John/' said Mother, "is anything the
matter?"

"Yes, there is something — something per-
fectly dreadful, Mother, but I've got to tell you
about it."

"Yes, that is best, little John."

"But it is a -terrible thing. Carlstrom says
that I've ruined Bob riding him so hard and that
Bob must be" —

Johnny could say no more, but threw himself
flat on the floor and cried. By degrees Mother
got him to tell about the big boys, who wanted
to ride, about the racing and everything.

"It was really shameful of those great big
boys," said Mother.

"Yes, but Father said I was to be kind to Bob,
and careful of him — and I haven't been,"
sobbed Johnny. "And besides, I am the heir
of Kingthorpe, you know, Mother."

Johnny's face was swollen with crying, and

JOHNNY BLOSSOM

the tears had made streaks down his dirty
cheeks.

"Of course you should have spoken to Father
and Mother about it."

"Yes."

Mother put him down on the sofa and washed
his hot, tear-stained face. Some time after he
exclaimed, "Mother."

"Yes, little John?"

"Do you think Uncle Isaac up in heaven is
sorry he made me heir of Kingthorpe, because
of this with Bob?"

"No, I do not believe he is."

"Are you sure of it?" Johnny's blue eyes
gazed earnestly at his mother.

"Yes. Perfectly sure."

There was something else he wished to ask,
but he scarcely liked to — perhaps it was
silly. Well, he could ask Mother about it,
though he wouldn't ask any one else in the
whole world.

"Mother dear, don't you think that Bob will
surely go to heaven when he dies?"

CHAPTER XII
The Umbrella Advervture

OHNNY BLOSSOM was entirely at a loss.
Here it was the best part of the vacation and
not a bit of fun going on. It rained nearly
every day — such disgustingly long showers
that if they did ever hold up, it was too sopping
wet in the grass and everywhere to do anything.
Besides the wind blew very hard, but that was
rather pleasant, there was so much you could
do when there was a good wind — fly kites, for
instance.

But though kites were great fun, there was
something else Tellef and he had thought of.

142 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

They had not done it yet, but they had often
talked about it; and their plan was that some
day, when there was a good brisk wind, they
should take that enormous, old-fashioned um-
brella Tellefs grandmother had, and use it for
a sail! It would work beautifully.

They were not allowed to sail with real sails,
but with an umbrella — pooh ! nobody could
object to that, surely. He would hold the
umbrella and Tellef would steer.

It was easy enough to get possession of the
umbrella, and out at Sandy Point there was
always a boat to be had just by turning over
your hand, so to speak. Today there was ex-
actly the right kind of a breeze. Possibly it
was a little strong, but that would be only the
more fun. So Johnny Blossom took to his heels
and sped over the hill to Tellef.

The umbrella and the boat were soon procured
and the boys started out. First they rowed in
very proper fashion past the Tongue — a rather
high point of land; but when they were well
hidden by this point, they pulled in the oars and
put up the umbrella in a flash.

Pshaw! What a beastly wind! He could
scarcely hold the umbrella, and as for Tellefs
steering, it was downright stupid. Oh, oh!

THE UMBRELLA ADVENTURE 143

Was the boat going to upset? It was a lively
time. The boat flew like an arrow, the waves
were high, the wind — really he could not hold
the umbrella much longer. My, oh, my! how
far out they were now. The boat took in water
every minute — whole buckets full. Johnny
Blossom's blouse was sopping wet.

Oh!

Away went the umbrella, right out of his
hands, and only by a hair's breadth did the boat
escape capsizing. Tellef, as quick as lightning,
had thrown his weight to the upper side of the
careening boat or they would have gone straight
into the water.

Over the sea sailed the umbrella — and there
were Johnny and Tellef in the rocking boat far
out from land.

"Ugh! boy!" said Tellef.

"Ugh! boy!" said Johnny.

"That wasn't much to do," said Tellef.
What it was that wasn't much to do, Tellef
didn't say. Johnny only stared out over the
gray-blue splashing waves.

Only think! He might have been lying under
those waves now!

And all at once the truth smote him: he
ought not to have done this; he had known all

i44 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

the time that he ought not, and yet — he had
done it.

It was only an excuse when he had told him-
self that it was all right to sail with an um-
brella. He knew perfectly well that it wasn't.
Ugh! how disobedient he had been, he who
was heir of Kingthorpe, too! Before, it didn't
matter so very much if he were disobedient; but
everything was different now that he was the
Kingthorpe heir. He must not be disobedient
any more, for it was shameful. How sorry, how
sorry he was!

All this time they were striving as hard as
they could to turn the boat toward shore.
Johnny's thoughts ran on:

It wasn't because the wind blew so furiously
or that the waves dashed so high or that the
umbrella had floated away, that made him so
sorry! No indeed. Pooh! Nor was it that they
sat drenched in the tossing boat far out among
great white-capped waves. If he only had not
been so awfully disobedient.

Suppose he had been drowned. It would
have been pleasant, wouldn't it, for him, the
heir of Kingthorpe, to meet Uncle Isaac at the
heavenly gate, after being so disobedient?

"This was a crazy plan," said Tellef. His cap

THE UMBRELLA ADVENTURE 145

had blown away, his hair was dripping round
his ears, and he rowed with might and main.

"If we can only get behind the Tongue,'*
said Tellef.

"If we can only get behind the Tongue," re-
peated Johnny. They rowed steadily for a while,
their red faces showing the effort they made,
while the wind blew more fiercely than ever.

"We can't round the point," said Tellef.

"Yes, we can," said Johnny Blossom, bracing
his feet more firmly against the bottom of the
boat.

"Shall we shout for help?" asked Tellef.

"Oh, that would only frighten them if they
heard us," answered Johnny Blossom.

The great waves were now driving the boat in
towards the shore, but unfortunately to the
outer, dangerous side of the Tongue.

"Shall we say our prayers?" asked Tellef.

"Not yet," answered John.

"for we are surely going to drown," con-
tinued Tellef.

The wind was roaring so that they could
scarcely hear each other speak.

The boat was driven nearer and nearer to the
shore. "It is going to strike and we must jump
for the land," screamed Johnny. The instant

146 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

after, the boat did strike, and Tellef and John
were thrown head first onto the smooth beach.

Tellef had been thrown farthest up; he pulled
John to where he was, and there they lay, pant-
ing, while the boat swung and tossed in the sea,
a little way out.

"Now we are saved," said Tellef.

But my, oh, my ! how wet they were ! They
sprang to their feet and ran — up over the
Tongue, over mound and marsh; they climbed
over fences and waded through thick-growing
heather. Now and again they glanced seaward,
seeking the boat and the umbrella, but not a
scrap of either was to be seen — a fine result
from their grand adventure, truly!

" You'd better come into our house to get
yourself dry," said Tellef.

" But the umbrella," said Johnny.

"Yes — it was as unlucky as it could be,"
said Tellef. "Perhaps it is as well not to say
anything about the umbrella just at first."

But no sooner had they come into the little
kitchen where TellePs mother was roasting
coffee over an open fire than John said :

"The worst thing is about the umbrella."

"About what umbrella?" asked Tellef s
mother.

THE UMBRELLA ADVENTURE 147

"Grandmother's. It blew away."

TellePs mother was very much out of patience,
but she wrung the water from Johnny's blouse
and hung the blouse by the fire.

"And you," she said sharply, "the King-
thorpe heir — to behave like this!"

Oh, yes — it was just that that made every-
thing worse. Johnny Blossom sat in his shirt
sleeves close by the hearth, staring thoughtfully
into the fire.

It was being heir of Kingthorpe, he could
plainly see, that made things difficult; for, truly,
hadn't everything been easier when he was just
Johnny Blossom? There was so much to think
of now — responsibility and all that. But still,
he really wanted to be good; he really and
truly did; though he hadn't seemed to succeed
very well.

Johnny Blossom sat crouched together on the
veranda steps, Mother sat on the veranda sew-
ing, and the sun shone hotly down. Long silence.

"Well, John," said Mother. "What is the
matter?"

How could Mother know that anything was
the matter? for he had just sat there stock still
and had not said a single word!

i48 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

"Oh, there are some things that are so hard,
Mother."

"Yes, I know that."

" Mother dear, must I be the Kingthorpe heir ? "

"Yes, you must, John."

"Well. I've been out sailing with an um-
brella"—

"But John, John! You knew perfectly well
that you ought not to do that!"

" Yes, but I just forgot it for a minute or two,
Mother."

"That's only an excuse, John. You remem-
bered it all the time. Look me right in the eye
and say whether you didn't remember it."

Johnny blinked at a great rate, and then
looked straight at his mother. Yes, he had
remembered it, that is to say, deep in, he had.

" Exactly — 'deep in' — that was Conscience,
little John."

"There is so much to remember, Mother!"

"No. What Father and Mother tell you
about right and wrong is not too much for
you to remember."

Deep silence.

"The umbrella blew away, Mother, and the
boat is lost, too."

"Tell me all about it."

THE UMBRELLA ADVENTURE 149

"The waves were too high, you see — that's
the way it all came; and the umbrella was too
frightfully heavy; but we landed head first, if
you'll believe it. This is the way we fell over
each other." And Johnny Blossom demon-
strated on the veranda floor how they had been
cast ashore.

"You got wet then?"

"Oh, yes. You may know we were wet, sop-
ping wet. We were almost upset in the sea, you
understand; we were nearly drowned."

."Oh, John! My dear little John!" Mother
was so frightened that she drew him into her
arms.

:<Yes, but you see we didn't drown; and my
blouse got dry as tinder at the fireplace in
Tellef's house. Just feel how dry it is!"

"But isn't your shirt wet?"

''Yes, that's wet," admitted Johnny Blossom.

The next day Mother said: "Father and I
have decided, John, that you shall go away for
a while this vacation. You shall go to visit
Mrs. Beck at Ballerud. That will be pleasant
for you, and as it is an inland country place, I
shan't have to be in constant anxiety about
your falling into the sea."

n\e Birthday
Party

first of September was Johnny Blos-
som's birthday, and Father and Mother
had decided that he should have a party
and that the party should be held at Kingthorpe.
How delightful that would be!

He was to be allowed to invite just exactly
whom he pleased, especially those who had been
kind to him, Mother said. My, oh, my! but
that would mean a good many!

Soon after this plan was made, all the house-
hold went out to Kingthorpe one day — Father,
Mother, Asta, Andrea, Dagny, and Johnny
Blossom, of course, and the two maids.

Wide open stood the park gates, wide open the
heavy, richly wrought gates to the courtyard,
where the fountain was splashing musically;
wide open, too, the great entrance doors and all
the doors between the rooms, so that light and
air streamed once more through the long-closed
mansion. Very big and beautiful it looked in

150

JOHNNY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY 151

the bright sunshine, and its curtains flutter-
ing in the summer wind seemed to be waving
a welcome from the windows.

In the lofty, echoing rooms everything had
been left undisturbed: the furniture with its
silken upholstery, the mirrors reaching from
floor to ceiling, the great paintings that filled
the walls, and the art treasures, gathered from
every corner of the world. Many of these
tapestries and vases and statues were extremely
rare, but to Johnny Blossom they were only
queer, especially a certain Indian idol with an
ugly face made of gold. Why should any one
want that?

Mother went about, uncovering mirrors and
furniture until the room which was called the
white salon showed all white and yellow, with
its gilding and its silken damask cushions
gleaming in the strong September sunlight.

"I think Uncle Isaac would like that there
should be a festival at Kingthorpe on the first
birthday you have after becoming the King-
thorpe heir, John," said Mother.

Johnny Blossom went storming through the
rooms. My, oh, my! how little he seemed when
he looked at himself in those enormous mirrors.
Soon, however, he was walking on the railing

152 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

of the veranda. What a veranda it was, with
its massive stone pillars and broad steps of
white marble leading to the grounds! Still,
Johnny Blossom was not altogether sure that
the veranda at home wasn't just as pretty; at
any rate, it was pleasanter, that was certain.

Below the veranda at Kingthorpe an avenue
of nut trees stretched a long way. The foliage
was so thick that the avenue was always in deep
shade, however bright the day. Not a sunbeam
pierced the gloom, but far down at the end of
the avenue, something shone like a big glittering
eye. That was the sea shining.

The whole garden with its crooked old trees
and newly planted young ones was overflowing
with fruit : big and little pears, red apples, yellow
apples, and oh! any quantity of plums — yellow
plums bursting with ripeness, great juicy blue
plums, and those sweet ones of a reddish purple
color. Hurrah !

And he was to ask every one he wished to!
Hurrah for that, too! All the boys in his class,
of course; and all the boys in the next higher;
why, yes, and those little fellows in the class
below. And Tellef! And Tellef s sisters and
mother and the grandmother — she could see
now — yes, he must have her. Then all those

JOHN NTS BIRTHDAY PARTY 153

old women at the almshouse. And the work-
men at the wharf and the Works — they must
come with their families.

Mother planned everything for the party.
There should be long tables in the park, where
the feast should be spread for the children and
most of the grown-up people; but the old and
feeble ones whom Johnny invited should have
their feast in the beautiful dining room that
had angels painted on the ceiling. A band of
music was to come from the city. There were
to be flags and colored lanterns the entire length
of the shady avenue, and when daylight faded
and the park began to grow dusky, there would
be fireworks — yes, fireworks as true as you live !
Mother said so.

As the first of September drew near, Johnny
Blossom could scarcely sit still a minute, he was
so full of joy. He asked if he might not go
around and invite the guests himself, it would
be so jolly.

"You mustn't forget anybody," warned
Mother.

Far from it. He was sure he would remember
every single one.

First he went to Madame Bakke, who lived

154 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

nearest. She had had a long illness and was
paler than usual today. Johnny Blossom put
his heels together and bowed.

" I want to know if you will come to a party
on Saturday at Kingthorpe, Madame Bakke,"
said Johnny.

"What do you say? "asked Madame Bakke.

"It's my party," continued John, "and I
am to invite as many as I please."

"Well, well!" exclaimed Madame Bakke in
delight. "Am I to go to Kingthorpe?"

"Yes, and there is so much sunshine out
there," said Johnny. "You'll see how hot the
sun is on the white marble steps."

" But I haven't any fine clothes," said Madame
Bakke.

"Well, of course you must look nice," said
Johnny seriously, "but you don't need anything
fine. Good-by, and welcome to the party."

Johnny Blossom bowed himself out and
Madame Bakke watched him as long as he was
in sight.

Next he went to the little crippled boy who
had such big, mournful eyes.

"I'm going to have a party at Kingthorpe,"
said Johnny, "and I want you to come. There
will be lots and lots of yellow plums."

JOHNNrS BIRTHDAY PARTY 155

"Is that so?" asked the little cripple.

"You may chop my head off if it isn't/* said
Johnny. "And your little sisters are to come,
too; only they must have their faces washed."

"Can I eat all the plums I want? "asked
the little cripple.

"Oh, yes, the whole garden is full."

"Shall I come now?" asked the child, smiling.

"No, it is next Saturday."

"That's a long time to wait."

"Oh, well, the plums will be all the riper."

Away went Johnny Blossom to Jeremias
the wood-cutter.

"On Saturday you must come to my party at
Kingthorpe, Jeremias," said Johnny.

"Who is going to invite me?" inquired
Jeremias.

"Why, 7 invite you, you see."

"What should I do there?"

"Oh, eat and drink and have fun. If you
want to swing in the big swing, for instance,
you can do that."

"Well, now! Perhaps that would be pleas-
ant," said Jeremias the wood-cutter. "It is
handsome of you to invite me."

"I'm inviting all my friends," said Johnny
Blossom, earnestly. "You must wear that

156 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

light coat the mayor gave you, for that will
look nice, you know."

Yes, he had that coat, but who had told
Johnny to tell him to wear it?

"I thought of it myself."

Jeremias wagged his head. "I tell you,
there's something to a boy that has the head
to plan like that."

"You will be very welcome, Jeremias," said
Johnny ceremoniously.

Now it was Katrina the dwarf he was invit-
ing. She could not believe at first that she
was asked to a party at Kingthorpe.

"A dwarf like me would not be wanted at
that fine place," said poor Katrina.

"Yes, indeed, you are to come; you must
come. There's going to be a band of music the
whole time."

"Music? Is there to be music?"

"Yes, and awfully good things to eat."

"Oh! but to think — music! It's just heav-
enly to listen to music."

" Well, you can sit and listen to music all day,
and eat plums at the same time."

Johnny prevailed; poor little Katrina agreed
that she would come.

At the almshouse all the old women gathered

JOHNNTS BIRTHDAY PARTY 157

in the hall and stared at Johnny Blossom. He
looked very little standing among them. Indeed
they would come, all of them, he might be sure
of that.

"But why do you invite poor old folks like
us?" asked Olava.

"Oh, because I am heir of Kingthorpe, you
know, and because everybody likes to go to a
party."

All the old women laughed, and Johnny
said, "Welcome to Kingthorpe, then, on Satur-
day," and bowed and went his way.

Later he invited many, many children from
the town as well as from his own school, and all
the teachers.

Oh, it was wonderful! wonderful! Johnny
Blossom had to stand on his head in the grass,
time after time — everything was so unspeak-
ably joyful !

At last the great day came and the weather
could not have been finer. The gates to King-
thorpe stood wide open and people thronged
inside. The flags waved, the sunbeams danced,
and under the old trees there was a continual
buzz of gay talk and laughter.

At first, however, it was a little ceremonious.
Johnny Blossom had to stand beside Father and

i$8 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

Mother on the great marble steps and welcome
the guests. He was rather sober and felt a
little shy. Father and Mother, too, although
they smiled, were somewhat serious. Mother's
eyes even had tears in them.

All the old women came clambering up the
steps and shook hands with Johnny; and then
Mother took them into the drawing room and
said, "Please feel free to go anywhere you
wish about the house and to look at every-
thing."

Gradually the great rooms were filled, the
park overflowed with children, and the band in
the walnut tree avenue sent everywhere its
strong, rich tones. On a bench near the band-
stand sat Katrina the dwarf in a bright red
dress. When Johnny Blossom saw her he ran
to the garden and picked as many plums as he
could carry and put them in her lap. " I prom-
ised you these, you know," he said.

It wasn't long before there were children in the
trees everywhere, shaking the branches, throwing
the fruit down to the grassy ground, where their
fathers and mothers sat laughing and wondering
at everything. To the children it was all like
a fairy tale. There were dances and games and
every kind of jollity under the stately old trees,

JOHNNTS BIRTHDAY PARTY 159

and it took some skill to get the people to their
places when the feast was ready.

Long tables stood in rows in one part of the
park, as had been planned. Father presided
here, while Mother attended to John's special
guests in the beautiful dining room. Milla the
fishwoman and Olava and the others sat stiff
and proper on the edge of the damask-covered
chairs, saying not a word. Tellef's grandmother,
however, talked fast enough. She was so happy,
now that she could see.

"Ah, me! Ah, me!" said she. "It's all a
miracle; that I should be here in this fine room
and see all this grandeur, see out of the window
where the sun shines, and see also something that
shines still brighter in Johnny Blossom's eyes."

The old people strayed through the house up-
stairs and down. They looked at everything, felt
of everything, exclaimed over everything; they
ate, and put into their pockets, and ate again.

Johnny Blossom ran joyfully around every-
where. He was not still two minutes. They
all wanted to see him and called to him from
every direction. My, oh, my! how jolly it was
to be the heir of Kingthorpe !

When the feasting was over, there was a call
for silence. It came from Father, who stood

160 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

again at the top of the marble steps and was
evidently going to make a speech. All the
children flocked together near the steps, in the
sunshine, and hundreds of childish faces were
upturned towards the speaker. Behind Father,
on the veranda, at the windows, and in the door-
ways stood John's aged friends, among them
Katrina in her bright red dress and Jeremias
the wood-cutter in the mayor's light coat that
was altogether too small for him. Jeremias
had been to the Kingthorpe woodshed the first
thing, for there was something he understood;
but now he had stationed himself behind Father.
The crippled child sat on the lowest step, his
pockets stuffed full of plums.

John had to stand right beside his father
during the speech. Every word could be heard
even by those on the edge of the crowd:

"Johnny Blossom had permission to invite
all his friends to Kingthorpe today. He was to
ask all who had been kind to him, and it looks
as if he had a great many kind friends. This is
his first birthday since he became heir of King-
thorpe. Perhaps you think it is an easy thing
to be that — that it means only to shake ripe
fruit into your lap and to live in big, bright
rooms. Johnny Blossom will understand more

JOHNNTS BIRTHDAY PARTY 161

and more, as time goes on and he grows older,
that it is not easy to be the Kingthorpe heir.

" Do you ask why ? Because it means work and
responsibility. For what is all this that you see,
house and garden, park and farm, but a loan to
be accounted for? It is only a loan. That is
why it brings to Johnny Blossom work and
responsibility. He must remember that Uncle
Isaac did not give him all this to use simply
for his own benefit and pleasure — far from it —
but for the good of others. He must remember
that riches bring duties. He must remember
that God will some time say to him, 'Johnny
Blossom, how have you dealt with what you
received as a loan upon the earth?"

It was very solemn and impressive to have
Father say all this about him, and a lump came
in Johnny's throat. Father paused and then
continued, speaking more emphatically:

"Children, you are all heirs. You are all
heirs to God's Kingdom. You all have work to
do, responsibility to bear. You, too, will be
asked some time: 'What have you done upon
earth ? Have you been loving and kind ? Have
you tried to do what good you could?' The
greatest thing is to be loving; but you know
that life demands from us not only love, but

162 JOHNNY BLOSSOM

truth and obedience and much besides of which
I will not speak now. I wish only that from this
first visit to Kingthorpe you should take home
with you this word: You are all God's children,
all heirs together of God's Kingdom"

Father was certainly a splendid speaker.
There! they were shouting hurrah! Johnny
joined in at first, but soon he found they were
saying, "Hurrah for Johnny Blossom!" This
was embarrassing, but pleasant, after all.

Again the company scattered throughout the
park. This was the time for the sack-racing and
other contests in jumping, running, and singing.
Father gave out the prizes, and then refresh-
ments were served again.

The sunbeams slanted more and more and
some of the children fell asleep, leaning against
their mothers; so the fireworks began earlier
than had been planned. With the first rocket's
hissing flight the children awoke and shouted
for joy, and the fireworks hissed and sparkled
and flashed — red, blue, green, yellow — above
the park.

Finally, the whole company assembled in the
great white salon. The children sang some
beautiful songs, ending with, " Yes, we love our
grand old Norway!" Some one came forward,

JOHNNY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY 163

elbowing his way. It was Jeremias in his tight
coat.

" I want to say thank you, sir, for such a day
as this. I'm only a poor man, but I can say this
much, Johnny Blossom can do many a good

turn"—

Jeremias seemed to have no more to say.

Then some one lifted Johnny Blossom up.
He was warm and red, but beaming. "Come
soon again, everybody!" he called out.

Little by little the room emptied. The colored
lights shone like small suns along the dark
avenues, and the stars twinkled and gleamed.

In the tiny bedroom in town Johnny Blossom
laid his brown head on the pillow. "Thank
you, dear God, thank you, thank you," he
murmured, and said no more, for he was over-
powered by sleep.

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