Kernel Cob And Little Miss Sweetclover Part 20

And John and Margaret went down the mountain and in due time reached San Francisco.

And Margaret said:

"I wonder if the children will remember us?"

"I don't think so," said John, "for I believe they think we are dead.

We haven't heard from them since that time, a year ago, when there was a report in the newspapers that we were lost in a snow storm."

"Dear little children," sighed Margaret, "I hope it hasn't made them unhappy. Let's send a telegram that we're coming."

"No," said John; "let's surprise them."

And they got upon the train and for five days they rode and during all that time they played with Kernel Cob and Sweetclover, just as children would. And a happy smile lit up Margaret's face, for when she was dressed in woman's clothes and had on a hat with pretty flowers on it, she looked very beautiful, and as she was very happy and always smiling, it made her look more beautiful, for everybody looks more beautiful when they smile.

"I wonder where we are going?" said Kernel Cob.

"You will see," said Sweetclover.

"I know I will see," said Kernel Cob. "Only I am going to escape from here the first thing I can."

"Don't you dare," said Sweetclover.

"Why not," said Kernel Cob, "don't you want to find Jackie and Peggs'

motheranfather?"

"Not any more," said Sweetclover with a smile.

"Girl dolls, especially flowers, are the silliest things in the world," said Kernel Cob. "And if you don't want to come I will have to go alone, for I have sworn to find them and no power on earth will stop me."

At this Sweetclover was very much alarmed.

"Kernel Cob," said she, "if you don't get down on your knees and promise by all the Fairies that you will not attempt to escape, I'll never speak to you again."

"But," said he.

"Never mind," said Sweetclover "do as I tell you this minute."

"Very well," said Kernel Cob, and he got upon his knees and promised.

But he felt very sad about it for he said: "Now, we shall never find them."

"Yes, we shall," said Sweetclover and she laughed so loudly that Kernel Cob was afraid that she would have hysterics.

And finally the train came to a stop and the conductor came through calling, "New York, Grand Central Depot," and Margaret picked up Sweetclover and John picked up Kernel Cob, and they got into another train and rode a little way and got out again at another station called Orange. And they got into a wagon and told the driver to drive like lightning, and in a few minutes they came to a little white house with honeysuckle growing all about, and they jumped out of the wagon and were in such a hurry that they forgot to pay the driver. And they rushed up the path and opened a little white gate in a little white fence, and up another little path till they came to the little white house.

"They're going crazy," said Kernel Cob, under John's arm.

"You will see why in a minute," said Sweetclover who was tucked under Margaret's arm.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

And John pushed open the door and rushed into the house followed by Margaret, and, finding no one inside, they ran through and out into the garden, which was a very pretty little garden with beautiful flowers growing in it.

And in the middle of the garden sat a little boy and a little girl and they were making mud cakes.

And when John saw them he shouted with a great glad cry.

"JACKIE!"

"PEGGS!"

And Margaret sank down upon the garden path, for she was so happy that she couldn't move another inch.

And the two children stopped playing and turned to John and Margaret and a look of wild happiness came into their faces, and Jackie jumped to his feet and ran to John and threw himself into his outstretched arms and cried:

"FATHER!"

And Peggs ran to Margaret and was hugged and hugged in her loving arms.

And all the time Kernel Cob was trying to understand what was going on, for he knew Jackie and Peggs the moment he saw them, but couldn't get into his head that Margaret and John were their motheranfather.

"You dear, blessed children," cried John hugging them first one and then the other, "and to think that we could have ever left you to go hunt for gold."

"And to think," said Margaret, "that these dolls should have been sent by Providence, way out to the Yukon to remind us that children are the greatest riches in the world."

And she held the dolls up in her hands.

"It's Kernel Cob and Sweetclover!" shouted Jackie and Peggs together, and in a jiffy they had them in their arms.

And they all had a wonderful party of ice cream and cakes and puddings and candies, the best party ever you saw.

"This is the happiest day of my life," said Father.

"It is indeed," said Mother.

"I never thought I could be so happy," said Peggs.

"You bet," said Jackie.

"Well," said Sweetclover to Kernel Cob, "now do you understand?"

"Huh," said Kernel Cob, "I knew it all the time, only I didn't want to spoil the surprise for you."

"But what I want to know," said Peggs, "is how Kernel Cob and Little Miss Sweetclover never wilted like all the other flowers, but have kept as fresh as the day we made them."

"I'll tell you why," said Jackie, and he looked very wise. "It's because they are fairy dolls and everybody knows that fairies live on forever and forever!"

[Ill.u.s.tration: The End.]