Left to Ourselves Part 31

John withdrew, and returned to Hugh.

"She's out, Hugh," he said.

"That's all right then. We'll have a jolly time, and get it done to surprise her."

"But what about your grand heap?"

"Stuff them in again; they can't be worse than they were."

"I wonder if we ought to sort them out first?" said John, considering.

"I'm not going to; that would be no fun at all."

John yielded for a moment, then he paused.

"Hugh, Agnes would be right down vexed with us, and we should deserve it. I won't do a stroke till we've cleared this."

Hugh made a face; but when John's voice took _that_ tone it was of no use objecting, so they sorted out and put up as quickly as they could, Hugh privately shirking any idea of thoroughness, till about twelve o'clock order once more reigned, and the boys' spirits began to rise.

"I say," remarked John, surveying his new domain, "I wish I'd asked Jane to clean this while we were putting up, it looks mighty dusty and queer."

"Well, we can't now," said Hugh.

"No, I daresay it would take ages."

"I can sweep it," said Hugh; "but that would be a hindrance; let's get in the things and they'll cover up the dirt."

"Nice that!" remarked John; "but as it is not _your_ room it won't matter."

"No," a.s.sented Hugh; "and if it were, I should not care particularly.

Now, John, what is the first thing to do?"

"Bring up the chest of drawers."

"That's my chest of drawers. You don't mean to say----"

"Well, what am I to do?" said John, pausing in this first difficulty; "you can't suppose I can go without a chest of drawers."

"No; I don't see that you can; but, then, no more can I."

"That's unanswerable; but as there's only one, what's to be done?"

"_I_ can have it," answered Hugh slyly; "it belongs to my room!"

As his brother did not immediately reply, Hugh saw he had gained an advantage.

"Here's a go," said John, looking round in dismay. "Now I shouldn't wonder if you didn't claim the washstand too."

"Then I _will_ claim it," said Hugh with a wink.

And sure enough Hugh kept the washstand.

"Well, I've got my own bed," said John; "you can't take that from under me."

Decidedly with lowered spirits he descended to see about the bedstead, unforeseen difficulties in the direction of Agnes looming before him; but the delight of planning how it was to go through the door whole, turned off his thoughts.

At last the actual moment arrived. The clothes and mattresses were heaped on Hugh's bed, and they began wheeling it about in fine style.

It was just too wide to go through the door, but the boys did not take long to turn it on its side. They had succeeded in almost clearing the back and tallest end, when the banisters proved an insuperable barrier to further progress.

"We must take it down," said John.

"I'm stuck. I say, John, did you ever happen to mistake your fingers for the painted legs?"

"Not that I know of. Look, what a precious mark you've made on the door that side."

"Where?"

"There! just where you say your fingers grazed it."

"It'll come off," said Hugh, applying his pocket-handkerchief, having first conveyed it to his tongue; but it didn't, and Hugh shrugged his shoulders.

"Lesson No. 1. Don't knock your fingers," he said.

"Lesson No. 2," remarked John. "Do you know how to take down these precious things?"

"Lesson No. 3. Shall learn."

"Then do go up and get us a screw-driver; if this comes to grief I shall tell Agnes it was all you."

"You seem afraid of Agnes," laughed Hugh.

"Not at all. But you know we are 'on the spree;' and I don't want to do what she would not like, which would be no spree."

The screw-driver was found, and then they began in earnest; but before long the b.u.mps and sc.r.a.pes brought Jane up from below.

"Now, master John, are you gone mad?" she asked.

"Don't you say a syllable, Jane, or I'll skin you," said Hugh coaxingly; "it would spoil all our fun."

"What on earth are you doing then?" she asked.

"I'll call you up to see when we've done; but do leave us now, there's a good soul."

She went down again, looking rather scared; but the cook happened to be busy, and did not notice it.

The bedstead now lay at their feet in pieces, which they quickly carried upstairs, and by-and-by were able to set up to their great satisfaction.

"Well, I call that prime," said Hugh; "now for the clothes and things."