Polly and Her Friends Abroad Part 12

"Oh, I just know there will be old pieces in that place!" exclaimed she, leaning forward eagerly.

"Stop, Jimmy! Oh, do make him stop, Prof!" cried Eleanor.

"Do!" added Dodo. "We are almost in Worcester, anyway, so a few minutes more won't matter."

"Everyone is so tired with the drive, I don't see why we must halt again," complained Mrs. Alexander, impatiently.

"Suppose your car drives on, then, and we will stop to inquire if we can secure any old things," suggested Mr. Fabian.

But no one wanted to do this, so both cars stopped while the two men and the girls went to the house. This time no subterfuge was used, but the question was plainly asked:

"Do you happen to have any old dishes for sale?"

"And furniture?" added Polly, anxiously.

The surprised woman laughed at the unusual query, but she nodded and said: "I got some black china, and several queer bowls and pots that I might sell-if you make it wuth while."

The collectors all filed into the cottage, then, and the impatient travellers left in the cars had to cool their tempers well, before they saw their friends appear again. When they did come forth, however, they brought with them several old tobys, a few bowls, a number of pieces of black Staffordshire, an old knife-box of fine inlaid work, a mahogany dressing-mirror exquisitely stencilled and a knitted bed-coverlet with raised roses and scalloped edges.

"Oh now! This is expecting too much of Job!" called Mrs. Ashby, when she saw the consternation expressed on Jimmy and his sister's faces.

"When we started on this tour you never said a word about founding a second-hand business," added Mrs. Fabian, secretly amused at the collectors, and the chagrin so evident on the faces of their two "English cousins."

"One never can tell what will happen when you take fanatics on a trip,"

retorted Mr. Ashby, depositing his burden on the ground beside the car.

Then began another exodus of the pa.s.sengers until a complete readjustment of all the various purchases could be made. While the two men were carefully packing away the precious objects, Polly said: "We had to leave behind the best piece of all-a chair of satin-wood with daintily turned legs and rungs. But they were splintered and the rush seat was broken through."

"Don't forget, Polly, that the thing that counted most-the beautifully stencilled back slats with their fruit and roses as clear as the day they were done, was in good preservation," added Eleanor.

"Then why didn't you buy it?" snapped Angela, angrily.

"Oh, we did!" replied Dodo. "At least, I did. But I couldn't carry it out, so it will have to be shipped home when the other things go."

"You got it?" cried her mother. "What for?"

"For my shop, of course. I'm going into decorating, too, and open a fine place of business," giggled Dodo, tantalizingly.

"Not on _my_ money! You've got to make a good match over here,"

commanded her mother.

Little Mr. Alexander had not had much chance to speak during the day, as antiques and talks on such subjects were not in his line. But now he scented battle on his own preserves, and he threw out his chest and thrust his hands deep into his trouser pockets-a habit he had when he wished to impress his wife.

"Well, now, mebbe Dodo can't open shop on your money, Maggie, but she can on _mine_! If she wants to do that ruther'n get spliced to a furriner, who's going to stop her, I'd like to know!"

That effectually ended the tirade for the time being, and when everybody was seated again, Jimmy was made supremely happy to find Ruth beside him, once more.

The only subject that interested the majority of the tourists that evening, after dinner, was the discussion of the various pieces purchased that day, and the examination of them. Mr. Ashby and Mr.

Fabian knew so much about collections of antiques that the stories they told were most interesting to the girls.

But Jimmy and Mrs. Alexander were bored to death by the conversation, so that they soon made their way out of the hotel, in search of distraction. Not long after they had escaped from the company of the others, another packet of bills pa.s.sed from Mrs. Alexander's hands to the young man's pockets. But it was a personal matter that concerned no one but themselves, said she, and Jimmy anxiously agreed to the condition.

"Of course you know, Mrs. Alex, that nothing on earth could make me accept this gift from you, if matters with the Pater were not awfully tangled, this year," explained Jimmy, hurriedly.

"Don't mention it, dear boy! I'm so glad I can give it to one I think so highly of. Some day you will be able to do a good turn for me," replied Mrs. Alexander, affably.

Jimmy understood too well, both from Angela and Mrs. Alexander, what was expected of him, but he hadn't a thought for Dodo, because he was infatuated with Ruth. And she, nice little girl, hadn't a fortune to bless him with. So he forced the future still further into the background, and took the money that was offered him, the while he basked in Ruth's sunny smiles.

In the morning the cars started for Birmingham, which was on the road to Lichfield. But the city was smoky and uninviting because of its factories and filth, so they chose a side-road that would bring them to the beautiful edifice that makes Lichfield a Mecca for lovers of the ancient and rare.

The cathedral, from a distance, looks like a fret-work of finest lace.

And as one draws nearer, its patterns show up clearer, until one is quite close, when the outlined designs on the front of the building compel even the indifferent to stand and gaze in admiration.

Mr. Fabian pointed out the marvellous sculpturing of the arch, the tiers of niches with their protected figures, the two spires and other beauties, then he led his friends inside the cathedral. Here they saw the ancient Bible with its illuminated and designed pages, and then they visited the Chapter House.

Upon seeing the others follow Mr. Fabian indoors, Mr. Alexander remarked jocularly: "I'm afraid of visitin' so many churches, 'cause the good I get will cure me smokin' my old pipe. And I woulden' go back on that old pal for all the cathedrals in this wurrold."

They left him sitting on the running-board, contentedly puffing at the black "evil" aforementioned; but when they all came forth, again, Mr.

Alexander was nowhere to be seen.

After shouting and searching for ten minutes, or more, he was still absent and the natives could not say that they had even seen him about.

"I knew how it would be if Ebeneezer came to Europe!" exclaimed Mrs.

Alexander, impatiently.

"Pa is able to take care of himself, never worry," added Dodo.

"But he is always cutting such capers," complained his wife. "One minute he's here, and the next he isn't!"

The remark caused a general smile and Mrs. Alexander thought she had said something very clever, so she smiled, too. Perhaps the smile made her feel better-natured, for she joined the men when they resumed their search for the missing man.

Jimmy went to the authorities to question what had best be done about the matter of finding Mr. Alexander; the other two men had gone in opposite directions to ask natives if they had seen such a man as they described and the women walked about, calling aloud or poking under shrubs, and back of cottages, where he might have taken a nap.

Finally a little man sauntered from the cathedral and stood gazing about in surprise at the ladies-they acted so queerly. He began loading his pipe from the old tobacco pouch and as he called out to his friends who were scattered far and wide, they looked up and started for him.

"Where _have_ you been? You've made the most trouble-losing yourself in this ridiculous way!" scolded his wife.

"Why, I wasn't lost! I kind'a thought it was wicked in me to sit with my pipe when I oughter be seeing that church, so I tucked away my old friend and follered you-all. I hunted most an hour for you-all, but I diden' see hide ner hair of anyone I knew. But I did see a lot of figgers stuck up in the walls, and a lot of folks starin' at 'em. So I come along out again."

His description made everyone, but his wife, laugh. She shook her head despairingly at such behavior, and refused to look at her spouse for the rest of the day. But that seemed not to dampen his feelings a whit.

Rather he felt relieved, he said.

From Lichfield the cars turned due west and drove to Wolverhampton.

While driving through Wales, the tourists found great entertainment in trying to converse with the Welshmen they met along the road.

The country was beautiful with its rugged hills and heather-clothed fields. The road to Bangor ran through the most picturesque section of all this scenic beauty, and the girls took many snapshots of the artistic views.

The route planned led to Bangor, where the tourists stayed over-night.