Mary Jane--Her Visit Part 3

She put one foot on the ladder and then the other. "Why, it's just like climbing a gate only it isn't a gate," she announced proudly, "and I'm way up a'ready!"

It was easy to step from the ladder to the loft because the sides of the ladder went on up high and she simply held tight to them and stepped off onto the floor Of the loft.

And _that_ was the funniest place Mary Jane had ever seen! Hay everywhere, and a pleasant, fragrant smell that pleased Mary Jane even though she hadn't an idea why. She looked around a minute and then hunted for the basket.

Over in the corner, under a funny little, cobwebby window she found it, half hidden by the tossed up hay.

She recognized it at once because of the curious little cover Grandmother had spoken of. But, dear me, Grandmother would surely have to clean it before it was used for cobwebs and sc.r.a.ps of hay were all over the top!

"I wonder if the cover comes off, or just opens like a door," thought Mary Jane as she bent over it. "I guess I'd better see."

She moved the cover the tiniest bit and found it was fastened to one side. "It's like a box," she said aloud, "and it opens easy, I know!"

She opened it out and what _do_ you suppose she saw down in the bottom of that basket? You'd never guess!

Four of the cunningest little gray mice! All snuggled down together into a little ball of fur--Mary Jane would never have guessed there were four, they were so tiny, only she saw the four little black noses and four pairs of beady black eyes.

"You darlingest!" she exclaimed happily, and sat right down in the hay beside the basket to watch them. She reached her finger in and touched their silky little backs; she watched them snuggle down tight and tighter together and she altogether forgot about Bob and egg-hunting and Grandmother and everything, she was so delighted. But Bob didn't forget about her, not he.

For a while he waited patiently at the bottom of the ladder. He seemed to know that she might have to hunt a while for the basket. But as the minutes went by and she didn't come and didn't come, he grew more and more restless. He whined, and he walked around the barn and he looked out the door. Then he came back to the foot of the ladder and put his front feet on the highest step he could reach.

But still there was no sign of Mary Jane coming down. And for her part, the little girl was so interested in her mice that she wouldn't have noticed had he barked out loud.

Finally he could stand it no longer. With a sudden turn, as though he had quickly made up his mind something must be done, he ran out of the barn and up to the kitchen door.

Grandmother Hodges saw him and supposed Mary Jane was with him so she called kindly, "Did you find the basket, dear?"

No answer.

"Bring it in here for me to dust it off, Mary Jane," she added.

No answer.

"That's funny," she exclaimed; "what ails the child?" And she stepped to the door to see why Mary Jane didn't answer.

That was exactly what Bob wanted her to do. The minute he saw she was coming to the door he bounded off in the direction of the barn.

Grandmother understood at once, as Bob had known she would, and without even stopping to drop the tea towel she had in her hand she followed him out to the barn.

Bob ran ahead, turning two or three times to make sure she was coming, till he reached the foot of the ladder. There he danced around as though he was trying to say, "Now I've brought you here, do see what's the matter!"

"Is she up there yet, Bob?" asked Grandmother wonderingly. Then she called, "Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Mary Jane!"

"Oh, Grandmother!" replied the little girl, hearing for the first time, "they're the cunningest! Do come see!"

"Whatever has the child found!" she exclaimed, but she went up the ladder just the same to make sure Mary Jane was happy.

It wasn't more than a minute before Grandmother, too, was down in the hay, admiring the little mice till even Mary Jane was satisfied.

"You're a good one," she said, "to find such a nice family right away.

This old basket's been here for years, but that looks like a brand new nest and a brand new family. You'll have something to tell your sister about when she comes now, won't you?"

"And may I take them down to the house?" asked Mary Jane.

"Look behind you and see if you want to," answered Grandmother.

Mary Jane turned and looked as she was told and she saw, peeping out from behind the hay, the distressed face of mother mouse. Poor thing!

She was _so_ afraid something terrible was happening to her babies!

"No, I don't want to," said Mary Jane promptly. "I want to keep them right here and come up and see them whenever I want to."

"That's best," agreed Grandmother. "You come with me and I'll find you another basket and then you and Bob and I will hunt eggs."

So that is the way Mary Jane happened to have a pretty, brand new, pink basket for hunting eggs: and that's why they were so late getting the eggs that it was almost supper time before they were through.

THE MYSTERIOUS BUNDLES

For three days after Mary Jane came to visit her grandparents, the sun shone bright and warm and the little girl spent all the time out of doors. She raced around the yard with Bob; she played with the lamb in the wood across the road; she watched her grandfather feed the little pigs; she fed the chickens and hunted eggs. And, the most fun of all, she watched the baby mice in the dusky, sweet-smelling hay loft. Till, really, by the time she had had her supper of bread and milk, Mary Jane was ready to tumble into bed and sleep straight through the night without ever a thought of being homesick.

But the minute she awakened on the morning of the fourth day, Mary Jane knew that something was different. The sun wasn't s.h.i.+ning across her coverlet as it had before; and from the window came the sound of dripping, dripping, dripping rain. The kind of rain that you love if everybody's indoors and can stay in and the fire's going brightly and Mother's near to talk to. And also the kind of rain that makes you feel very queer if you know Mother's hundreds of miles away and you aren't going to see her for a good many weeks.

Mary Jane felt a queer feeling in her throat. Suddenly she tossed the covers back, picked up her clothes so quickly she didn't even stop to see if she had both stockings, and ran into her grandmother's room.

"I'm _not_ going to cry, so there!" she said to herself hastily.

"Well, good morning," said Grandmother cheerfully. "That's nice to dress in here! I was just wis.h.i.+ng I had company."

"Does rain make you feel like you wanted somebody right close?" asked Mary Jane.

"Every time," agreed Grandmother. "And sometimes, when your grandfather's working out in the barn, and Bob's out there with him, and I'm all alone in the house, I just wish and wish I had a little girl about your size here to talk to. I'm so glad you're come, Mary Jane, you're such good company!"

And immediately, would you believe it? Mary Jane forgot all about being homesick and maybe going to cry, and began wondering what she could do for her grandmother!

"What are we going to do to-day, Grandmother?" she asked as they went down the stairs together.

"Let me see," said Grandmother thoughtfully, looking at the little girl. "First, of course, we'll get breakfast--wouldn't you like fresh corn bread and maple syrup?" Mary Jane nodded happily, for she liked Grandmother's corn bread. "Then we'll do the dishes and make the beds--but that won't take long with you helping me. Then we'll peel the potatoes and start the meat cooking for dinner. Then we'll--by the way, Mary Jane," she asked suddenly, "what have you in those two packages in your trunk?"

Mary Jane stared at her grandmother a minute and tried to think whatever she might mean. Then she remembered. "Those two bundles wrapped up in brown paper and tied and everything?"

"Those are the ones," nodded Grandmother. "I saw them the other morning when I unpacked your trunk but we were in a hurry to get-out doors then so I didn't ask about them. What are they?"

"I don't know," said Mary Jane. "Mother put them in and she said you'd understand. She said just let you see and you'd know what she meant."

"Then I guess I know," said Grandmother, laughing. "We have to look at them!"

"Let's go now," said Mary Jane.

"Oh, my no," replied Grandmother, "before breakfast? I should say not!