Littlebourne Lock Part 16

"No, of course not," said Mrs. Webster.

"We are doing better now," continued Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l. "He's at work again, and Miss Sutton--that's a kind lady--is trying to bring us women face to face with our employers and no middleman between. But I don't know how it will act. I've done work for Miss Sutton and her friends, but the same people don't keep on wanting mantles. I could have borne anything if I hadn't to make up c.r.a.pe for ourselves!"

Mrs. Webster pressed Mrs. Mitch.e.l.l's hand kindly, and took her leave.

CHAPTER X.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE "TURKEYS PIN."

The disappearance of Juliet Mitch.e.l.l from Littlebourne Lock the second time did not surprise or frighten her relations nearly so much as her flight had done on the first occasion.

"Oh, she'll come home," said Mrs. Rowles; "never fear. When she is hungry she'll turn up, or someone will bring her."

But as the evening closed in, and neither meal-time nor bed-time brought the wanderer home, some alarm began to spread through the house. Philip had taken his boat to the place where he had left Juliet, but she was not there. He went again and shouted for her, but there was no reply. Then Mr. Rowles shouted from the lock in a voice that must have been heard at half a mile's distance. Still no sign of Juliet.

"You should not have left her there, Phil," said Mrs. Rowles.

"I've often set Emily down at the same place," was Phil's defence, "to gather king-cups or forget-me-nots."

"Yes, I know; but Juliet is not Emily."

This could not be denied. It accounted for Juliet's absence, but it did not bring her home.

Dozens of boats went up the river, and dozens went down. Rowles said to the occupants of each of them, "If you should see a girl of thirteen what has got lost, be so good as to tell her to come home double-quick, or it will be worse for her."

Some of the people laughed, and some said "Very well;" but evening deepened into night without bringing Juliet.

The last boat was that of the old gentleman's butler, or valet, or whatever he liked to call himself. When Rowles made his speech about the missing girl, the man replied, "I know; that is the child whose father is a printer. Mr. Burnet takes an interest in that child, being himself a master-printer, and the son of a journeyman printer."

"The son of a journeyman printer!" Rowles repeated. "You don't say so, Mr. Robert?"

"Yes, I do say it. My Mr. Burnet's father began life at the bottom of the ladder, and ended it near the top; and my Mr. Burnet began life near the top, and is ending it quite at the top. Hard work, Mr.

Rowles, hard work, perseverance, honesty, and temperance; that's what does it. Your little girl's father may get to the top of the tree yet."

"Not with his bad health," replied Rowles, shaking his head; "and not without his proper night's sleep."

"They make up their sleep in the daytime," said the other, beginning to push his boat out of the lock which was now full. "I've got relations of my own in the same line, so I know they can make up their sleep in the daytime. Well, good-night; if I see the girl I'll hurry her home."

"Good--night, Mr. Robert. I'm glad you've learnt to manage your boat."

As Roberts went off his voice was heard saying, "It is hard work, and perseverance, and honesty, and temperance that does it." And he was not wrong.

Ten o'clock came. The lock-house was closed, and all its inmates went to bed. Mrs. Rowles had little sleep, watching all night for Juliet's knock. But it did not come.

At six o'clock next morning Mr. Rowles went out to look up and down the river, and to prophesy the weather. It was still and cloudless and warm. While he was standing idly beside the running water, listening to the twitter of birds and the lowing of cows, he heard yet another cry, that of a man; and presently he saw on the far-off bank the figure of a big, burly man with a bushy beard.

"I do believe it's Mrs. Bosher's brother!"

"Over! over!" bawled the man, as if hailing a ferry-boat.

"Well, if that ain't a joke! I ain't the ferry. Here you, Phil, jump into the _Fairy_ and go and see what that man wants."

So Phil played the part of the ferry and brought Mrs. Bosher's brother to the lock-eyot.

He told his story. The previous evening he had met a young girl in the wood, and as it was private property, he had warned her out of it.

Afterwards he found that she had gone to his sister's house, evidently a runaway, and had engaged herself as a general servant. But Mrs.

Bosher, who was one that never took no rest, never even took off her bonnet, saw through that girl, and knew right well that she had come from the Littlebourne side of the river; and perhaps Mrs. Rowles could state what family had lost a little maid-servant.

Yes, Mrs. Rowles could tell him all about Juliet; and after giving him some breakfast sent him back in the _Fairy_ to his own side of the river, with a request that Mrs. Bosher would take Juliet to the station, where someone would meet the tiresome girl and convey her to her home in London.

The big man promised to do all this, and went out with Rowles intending to have a pipe and a gossip with him, when down came a boat rowed by Leonard Burnet, and steered by the old master-printer; and so the gossip was cut short, though not the pipe.

"I am not going through," said Mr. Burnet from the boat. "Help me to land, Rowles; I want to have a talk with you. Who is that man?"

looking at the big person who had just gone off in the little _Fairy_.

"Oh, that is Mrs. Bosher's brother. I hope you are well, sir, and the young gentleman; likewise Mr. Robert."

"Yes, thanks, Leonard and I are very well; but Roberts has a smart touch of rheumatism, and will not come on the river to-day. May I sit here, Rowles?" added Mr. Burnet, pointing to a seat under some small trees.

"If you please, sir. Why, Emma, where are _you_ a-going?"

Mrs. Rowles curtsied to Mr. Burnet. "I am going, Ned, to the vicarage.

I heard say that Mr. and Mrs. Webster are going to London to-day, and if they would take charge of Juliet it would save my time and money."

Mrs. Rowles hurried off, and caught Mrs. Webster, who most kindly undertook the charge of Juliet if Mrs. Bosher should bring her to the station, and to see her safe to her own home in London.

While Mrs. Rowles was absent on this errand, her husband was having a very important conversation with Mr. Burnet under the small trees.

Neither Leonard nor Phil heard what pa.s.sed, as they were not within earshot; but when they presently came near their fathers they caught these words from Mr. Burnet:

"I hope that he will consent to do as we suggest. It was really my boy who first thought that it would be a good move. These young people sometimes get hold of ideas which are worth carrying out. And then Roberts took it up, knowing as he does from his relations the difficulties of that kind of life in London."

"I'm sure, sir," said Rowles doubtfully, "it is very kind of you to think of doing such kindness to a stranger. But I'm much afeard that Thomas Mitch.e.l.l is so used to his topsy-turvy way of living, that he will not fit in with the morning for getting up and the night for going to bed."

"I will endeavour to get him to try it, at all events. I have taken a lease of the Bourne House; very likely you know it."

"I should think I did! A good old gentleman used to live there when I was a boy, as like to you, sir, as one pea is to another; and, what is more, Mrs. Bosher's brother farms all the arable land belonging to it."

"Does he? Of course I know all about my future tenant, but I did not know he was Mrs. Bosher's brother. Well, Rowles, there is a nice little cottage on the property which your brother-in-law can rent cheap from me; and I will put him on the _Thames Valley Times and Post_, which only comes out once a week, and does not keep the men up at night. We also do a good deal of handbill printing, and catalogues for sales, and that kind of work, which is easy enough. And I hope to see your friends settled down here by the beginning of the week after next."

Rowles shook his head, feeling certain that the arrangement would not answer. But Mr. Burnet was determined to try it, and Leonard was delighted with the project.

"Your cousins," said Leonard to Philip, "will have to learn all about country things. I don't suppose they know a garden when they see one."

"No, they don't," was Phil's answer. "When Juliet saw the first of the country from the train window, she says to mother, 'It's a pretty churchyard!' says she."