The Blue Birds at Happy Hills

“We are ready to start, but where are the twins?” exclaimed Jinks impatiently. Jinks was Meredith Starr’s chum who lived next door to the Starrs.

“Why, they were here but a moment ago!” said Mete.

“Perhaps they ran on to Mossy Glen without us,” came from Lavinia Starr, two years older than the twins, who were eight.

A shrill whistle from the woods then told the three waiting children that Don and Dot Starr were half-way to the meeting place. The Blue Birds and Bobolinks were going to meet at the barn, known now as the Publishing Offices, to start thence for the ten-forty train to New York.

“Hurry up, we’ve wasted three minutes waiting for those awful twins!” sighed Vene--the nickname for Lavinia.

At the Publishing Offices on the Mossy Glen estate, the three late arrivals found all the members assembled. Ruth and Ned Talmage had not far to walk as their home was at Mossy Glen, and the Starr children including Jinks were now accounted for. Besides these two groups, there were the other girl-members of the Blue Bird Club, or Nest, and the boys who founded the society called Bobolinks, that published the magazine and other important printed matter--such as tickets, notices, programmes, etc.

“Here come Ike and Jim--can we all crowd into those two autos, do you think?” asked Ned, anxiously.

“It will not be the first time they’ve carried such a load,” laughed Jinks.

Just as the children climbed eagerly into the two cars, Mrs. Talmage appeared hurrying along the path from the house.

“Now Ned--remember! Don’t allow anyone to go other than the way I’ve directed you. This is the first time that we grown-ups consented to have you children go to New York alone, and you must be careful to follow all advices from us,” declared Mrs. Talmage, with a note of anxiety in her tone.

“Oh, we’ll be all right, mother; don’t worry. Aren’t Mete and Jinks and I almost grown up?” said Ned, soothingly.

“No, you’re not! You three boys are just as full of mischief as Don Starr, and everyone knows what we have to endure from him!” sighed Mrs. Talmage.

The children all laughed--Dot Starr the twin, laughing loudest, but Don looked as dark as a thunder-cloud at his friends.

“Guess you all got out of bed with a left foot, this morning! That accounts for the grouches!” grumbled Don.

Another laugh failed to bring harmony into Don’s discordant heart just then, so Mrs. Talmage turned again to Ned:

“When you get off the train at Hoboken, you take the tube uptown--remember now, uptown! Don’t get on the cars that go to Newark or Cortlandt Street. Ask a guard which is the right train to carry you to 23rd Street.

“Then walk across from the 23rd Street exit to Fourth Avenue, and up Fourth to Uncle Ben’s address. You have it written on the letter, Ned, so you simply can’t go wrong!”

“We won’t go wrong, Mother. You only think we may!”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake--hurry up! We’ll miss that train,” complained Don, who now had an opportunity to give vent to his ire.

“Good-by, children! I wish you would telephone me as soon as you arrive at Uncle Ben’s offices, so I will know you are all right!” said Mrs. Talmage as the cars rolled away.

The party had ample time to board the train at the little station of Oakdale, and soon they found themselves in Hoboken--the terminal for the Jersey suburban trains.

As they were passing the news-stand at the foot of the steps that led to the tubes under the river, Don saw a variety of tempting candies.

“I’ve got my week’s allowance with me, Dot--do you want some chewing-gum?” asked her twin.

“S-sh! They’ll hear you! And you know Vene won’t let us have chewing-gum,” warned Dot, glancing at the other children. But they had not heard Don, as they were interested in buying the tickets to New York.

This was a perplexing matter, as tickets for Dot, Don, and Tuck Stevens were to be at half-price, and those of the other children at full-price. The twins took advantage of the problem to buy a box of gum and a roll of chocolate disks.

“Oh! Looka here! We’ve got ten pieces of gum for a nickel!” chuckled Don, delightedly, as he emptied the box into his palm.

“You take five and I’ll take five,” suggested Dot.

“Why, no! Didn’t I pay for them? You take one and when you want another I’ll give it to you.”

“But I always go even shares with you when I get anything at home,” argued Dot.

“That’s different! You don’t pay out your hard-earned money for it, and I had to. Why, just think how many times last week I had to be at school on time! Didn’t that mean getting out of bed so early that I ’most got insomnia from it?”

Dot had an inspiration. She hastily began chewing the single piece of white-candied gum and determined to ask for a second piece soon, as Don had promised to give her another one when she wanted it.

Don now hastened in front of his sister, to join the other children, but he was too preoccupied with the gum to notice where he went. He heard a guard call: “All aboard!” and he rushed in dragging Dot after him--just in time! The door was closed and away sped the train.

“Where’s Ned--and Jinks, and the others?” gasped Dot, the moment they found themselves safe on the moving train.

Don could not reply. He seemed to have a great obstruction in his mouth. Finally he shoved the obstacle over in the hollow of a cheek and gurgled out:

“Guess they went in the car ahead to be nearer the exit gate when we get there.”

“Don Starr! What have you got in your mouth?” demanded Dot, suspecting the truth.

“Gum, of course! What have you got?” retorted Don.

“I’ve got one piece! How many have you?”

“I’ve got what I paid for!” snapped Don, but he had the grace to blush at his selfishness.

“I--I just wish you’d swallow it! So there!” cried Dot, who had unwisely thrown away the gum she had, to induce her twin to give her a new piece.