Perhaps they had left
some door unfastenedperhaps they had put the keys under the
door-mat. No, each door, each window, was solidly closed, and
there was no mat!
"I shall have to go to the school to see if they took the keys with
them," said Agamemnon; "or else go home to see if they left them
there." The school was in a different direction from the house, and
far at the other end of the town; for Mr. Peterkin had not yet
changed the boys' school, as he proposed to do after their move.
"That will be the only way," said Elizabeth Eliza; for it had been
arranged that the little boys should take their lunch to school, and
not come home at noon.
She sat down on the steps to wait, but only for a moment, for the
carts soon appeared, turning the corner. What should be done with
the furniture? Of course the carters must wait for the keys, as she
should need them to set the furniture up in the right places. But
they could not stop for this. They put it down upon the piazza, on
the steps, in the garden, and Elizabeth Eliza saw how incongruous
it was! There was something from every room in the house! Even
the large family chest, which had proved too heavy for them to
travel with had come down from the attic, and stood against the
front door.
And Solomon John appeared with the carpet woman, and a boy
with a wheelbarrow, bringing the new carpet. And all stood and
waited.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112