Part 3

"Yes, that's an idea!" replied Johnny. "There is quite a lot of furniture here; and that sofa looks like an old friend, if there is a hole in the cover that you kicked through. I guess mamma can find me a piece of cretonne that I can spread all over the bottom to hide the holes. And then, don't you remember, Sue, what a lot of old pictures there are in that big trunk, which were put up here when father bought so many new pictures at that sale? and some of those old ones are real pretty too, especially the engravings."

"And don't you remember the chromo with the winter in it, Johnny?"

"Oh, yes! that winter scene was pretty good: it represented the poet Whittier when he was a little boy, going to a country school."

"Oh, yes! I remember now," replied Sue; "and Mr. Whittier was in the picture, when he was a little boy, and his little girl that loved him was there with a blue apron on. Let's get 'em right out, and look 'em over, and see which you will hang up."

"No," replied Johnny: "we'll go down and tell mamma our plans first, and ask her if we may have the curtains, and hang up the pictures."

Mrs. Le Bras was very much pleased when Johnny came down looking so animated and happy: she had begun to feel as if his pleasure was to be spoiled for the summer by the advent upon the scene of such a thoughtless and rude boy as Felix. She assented very willingly to all his plans, and said he could take any of the discarded things in the attic to furnish his room, and might select and arrange them without her superintendence; only stipulating that Sue was not to be allowed to touch any thing without his orders or permission. She said all the old curtains were in the lower drawer of the bureau in the attic, and Johnny could select which he pleased. As for a covering for the lounge, she would give him a piece of very pretty new cretonne which had been left over of some she got for curtains to Kate's room.

As it was Saturday morning, there was plenty of time for Johnny to get his room in order before the time for the sunset exhibition. Having charged Sue, again and again, not to ask his mother to come up until all was in readiness, and to give him warning if there was any danger of her making her appearance, he went to work with a will, allowing Sue to help him all she could, for the sake of her company, and because he saw that this kind of business pleased her greatly. By four in the afternoon, the room was finished; and a very attractive place it was. Johnny had opened all the windows, and thrown back the blinds, so that the great space was flooded with light, and as pleasant as out of doors. The breeze was so strong, however, since there was nothing to intercept it at that height, that Johnny was obliged to close all but the front windows.

"I know it will be cool here on the warmest day in summer," said Johnny, "because it is ever so much cooler here to-day than it is in any other part of the house. That isn't generally the way with attics: but then, this is different from an attic; it is larger, and has more windows, and the roof is different."

"If there is a very, very warm day, you can go out at the scuttle," remarked Sue.

"Oh! I'll tell you what the scuttle will be good for," replied Johnny: "we can go up there evenings, and see the stars splendidly. I shall call that my observatory. We will try it this evening."

The scuttle was in the little hall between the storeroom and Kate's room, and was reached by a kind of stair-ladder: there were several large panes of glass in it, which afforded sufficient light for the little hall-way.

"Now we will go down and get all the books I shall need," said Johnny.

Johnny's books were in one corner of Mr. Le Bras' large bookcase, which nearly filled one side of the sitting-room. When they reached the sitting-room, they found their father had returned from his office.

"I'm going to carry some of my books into my sky-room," said Johnny, "but I don't know what to keep them in: my table isn't large enough to hold any thing but my inkstand, pens, and pencils, and some paper for writing and drawing."

"Are there not some empty packing-boxes in the storeroom which we used when we moved here?" remarked his father.

"Yes."

"Take several of those which are of about the same size, and place them one above the other. If they are not quite firm enough, drive in a few nails. That will give you shelves for books and other things. Put some white paper on the bottom of the shelves, and a little light fancy paint in front, and on the top and sides, if you like."

"I wonder I did not think of that," replied Johnny; "for I have seen a very pretty bookcase which Dick Scott made out of boxes."

Johnny then began to take down some books from the shelves. First he took down four volumes of Jacob Abbott's "Science for the Young."

"I thought you had got through with those books long ago," remarked his father.

"No. I forget something in them sometimes, and then I want to look it up again; besides, I like to read parts of them over once in a while; and when I don't want to study, they are more interesting than my chemistries and philosophies, because there is a little story mixed in. I wish I could get some more just such books telling of things I haven't learned about."

"It is a pity there is no Mr. Abbott here now to write more books," said his father. "I'll tell you what you must do, Johnny: when you get old enough, you must write some similar books for young folks yourself, to cover the subjects Mr. Abbott left."

"But I sha'n't be a boy to be interested in such books then."

"Never mind," said his mother: "there will be ever so many more Johnnys to be interested, and it is pleasanter to give than to receive, you remember."

Johnny looked rather doubtful about that, but he said nothing. He took down his books upon chemistry, and philosophy, which were such as are used in high schools and academies, and a number of books upon other solid subjects, also a few story-books and a dictionary.

"What do you want of a dictionary in vacation?" asked his mother.

"When I am reading, I often come across a word which I do not understand: and then, I shall write considerably this vacation, and the dictionary will help my spelling; I intend to write a good many compositions, some of which I shall use in school next year, which will save my time."

"But I don't think you ought to do schoolwork in vacation: you ought simply to enjoy yourself, or do manual labor, which will not tax your mind," said Mrs. Le Bras.

"But writing compositions don't tax my mind, unless I am in a hurry about something else: I shall just write the compositions in vacation for the fun of it, and then, in school-time, I can let them take the place of real work."

"That is a good idea," said Mr. Le Bras. "A little providence like that saves a good deal of the friction of working-time."

"Yes," said Johnny, "and friction is apt to produce fire."

His mother laughed.

"You mean by that," she said, "it is likely to make folks lose their patience and temper."

"Come, Sue, I guess I've got enough now," said Johnny: "if I haven't, I shall think of the others by degrees."

Sue held out her apron: Johnny put as many books in it as he thought she could carry easily, and piled up the remainder, and took them in his arms, with some assistance from his father in getting them well balanced.

"I think I will go up with you to see how your 'sky-room' looks," remarked Mr. Le Bras.

"Oh, no! don't!" said Johnny. "We're not ready to have you and mother come up yet. I'll tell you when we are ready."

"You mustn't come up till after supper," added Sue,--"not till sundown."

"You look out, Sue," said Johnny warningly, "or you'll let it all out before you know it!"

Sue looked back and laughed, as she walked off with her bulged-out apron.

The boxes were speedily arranged, the bottom of the shelves covered with white paper, and the books deposited upon them.

"When I get time, I will fasten and stain the boxes; but this will do at present," said Johnny, standing back to observe the effect.--"That looks quite like a bookcase, don't it?"

"It's just splendid," replied Sue. "And what shall we do now?"

"We will arrange the lounge and table and chairs, here near the front windows, in a space about as large as our sitting-room: we can have that for the in-doors, and then we can make believe that all outside of that square is out of doors, and have it to exercise in. I think I will call that the promenade."

"Then, let's get some chalk, and mark off the room, so that we can tell exactly where the room ends, and the promenade begins."

"Very well," replied Johnny, laughing: "that wouldn't be a bad plan. If you will run down and get one of my crayons, I will mark it off now. You can get the yardstick too. While you are gone, I will be moving the furniture into the front part of the room."

The bookcase stood between the two front windows. Johnny moved the table up near the bookcase, and placed the sofa a little to the left of the left-hand window, with one end toward the front wall of the room. He then arranged the chairs and ottoman.

When Sue came back, she said a lounge ought to be against the wall, instead of extending out into the room.

"It is against the wall," replied Johnny: "it is against the crayon-wall we are to make for this side of our room."

"Why, that's so!" replied Sue, half laughingly and half wonderingly. "I forgot that three of the walls of the room were to be crayon-marks."

The room was soon chalked off very distinctly.

"That seems a good deal more like a room and a promenade than it did, don't it?" said Johnny.

"Yes," replied Sue: "I think I like walls that you can see right through, very well. I wish some of the walls down-stairs were like that, so we could see out into the back-yard."

"Let us go down in the yard now, and stay till supper-time," said Johnny: "we have been working hard all the afternoon, and I think I will romp with you now a while, if you want to; since you have been so good-natured about helping me, and keeping me company, in getting the room ready."

"Come, then! let's go right off!" exclaimed Sue, with delight.--"I'll be down in the yard before you!" and she ran off as fast as she could go, while Johnny followed more leisurely, meditating upon the pleasant respites he could take from Felix's society in his beautiful and commodious sky-room.

There chanced to be an unusually beautiful sunset that evening; and, when it was in its glory, Johnny invited his father and mother to come up and see the new apartment.

"There's going to be a free show for you," said Sue.

"Yes," said Johnny; "and it didn't cost any thing to get it up, either."

"No," added Sue: "it got itself up, and it'll do it almost every day this summer, without even being asked."

"O Sue!" whispered Johnny in her ear, "you'll let it out before we get up there, if you're not more careful."

When they entered the transformed attic, a beautiful scene was presented. The four large dormer windows were all open, and a flood of soft sunset-light filled the apartment. But best of all was the beautiful sky on all sides; for the room faced the west, and the sky all around was full of variously colored clouds, of various shades and degrees of brightness, from brilliant red and gold to delicate shades of pearl, yellow, and violet, with the blue sky for a background.

"Well! this is glorious!" exclaimed Mr. Le Bras. "I did not know we had such a room in the house! Why! it is like discovering a gold-mine!"

"Don't you remember," replied Mrs. Le Bras, "that I said, when we first came here, and were putting away some things in the attic, that there was a beautiful view up here, and it was a great pity it could not be down-stairs?"

"I don't remember it," replied Mr. Le Bras. "I think, whenever I have been here, the blinds have been closed; and as I have always been to get something, or put something away, I never have thought of looking out of the windows."

"I have opened one of the blinds sometimes," replied Mrs. Le Bras, sitting down in the rocking-chair by one of the front windows, "and noticed how far the prospect extended; but I have never been here before at sunset-time. How very, very beautiful!"

"Why, yes! this is perfect fairyland!" said Mr. Le Bras, sitting down by the other front window, in the arm-chair, and looking out at the brilliant scene produced by the green landscape, with its blue river and purple hills and flaming sky.

Mr. and Mrs. Le Bras, upon looking around the interior, praised Johnny and his assistant very much for the neat and tasteful arrangement of the curtains, furniture, etc., and were greatly amused at the chalk-line dividing the room from the promenade. They remained until the stars began to come out, declaring it was too pleasant a place to leave, as long as any of the scenery was visible.

"You see, this house is on a hill, and above the houses about here, which are only two stories," said Mr. Le Bras, "and also above the trees in the park. You are a lucky boy, Johnny, to own a room like this for the summer, which you can have all to yourself: so I think we will say it is a pretty good offset for all the annoyance you are likely to experience from Felix."

"And I suppose you will let me in here once in a while, if I get too tired of Felix's nonsense?" remarked Mrs. Le Bras.

"Oh, yes! I will let any one in except Felix himself; and I will let him in for a little while, sometimes, if he will promise not to touch any of my things, or race about."

"You had better not give him much encouragement to come here," said Mr. Le Bras, "or he may tease you too often to let him in. I would not have him know any thing about the room, until he finds it out in some way himself."

"Yes, that will be the best plan," added Mrs. Le Bras: "it will save considerable questioning and wonderment, to say the least."

*CHAPTER IV.*

*THE UNWELCOME GUEST.*

Felix was the son of Mr. Le Bras' brother, who was a wholesale merchant in New York, and very rich. It was doubtful if Felix had ever been denied any thing which he wished; that is, if it could be bought. Among the rest of his possessions were a pony, a bicycle, and a boat; for Mr. Louis Le Bras had a summer residence on the shore.

Felix arrived with his father Wednesday afternoon. They drove up in a carriage, with quite a large trunk behind, which contained Felix's summer outfit. A bicycle also was strapped on over the trunk; and, when the visitors alighted, a large Newfoundland dog bounded out of the carriage. Felix was a handsome boy, with large brown eyes, and dark, curling hair. The dog was very black and glossy.

"So we have a third visitor?" said Mr. Frank Le Bras, after he and Mrs. Le Bras and the children had shaken hands with his brother and Felix.

"Oh, yes!" replied Mr. Louis Le Bras: "Felix will not go anywhere without Clyde."

"How long have you had Clyde?" inquired Johnny of Felix.

"About two weeks. Isn't he a fine old fellow? He cost thirty dollars."

"Do you like riding a bicycle pretty well?" asked Johnny, as the hackman took that article down.

"Well, I guess so! I don't walk hardly at all now, when I get where there are dirt-roads. You won't see much of me till I've explored all the country round here."

"Didn't you want to go to Europe?" inquired Sue.

"No, not with mother, 'cause she's so awful nervous, and scares at every thing; and then, father gave me a new gold watch for staying at home,--though I don't care much about it, now I've got it."

Felix took out the watch carelessly, and showed it to Johnny and Sue.

"That's ever so nice," said Sue. "Aren't you a lucky boy, Felix?"

"I don't know," replied Felix: "all I know is, I mean to have a good time wherever I am. Father, I guess I'll try this road on my bicycle before I go in."

"No," replied his father: "come in and visit a while first."

"No," returned Felix, vaulting upon the bicycle: "I'm just going round the park square. That's just a mile, isn't it, Johnny?"

"Yes," replied Johnny: "it's a quarter of a mile on each side."

"But supper is nearly ready," objected Mrs. Le Bras.

"Never mind: you needn't wait for me; I'll have my supper when I come back," returned Felix, shooting off up the road, followed by Clyde.

Felix's father was talking quite busily with his brother, without paying any further attention to Felix. But just as the young man was vanishing around the corner, he turned, and observed him.

"Why! I thought I told that boy he couldn't go," he said.

"Yes, you did," replied Mrs. Le Bras.

"There's no keeping track of him," said his father, with an air of resignation. "Well, I suppose boys must be boys! I shouldn't wonder if we used to bother our folks a good deal when we were boys, Frank."

"If we did, we got bothered in turn by our father and mother, if I recollect rightly," replied Mr. Le Bras. "I did not venture to disobey my father very often, and I had reason to remember it when I did. I had an idea your experience was about the same."

"Parents were more strict in those days; I don't know but I think they were too strict; I am certain I used to think so when I was a boy."

"I doubt if it would have been any better for us if our parents had been more indulgent," returned Mr. Le Bras, "and I am certain that it would have been very much worse for them. Having unruly children about is rather a doubtful blessing. By the way, Louis, you remember my stipulation, that, if Felix stays here, I shall insist upon strict obedience? I cannot possibly promise care and safe-keeping without that proviso. I suppose you have given him to understand what I expect?"

"Oh, yes! he understands, and that is all right. I hope you can teach him to mind. It will be a great favor to us if you will: his mother is in too poor health, and too fond of him, to cross him much; and I am not at home a great deal. To tell the truth, I would give any one a thousand dollars to teach that boy to behave himself: in fact, I would give more."

Mr. Frank Le Bras laughed at this remark, as if it were a very good joke. "I don't know of any way of teaching a boy to do well right along, Louis, without the proper kind of government continues right along until the boy is grown up,--unless, indeed, the boy were so remarkable that he might be taught to govern himself by his own reason and conscience; and such boys are very rare: in fact, I don't know as I ever saw such a boy. But I shall do the best I can by Felix, not only for his sake and yours, but for my own comfort and that of my household. We shall not attempt to govern him while you are here, however."

"I shall be off on the eight o'clock train; so your authority will begin very soon. I can't tell you all how thankful I am that you have agreed to take charge of the young rogue. Of course we love him dearly, but even his mother is beginning to see that he is getting to be too much for us: I fancy her nervous disease is greatly aggravated by her worry over Felix."

They were sitting in the house by this time, and now Kate rang the supper-bell. Felix did not appear during supper-time, nor until past seven o'clock: then he came in with a very red face, accompanied by Clyde, who was panting, with his tongue out of his mouth.

"Where have you been?" inquired his father.

"Oh! I met a boy over by the park, and we went racing. We went up to the trotting-park, and tried the course. I guess I've got up an appetite for supper."

"You will find something on the table," said his aunt; "but, of course, you won't expect to have any thing hot, an hour after supper-time."

"I do at home," replied Felix, looking slightly disconcerted.

"But you must remember you are not at home," replied his father: "there is but one servant here, and you make an extra person in the family, at the best."

Felix sat down at the table, appearing rather out of sorts. Kate did not look very pleasant either, as she waited upon him: ordinarily, she would have had the table cleared and all the dishes washed before that time.

"Are we to have this kind of doings all the time?" she asked of Mrs. Le Bras, as the latter came into the kitchen of an errand.

"No, indeed!" replied Mrs. Le Bras: "this is the very last time, Katie; after this, if Felix is not here at meal-time, the table will be cleared, and nothing will be brought out for him but bread and butter. We shall give him to understand how it will be, and then it will be his own fault if he gets served that way."

When Mr. Louis Le Bras took his leave, he gave much good advice to Felix, and charged him to make as little trouble as possible.

"I sha'n't be any trouble," replied Felix: "I sha'n't be in the house but precious little, anyway. Clyde and I won't see much of the inside of the house till we've scoured all the region round, to begin with."

"But if you are scouring the country, how can your aunt and uncle take care of you?" replied his father. "You may get into all sorts of scrapes and dangers."

"I guess I'm old enough to take care of myself! I ain't a baby," replied Felix indignantly.

As the hack had just driven up to the door, and there was no time to spare, Mr. Le Bras shook hands all around, kissed Mrs. Le Bras and the children, said he wished he was a German so that he could kiss his brother too, as the gentlemen kissed each other in Germany, added at the last, "Now, you make that boy mind, at all costs," sprang into the carriage, told the driver to hurry, and rode off, while Felix shouted after him,--

"Don't you forget, father, that I can take care of myself!"

Johnny and Sue then took Felix up to see his room, for he had not visited them since they had moved into their new house. It was a very pretty room, fourteen feet square, in the L over the kitchen, and had a charming view of the yard and the park beyond. It was Sue's room, but she was to sleep on a cot-bed in her mother's room while Felix staid; and she rather liked the change, because her mother's room looked out on the street, where she could see the passers-by.

Johnny's room was over the dining-room, and so next to Felix's, but only opened into the hall. The spare chamber was over the sitting-room.

"This will pass," said Felix, when Johnny and Sue called his attention to the various good points about the room. "It is about half as large as my room at home; but I don't care for that, nor that there isn't any bath-room or dressing-room out of it, 'cause I sha'n't be in my room but precious little, and I mean to go down to the river and bathe every day,--swim, I mean. I can swim like a fish,--since we've had our cottage down by the shore: I learned last season. By the way, father says we can all go down to the cottage if we want to: it's furnished, you know, and empty."

"Oh, I wish we could!" said Sue. "I'll go and ask mamma if we are going."

Sue ran off, while Felix opened his trunk and showed Johnny his new summer clothes, which were very fine; also his jointed fishing-rod and various other boyish possessions, which were recent acquisitions of which he had not yet tired, since they were all fresh from the stores, most of them being presents his mother had given him to reconcile him for being deprived of a voyage to Europe.

Presently Sue came back, saying it was not decided about the offer of the cottage being accepted: it depended upon whether her father could get away for a long vacation, for her mother said she should not go unless he was able to go too.

"But I shouldn't wonder if we did go," added Sue hopefully; "for mamma looked as though she rather thought father would be able to get away, and she said he could tell better in a few weeks."

"Now, what am I to do all this evening?" said Felix. "What's going on in this place, Johnny?"