CHAPTER XVI

BROTHERS AND FUDGE

IT was a few days later that Mr. Fayre announced to his family the news that his transfer of locality had been postponed until after the Christmas holidays.

“Perhaps you won’t have to go at all, Father,” said Trudy.

“Perhaps not,” agreed Mr. Fayre. “These matters are uncertain. I should be glad not to leave Berwick, for I like my New York business, and my suburban home; but what is to be will be, whether it ever comes to pass or not.”

This was one of Mr. Fayre’s favourite nonsense speeches and always made the girls laugh. Dolly laughed now, perhaps a little more than the occasion demanded, for she knew a small joke of her own.

Dotty, too, controlled her smiles discreetly and as the subject was lightly passed over, no one suspected that the postponement was due to Dolly’s endeavours.

“Bernice Forbes is going to have a party,” Dolly said, after a time.

“Is she?” said Mrs. Fayre, interestedly. “When?”

“On the thirtieth. It’s her birthday. I ’spect it will be a lovely party. Can I have a new frock, Mother?”

“Why, I think so. You need one more new party dress this winter, and you may as well have it for that occasion.”

“I thought Bernice wasn’t much liked by your crowd,” said Trudy.

“Well, she isn’t a favourite,” said Dolly, slowly, “but I think she’s better liked than she used to be. Anyway, everybody’ll be glad to go to her party.”

“Yes,” said Trudy, “and then talk about her afterward! I think that’s mean.”

“I do too,” chimed in Dotty. “But Bernice is nicer than she used to be, more pleasant, you know. And maybe there won’t be anything to say about her party, except nice things.”

“She’ll probably have a brass band and supper from New York,” laughed Trudy.

“Well, I want you to be nice to her, Dolly,” said Mr. Fayre. “Mr. Forbes has been exceedingly kind to me of late, and if you can do anything for his motherless girl, you do it.”

“Yes, Dad,” said Dolly, meekly, though her heart was singing for joy that she was already carrying out her father’s wishes.

“Why I thought Mr. Forbes was an awful strict, stern man,” said Trudy.

“He is,” returned her father. “And he’s a just and particular man, in his business relations, as, of course, he ought to be.”

“Couldn’t you ask him, Father, not to let us go away from Berwick?” suggested Dolly, timidly.

“Gracious, no, child. I wouldn’t dream of such a thing! If he says go, I must go. But he spoke to-day as if the matter were still in abeyance—”

“In where?”

“Never mind your geography, Dollums. You wouldn’t find abeyance in any Christian country. I mean he spoke as if my going away is still uncertain.”

“Oh! Well, I’m glad of it. Every day here counts.”

Before Bernice’s birthday party came off Dolly had much to do. And Dotty ably aided and abetted her plans.

They lost no opportunity to hint to the girls and boys of Bernice’s good traits. They even said to some, that she had been misunderstood and enlisted their sympathies for the new candidate for favours.

Bernice herself tried hard to do her part. Naturally shy, hers was the disposition that takes quick offence at a seeming slight, and supersensitive to such, she often felt like returning a haughty stare. But she remembered Dolly’s instructions, and managed fairly well to control her quick temper, and overlook many things.

A few days before the party Bob Rose and Bert Fayre came home from their school for the Thanksgiving vacation.

Great rejoicing was in the two families at this event. Dotty had returned home, Genie being all well again, and Treasure House was the daily meeting place of the quartette.

“My stars! girls, but this is fine!” declared Bert, as the Two D’s showed off their possessions.

“You bet it is!” chimed in Bob, as he paraded round the House, taking in all its glories.

It was the day of their return, they hadn’t been in town ten minutes before they were rushed over to the wonderful Treasure House.

“And catch onto the dinky kitchen business! Can you cook, oh, Treasure ladies?”

“Some,” said Dolly, smiling at the recollection of the feast that failed.

“Pshaw! We’ll show you how. Say we begin now. What you got on hand?”

“Oh, wait, Bert! don’t upset things!” cried Dolly, in dismay, for her brother was ruthlessly rummaging in the cupboard for goodies.

“Unhand me, villain!” and Bert shook off Dolly’s restraining hand. “I seek what I seek!” and with a flourish he brought out a package of chocolate and the sugar bowl. “Fee fi fo fum, I smell the scent of Fudgerum. Go to it, Dollops! See how quick you can turn out a panful!” Bert took out his watch as if to time her. “One, two three! Go!”

Falling into the spirit of the thing, Dolly whisked out a sauce-pan and long-handled spoon, while twice as quickly, Dotty seized a knife and began to shave off the chocolate. Fudge was a thing they _could_ make, with no chance of failure, so the two worked smoothly together, and in an incredibly short time, the delectable compound was cooling, to be cut into squares.

“You’re the right sort of sisters for a chap to have,” said Bob, looking admiringly at the two smiling, flushed faces before him.

“You’re two pretty good brothers,” Dotty flashed back, and Bert remarked. “Cut out the taffy, and look after the fudge.”

So they marked it off in squares and diamonds, and the impatient boys began on it at once.

“Guess we’ll bring home some chaps for the Christmas Vake, hey, Bob?” and Bert nodded at his chum.

“That’s a go. But not many, for this house has all the modern improvements, except size, it seems to me.”

“Oh, it holds quite a good many,” Dolly said; “we’ve had sixteen here at a time and it wasn’t so awfully crowded.”

“All right. We’ll bring Chalk and Cheese, eh, Bert?”

“Yep. Give me another piece of fudge, Dollums.”

“You’ll be very exceedingly ill,” remarked Dolly, gravely, as she handed her brother the plate. “Now, see here, Bert, and you, too, Bob, I’ve got you sweetened up, I want to tell you something. To ask you something, rather.”

“Clever Dolly! First fudge, then demands. Well, go ahead. To the half of my kingdom!”

“Now, listen, I’m serious. It’s about Bernice Forbes.”

“No, you don’t!” and Bert grinned. “I know the fair Bernie! None for this citizen, thank you! What you want? Me to take her to a party, I’ll bet. Well, you lose! See?”

“Now, Bert, be quiet,” and Dolly gave him a pleading glance. “Don’t jump at things so. Be still a minute.”

“All right,” put in Bob. “My chum, at his sister’s request, will now be mum. But I’ll take the floor. I hereby assent that Us Two, being for the moment in a position to grace the fair town of Berwick by our gracious presence, utterly decline to spoil our all too short stay in these parts, by so much as an allusion to the impossible Forbes damsel.”

“But you _must_ listen,” and Dolly looked so honestly distressed, that the boys woke up to the fact that she was serious.

“Fire away, then,” said Bert, “but cut it short. What’s it all about?”

“It’s this,” burst out Dotty, for Dolly couldn’t seem to find the right words. “We’re booming Bernice. And you two have got to help!”

“Help! Help!” cried Bert, faintly. “Do I get you aright?”

“You do!” and Dotty wagged her black head, vigorously. “You sure do! Now, the situation is this—”

“Let me tell,” said Dolly, who had recovered her nerve. “For reasons of my own, which I will not explain at present, but which affect you, Bert, as much as me, it is necessary that we make Bernice popular—”

“What!” exploded Bob. “Bernice popular! Oh, Jiminy Crickets! that’s a good one!”

“Yes, popular,” repeated Dolly, severely. “And if it seems so difficult to you, then there will be all the more glory in accomplishing it. Now, don’t stop to argue; just realise that we’re going to do it. Look on it as a stunt, to be wrastled somehow, and—and chip in and help us. Are you wid us or agin us?”

Dolly was standing now, and flung out her arms like an importunate orator, pleading for the sympathies of his audience. A determined fire shone in her deep blue eyes, a determined smile curved her red lips, and as she paused for a reply, Bob shouted, “To the last ditch!”

“Good for you!” and Dolly thanked him with a beaming smile. “Now, Bert, of course you’re in it, too. So here’s the game. We four are to do all we can, in a clever and quiet way, to make Bernice Forbes’ party a howling success, and—”

“Told you it was a party!” growled Bert. “Hate parties!”

“No, you don’t hate parties. You love ’em. And this party is next Tuesday, and if you two boys don’t go in and win,—for me—you’re no good!”

“What’s it to you, Doll?” asked her brother, detecting the earnest note in Dolly’s voice.

“It means a lot, Bert,” and Dolly’s voice shook a little. “But never mind that now. You two just do as we girls—”

“Ours not to reason why,” exclaimed Bob; “ours but to do or die! and we’ll do anything or anybody you say. Now, as to details, what is our special rôle at this party racket?”

“Just this,” said Dotty. “To push up Bernice’s stock! Be awfully nice to her yourselves. Make the other boys be nice to her, too. See that she has a partner for every dance and a good time at every game,—or whatever they have. Hover round her at supper time, and in general make her think she’s It!”

“Well, Sweet Sister, what you say, goes! But you’ve given us a pretty large order! You know the lady, I take it?”

“Yes, but you don’t. At least, you don’t know that she’s a heap nicer than she used to be. Also, you don’t know what a great big whopping reason there is for all this. If you did, you’d—why, you’d fly over there at once, there’d be no holding you!”

“And can’t we know?”

“Not just now,” said Dolly, looking mysterious. “Some day, if you’re good, I may tell you. Till then, you must work in the dark. Oh, you _are_ good boys! I knew I could depend on you! Have some more fudge.”

“Oh thank you _so_ much! Say, if we promise to do all and more than mortal can ask to further that crazy project of yours, can we drop the subject for now?”

“Yes, but remember you’ve promised,” and Dotty shook her finger at the two jolly boys, who were willing to please their sisters, but who took little interest in Bernice Forbes and her success.

“Seems to me,” observed Bob, as they returned to discussion of Treasure House, “that this is too good a piece of property for two simple girls! Why, it’s worthy of boy occupants. Want to rent it?”

“No-sir-ee, Bob!” laughed Dolly. “We’ve been weeks getting it into shape, and fixed just exactly as we want it, and we don’t propose to have a lot of boys rampoosing all over it. You are invited to inspect it,—and then I don’t know as you’ll be asked again.”

“Well, I like that! Why, we supposed you’d give us the freedom of it while we’re at home, at least.”

“Oh, we won’t lock you out, except when we’re studying,” said Dotty. “But there won’t be much studying while you’re home, for it’s our vacation too.”

Just then a rap sounded on the brass knocker of Treasure House, and Bob flung open the door to admit the three Rawlins and two Browns.

“Hullo,” cried Tad and Tod together; “when did you fellows get home?”

“Just to-day,” answered Bert, as they all said hullo to each other and then found seats for themselves on chairs, window-boxes or floor.

And then a general chattering broke loose. Everybody talked at once, and Bob and Bert were welcomed back like long lost brothers. But soon the boys all had their heads together, telling of Clayton’s wonderful new football, and the girls had grouped themselves on the other side of the room and were eagerly discussing Bernice’s party.

“We’re going, now, Doll,” shouted Bert. “Going over to Clayt’s. All us fellows. Don’t weep, ladies, but we _must_ leave you now.”

“All right,” said Dotty. “We can spare you. Of course, we just hate to have you go, but if you must—”

“Oh, we’ll come back. But it’s too great a day to stay inside. You girls had better go out for a run yourselves.”

“Maybe we will,” said Dolly. “But wait a minute, boys. I want to ask you something. Won’t you each promise to dance twice with Bernice at her party?”

“Goodness, gracious! Bernice again!” and Tod Brown pretended to fall in a faint.

“Yes, again and yet and all the time!” declared Dolly, laughing at Tod’s ridiculous antics. “Now, own up, you know you can’t go to her party and not dance with her—”

“Why go?” demanded Clayton.

“Of course you’ll go! Wild horses couldn’t keep you away! But as you’re going, why not be decent about it, and do the really nice thing? If each of you will dance twice, and a few others once, she will have all the partners she wants.”

“Are you her press agent, Dolly? What has come over you?” asked Tad.

“Never you mind about that. You just do as I say.”

Now Tad was pretty apt to do as Dolly said, and so he bowed and scraped, saying, “What you say goes. Two is _my_ number. Hey, fellows?”

“Two it is!” sung out Tod, and the rest voiced agreement. “Now can we go, mum?” begged Tad.

“Yes,” said Dolly, “you’re good boys, and you may run and play.”

“What _are_ you up to, Dolly?” asked Grace, as the boys ran off, laughing and jumping about.

“Gracie, you know how much I want to make Bernice more popular. Well, this is my chance, and I want all you girls to help me. If we take her up and are nice to her, the boys will do as we tell them, and the other girls will fall in line, and it will be all right. But if we fall down on it, the whole plan will drop through. _Do_ be on my side, won’t you, Grace?”

Wily Dolly knew that Ethel would do whatever Grace did, and also that Maisie May would agree to whatever the Rawlinses agreed to.

“Yes, I will,” declared Grace. “I think we haven’t been very nice to Bernice, and I’m ready to try to be friends with her, if she’ll have it. But, Dolly, you know she isn’t very easy to be nice to.”

“I know, Grace, but I think we’ll find her better natured nowadays. Any way, let’s be awful nice to her at her own party, and try to make it a grand success.”

“All right,” said Grace, “I’ll do all _I_ can.”

“_Me_ too,” said Ethel, and then Dolly was satisfied.