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[63] <h2>CHAPTER IX. The Teddy Bears Pay a Visit to Bob and Do Some Other Things.</h2> <div> <ANTIMG class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-b.jpg" width-obs="168" height-obs="171" alt="B" /></div> BOB’S room was quiet and very dark, only, as in the rooms below, the white moonbeams drifted in through the lace curtains at the windows. Peter Pan nosed around until quite sure that the coast was clear, and then, for a moment, the Teddy bears stood still and looked about them, eager to start in on their mission of mischief, as usual. It was a very pretty room, the hardwood floor covered with fine rugs and all the furniture of mission work. In one window stood a large aquarium filled with gold and silver fish, and in the center a tiny fountain threw up its fairy jet, keeping the water constantly pure and fresh. Of course this at once attracted the attention of the whole family. It was their first introduction to water and for a while they were satisfied to watch the beautiful fish as they darted hither and thither, no doubt very much surprised at seeing the room lighted at such an unseemly hour of the night. The swimming proposition appealed strongly to the twins, and although they were eager to try it they were not quite sure, when[64] it came to the test, whether or no they would really like it. Therefore they decided to try it first on Little Breeches, and as he could not be persuaded to dive in willingly they pushed him in in spite of his frightened struggles. Over the edge he went with a mighty splash while the displaced water rose over the sides of the glass tank, carrying with it several of the gold fish and forming a big puddle on the floor. <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus069.jpg" width-obs="419" height-obs="393" alt="bear being spanked" /></div> [65] Down plunged Little Breeches to the bottom of the tank and rose immediately, choking and sputtering. He could easily have climbed out, but was far too badly scared even to try. So he shrieked lustily as soon as he found his breath, while the heartless twins stood by laughing and without attempting to offer any assistance. Peter Pan and Bedelia all this time had been busy investigating Bob’s big closet in which they had found a store of queer articles the like of which they had never seen among Sally’s possessions. There were skates and baseball bats, boxing gloves and fencing foils, and various other strange articles, dear to the soul of a small boy, but inexplicable mysteries to Teddy bears. Peter Pan and his wife, however, were called from their interesting still-hunt by the yells of the baby cub and now hastened to his rescue, and having dragged him out, a miserable little bunch of draggled fur, Bedelia proceeded to rub him dry, using as a towel Bob’s white silk blouse, that she found folded carefully on a chair with the rest of his belongings, while Peter Pan, having soundly smacked the twins, returned to his congenial task of turning out Bob’s closet. The next thing that he discovered was a bag of marbles, and these he emptied out on the floor, where they rolled about in every direction. These the Teddy bears found very amusing and the whole family played with them for some time, until by degrees they were[66] all lost, rolling under the bureau or in dark corners where it was impossible to get at them. In the closet they had found a great number of games, and these they now hauled out to the middle of the floor and proceeded to pull out of their respective boxes. And as they did not in the least know what to do with them left them all in a hopeless muddle, checkers, back-gammon, lotto and parcheesi, all mixed up in a condition that was a great deal more perplexing than a Chinese puzzle. Having now pretty well exhausted the resources of Bob’s room, the Teddy bears resolved to carry their researches higher up, especially as it was growing rather late. They therefore departed, leaving confusion behind them, and climbed the two flights of stairs that led to the attic with as much caution as possible, for they were dreadfully afraid of being discovered by the servants. However, they passed all the doors of the bedrooms in safety and soon arrived at their destination, for once without any mishaps. The attic was a fine large room, plastered and ceiled and occupying the entire upper floor. Here were arranged in fine order, for the attic was as well cared for as any part of the house, a number of trunks and chests, and any quantity of pieces of queer old furniture, long since fallen into disuse. Here was the cradle in which grandma had rocked Papa Doctor, as Sally and Bob lovingly called Dr. North[67], and into this Bedelia promptly plumped down the baby cub, for the poor little fellow was tired out, and he immediately fell fast asleep. Here in one corner stood an old spinning-wheel, and the twins were greatly delighted upon finding that they could make the wheel go round, which they proceeded to do with vigor, snarling up and ruining all the fine flax that still remained on the distaff. Meanwhile Peter Pan and Bedelia had been examining various big packing trunks, the contents of which they were crazy to scrutinize, but they were all locked quite securely. Finally, however, they discovered a big cedar chest that was not locked, although it was a feat of strength for the two to lift the heavy carved lid. But after a sharp struggle they succeeded, and began joyfully to dive in, elbow deep, throwing out the contents in heaps on the floor. Mrs. Peter Pan’s attention was quickly drawn to a number of little garments yellow with age; little tucked frocks, tiny embroidered sacques, wee silk stockings and tiny kid shoes all of a fashion long gone by. Now Bedelia had for a long time considered that her children had been dreadfully slighted in the matter of dress. And she immediately pounced upon the tiny garments and proceeded to dress her offspring in them to her heart’s content. [68] And very absurd they looked with their little round ears sticking up out of white silk caps, and their brown paws protruding from little lace sleeves. <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus073.jpg" width-obs="469" height-obs="370" alt="bears getting dressed in dresses" /></div> Now the twins were exactly alike and Sally, being unable to tell them apart, had adorned the one with a pink and the other with blue ribbon; but the perverse little creatures had changed them once, and therefore were more hopelessly mixed up than ever. [69] Sally, of course, never knew the difference, nor guessed that Jerry was Tom and Tom was Jerry ever after. The bears spent a blissful hour romping around the attic, and pulling out the contents of every trunk and box that they found unfastened. The twins no doubt would have had more fun had they not been hampered with so much finery, but they strutted about before their admiring parents and managed to be very proud of themselves. The whole family was now growing tired, for their amusements during the evening had been rather more strenuous than ordinary. Peter Pan was beginning to think that it was high time to descend and cuddle up beside Sally, for there he had been when she fell asleep, and there he must be when she awoke, when suddenly a sound from the street below fell upon their terrified ears, nearly paralyzing them with fright. It was the sound of the Gabriel horn, tooting merrily and announcing the return of Dr. and Mrs. North. The dismayed Teddy bears never once thought of remaining quietly where they were until papa and mamma had retired, and then descending to their own quarters. Their one idea was to get there before their absence could possibly be discovered. With a mighty effort, and altogether too much rattled to pay any[70] heed to caution, they swung open the attic door, that banged violently against the wall with a report like a cannon. And then the whole family took to their heels and plunged madly and wildly down the attic stairs. <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/illus075.jpg" width-obs="162" height-obs="128" alt="decoration" /></div> <hr class="chap" /></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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