Two Little Women (Complete Series) - Carolyn Wells

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Dotty, "but I promised I wouldn't touch you, or I might break us up all over again."

      "Well, do come over here and sit beside me, so I can be sure it's really you. How is your arm? Does it hurt you now? Oh, what a beautiful sling!"

      Dotty's left arm was in a large sling made of dark blue studded with silver stars and her whole dress was of red and white stripe. Her liberty cap was just like Dolly's own, and she wore white stockings and red slippers.

      "You poor dear," she said as she came over and sat down by Dolly's side; "to think I can dress and go outdoors while you're still tied to your bed."

      "But I can wave both arms about, and you can't," said Dolly as she waved her flag above her head.

      "I think you're six of one and half a dozen of the other," said Bert. "Now look here, Doll, we're going to push your bed up to the window so you can see out."

      "Why?" asked Dolly; "it's almost dark now."

      "Never you mind. Little girls shouldn't ask questions. Grab that other bed-post, Bob. Here, Dad, take hold of the head-board."

      Propelled by willing arms the bed was rolled over to the big bay window and arranged so that Dolly had full view of the lawn between the houses.

      Then a big easy chair was arranged for Dotty and the two girls were advised that if they would stay there they would see something worth while.

      "Oh, it's so good to see you again," said Dotty, as the others all left the room; "do you hurt terribly?"

      "Not so much now, but it was awful at first. Wasn't yours?"

      "Oh, terrible. Let's not talk about it. How do you like Bob?"

      "He's splendid. How do you like Bert?"

      "I think he's great. Oh, Dolly, what fun we could have if we were only well."

      "You are. You can go outdoors."

      "Not much. This is a special dispensation to-night. And I have to have my arm in a sling four weeks longer. It's in splints you know. I can't do hardly anything with one hand. Bob tries to teach me, but I'm as awkward as a cow. I'm so used to flying at everything with both hands that I can't seem to manage."

      "It must be awful. Oh, Dot, there's a sky rocket!"

      Dotty turned quickly and looked out of the window. The skyrocket was only the beginning of a fine display of fireworks. Mr. Rose and Mr. Fayre had concluded that was the only sort of celebration the girls could enjoy, so they had bought far more than their usual supply and they made a fine showing.

      Bob had asked a number of the young people to come and see them and Dolly and Dotty recognised many from their post of observation in the window.

      But the mothers of the two girls would not let any of the young people go up to Dotty's room lest the excitement be too much for her.

      After the usual quota of rockets and Roman candles there were more elaborate pieces which flamed into fire pictures against the summer sky.

      When the fireworks were all over and the young people gone away the girls were told that there was a little more celebration yet to come.

      Dolly's bed was pushed back to its place and Dotty was enthroned beside it in her easy chair, when the two boys appeared, each bearing a tray of good things.

      "This is your Fourth of July party," said Trudy, who followed. "No one can come to it except the three Roses and the three Fayres."

      Genie came in then, and the six brothers and sisters of the two families had a merry feast while their elders remained downstairs.

      "It's been a beautiful holiday," said Dolly, leaning back into her pillows as she finished her ice cream. "I never dreamed I'd have any Fourth of July celebration. The fireworks were beautiful and the party things were lovely, but best of all is seeing Dotty again."

      "Yes," said Dotty, "I don't know how I've managed to live through the last three weeks. But I expect I can come over to see you every day now."

      "We'll see about that," said Mrs. Rose, coming in. "But this party must break up now, and if it doesn't do any harm to our wounded soldiers we may allow more of them. So say good-night, you two D's, and I'll take my little goddess of liberty home."

      Chapter VIII.

       Crosstrees Camp

       Table of Contents

      The summer plans of the two families were decidedly changed by the accidents to the two little girls.

      It was the custom of the Fayres to spend the summer at a hotel in the mountains or at the seashore, for Mrs. Fayre declared she needed a yearly rest from housekeeping duties.

      The Rose family, preferring a different sort of enjoyment, spent their summers at their camp in the Adirondacks, for they loved the informal out of door life and the freedom from all conventionalities.

      The doctor had said that the two girls would be entirely restored to health and strength and quite ready to go anywhere by the first of August, but not much before that date. So during July the question was discussed frequently and at length as to where Dotty and Dolly would go, for they begged and besought their parents that they might be together.

      Now Mrs. Rose was more than willing to take Dolly to camp with her family, and Mrs. Fayre would have been very glad to have Dotty with them at the hotel, but neither mother wanted her own little girl to go away from her. The question seemed very difficult of decision, for the two families could not agree upon a summer resort that would please them both.

      But after many long talks and various suggested plans it was finally decided that Dolly Fayre should go with the Roses for the first two weeks of August and that Dotty Rose should spend the last two weeks of the month with the Fayre family.

      "It is the best plan," said Mrs. Rose, "for a fortnight in camp will do the girls lots of good and make them strong and rosy again. Then they will better enjoy a fortnight at a big hotel."

      The two D's were enchanted at the prospect.

      "You'll just love it!" said Dotty, enthusiastically; "we'll just wear short skirts and middy blouses, and spend all our time in the woods or on the lake."

      Dolly wanted to go to the camp, but she had never before been away from her mother for more than a day or two at a time, and she felt some misgivings about being homesick.

      "Nonsense!" said Bert. "A great big girl like you homesick! Why, Towhead, you're too big for such things. You'll have a gorgeous time in the camp, there's more fun in a camp than in any other place on earth. I wish they had asked me."

      "Of course they wouldn't ask you," said Dolly, "because Bob Rose won't be there. Not at first, anyway; he's going to visit some school friend. He's going to the camp later. But Bob, what's a camp like? Don't you have to sleep on old dry twigs and things? I want to be with Dotty, but I don't believe I'll like sleeping in a tent or whatever they have."

      "Ah, be a sport, Towhead. You're altogether too finicky about your foolish comforts. Learn to rough it,—it'll be good for you. You're as white as a sheet, and you ought to be all brown and red and freckled and look like a real live girl instead of a wax doll. I'm going to coax Dad to go camping next year. It's loads of fun. Maybe if Bob Rose gets up there before you leave they'd ask me up for a couple of days."

      "Or they might ask you after I've left," said Dolly; "you boys could have a lot of fun even if we girls weren't there."

      "You bet we could! Girls are not a necessity to a fellow's pleasure if he has fishing and boating and swimming and such things to do."

      "Well, I can't swim and I hate to fish,—but I do like boating. What kind of boats will they have, Bob?"

      "Oh, motor boats and canoes and rowboats

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