The Princess and Joe Potter. Otis James
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self-elected guardian's neck.
"Well, say, I'd give up what I made this afternoon jest for the sake of havin' her hug me like that! Ain't she a daisy?"
"It would be mighty hard to find anything finer in this town."
"That's a fact; but say, Joe, it's no kind of use, your talkin' 'bout our takin' care of her, 'cause it can't be done."
"I'd like to know why?"
"Jest run your eye over her, an' then look at us! Why, she's been kept rolled up in silk all the time, an' you talk 'bout takin' her down to the blacksmith's shop!"
There was little need for Master Plummer to make further explanation. Joe had so thoroughly lost himself in admiration of the treasure he had found that, until this moment, he had not realised how poor was the home to which he proposed to carry her.
Now he looked about him in perplexity, and the princess, impatient because of the delay and her guardian's silence, began to protest most vehemently.
"See here, Plums, we've got to take her down to your place, an' that's all there is to it! There ain't any chance of findin' her folks to-night, so what else can we do?"
"It's goin' to be mighty tough on her," Master Plummer replied, with a shake of the head, and Joe put an end to further discussion by starting off at a rapid pace down the street, regardless of the fact that he was in ignorance of the whereabouts of his friend's lodging-place.
The princess, satisfied now that they were moving, cooed and chattered in Joe's ear, much to his delight, and Master Plummer was forced to follow or allow himself to be left behind.
"There's no use in rushin' as if we hadn't another minute to live," he cried, when, by dint of rapid running, he overtook his friend. "I don't like to race 'round when we can jest as well go slow."
"It would be a good deal better if you walked fast once in awhile, 'cause then you wouldn't be so fat."
"S'pose I'd rather be fat than as lean as some fellers I know?"
"Then it would be all right to creep along the street same's we're doin' now. Say, how far off is your shanty?"
"Down here a bit; but you don't count on goin' right there, do you?"
"Why not? Where else should we go?"
"Seems to me it would be better to get that stew first, an' then we sha'n't have to come out again to-night."
"Look here, Plums," and Joe spoke sharply, "do you think I'm goin' to take the princess into a place where they sell five-cent stews?"
"She's got to go somewhere, if she wants anything to eat."
"We'll bring her supper to your shanty. I won't carry this little thing into a saloon for a crowd of toughs to look at."
Master Plummer sighed. He had been anticipating a feast of stew from the moment Joe left him to engage in his new vocation, and it was a grievous disappointment that the pleasure should be so long delayed.
"We'll go down to your place an' try an' fix things up; then you can leave us there – "
"But you want somethin' to eat as well as I do."
"I guess I can get along without anything, for a spell. It's the princess I'm thinkin' about; she's got to have somethin' fine, you know. Stew'd never do for her."
"How's custard pie? I know where they've got some that's great, – two inches thick, with the crust standin' up 'round the edge so the inside won't fall out while you're eatin' it."
"Perhaps the princess might like the custard; but I ain't so sure about the crust. It seems to me she's been fed mostly on candy, an' sich stuff as that. Anyhow, you take my money an' buy whatever you think she'd like. Got any candles down to your place?"
"I did have one last week; but the rats ate most of it, an' I don't s'pose it would burn very well now."
"Take this nickel, an' buy some in that grocery store."
"Why don't you come, too?"
"I don't believe the princess would like to go into sich a place, an' besides, folks might want to take hold of her. I ain't goin' to have any Dutch groceryman slobberin' over her."
Master Plummer took the nickel and crossed the street in his ordinarily slow fashion, while Joe and the princess held a long and animated conversation, to the evident satisfaction of the little maid and the mystification of the boy.
Owing to his being thus engaged, Joe did not grow impatient because of Master Plummer's long absence, as he might have done under other circumstances, and said to his princess when the newsdealer rejoined them:
"Now, little one, we're goin' to Plums's home, an' you must try not to feel bad 'cause it ain't very swell. It's bound to be better'n stayin' out in the street all night, for I've tried that game a good many times, an' there's nothin' funny 'bout it."
The little maid, perched on Joe's arm something after the fashion of a bird, chirped and twittered a reply, and Plums, who had fallen in the rear that he might secretly touch the arm which was around Joe's neck, said, reflectively:
"I s'pose we'll have a high old time between now and mornin', 'cause that kid, sweet as she's lookin' jest now, ain't goin' to be quiet in a place like mine. It's fellers like you an' me, Joe, who've knocked 'round the city a good many times when we didn't have the price of a lodgin' in our pockets, what can 'preciate a home where the wind an' rain can't get in."
"You're talkin' straight enough, Plums, an' I 'gree to all you say; but this 'ere princess ain't like the general run of kids, – that you could see if you was blind. She's a reg'lar swell, an' you can bet there won't be any kick 'cause we ain't stoppin' at the Walledoff. Couldn't you get a little more of a move on? At this rate we sha'n't have supper much before mornin'."
Master Plummer was willing to comply with this request, and did indeed appear to be making strenuous efforts to walk at a more rapid pace; but having patterned after a snail so many years, it seemed impossible for him to overcome what had become a habit.
Not once during the short journey did the princess make any protest against the plan her temporary guardian had suggested.
She was very comfortable, and although Joe's arms ached from long holding the light burden, she knew it not, – perhaps it would have made no difference had she been aware of the fact.
Finally, and after what had seemed a very long journey to the princess's guardian, the little party arrived in front of the blacksmith's shop, and Master Plummer conducted his guests through a narrow alley to the rear of the building, where was a small, shed-like structure, the end of which was open, save for a pile of boxes and boards directly in front of it.
"This is the place," Master Plummer said, with an air of proprietorship; "an' seein's you've got the kid in your arms, I'd better light a candle so's you can see the way, 'cause there's a lot of stuff out here at this end. I've been countin' on clearin' it up some day, but can't seem to find the time. Besides, it wouldn't make any difference to us, – it's only 'cause we've got the princess to lodge with us that I'd like to see it a little cleaner. Say, Joe, what is a princess, anyhow?"
"Why, it's a – you see, it's – it's a – well, look at her, can't you see? That's what it is. She's a princess. Now don't be all night lightin' one candle."
It did really appear as if Plums was even slower than usual, and so awkward that two matches were consumed before the wick was ignited.
"You see I don't often swell out in so much style as to have candles, an' it takes me quite a spell to get one goin'," he said, in an apologetic tone. "She's all right now, though. Jest come 'round the end of that box, an' look out for this pile of iron, 'cause you might trip. There would be a mess if your princess was dumped down on this stuff."
"You get on with the candle, an' I'll see to the rest of the business," Joe said, impatiently, for by this time his arms ached severely.
Master Plummer obeyed, and a moment later Joe and the princess were surveying the home, which occupied six square feet or more in one corner of the shed, was walled in by barrels and boxes, and furnished with a pile