yes, I can tell you that. I'm going to lug them up myself."
"What, carry them?" said Leicester, in surprise.
"Well, no; not carry them, – not exactly carry them. You see I've got a little contraption of my own; a sort of cart or dray, and I'll just put all that duffle of yours into it, and it'll be up to the top before you're there yourselves."
"You don't drag it up the stairs!"
"No, I go up the back way, – a roundabout, winding path of my own. But don't you worry, – don't worry, – Hickox'll look after things. It'll be all right."
Although Mr. Hickox spoke in short staccato jerks, his remarks seemed to carry authority; and nodding his head in a manner peculiar to himself, he went off after his cart.
"He's all right, he is," declared Captain Kane; "but his old woman, she isn't so right. But never mind 'bout that. You'll see old Mrs. Hickox sooner or later and then you can size her up for yourself. Well, me and Mamie must be gettin' along. You all jest stay here till Hickox comes back, and he'll get you up the hill all right."
As Captain Kane went away the children could hear him chuckling to himself, and murmuring, "Goin' to live in the hotel! well, well!"
As Grandma Dorrance would want frequent rests by the way, Dorothy proposed that she should start on up the steps with Tessie, while the rest waited for Mr. Hickox.
That long specimen of humanity soon came briskly along, trundling a queer sort of push-cart, which it was quite evident was of home manufacture.
"I made it myself," he declared, pointing with pride to the ungainly vehicle. "I was surprised that I could do it," he added modestly; "Mrs. Hickox, she was surprised, too. But she generally is surprised. You don't know my wife, do you?"
"No," said Dorothy, politely; "we haven't that pleasure."
"H'm," said Mr. Hickox, rubbing down his side-whiskers; "she's a nice woman, – a very nice woman, but you must take her easy. Yes, when you meet her, you must certainly take her easy. She doesn't like to be surprised."
"Do you think she will be surprised at us?" asked Lilian, who was well aware that many people thought the Dorrances surprising.
"Yes; I think she will. I certainly think she will. Why, to tell the truth, I'm some surprised at you myself, – and I ain't half so easy surprised as Mrs. Hickox."
As he talked, Mr. Hickox was bundling the luggage into his cart. He picked up trunks and boxes as if they weighed next to nothing, and deposited them neatly and compactly in his queer vehicle.
"Any of the live stock to go?" he inquired.
"No," said Dorothy, "we'll take the animals; unless, – yes, you might take the rabbits; their cage is so heavy."
"Yes, do," said Leicester; "then I'll carry the bird-cage, and you girls can manage the dog and the kitten."
So everything else was put into the dray, even the provisions they had bought at the grocery shop, and the children watched with astonishment, as Mr. Hickox started off, easily pushing the load along a winding path.
"He's the strongest man I ever saw," exclaimed Leicester; "and I'd like to go along with him to see how he does it."
"No, you come with us," said Fairy, dancing around, and clasping her brother's hand; "come on; now we're going up a million steps and then we will come to our own Domain."
Climbing the steps was anything but a work of toil, for continually new delights met their eyes, and they paused often to exclaim and comment.
About half-way up they found grandma and Tessie sitting on one of the small landings, waiting for them.
"Now we'll go the rest of the way together," said Dorothy, "for we must all see our Domain at the same time. Go as slowly as you like, grandmother, we're in no hurry."
CHAPTER VI
THE DORRANCE DOMAIN
Alternately resting and climbing, at last they reached the top, and for the first time had a full view of the Dorrance Domain.
"Oh," said Dorothy in an awe-struck whisper, "that's our home! All of it!"
Leicester, from sheer lack of words to express his feelings, turned double somersaults on the grass, while Fairy danced around in her usual flutterbudget way, singing at the top of her voice.
Lilian, the practical, after one look at the great building, said excitedly, "Grandmother, where are the keys, quick?"
The hotel itself was a white frame building, about two hundred feet long and three stories high. Huge pillars supported verandas that ran all around the house on each story. Broad steps led up to the main entrance, and at one corner was a large tower which rose for several stories above the main part of the house.
Although the whole place had a deserted aspect, – the shutters were all closed, and the lawns uncared for, – yet it did not seem out of repair, or uninhabitable. Indeed, the apparent care with which it had been closed up and made secure was reassuring in itself, and the children eagerly followed Lilian who had gained possession of the front door key.
With little difficulty they succeeded in unfastening the great front doors and threw them wide open to admit the May sunshine.
They found themselves at first in a large hall which ran straight through the house. It was furnished in red, with a velvet carpet and satin brocade sofas, which seemed to the Dorrances quite the most beautiful furnishings they had ever looked upon.
Arched off from this hall was a good-sized room, which Leicester declared to be the office, and as soon as the windows of that could be thrown open, the desks and safe and other office furniture proved he was right. Opening a wicket door, he flew in behind the great desk, and throwing open a large book which was there, he turned it around towards Dorothy with a flourish, and asked her to register.
"Oh," she cried, wild with excitement, "it's just like the Sleeping Beauty's palace. Everything is just as they went off and left it. Who registered last, Leicester?"
"The last is Mr. Henry Sinclair, who arrived here in July, summer before last."
"And nobody's been here since!" exclaimed Lilian; "just think of it! It seems as if we ought to register."
"You may if you like," said Leicester; "it's our register, you know."
But the ink was all dried up, and the pens all rusty, so they left the office and went to make further explorations.
Across the hall from the office was the great parlor. Many hands make light work at opening windows, and in a jiffy the parlor was flooded with sunshine.
Then there were more exclamations of delight, for the parlor appointments were truly palatial. Gorgeous frescoes and wall decorations, mirrors in heavily gilded frames, brocaded hangings, ornate furniture, and a wonderful crystal chandelier made a general effect that contrasted most pleasurably with Mrs. Cooper's unpretentious drawing-room.
Even a piano was there, and flinging it open, Dorothy struck up a brisk two-step, and in a moment the twins were dancing up and down the long room, while Fairy, who had been dancing all the time, simply kept on.
Grandma Dorrance sank onto a sofa and watched her happy grandchildren, no less happy herself.
It was a daring experiment, and she did not know how it would turn out, but she was glad that at last she was able to give the children, for a time at least, that desire of their heart, – a home in the country.
After the grand parlor, and several smaller reception rooms, all equally attractive, they went back across the hall, and through the office to investigate the other side of the house. Here they found the dining-rooms. One immense one, containing a perfect forest of tables and chairs, and two smaller ones.
One of the smaller ones which overlooked the lake, Dorothy declared should be their family dining-room.
"There's more room in the big dining-room," said Lilian, slyly.
"Yes, there is," said Dorothy; "and I do hate to be cramped. Perhaps we had better use the big