"So she won't have to wash?" suggested Sunny Boy eagerly.
"So she won't have to wash," assented Mrs. Horton. "She is to have an apartment rent-free in exchange for janitor work. A man does the heavier work and has four or five apartment houses to take care of, but they want some one to clean the halls, and so on. Tim said it was what his mother often planned. And then she wants to take in a boarder or two. I told Daddy I didn't see that she was having it any easier, but at least she will have a warm, comfortable home this winter. And Daddy is going to keep an eye on them this winter through New York friends. She must be willing to let us help her till her children are old enough."
Sunny Boy finished his breakfast rather soberly. He was learning that all little boys didn't have the many nice things he had. Marty and Thomas, for instance, had they had the kind of breakfast he had just had?
"And we're going shopping," Mother reminded him, as she led the way out of the dining room. Perhaps she guessed what he was thinking. "You see, Daddy did all this for you and for me, but we want to give the Harritys something, don't we?"
"Oh, yes!" Sunny Boy was all smiles. "Let's, Mother! But what shall we buy?"
"I thought I'd send something nice to Mrs. Harrity and Theresa, and you would choose something for each of the children," explained Mrs.
Horton. "We'll go right out now and see what we can find."
When they reached the corner Mrs. Horton was confused for a moment.
She couldn't remember whether to turn up or down to get to the particular shop she wanted.
"I'll find out," said Sunny Boy.
Before she could stop him, he had dashed out into the middle of the street and was speaking to the tall policeman who directed traffic from the center of the street. He was so tall that he had to bend down to hear what Sunny Boy was saying.
Mrs. Horton, on the curb, saw him laugh, then point up the street and, as Sunny Boy started back to her, the policeman blew his whistle and stopped the traffic till Sunny Boy was safely across.
"What made you do that?" demanded Mrs. Horton. "It's never safe to run out into the street like that. I didn't know you were even going."
"Daddy and I know that p'liceman," said Sunny Boy calmly. "He s'lutes us--sometimes. I asked him which way to go, and he showed me. That's why they stand in the middle of the street, Mother; to show people where to go."
"What did you say that made him laugh?" Mrs. Horton asked, as she and Sunny Boy started to walk in the direction the policeman had pointed.
"You were so little, Sunny, and he was so tall, I don't see how you ever heard each other."
Sunny Boy was puzzled for a minute.
"Did he laugh?" he said. "Oh, yes, I 'member. I asked him please not to step on me. His feet are pretty big when you're close to him."
"And here is the store," smiled Mrs. Horton. "Your policeman knew where we wanted to go, didn't he? Begin now and think what you would want most if you were Tim Harrity."
CHAPTER XIV
JOE BROWN GOES BACK
Sunny Boy thought about what Tim would like all the while Mrs. Horton was buying things for Mrs. Harrity. He wondered, too, why she bought such queer articles--sheets and towels and pillow cases.
"Because, precious," she explained when he asked her, "I know Mrs.
Harrity will want to have things clean and comfortable in the new home. And she can not have two or three boarders unless she has bed and table linen. You're not a housekeeper, but she and I understand.
And for her very own present, something just for her own use, I'm going to send her this pretty gray bathrobe and slippers."
"And Theresa?" said Sunny Boy, forgetting Tim for the moment.
"Theresa shall have regular shoes and stockings and also a pair of silk stockings and slippers to match," announced Mrs. Horton. "I know what it is to be poor and young and pretty and not have the right things to wear to a party. She can bring the slippers back if they're not the right size."
"How can she go to parties if they're poor?" questioned Sunny Boy curiously.
"Oh, poor people often have the best parties," said his mother. "They always manage to have a good time. And Theresa is going to school, you know, and there will be little affairs now and then to which she'll want to go. Anyway, Son, girls like to have pretty clothes if only to look at."
Sunny Boy didn't know much about girls' clothes, but he liked his mother's pretty dresses. He thought it was nice if Theresa could have some, too.
"I've thought ever so hard," he complained, "but I can't think of a thing to send Tim."
"Let me put on my thinking cap," mused Mrs. Horton. "Tim is thirteen, isn't he? Daddy will see that he has a new suit for school, but wouldn't you like to send him hockey skates? Boys with fathers and mothers and good homes have those things, but I'm sure Tim hasn't; he hasn't even had time to play very much. We'll get him skates, and then he can try for the hockey team at school."
Sunny Boy thought this a fine selection, and he and Mother went upstairs and chose a pair of skates.
"Now there's only Marty and Thomas and Rose and Jim," declared Sunny Boy, when the skates had been ordered and paid for.
Mrs. Horton laughed.
"I should say that was a great many," she said. "I don't see how you remember their names. Well, now let's see--Rose must have a new doll and a couple of pretty dresses I think; and for the boys suppose we say good warm school gloves and sweaters and a game apiece, so they won't think you and I choose too useful gifts?"
The gloves and sweaters were bought, and then Sunny Boy picked out three games he thought the boys would like and helped Mother decide about a doll for Rose and a pink dress and a blue one. Then they were through for the morning.
"We'll go back to the hotel for lunch," decided Mrs. Horton. "Daddy may come in. And I must write a note to Harriet this afternoon."
Mr. Horton was waiting for them, and he had great news.
"How would you like to go home day after to-morrow?" he asked.
"Home?" repeated Mrs. Horton. "Why, Harry!"
"Haven't you seen enough of New York?" Mr. Horton asked Sunny Boy, tilting up his chin.
"We-ll," hesitated Sunny, "I guess so. But I did want to see the stuffed birds."
"Stuffed birds?" echoed his father.
"I promised to take him over to the Museum of Natural History," Mrs.
Horton explained. "But of course, Daddy, if you are ready to go, we are."
"Well, I'm through a week earlier than I expected," said Mr. Horton.
"And if you can be ready by Friday, there's no reason why we should stay longer."
"I'm anxious to get Sunny Boy started in school," answered Mrs. Horton thoughtfully. "We'll wire Bessie to have Harriet open the house, and I have very little packing to do. Yes, we'll be ready easily by Friday."
Mr. Horton was consulting a time table.
"I'd like to go down to the station this afternoon," he said, "and see about reservations. The hotel will do it, of course, but I like to attend to such matters myself. Suppose you and Sunny Boy go with me and then go on to the Museum."
So after lunch Sunny Boy and his mother went over to the big Pennsylvania Station with Daddy and waited for him to get their tickets for Centronia.