CHAPTER II GAY STREET SETTLES DOWN Tramp, tramp, upon the little porch. Peter flung the door wide, and in marched the four male members of the house of Bell. The door opened hospitably at once into the living-room, so that the four were able at a glance to see what had been accomplished, and they immediately gave voice to their surprise. "Hi!" This was fifteen-year-old Rufus’s exclamation. "Hi! hi! Hip, hip, hurray-ay!" "Well, well, they must have worked!" said Peter. "I was up here an hour this morning, and they had n’t got further than washing the windows." "When it comes to hustling work, Mother Bell and corps can’t be beaten," declared Ross McAndrew, the cousin of the Bells, a pleasant-faced lad of eighteen. There was a rush from the rear of the house, and Nancy was upon them--Nancy, the twelve-year-old, with the thick brown braids and the round, bright face. Ross caught her and swung her up to his shoulder, where she struggled frantically. "I ’m too old, Ross!" she pleaded, rumpling his curly fair hair in revenge until it stood on end. "Put me down! Put me down at once! O-oh, you ’re bumping my head against the ceiling!" He looked up and laughing swung her gently down. "It is n’t a very lofty apartment, is it, Nan? Did it hurt?" "Only my feelings. Does n’t it look nice here? Mother worked at the kitchen, and Jane and I did all this. We wanted it to look like home when you came." "It does, indeed. But I must admit I ’m glad mother kept at the kitchen," laughed her father, with a tweak of one fat braid. "It seems too much to expect that we should have a meal to-night in all the disorder, but Peter brought back word this morning that we were to come." "Indeed you are," said a voice from an inner doorway, and everybody turned. A fresh white apron tied about her trim waist--where did she find it in the confusion?--her beautiful hair in careful order, Mrs. Bell beamed at her big family. "We’ve nothing but an Irish stew for you, but we had it on this morning as soon as the fire was built, and it’s tender and fine." "Good for you! We like nothing better. Where’s Janey?" "In the kitchen, trying to make places for you all at the kitchen table. We could n’t do anything with the dining-room. The paperer has only just gone." "Come on, you people!" called a blithe voice from the next room, and Jane’s face looked over her mother’s shoulder. "Turn to the right as you come through the door, and follow the wall round. I ’ve made a passage that way, but you ’re likely to get into perilous places if you try to steer for yourselves." In single file they followed directions, all but young Rufus, who preferred leaping from box to barrel, and from table to trunk, and so reached the haven of the kitchen first. "_Whoo-p!_" he ejaculated. "Say, but this is jolly! _Mm-m_! Smell that stew? Hope you ’ve lots of it?"