Lost In Hag Woods

The very next Sunday, assured that the Titanic sinking involved no more of their acquaintances, the family pile into Daddy's treasured automobile and ride out to Graymont. There they find that the only possibly livable part of the house--indeed, the only part they can get inside of--is the south wing. The children have never been to Graymont before, and they are enchanted by it.

"I'm staying here," Dolly declares.

"You can't have my room," says Maybelle Buff-Orpington who greets them in the courtyard.

"We don't need a room," Camilla informs her. "I would live here if I had to sleep under a tree."

"Me, too," says Dolly. Her favorite place around the house is an old weather-scarred, rain-whitened gazebo that's just visible through the trees and undergrowth.

"This is where I'll live," she decides.

"That's my summer house," May claims.

"Mine now," says Dolly.

Maybelle mumbles something cross, and leads Camilla away to see another country wonder.

"Chipmunks," she says. "Did you ever see two chipmunks dancing, Cammie?"

Soon it's time to go home. Mama has settled herself in the car with Peter in her lap, and Daddy calls to the girls. That is, he calls to Camilla, who is talking to May in the courtyard. Dolly is nowhere in sight.

"She's prob'ly still at the gazebo," Camilla says, but they can't find her there.

After going up and down stairs in the south wing, and searching the woods and dark places around the house, they find themselves back at the gazebo. Peter hardly ever cries, but he is tired, hungry and fretful. It occurs to Camilla to call out.

She shouts as loud as she can. "Dolly! Where are you?"

"I'm up here," comes a squeaky little voice from somewhere over their heads. A creaking, grinding sound follows, and the roof of the gazebo slowly rises in the air.

As it turns out, Dolly has found a crank down below that raises the roof, and when one climbs up, it can be moved up and down by pushing and pulling. She loves the inside, that's painted one of her favorite shades of blue.

"How did you get up there?" Daddy demands.

"I just climbed on the rail and shinnied up the pole."

As he is helping her climb down, it never occurs to Daddy to threaten her with punishment. He's wondering if he could still shinny up a pole if such became necessary or desirable.