The only flowers were three
oleanders in tubs, and these partook of the general tidiness.
It is easy to see that a boy without any deep regard for spotless
stones, who labored under the delusion that windows were made to look
out of, and who did not hesitate to push curtains aside and open
blinds, who whistled when his grandfather was taking his nap, left his
things lying about, and teased the snappish old pug was destined to be
a trial. On the other hand, the change from a free and easy home life,
with a mother as merry-hearted as himself and a father who was more of
a boy at forty than he had been at twelve, to that humdrum routine
would have been trying to wiser people than Ikey.
No wonder the first weeks were full of miserable homesickness. Life
would have been unendurable if the Hazeltines had not discovered him.
Ikey was ready to meet them more than half way, and before long became
their boon companion.
Mrs. Howard, the children's aunt, guessed how matters stood, for she
had lived across the street from the Fords most of her life; so she
went to his grandmother, and asked her to let Ikey play with Carl and
the little girls every day.
Mrs. Ford consented, feeling surprised and gratified; and unwilling to
be lacking in hospitality, she allowed her grandson and his friends
the freedom of the back yard, on condition that they would respect the
front.
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