Part 14 (2/2)
”Poor Walky!” sighed Janice.
The expressman's complaint of his hard lot continued to rise in song:
”'I wouldn't eat, I wouldn't sleep, I wouldn't even wash; I'd jest set still a thousand years, And rest myself, b'gos.h.!.+'”
”Whoa, Josephus!”
He had pulled the willing Josephus (willing at all times to stop) into the open gateway of the old Day place. Marty went out on the porch to hail him.
”'I wish I was a b.u.mp A-settin' on a log, Baitin' m' hook with a flannel s.h.i.+rt For to ketch a frog!
”And when I'd ketched m' frog, I'd rescue of m' bait-- An' what a mess of frog's hind laigs I _wouldn't_ have ter ate!'”
”Come on in, Walky, and rest your voice.”
”You be gittin' to be a smart young chap, Marty,” proclaimed Walky, coming slowly up the steps with a package for Mrs. Day and his book to be signed.
The odor of spirits was wafted before him. Walky's face was as round and red as an August full moon.
”How-do, Janice,” he said. ”What d'yeou think of them fule committeemen startin' this yarn abeout Nelson Haley?”
”What do folks say about it, Walky?” cut in Mr. Day, to save his niece the trouble of answering.
”Jest erbeout what you'd think they would,” the philosophical expressman said, shaking his head. ”Them that's got venom under their tongues, must spit it aout if they open their lips at all. Polktown's jest erbeout divided--the gossips in one camp and the kindly talkin'
people in t'other. One crowd says Mr. Haley would steal candy from a blind baby, an' t'other says his overcoat fits him so tight across't the shoulders 'cause his wings is sproutin'. Haw! haw! haw!”
”And what d' ye say, Mr. Dexter?” asked Aunt 'Mira, bluntly.
The expressman puckered his lips into a curious expression. ”I tell ye what,” he said. ”Knowin' Mr. Haley as I do, I'm right sure he's innercent as the babe unborn. But, jefers-pelters! who _could_ ha'
done it?”
”Why, Walky!” gasped Janice.
”I know. It sounds awful, don't it?” said the expressman. ”I don't whisper a word of this to other folks. But considerin' that the schoolhouse doors was locked and Mr. Haley had the only other key besides the janitor, who air Ma.s.sey and them others goin' to blame for the robbery?”
”They air detarmined to save their own hides if possible,” Uncle Jason grumbled.
”Natcherly--natcherly,” returned Walky. ”We know well enough none o'
them four men of the School Committee took the coins, nor Benny Thread, neither. They kin all swear alibi for each other and sartain sure they didn't all conspire ter steal the money and split it up 'twixt 'em.
Haw! haw! haw! 'Twouldn't hardly been wuth dividin' into five parts,”
he added, his red face all of a grin.
”That sounds horrid, Mr. Dexter,” said Aunt 'Mira.
”Wal, it's practical sense,” the expressman said, wagging his head.
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