Part 9 (1/2)

”Oh, but you can sleep upstairs,” returned Nettie. ”There is plenty of room.”

”Good! Then upstairs be it. What was that about hens and eggs and things, Ande?”

”Oh, we can't get out to the hen-house, you know. We tried to make a path but it was too hard work for us so we gave it up.”

”I should remark. Well, that will be done first thing in the morning, and I'll go see what I can find. Eggsactly, as it were. What about the fires? Any coal up here?”

”A little,” Nettie told him. ”We have carried up all we could at a time, but we couldn't bring enough for the fires to-night. We are going down to get more.”

”You are going to do no such thing. Got a candle? Where are the coal scuttles? One of you hold the light and show me your coal bin and up comes your coal.” Cousin Ben was already making for the cellar door.

Of course no one was going to be left out of this expedition and all three descended to the cellar, from which they presently came forth all laughing. It was certainly a cheering thing to have someone so willing to come to their aid. Next the basket was unpacked and it goes without saying that there were neither eggs nor rice for supper that night.

Moreover, Tippy had such a feast of milk as well as other things as he had not seen for several days. Ben kept the little girls in such a state of giggle that they could scarcely do the dishes, but what with the labors of the day and the later excitement they were ready for bed early, and went up leaving Cousin Ben with a book before him. Later his light half wakened Edna, but as he closed the door between the rooms and she realized that he was there, she turned over with a sigh of content, feeling very safe and sleepy.

CHAPTER VII

DISTURBANCES

Sunday morning was bright and clear. It was so dazzlingly bright when the little girls arose that they thought it must be much later than it was. Cousin Ben, however, was already up and dressed and had been down some time when the two finally descended to the lower floor. This was made known by reason of the fires burning brightly and of there being a path cleared to the hen-house, while as many as a dozen eggs were in a bowl on the kitchen table.

”Oh, Cousin Ben,” cried Edna, ”what a lot you have done. It is so cosey and warm down here, and we won't have to wait at all for breakfast.”

”I hope not,” he returned, ”for I'm hungry, for one. What are you going to have?”

Edna turned to Nettie who considered the question. It was a great occasion when there were two guests to be provided for. ”As long as there are so many eggs,” she said, ”we can have m.u.f.fins or something and some eggs. I could have some kind of breakfast food, too, I believe there's some oat-meal.”

”Never mind the oat-meal,” said Ben. ”You get me out the flour and stuff and I'll make the m.u.f.fins. There is a royal fire and I'll get them ready in three shakes of a sheep's tail.”

”You?” Nettie looked amazed.

”Of course. Did you never hear of a man cook? I've served my apprentices.h.i.+p, I can a.s.sure you. I'll make the coffee, too, if you have any.”

”Oh, there is some already ground, in the basket mother sent,” Edna a.s.sured him. ”We don't drink it, but we can have cambric tea.”

”All right, you go along and set the table, and I'll do the rest.”

Nettie was rather glad to have the responsibility taken off her hands in this summary manner, though she said to Edna, ”Do you think it is polite to let him do it all?”

”Why, certainly,” replied Edna. ”He does those things at home for his mother sometimes, for he has no sisters, and the boys have to pitch in and help when the servant goes out. He has told me all about it. And as for its being polite, I remember mother said it was always more polite to let your company do the thing which made them comfortable than to insist upon doing something for them that would make them uncomfortable.”

Nettie considered this for some time before she quite took in the sense of it. She was a thin, demure little girl, not at all pretty, but with a kind face, big blue eyes and sandy hair. She was dressed very plainly, but her clothes were neat and simply made. She was not the kind of child Edna might have expected to find in such a little house.

The m.u.f.fins turned out a great success, and Ben said his coffee just suited him. ”I never saw fresher eggs than your hens lay,” he said, looking at Nettie with a serious face.

”Of course, they are fresh,” she returned, ”when they were only laid yesterday.”

”That's what I said,” returned Ben, with gravity.

Edna laughed. She was used to Cousin Ben's ways, but Nettie was a little puzzled.