Part 19 (1/2)
Then, instead of doing as Aunt Nancy had suggested, he took Louis into the woodshed, amusing him there for nearly an hour, when the two ladies departed.
”Where are you, Jack?” the little woman called softly when the horse had drawn the wagon and its occupants on to the highway.
”What is the matter?” Jack cried, as on emerging from his place of retreat he saw a look of deepest anxiety on Aunt Nancy's face. ”Did they come here to take us away?”
”It's not quite as bad as that,” the little woman replied with a long-drawn sigh, ”but very nearly. What _do_ you suppose they wanted?”
Jack didn't even attempt to hazard a guess, and Aunt Nancy continued in a mournful tone,--
”They want to hold the monthly sewing circle here day after to-morrow!”
”Well?” Jack asked, surprised that such a request should have caused so much distress.
”Well? Why, Jack, how can you treat it so lightly? Just think of it!
Only one day to clean house, go to the store, and do all the cooking!”
”I don't see that there'll be very much to do in the way of cleaning house. It s.h.i.+nes like a new three-cent piece already, and how are you goin' to make it look any better?”
”O Jack! boys don't understand about such things. You can't see in the corners where the dirt always lodges, and the company will be sure to find everything that is slighted.”
”Well, I can go to the store for you at least.”
”I wouldn't allow you to take the chances of seeing William Dean even if you could do the errands, which is impossible. I must get Mr. Chick to carry me over in his team, and while I am away you and Louis are to stay in the house with the doors locked.”
”I don't think there is any need of that. Those fellers wouldn't dare to come here.”
”I can't believe they would; but at the same time it will do no harm to be careful. Now what _shall_ we have for supper?”
”Do you mean to-night?”
”Of course not. It doesn't make any difference what we eat for a day or two; but we must think very seriously of what is to be cooked for the circle.”
”Have some of your nice biscuits and a piece of cake. If folks can get anything better than that, they deserve to go hungry.”
”O Jack! you don't understand such things. I should be mortified almost to death if I didn't do as well as Mrs. Souders did when the circle met at her house last month.”
Then Aunt Nancy, looking as if a heavy burden of care had suddenly fallen upon her, went in to the kitchen, taking Louis with her, that Jack might be free to milk the cow.
CHAPTER XII.
LOUIS'S ADVENTURE.
On this evening, immediately after supper had been eaten and the dishes washed, Aunt Nancy announced that it would be necessary for her to call upon Mr. Daniel Chick.
”If I wait until morning his team may not be at home, and, besides, I want him to be ready to make an early start. We must be back by noon at the latest.”
”Why not let me go and tell him what you want?” Jack asked.
”Because you don't know where he lives, and then again it is necessary to pa.s.s Mr. Dean's in order to reach his house. William might be at home, and who knows what would happen?”