Part 24 (1/2)

”You're a bigger fool than I took you to be,” was the reply, as the lady rushed like a small-sized tornado into the barn, and, after some difficulty, succeeded in finding the animal, which was. .h.i.tched with the others on the thras.h.i.+ng-floor. ”Couldn't even find a stall for him! I don't know what's come over Nancy Curtis since you brats arrived at this place!”

Then she examined the pile of harness, expressing her opinion very forcibly because Jack had laid them on the floor instead of hanging each set on pegs; but to find her own was more than she could do.

”Take any one of them,” she finally said in an angry tone, wiping the perspiration from her flushed face.

Jack obeyed without a word, but, thanks to the efforts of Bill Dean and his partners, neither he nor Mrs. Souders could gear the horse.

One set of harness was much too large, and another so small a goat could hardly have worn it, while all were strapped together in the oddest fas.h.i.+on.

This Mrs. Souders believed was owing to Jack's carelessness or ignorance while unharnessing the horses, and the more she struggled to fit one without regard to owners.h.i.+p the greater became her anger, until it was almost beyond bounds.

”My husband shall hear of this,” she said wrathfully. ”Put that horse right back, and he will come over to undo your wicked tricks. Don't speak to me, you little pauper,” she cried as the cripple was about to reply; and dealing him a blow on the ear which sent him reeling against the animal, the lady walked rapidly out of the barn.

Jack rubbed the injured member an instant, looked about ruefully, wondering what could have happened to the harness, led the horse back to his place, and went out of the barn just in time to see Mrs. Souders sailing around the corner of the lane into the main road.

He walked slowly to the house, arriving there as the guests had seated themselves at the table, and Aunt Nancy, who looked as if she had been crying, asked,--

”Why didn't Mrs. Souders go with her team?”

Jack told the story of the bewitched harness, adding in conclusion,--

”I took every piece off as carefully as I knew how, and laid them on the floor, because there wasn't any pegs or nails to hang them on. Now it seems like as if nothing was right, an' in the whole lot we couldn't find a single thing which would fit.”

The guests looked at each other in surprise and alarm, probably thinking if Mrs. Souders didn't succeed in getting her team with the entire collection to choose from, their chances of leaving Aunt Nancy's save by walking were exceedingly slim.

A flood of questions were poured forth on the hapless Jack, who could only repeat his former statement.

The matter was now becoming so serious that Aunt Nancy's inviting meal no longer had sufficient charms to command their attention, and the entire party insisted on visiting the barn at once to ascertain for themselves the true condition of affairs.

With the baby in her arms, Aunt Nancy led the way.

Bill Dean and his friends, seeing the procession coming, were not at a loss to divine the meaning of this sudden exodus from the house.

”This is gettin' too hot for us,” Bill said in a whisper. ”With all them old women around we'll be found for certain, an' the quicker we skin out of here the safer we'll be.”

His partners were of the same opinion, only a trifle more frightened, and their terror caused them to do a very foolish thing.

Instead of crawling under shelter of the gra.s.s until they were at a safe distance, Sam and Jip leaped to their feet, running at full speed toward the road.

As a matter of course Bill was bound to follow the example, thinking how pleased he would be to have his hands on Jip for a single moment in order to punish him for his cowardice, and thus the conspirators stood revealed.

”I think we can understand now what has happened to the harness,” Mrs.

Hayes said as she pointed towards the fugitives, ”and I for one say it's time that Dean boy was made to believe it is dangerous to play such tricks.”

The red spots came on Aunt Nancy's cheeks again as she gazed after the retreating figures, and from the nervous working of her fingers Jack understood she was using every effort to ”rule her spirit.”

As she stood silent and motionless, heeding not the fact that Louis was pulling her ringlets out of shape, some of the other ladies continued on to the barn, and a single glance at the mismated harness convinced them it was useless to attempt straightening matters.

”It is foolish to stand here while the biscuit are getting cold,” Mrs.

Hayes finally said. ”Let us go and get supper, after which there will be plenty of time to think over what should be done.”