"You take the hellum while I run back and fetch 'em."
He was back in a few moments with the missing satchels. Then Jabez,
who was evidently not given to wasting words, drawled: "Did you get the
mail? That's in there, too, ain't it?"
"Judas priest! So 'tis. Why didn't you remind me of it afore? Set there
like--like a wooden figurehead and let me run my legs off--"
His complaints died away in the distance. At last, with the mail bag
under the seat, the caravan moved on. It was still raining, but not
so hard, and the wind blew less fiercely. They jogged and rocked and
splashed onward. Suddenly Winnie S. uttered another shout.
"The lantern!" he cried. "Where's that lantern I lent ye?"
"It's there in the house," said Thankful. "It burned itself out and I
forgot it. Mercy on us! You're not goin' back after that, I hope."
"Well, I dunno. That lantern belongs to the old man--dad, I mean--and he
sets a lot of store by it. If I've lost that lantern on him, let alone
leavin' his depot-wagon all stove up, he'll give me--"
"Never mind what he'll give you," broke in Captain Bangs. "You keep on
your course or I'LL give you somethin'. Don't you say another word till
we get abreast of Hannah Parker's."
"Humph! We're there now. I thought these folks was goin' to our hotel."
"Take my advice and don't think so much. You'll open a seam in your
head and founder, first thing you know. Here we are! And here's Hannah!
Hannah, Kenelm and I've brought you a couple of lodgers.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51