第11章

Captain Obed Bangs was, evidently, a person accustomed to having his own way.Even as they were still protesting their new acquaintance led them to the kitchen door, where Winnie S.and a companion, a long-legged person who answered to the name of "Jabez," were waiting on the front seat of a vehicle attached to a dripping and dejected horse.To the rear of this vehicle "General Jackson" was tethered by a halter.Winnie S.was loaded to the guards with exclamatory explanations.

"Judas priest!" he exclaimed, as the captain assisted Mrs.Barnes and Emily into the carriage."If I ain't glad to see you folks!

When I got back here and there wa'n't a sign of you nowheres, I was took some off my pins, I tell ye.Didn't know what to do.I says to Jabez, I says--"Captain Obed interrupted."Never mind what you said to Jabez, Win," he said."Why didn't you get back sooner? That's what we want to know."Winnie S.was righteously indignant."Sooner!" he repeated.

"Judas priest! I tell ye right now I'm lucky to get back at all.

Took me pretty nigh an hour to get to the village.Such travelin'

I never see.Tried to save time by takin' the short cut acrost the meadow, and there ain't no meadow no more.It's three foot under water.You never see such a tide.So back I had to frog it and when I got far as Jabe's house all hands had turned in.I had to pretty nigh bust the door down 'fore I could wake anybody up.Then Jabe he had to get dressed and we had to harness up and--hey? Did you say anything, ma'am?"The question was addressed to Mrs.Barnes, who had been vainly trying to ask one on her own account.

"I say have you got our valises?" asked Thankful."Last I saw of them they was in that other wagon, the one that broke down."The driver slapped his knee."Judas priest!" he cried."I forgot all about them satchels.Here, Jabe," handing the reins to his companion."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, Ihope."

"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.Now, ma'am, if you'll stand by.Kenelm, open that hatch."Mr.Parker opened the hatch--the door of the carriage--and the captain assisted the passengers to alight.Emily caught a glimpse of the white front of a little house and of a tall, angular woman standing in the doorway holding a lamp.Then she and Mrs.Barnes were propelled by the strong arms of their pilot through that doorway and into a little sitting-room, bright and warm and cheery.

"There!" declared Captain Obed."That cruise is over.Kenelm!

Where is Kenelm? Oh, there you are! You tell that Winnie S.to trot along.We'll settle for passage tomorrow mornin'.Now, ma'am," turning to Thankful, "you and your relation want to make yourselves as comf'table as you can.This is Miss Parker, Kenelm's sister.Hannah, this is Mrs.Barnes, Eben Barnes' widow.You've heard me speak of him.And this is Miss Howes.I cal'late they're hungry and I know they're wet.Seems's if dry clothes and supper might be the next items on the manifest."Miss Parker rose to the occasion.She flew about preparing the "items." Thankful and Emily were shown to the spare room, hot water and towels were provided, the valise was brought in.When the ladies again made their appearance in the sitting-room, they were arrayed in dry, warm garments, partly their own and partly supplied from the wardrobe of their hostess.As to the fit of these latter, Mrs.Barnes expressed her opinion when she said:

"Don't look at me, Emily.I feel like a barrel squeezed into an umbrella cover.This dress is long enough, land knows, but that's about all you can say of it.However, I suppose we hadn't ought to--to look a gift dress in the waistband."Supper was ready in the dining-room and thither they were piloted by Kenelm, whose hair, what there was of it, was elaborately "slicked down," and whose celluloid collar had evidently received a scrubbing.In the dining-room they found Captain Bangs awaiting them.Miss Parker made her appearance bearing a steaming teapot.

Hannah, now that they had an opportunity to inspect her, was seen to be as tall and sharp-featured as her brother was short and round.She was at least fifteen years older than he, but she moved much more briskly.Also she treated Kenelm as she might have treated a child, an only child who needed constant suppression.