At last Leon said:"That's the time we got into something not intended for us,and if father finds it out,we are in for a good thrashing.Are you just a blubbering baby,or are you big enough to keep still?""I am old enough that I could have gone to school two years ago,and I won't tell!"I said stoutly.
"All right!Come on then,"said Leon."I don't know but mother has been calling us."We started up the orchard path at the fourth call.
"Hoo-hoo!"answered Leon in a sick little voice to make it sound far away.Must have made mother think we were on Deams'hill.
Then we went on side by side.
"Say Leon,you found the Station,didn't you?""Don't talk about it!"snapped Leon.
I changed the subject "Whose money do you suppose that is?""Oh crackey!You can depend on a girl to see everything,"groaned Leon."Do you think you'll be able to stand the switching that job will bring you,without getting sick in bed?"Now I never had been sick in bed,and from what I had seen of other people who were,I never wanted to be.The idea of being switched until it made me sick was too much for me.I shut my mouth tight and I never opened it about the Station place.As we reached the maiden's-blush apple tree came another call,and it sounded pretty cross,I can tell you.Leon reached his hand.
"Now,it's time to run.Let me do the talking."We were out of breath when we reached the back door.There stood the tub on the kitchen floor,the boiler on the stove,soap,towels,and clean clothing on chairs.Leon had his turn at having his ears washed first,because he could bathe himself while mother did my hair.
"Was Mrs.Deam glad to get her ducks back?"she asked as she fine-combed Leon.
"Aw,you never can tell whether she's glad about anything or not,"growled Leon."You'd have thought from the way she acted,that we'd been trying to steal her ducks.She said if she missed any she'd know where to find them.""Well as I live!"cried mother."Why I wouldn't have believed that of Amanda Deam.You told her you thought they were wild,of course.""I didn't have a chance to tell her anything.The minute the ducks struck the water they started right back down stream,and there was a big snake,and we had an awful time.We got wet trying to head them back,and then we didn't find all of them.""They are like little eels.You should have helped Amanda.""Well,you called so cross we thought you would come after us,so we had to run.""One never knows,"sighed mother."I thought you were loitering.
Of course if I had known you were having trouble with the ducks!
I think you had better go back and help them.""Didn't I do enough to take them home?Can't Sammy Deam catch ducks as fast as I can?""I suppose so,"said mother."And I must get your bathing out of the way of supper.You use the tub while I do Little Sister's hair."I almost hated Sunday,because of what had to be done to my hair on Saturday,to get ready for it.All week it hung in two long braids that were brushed and arranged each morning.But on Saturday it had to be combed with a fine comb,oiled and rolled around strips of tin until Sunday morning.Mother did everything thoroughly.She raked that fine comb over our scalps until she almost raised the blood.She hadn't time to fool with tangles,and we had so much hair she didn't know what to do with all of it,anyway.When she was busy talking she reached around too far and combed across our foreheads or raked the tip of an ear.
But on Sunday morning we forgot all that,when we walked down the aisle with shining curls hanging below our waists.Mother was using the fine comb,when she looked up,and there stood Mrs.
Freshett.We could see at a glance that she was out of breath.
"Have I beat them?"she cried.
"Whom are you trying to beat?"asked mother as she told May to set a chair for Mrs.Freshett and bring her a drink.
"The grave-kiver men,"she said."I wanted to get to you first.""Well,you have,"said mother."Rest a while and then tell me."But Mrs.Freshett was so excited she couldn't rest.
"I thought they were coming straight on down,"she said,"but they must have turned off at the cross roads.I want to do what's right by my children here or there,"panted Mrs.Freshett,"and these men seemed to think the contrivance they was sellin'
perfectly grand,an'like to be an aid to the soul's salvation.
Nice as it seemed,an'convincin'as they talked,I couldn't get the consent of my mind to order,until I knowed if you was goin'
to kiver your dead with the contraption.None of the rest of the neighbours seem over friendly to me,an'I've told Josiah many's the time,that I didn't care a rap if they wa'n't,so long as I had you.Says I,`Josiah,to my way of thinkin',she is top crust in this neighbourhood,and I'm on the safe side apin'her ways clost as possible.'""I'll gladly help you all I can,"said my mother.
