"Well, I never!" the latter declared. "I believe that’s just what’s keeping Abner away. I always knew he was afraid of my tongue, but I never imagined it would cause him to run away from home."
"And were you really afraid to come home, mother?" Jess laughingly asked.
"Oh, of course not afraid. Though I must confess I had serious qualms of conscience as to what I had done. You see, when I promised Mrs. Denton to take the children I let my heart run away with my head."
"Well, I should have carefully considered what we should do with the boys, where we could put them to sleep, for instance. Perhaps it would have been better if I had come home first and talked the matter over."
"It’s lucky you didn’t, mother. You never would have brought those boys had you known there were two here already, would you?"
"Certainly not. But now that we have five on our hands where in the world are we to put them? That’s what I want to know."
"Why not let them sleep out in the woodshed?" Jess suggested.
"And why not? There is plenty of room there near the kitchen, and it is clean and neat. It is just the place for them this warm weather."
"But we haven’t enough beds for them all."
"Let them sleep on the floor; they will think it great fun. Then when daddy comes home he can fix up little canvas bunks for them. He will know the kind I mean."
"And would you let them sleep there all alone?"
"We can take turns sleeping out there with them. That sofa behind you will make a most comfortable bed. Oh, I think it will be great, don’t you, Belle?"
"Indeed, I do," was the enthusiastic reply. "Why, it’s just like a story, though much better, for this is the real thing."
"Well, I suppose there is nothing else to do," and Mrs. Andrews gave a deep sigh. "We might as well get to work at once, as it will be supper time before we know where we are. I wish to goodness Abner would come home."
In a remarkably short time that part of the woodshed near the kitchen was made ready. Boxes and barrels were moved, and beds spread down upon the floor.
"There, I guess that is the finish," Jess declared, when the sofa had been brought from the kitchen. "I shall sleep like a babe on that to-night."
"Not to-night," her mother informed her. "I intend to take the first turn, as I want to see for myself how the youngsters behave."