They came down-stairs for fuel and coals, and she requested the
pedler to take possession of the lower room and make himself
comfortable, but not to set the house on fire.
"What shall we give him to sleep on?" pondered the grandmother. "I
can't spare things from the children; it won't do to let him sleep on
the floor."
"I have a cart, it has been said,
Which serves me both for cupboard and bed,"
chanted Mr. Matthews.
"Well, that's a good thing," said Grandma Padgett. "If you could
pull a whole furnished house out of that cart 'twouldn't surprise me."
The pedler opened the door and dragged his cart in over the low
sill. They then bolted the door with such rusty fastenings as
remained to it.
As soon as he felt the familiar handle on his palms, J. D. Matthews
forgot that his ankle had been twisted. He was again upon the road,
as free as the small wild creatures that whisked along the fence.
Grandma Padgett's grown-up strength of mind failed to restrain him
from acting the horse. He neighed, and rattled the cart wildly over
the empty room. Now he ran away and pretended to kick everything to
pieces; and now he put himself up at a manger, and ground his feed.
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