It flickered on the blue
spectacles and gave Grandma Padgett a piercing expression while she
examined her culprits.
"Where have you been, while Zene and I hunted up and down in such
distress?"
"We's going right back to the tavern soon's he could get us there,"
Robert hastened to explain. "It's that funny fellow, J. D., Grandma.
But he thought we better go roundabout, so they wouldn't catch us."
Zene, limping down from his wagon, listened to this lucid statement.
"O Zene," exclaimed aunt Corinne, "I'm so glad you and Ma Padgett
have come! But we knew you wouldn't go on to Brother Tip's without
us. Bobaday said you'd wait till we got back, and we ran right
straight out of town."
"You ought to be well sprouted, both of you," said Grandma Padgett,
still trembling as she advanced toward the fire. "Robert Day, break
me a switch; break me a good one, and peel the leaves off. So you
came across this man again, and he persuaded you to run away with
him, did he?"
J. D. Matthews, who had stood up smiling his widest, now moved
around to the other side of his cart and crouched in alarm.
Grandma Padgett now saw that the cart was standing level and open,
and within it there appeared a nest of brown curls and one slim,
babyish hand.
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