He said nothing about robbers, while his father unsaddled his horse
and tied the animal snugly to a limb.
Then Pa Padgett put his foot on the hub and sprang into the carriage.
"Is there room for me to stretch myself in here tonight too?"
"Of course there is. But don't you want to see grandma and aunt
Krin?"
"Wait till morning. We'll all take an early start. Have they kept
well?"
"Everybody's well," replied Bobaday. "But how did you know we were
here?"
"I'd have passed by," said Pa Padgett, "if I hadn't seen all that
white strung along. Been washing clothes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then I made out the carriage, and something like a wagon back in
the bushes. So I came up to examine."
"We thought you'd be at the State line," said Robert.
"Oh, I intended to ride out till I met you," replied his father.
"But I'd have missed you on the plain road; and gone by to the next
town to stop for you, if it hadn't been for the washing. You better
go to sleep again now. Have you had a nice trip?"
"Oh, awful nice! There was a little girl lost, and we got her to her
mother again, and Zene and the wagon were separated from us once"--
"Zene has taken good care of you, has he?"
"He didn't have to take care of us!" remonstrated Robert.
Pages:
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222