The dull red flooded into Uncle Jabez's cheeks, and for once gave him a little color. His narrow eyes sparkled, too.
"There's one thing I've allus said, Niece Ruth," he declared hotly. "Ye air a great one for spending other folks' money."
It was Ruth's turn to flush now, and although she might not possess what Aunt Alvirah called "the Potter economical streak," she did own to a spark of the Potter temper. Ruth Fielding was not namby-pamby, although she was far from quarrelsome.
"Uncle Jabez," she returned rather tartly, "have I been spending much of your money lately?"
"No," he growled. "But ye ain't l'arnt how to take proper keer of yer own—trapsin' 'round the country the way you do."
She laughed then. "I'm getting knowledge. Some of it comes high, I have found; but it will all help me live."
"Huh! I've lived without that brand of l'arnin'," grunted Uncle Jabez.
Ruth looked at him amusedly. She was tempted to tell him that he had not lived, only existed. But she was not impudent, and merely went on to say:
"Aunt Alvirah is getting too old to do all the work here——"
"I send Ben in to help her some when she's alone," said the miller.