“Do have a care, my son,” she said. “There has been an accident there—yes? Don’t drive too fast——”
“By jiminy!” ejaculated Ralph Tingley. “That’s a breakdown, sure enough.”
“A farm wagon. There’s a wheel off,” cried Ann Hicks, leaning out from the other end of the seat the better to see.
“And who are all those children in blue?” demanded Mercy Curtis, looking out from below. “There’s such a lot of them! One, two, three, four, five—— Goodness me! they jump about so like fleas that I can’t count them!”
“Why, I bet I know what it is,” drawled Bobbins, at last. “It’s old Caslon and his load of fresh airs. He was going to town to meet them to-day, I believe. And he’s broken down before he’s half way home with them—and serves him good and right!”
CHAPTER XIII—“THE TERRIBLE TWINS”
Ruth heard Bob’s last expression, despite the rattling of the harness and the chattering of the girls on, and in, the coach, and she was sorry. Yet, could he be blamed so much, when similar feelings were expressed daily by his own father regarding the Caslons?
Mrs. Steele was shocked as well. “My dear son!” she exclaimed, in a low voice, leaning over his shoulder. “Be careful of your tongue. Don’t say things for which you might be sorry—indeed, for which I am sure you are sorry when you stop to think.”
“Huh! Isn’t that old Caslon as mean as he can be?” demanded Bobbins.
“I am sure,” the good lady sighed, “that I wish he would agree to sell his place to your father, and so have an end of all this talk and worriment. But I am not at all sure that he hasn’t a right to do as he pleases with his own property.”