“Why not?”
“Oh, because. You see Polly has made a home for us, and one cannot tell whether her husband will ever come back. Do you think he will?”
“I am afraid not.”
“That’s what all think but Polly, and you see the house is small, and there’s not room for all us if mother and the children come.”
“We can easily add more rooms or build another cabin if that is all.”
“Yes, but will there be enough for everybody?”
“No doubt we can manage. Have you any brothers?”
“Yes, and Sandy is a big boy now; he can help.”
“And your mother would give a hand, too, I know, from what you have told us of her. We want in this country willing, skilful, helpful workers more than anything else. It is easy to get food if there are those to help us raise and prepare it. So you’ll not starve, Nancy, when your mother comes.”
“You are very good to tell me that.” She looked up at him with a beaming face. “I think, after all,” she added after a pause, “that it was a providence that sent you to us. It would be nice,” she added after a moment’s reflection, “if you would marry Polly, and then she would be provided for.”