“It does not go badly, this cart,” maintained Victor, “and as for our friend. Long Ears, he is none the worse for having served his time in prison.”
“Ah, do not speak of him in that way,” chided Lucie. “It is as if he had been a criminal.”
“He may be, who knows what evil deeds he may have done in his lifetime.”
But Lucie would none of this, and so they argued and made merry upon that same road over which Lucie had traveled so wearily and despairingly a few hours before.
They found everything intact at the shed. Victor lifted baskets and bundles into the cart. “Now we will hunt for those eggs,” he said, “and we may as well take the hen, too. Some one can make use of her, and she will find it hard to scratch for a living here.”
“The eggs first. I am so very curious about those eggs, Victor. To think that after all I shall find them.”
“Shall I climb up, or do you want to see for yourself?”
“I would very much like to see for myself.”
“Then you shall do so. I will lift you up so you can see.”
Lucie looked rather doubtful at this. She was not sure that she would approve of this way to discovery. “Suppose you should let me fall, or at least hold me so unsteadily that I should let the eggs fall.”