“My knees and elbows got pretty well bumped,” Elizabeth continued to rub them, “but otherwise I am quite sound. Who in the world do you suppose that was, Betsy? I never was so astonished in my life as when I heard that voice.” Then they both went off again into peals of laughter.
When they had sobered down they consulted as to what should next be done. “We can’t sit here all day,” said Elizabeth, “and we haven’t seen Ruth at all. I think we’d better take off our disguise, roll the things up and hide them in that fence corner, and then go around by the front way and say noththing about this till we have to. Of course, we will explain as soon as we get a good chance, but at first we needn’t.”
“I think that will be best,” agreed Betsy. “It is lucky I put on the old shoes over my own, or I shouldn’t be in a state to see anyone.”
“My shoes look pretty bad,” said Elizabeth, contemplating the worn toes, “but I shall have to make them do, for I don’t want to go all the way home.”
“Oh, they’ll do.” Betsy viewed them. “They aren’t any worse than the last time you wore them, you know.”
“And I did wear them to school that last time,” Elizabeth remembered. “Well, come on, let us go over and invest ourselves of these incumbrances, and then we will go and see Ruth.”
They ran along to the fence corner, made a bundle of the superfluous clothes, and then proceeded decorously along the road which led to the gray house. They found the family sitting on the porch, waiting for their trunks to arrive. The maids were busy inside setting things to rights, but there was no sign of the lady whom they had encountered a short time before. Ruth ran out joyously to meet them. “I have been watching for you,” she said, “for I knew you would come soon.” Then followed many embraces and inquiries after the health of one and another; then Mrs. Gilmore, Grandpa Gil, and cousin Tom must be greeted. Still no sign of the strange lady.
“Ruth will come to school with us for the rest of the year, won’t she, Cousin Belle,” Elizabeth had just asked when a voice from the doorway interrupted the answer.
“That’s one of them; I’d know that red head anywhere. Those are the children who scared me nearly out of my wits. With my weak heart it is a wonder I didn’t collapse on the spot. Who are the little wretches, Isabel?”
Everyone was speechless as the lady stepped out on the porch. Then cousin Belle found voice to say: “These? Why this,”—she laid her hand on Elizabeth’s arm,—“this is Kate Hollins’s little girl Elizabeth, and the other one is our little friend Betsy Tyson. Come out, aunt Eunice, won’t you?”