“He is bust weeth the health,” returned Pablo gravely.
Joanne turned her face toward the river in order to hide the broad smile which this speech produced. Then she said, still striving to hide the smile, “You are learning English very quickly, aren’t you?”
“I think,” returned Pablo complacently.
They hurried through their errand as rapidly as the voluble Mrs. Clover would allow, and went back bearing, not only the butter, eggs, milk and cream, but a loaf of fresh sponge cake, a comb of honey and a jar of preserved cherries. They deposited these things on the kitchen table where Unc’ Aaron was slicing the ham, already on hand, and then they went off to the stable to see Chico eating his supper and looking as sleek as needs be.
They were not allowed a very long visit to him, however, for very soon they heard a bugle call, and looking back saw Cousin Ned standing on the porch sounding the summons to supper, and down the hill they went at as rapid a gait as stones and brambles would permit.
“These are the finest griddle cakes I ever ate,” declared Dr. Selden as he helped himself to his third supply.
“I mean to ask Unc’ Aaron to teach me to make them,” said Joanne. “It will be a fine thing for me to do when I go out camping with my Girl Scout troop.”
“And I suppose your poor old grandfather will never have a chance to test your powers,” remarked Dr. Selden in pretended dejection.
“Oh yes, I will try them on you first,” returned Joanne airily, which brought a laugh from her grandfather.
She lost no time in interviewing Unc’ Aaron in order to get his recipe, but she gave up getting a written form, for all he could tell her was that he “jes’ beat up some aigs, den I sloshes in some buttermilk ef I has it, er some milk ef I hasn’t, an’ stirs in de flour.”