Lucinda gathered breath by compressing her sides with her hands, and then replied, directing her voice right into the ear-trumpet:
“He’s mowin’ the back lawn.”
Aunt Mary winced and shivered.
“My heavens, Lucinda!” she exclaimed, sharply. “I wish’t there was a school to teach outsiders the use of an ear-trumpet. They can’t seem to hit the medium between either mumblin’ or splittin’ one’s ear drums.”
Lucinda was too much out of breath from her effort to attempt any audible penitence. Her mistress continued:
“Well, you find him wherever he is, and tell him to harness up the buggy and go and get Mr. Stebbins as quick as ever he can. Hurry!”
Lucinda exited with a promptitude that fulfilled all that her lady’s heart could wish. She found Joshua whetting his scythe.
“She wants Mr. Stebbins right off,” said Lucinda.
“Then she’ll get Mr. Stebbins right off,” said Joshua. And he headed immediately for the barn.
Lucinda ran along beside him. It did seem to Lucinda as if in compensation for her slavery to Aunt Mary she might have had a sympathizer in Joshua.