Sube was a little late for supper, but he came in with a broad smile—broad though rather forced—and a neatly shingled head.
"Hey, everybody look at me!" he called cheerfully. "I've got the first shingle of the season, and I paid for it with my own money, too! And, mama, can I go to prayer meeting with Giz Tobin to-night? I'm all dressed for it."
Mrs. Cane had gladly given her consent when Cathead threw a bomb into the happy home circle.
"Sube wasn't at school this afternoon," he announced.
"What's that?" demanded Mr. Cane glaring at Sube. "Do you mean to say that after all I said to you—?"
Sube had begun to shrivel under his father's relentless gaze when Cathead interjected:
"But there wasn't any school in his room! So many of the kids went to Mag Macdougall's funeral that Miss Wheeler had to dismiss the room, didn't she, Sube?"
Sube huskily admitted that she did, while Cathead bemoaned the misfortune of his being in another room, and Mr. Cane showed signs of being relieved, although he was at the same time annoyed at Cathead's forwardness