“Uncle Barnabas!” he said, extending a cordial hand to the visitor, while his stern, strong face softened under his slow, sweet smile. Then he turned to his secretary.
“Admit no one else, Major.”
David took the telescope from his guest and set it on the table, wondering if it contained the “documents in evidence.”
“Take off your coat, Uncle Barnabas. They keep it pretty warm in here!”
“I callate they do––in more ways than one,” chuckled Barnabas, removing his coat. “I hed to start purty early this mornin’, when it was cool-like. Wal, Dave, times has changed! To think of little Dave Dunne bein’ guvner! I never seemed to take it in till I come up them front steps.”
The governor laughed.
“Sometimes I don’t seem to take it in myself, but you ought to, Uncle Barnabas. You put me here!” 251
As he spoke he unlocked a little cabinet and produced a bottle and a couple of glasses.
“Wal, I do declar, ef you don’t hev things as handy as a pocket in a shirt! Good stuff, Dave! More warmin’ than my old coat, I reckon, but say, Dave, what do you s’pose I hev got in that air telescope?”
David winced. In olden times the old man ever came straight to the point, as he was doing now.