But Aunt Martha’s little trip was called off, for Mr. Asa Wheelock thoughtfully telephoned that he had to drive south that afternoon, so he’d stop in as he passed the Conway farm.
“That’ll save just so much gas,” Aunt Martha said in a pleased voice. You know the price of a gallon of gasoline is worth considering, when there is a long illness in a house where the income is nonelastic. “But I did want that cheesecloth right away.”
“Let me go and get it,” volunteered Jacqueline, eager for adventure. “Like as not I can beg a ride, and if I can’t, why, I don’t mind the walk one little bit.”
Dickie was eager to go, too. The public library would be open that afternoon, and he wanted to return the Boy Scout book that he had finished, and get out another. In the end Aunt Martha consented, and off the two children started, as soon as the dinner dishes were cleared away. They had not walked half a mile, when they were overtaken by a friendly Polish neighbor, and perched hazardously on his running board, they reached the village Post Office while the afternoon was still young.
Dickie vanished into the public library, not to be seen again till closing time, and Jacqueline went about her errands. She bought the boracic and soap and talc at Cyrus Hatton’s general store, and the cheesecloth at the Post Office, but for the buttons and elastic and thread she went into Miss Crevey’s shop. She had had no call to go there since the day when she pledged Caroline’s gold beads for the precious dragon cup that had been such a life-bringer to Grandma. She darted a glance at the dusty secretary in the corner, and remembered how she had watched Miss Crevey lock up the beads in one of its drawers.
“Five yards of elastic,” chanted Miss Crevey, as she measured off the commodity. “I’m all out o’ white, but black’s just as good, for it won’t show anyhow. Can’t give you bone buttons that size, but these smaller ones’ll slip into the button-holes ever so much easier, and I won’t charge you no more. Black silk? I’ll have some in next week, maybe. But there’s plenty of thirty cotton. Hadn’t you better take two spools as long as I have it?”
Jacqueline thought not.
“Well, there’s no suitin’ some folks,” muttered Miss Crevey as she bundled up the small wares. “By the way,” she made a sudden pounce, and Jacqueline suspected that she had been making ready to pounce ever since she saw her enter the shop, “have you brought along the five dollars that you owe me for that old cup?”
“Brought the five dollars?” Jacqueline echoed blankly. Then she recovered from her amazement. “Why, no,” she said sturdily. “I said I’d have the money in September, and you said all right, and it isn’t September yet.”
“I’ve got some bills to meet,” said Miss Crevey, in a resentful voice. “I need the cash right now.”