We stood waiting for some minutes, then started to go slowly out through the pines into the pasture and homeward with our trophies.
"Who could that have been?" Ellen exclaimed to Addison in a low voice; but Addison merely shook his head.
Somewhat to our surprise, we found Halstead at home in advance of us; he had already sat down to supper with Gramp and Gram.
That night, after milking was done and we had gone up-stairs to our room, Halstead said to me, "I suppose you saw that fellow that came to see me down at the pines this afternoon."
I said yes.
"That was a poor chap I promised to buy some seed-corn for," Halse went on, hastily. "He came around to get the money; and I'm going to try to make it up somehow, though I haven't got the money just now. Couldn't let me have seventy-five cents, could you?"
I said that I could, for I felt relieved to think that the mysterious person was merely a poor farmer.
Halstead regarded me for some moments. "I wish you would ask Doad and Nell if they won't lend me a quarter apiece," he said at length. "I can just make it up, if you would. I hate to ask them myself. But I will give it back to you in the course of a month.
"I wouldn't say anything to Ad about it," Halstead went on; "Ad don't like me and I don't want to feel beholden to him for anything."
I replied that I did not feel quite well enough acquainted with Theodora and Ellen yet, to ask such a favor; but as Halstead seemed to feel hurt that I hesitated about it, I finally promised to speak to them, although I disliked the errand.