“Say,” said she, catching sight of Mabel. “Would you mind coming in and staying with my children until Lizzie McCall gets here? She’s due any minute and I’ve got to get over to the trolley—I’m late now. I have a job cleaning cars over at the Centerville Station, this time every day, and Lizzie always stays with the kids—they’d tear the house down if I left them alone.”
“If you’re sure Lizzie is coming—”
“Oh, yes, she’s never missed yet. Just go in and see that they don’t meddle with the fire. Lizzie’ll be right along.”
The woman hastened away. She looked what she was, an honest working woman with many family cares. Mabel went inside. Four small children stared at Mabel, as she entered. A boy of four, two small girls evidently twins, aged three, and a toddling baby of perhaps a year and a half. A delightful family to take care of for ten minutes but certainly not the kind of family to leave for very long to its own devices; for the twins were reaching for the sugar bowl and the boy had already discovered the poker and was poking the fire.
“Let’s all watch out the window for Lizzie,” suggested Mabel. “Stand on these two chairs.”
Watching for Lizzie proved more of an occupation than Mabel had counted on. They watched and watched with all their eyes but no Lizzie appeared. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes. No Lizzie.
“Does Lizzie always come?” queried Mabel, now decidedly uneasy.
“Sure,” replied the small boy.
“Where is your father?”
“Haven’t any. Him all gone on choo choo cars. Far away.”