"When I went down to the road before the bugle was blown," said Strout, "Mrs. Mason told me they was there. You see, Huldy didn't suspect nothin' about the party and so she asked them over to tea. She sorter expected they would go right after tea, but they got singin' songs and tellin' stories, and Huldy saw they had come to stay."
"But," said Abner, "that city feller must have known all about it aforehand or how could he git that cake and frozen stuff down from Bosting so quick?"
"Didn't you say," said Strout, "that you seen them going over to Eastborough Centre about five o'clock?"
"Yes," replied Abner, "but how did he know when it was? Some one must have told him, I guess."
"There are times, Abner Stiles," exclaimed Strout, "when you are too almighty inquisitive."
"Wall, I only wanted to know, so I could tell the truth when folks asked me," said Abner.
"That's all right," said Strout. "Cuddent you guess who told him? 'Twas that Hiram Maxwell. I've been pumping him about the city chap, and of course, I've had to tell him somethin' for swaps. But to-morrow when I meet him I'll tell him I don't want anythin' more to do with a tittle-tattle tell-tale like him."
"What d'ye think of that pome 'bout the bumblebee?" drawled Abner.
"Oh, that was a put-up job," said Strout.
"How could that be?" asked Abner, "when you took it out of your own box?"