“Why, dears, you haven’t room for us,� said Mrs. Wilson.
“Certainly, there is plenty of room,� said Mrs. Osborne. “I have it all planned. You and Ruth will stay in ‘the bedroom,’ Patsy will move out of it, into the dressing room that Sweet William will give up. He can sleep on a pallet in ‘the chamber’ or go into the ‘tumble-up room’ with Dick and David. Of course you will stay here.�
“What’s that you are saying?� asked Black Mayo, who came up the walk just then. “‘Stay here?’ You aren’t hoping you can have Agnes and Ruth with you?�
“Yes, indeed!� said Patsy. “Now, don’t you come and try to hog them away. They are going to live with us.�
“Indeed they are not,� declared Black Mayo. “They’re going to Larkland. Van is on the way with the wagon, Agnes, to carry your things. Of course you are coming to us. Why, we really need you. Think of all those big empty rooms. And you’ll be such company for Polly when I’m away.�
While he was arguing the matter, the Miss Morrisons came up the walk, followed by Mr. Tavis and Mr. Mallett.
Miss Elmira was an invalid, but she had hobbled across The Street with Miss Fanny to invite Mrs. Wilson and Ruth to come to their cottage.
“It is so convenient, with just the grove between it and Broad—the schoolhouse,� said Miss Fanny. “And it’s just right for two families; there are two rooms on each side, with the hall between, like a street, and we’ll be just as particular about crossing it, we assure you.�
“We spoke for them first. Stay with us, Cousin Agnes, you and Ruth; please do,� pleaded Sweet William.
“No; they want a home of their own,� said Mr. Mallett. “Miss Agnes, I ain’t got a house to ask you to, not to call it a house; it’s just a hole to put my gang of children in. I come to say we-all are going to build you a house. We’ve been talking it over, Joe Spencer and Benny Hight and a bunch of others; everybody wants to help. There’s the sawmill in the Big Woods, and we’ll cut trees and haul lumber and——�