“Mud-turtle? I don’t wonder you say so, and there’s another and worse-looking one out in the dock.”
“Two mud-turtles? What do you mean? Where have you been?”
“I mean this; I was coming home and heard some one calling for help, and ran to the dock and saw—no, I couldn’t see a barley-corn before my nose—but I knew somebody was down there, and without thinking—”
“Just like you!” said Aunt Stanshy to herself.
“And in I went, and I succeeded in getting my man, who is drunk, round to the upper aide of the dock.”
“You did splendidly,” said Aunt Stanshy, aloud.
“But I had to work for it! And now I want a light, which you may wonder I didn’t get before; but I was so anxious to help that fellow, I put and run as soon as I heard him cry, and when I was in the dock I thought I might as well stick to him and work him into a safe place. But haven’t you a door in the dock-side of your barn?”
“Y—e—s,” said Aunt Stanshy, reluctantly, remembering an old decision about the door. “I will be out, and you take the lantern that you will see in the back entry. Don’t mind my floor. I will be out in two minutes.”
“Let me go down and show Will about the lantern,” said Charlie.
“Are you dressed?”