Caleb nodded; his eyes were fixed on the wallpaper.
"I—I wonder if this warm weather has made the leaves start out on it," resumed Sarah. "I hope not—you know we always have frosts up there."
"Hm-m," murmured Caleb.
There was a long silence; then Sarah drew a deep breath.
"Caleb, do you s'pose it 'll get up to the front-chamber window this year—that rosebush, I mean?"
"I don't know, Sarah." Caleb's eyes were still on the wall-paper.
There was another long silence, broken this time by the children's entrance.
"Mother," began Fred discontentedly, "don't they ever go fishing down here, or swimming, or anything?"
Sarah sprang to her feet with a nervous little laugh.
"Caleb, we—we might go up home just for—for a visit," she said.