“Come along, children, something’s going on.”
But now father, mother and boy were silent as they stood together looking up where the red road made its way through the forest over the gap.
Pa was the first to speak.
“As near as I can make out,” he said slowly, “it’s three wagons loaded to the limit, and a lot of people on foot walking alongside.”
“Queer doings, ain’t it?” murmured ma.
“I allow I’d better run up the road a piece,” Jim said, slipping in his words softly, as if he hoped they might go unnoticed, “and see what’s doing.”
“And I allow,” said his father in his most downright voice, “that we-all will just sit down and eat that there good breakfast ma has cooked, and if we keep eating steady we’ll be through with the whole business before them folks, whoever they be, gets anywhere nigh.”
“Oh, yes!” added ma, “I do wish you’d sit down and eat things while they’re hot and fit for eating.”
So they sat down and went at their breakfast as if it were a piece of hard work that must be got out of the way, and then, having finished and slipped what was left to Molly’s cat and the four hounds, they got out of doors as quickly as they could.
“The procession is hid around the bend of the road,” said ma.