“The dam has burst,” said old Mr. Cooper.
He made this melodramatic announcement with great calm, because it was a very unimportant dam, and not likely to evoke much excitement; but Jerry Sargent, his employer, sprang to his feet.
“What?” he cried. “Elliot’s dam? Then Sloan Street must be under water!”
“I’m afraid so,” said Cooper, somewhat[Pg 179] startled; “but No. 93 is the only house there that’s tenanted, and I didn’t imagine you’d be much upset about them.”
He was still more startled by the expression he now saw upon Sargent’s usually good-humored face.
“What do you mean by supposing that?” thundered Jerry. “On the contrary, they’re—they’re special tenants. They—”
“Well,” said Mr. Cooper, “you see, in view of the correspondence we had with them—”
“What correspondence?”
“Why, those letters that Mrs. Aldrich directed us to send while you were away. You distinctly said we were to take directions from her in your absence.”
“Let me see those letters!”