"Order!" said the judge, after a long minute.
Then Mr. Weaver knew—though Uncle Daniel did not as yet—that his cause was lost. Uncle Daniel put the money back into his pocket, shamefacedly. This would be another score to settle with the twins when this foolish court business was over. Then he heard that the judge was speaking.
"Whom would you like to have for your guardian, children?"
Sarah looked up at Miss Miflin. To her the word guardian meant unpleasant oversight, interference. Must they have a guardian at all? But Miss Miflin did not seem troubled in the least. What she said was unpremeditated; she did not realize until after the words were out that the lawyer's sharp eyes and the judge's kindly eyes were watching her so closely, nor could she foresee that her face would become a flaming crimson.
"I don't see why they need a guardian at all," she said. "They have an older brother."
"Oh," said the judge. "Why, then, was the application made?"
At that moment Jacob Kalb had come finally to the conclusion that he had been silent long enough.
"He went three years ago already to Alaska," he said. "He will never come home."
"Oh, he will!" cried little Sarah.