“Sholy! Sholy!” he agreed and then the thought came to him as it had to Miss Ann—When before had he been asked to help?
Judith found the two ladies busily engaged in paring peaches. She was amused to discover that Miss Ann was quicker than her mother and more expert. The old lady’s fingers were nimble and dainty and she handled her knife with remarkable skill.
“My goodness! You go so fast I can begin to can,” cried Judith. Miss Ann’s face beamed with happiness as she watched her young cousin weighing sugar and fruit and then lighting the kerosene stove which stood behind a screen in the corner of the porch.
Judith kept up a lively chatter as she sterilized glass jars and dipped out the cooked fruit. 219 Miss Ann worked faster and faster and even Mrs. Buck hurried in spite of herself. Uncle Billy’s amazement was ludicrous when he came upon his mistress making one of this busy family group. But in an instant the old man was helping, too.
The morning was gone but the peaches were all canned, the table filled with amber-colored jars. Billy must carry them to the storeroom and place them on the shelves. He ran back and forth looking like a little brown gnome and actually skipping with happiness. Miss Ann smiled contentedly while Mrs. Buck gathered up the peach skins and stones which she had saved with a view to making marmalade, although Judith assured her that the peach crop was so big that year there would be no use in such close economy.
“Now, we’ll have luncheon and then everybody must take a nap,” commanded Judith and everybody was very glad to, after the strenuous morning’s work, but first Billy slipped out to the carriage house and pulled the corn cob out of the bumble bees’ hole.
“There now, you po’ critters! I reckon you kin call this home too an’ jes’ buzz aroun’ all you’se a min’ ter,” the old man whispered happily.