Rosetta was conscientious in the discharge of her duties, and had already done more cooking than would have sufficed a family twice as large, in her fear lest these young charges of hers should not get enough to eat. Eat! How they did eat! All except Melville; and because he did not, the good Rosetta was worried and full of self-blame.
But, for the first time, his fitful appetite proved a blessing, since it brought upon the scene, in their extremity of need, a person to rescue the two boys.
“To the land sakes! What on airth is Melville a-hollerin’ so fer!”
Rosetta quickened her footsteps, but as the cries died for a moment, loitered for an instant to set straight a misplaced chair, and tidy the furniture which showed the careless fingers of youth.
The cries, that were almost shrieks in their intensity of terror, recommenced.
“Why, that ain’t spunk! That’s something worse ’an that! What can have happened to him!” Mrs. Perkins flew to the door, wondering to find it closed, and rebounding, as she threw her force against it, from its unyielding surface. She tried the latch, and found the bolt had been slipped. The cries ceased again.
“I’m a-comin’, Melville. I’ll run around to the other door.”
Only to meet with fresh disappointment; and, in her wonder and distress, Mrs. Perkins began to shake the door vigorously. “Ain’t there nobody in there with ye? How did ye get locked in? Never mind; I’ll get it open somehow. I warrant it’s some o’ them childern’s pranks,” she added, under her breath. Then she tried the latch anew.
She began to be seriously alarmed. She ran to the hall window, and saw Luke mowing the lawn. After repeated efforts, she made her voice audible above that of the noisy little machine so close to his ear. He looked up and saw her frantic motions even before he heard her summons.
Luke had a soul above lawn-mowers, and always on the alert for excitement. He was at the hall window in a trice.