While they were talking the owner of the ladder, who had not noticed them—and was deaf in the bargain—had quietly removed it from the back-porch and carried it around to the front of the house.
The children looked at each other in consternation when they perceived their loss.
“What we goin' to do now?” asked Billy.
“If this ain't just like Billy, all time got to perpose to clam' a ladder and all time got to let the ladder get loose from him,” growled Jimmy. “We done cooked a goose egg, this time. You got us up here, Billy, how you going to get us down?”
“I didn't, neither.”
“Well, it's Miss Minerva's house and she's your aunt and we's your company and you got to be 'sponsible.”
“I can clam' down this-here post,” said the responsible party.
“I can climb down it, too,” seconded Frances.
“You can't clam' down nothing at all,” said Jimmy contemptuously. “Talk 'bout you can clam' down a post; you'd fall and bust yourself wide open; you 'bout the clumsiest girl there is; 'sides, your legs 're too fat.”
“We can holla,” was Lina's suggestion.