“Humph!” ejaculated Aunt Georgie; and she went on sipping her tea for a time.
“This is a very beautiful place, Edward,” she said suddenly. “I was saying so to Marian here. Why don’t you build a house and stop without going farther?”
“For several reasons, aunt dear. But don’t be uneasy. I shall select quite as beautiful a place somewhere farther on, one that you and the girls will like better than this.”
“I don’t know so much about that,” said the old lady. “I’m rather hard to please.—Oh!”
“What’s the matter?” cried those nearest, for the old lady’s ejaculation was startling.
“I’ve got it!” she cried. “Oh the artfulness of the thing, Edward, that man.”
“What man?”
“That black fellow. Depend upon it, he came here on purpose to steal our poor little cow, and he has driven it away somewhere to sell.”
The captain started and looked excited.
“Oh no, aunt,” cried Norman; “I don’t think he was a bad sort of chap.”