The result was that little attention was paid to Tess and Dot, except that they were treated with exaggerated politeness by their sisters, perhaps in contrast to their rude but thoughtless showering of Uncle Rufus.
In a short time the little girls forgot all about it and were playing about as before, much to the delight of Uncle Rufus, who would not have slept well had he kept on his mind any longer the vision of his little tormentors being punished.
“I just love it here!” declared Nalbro, as they were sitting on the porch, waiting for Linda and Mrs. MacCall to announce the evening meal. “It’s so different from my own home. It’s stupid there, though it’s nice enough. Something always seems to be happening here.”
“You’re right there!” laughed Ruth.
“And sometimes things don’t always happen for the best!” added Agnes.
“I just wonder where they got that idea of spraying Uncle Rufus?” mused Ruth. “I do hope they didn’t see it in the movies, for they are sure to mention it if they did, and Mrs. MacCall will say it’s a sin and a shame that we ever let them go.”
“Yes, that would be a bit awkward,” admitted her sister. “But I have a faint suspicion that they must have made it up out of their own heads.”
“Perhaps,” agreed Ruth. “I do hope Luke comes to-night,” she went on.
This was so unexpected, coming from Ruth, who seldom let anything be known about her liking for the young collegian, that Agnes stared at her sister in some surprise, and even Nalbro raised her pretty eyebrows. Luke had been called away from Milton for several days by Professor Keeps, who had some work for the young man to do.
“Oh, it’s just a matter of business!” Ruth made haste to say, as she sensed the underlying meaning her words might have conveyed. “He was going to make inquiries about those two men,” she went on. “Do you know, I don’t at all like the fact that they have been seen around here so frequently,” and there was a worried look on her face.