With the alertness of an Indian she heard the crackling of twigs in the underbrush. She closed the door, slipped the lock and tucked the babe in the basket, and waited. Somebody was coming from the hill above, breaking the branches as he ran. It was Ben Letts, probably. A light tap came upon the door. To Ben she would not open, but, glancing at the window, she saw Ezra Longman's face pressed against the pane.
Slipping back the lock, she flung open the door.
"Ezy, ye air allers a-comin' when I wants to read the Bible. I tells ye to stay away from the shanty, and ye won't!"
Would the babe remain quiet until the pale squatter boy had departed?
"Ben Letts air a-comin' to see ye to-day," Ezra returned sulkily, "and I comed, too."
"Did he tell ye as how he was a-comin'?"
"Nope; but I knowed."
"He can't come in," replied Tess, crossly. "I ain't no notion for company, nohow.... Air the men a-nettin' to-night?"
"Yep."
"Air Ben a-goin' with ye?"