"But s'posin' he can't answer it?" Rebecca insisted.
"Well, if he can't we can give back the difference to the bank."
So saying, Phœbe took her share of the bills and quickly left the room.
"I've got lots of things to do before night," she remarked.
At promptly half-past nine all the lights in the house were extinguished, and the two sisters sat together in the dark parlor awaiting Copernicus. It was Rebecca who had insisted on putting out the lights.
"Ef folks was to see lights here so late in the night," she said, "they'd suspicion somethin' an' they might even call in."
Phœbe admitted the justness of this reasoning, and they had both directed every endeavor to completing all their arrangements before their accustomed bed-time.
It was not long after this that a stealthy step was heard on the gravel path and Phœbe hurried to the door. Copernicus came in with a low word of greeting and followed the ghostly shadow of his hostess into the parlor.
The three stood together in the dark and conversed in an undertone, like so many conspirators surrounded by spies.
"Hev ye got everythin' ready?" Droop asked.