"Oh! you don't s'pose they've got a grudge against the Days, do ye?" cried the anxious woman. "Maybe they'll act jest as mean as they kin toward any of our fambly."
"No, I do not believe that, Mrs. Day," Nelson hastened to assure her. "Janice and Marty will be in no more danger down there than any other Americans. Only——"
"Only what, Mr. Haley?" asked Aunt 'Mira.
"They shouldn't be there alone. Somebody should be with them," said the schoolmaster desperately.
"Ain't that the trewth?" cried Aunt 'Mira. "I wish I was with 'em myself. I read in the Fireside Fav'rite that 'tain't considered a proper caper, anyway, for a young gal to go anywhere much alone without a chaperon."
At this moment there came a rap upon the side porch door. Aunt 'Mira rose to respond, and as she went into the little boxlike hall she failed to quite close the sitting room door. Therefore the trio left behind heard plainly the following dialogue:
"Miz' Scattergood! I declare, how flustered you look. Come in—do."
"No wonder I'm flustered. I—I—— No, I won't come no farther than the hall, Miz' Day. I'll tell ye here."
"Oh! what is it?" gasped Aunt 'Mira. "Nothin's happened to 'Rill?"
"That's jest what it is. Oh, Miz' Day, I'm an ol' fool!"