"I do not see how it can," repeated Susy. "You cannot go there, of course, without being seen, and I do not know of any way to get her here."
"But that is the thing," persisted Josephine. "She must be got here, in some way or another. Pshaw! I don't see how it is to be done, but it must be done. We might set fire to the house, and that would probably bring her over, but then it would bring all the other people from the house, and then your mother might have some objections."
"I should think very likely she would!" said Susy, with another wondering look around at the female torpedo who was thus exploding in West Falls.
"Stop! I have it!" cried the wild girl, a flash of triumph passing over her face. "Run into the house, Susy, and ask your mother to come out here. Your 'help' must not hear what is said."
Susy ran into the house on her errand, stopping once, as she turned the corner, to look around and satisfy herself whether Cousin Joe had not escaped from some lunatic asylum. While she was gone, Joe sat in the swing alone and did some energetic thinking; but twice, before the old lady came, she endorsed her plan with: "Yes, that will do. That must do!"
Directly Aunt Betsey came out to the swing, her arms floured to the elbows, having been interrupted in the midst of the divine mysteries of moulding cherry-dumplings, for the Sunday dinner. But she did not look the less amiable and good-natured for the interruption, as many good housewives might have done.
"Aunt," said Josephine, grasping her by the hand, in spite of the flour. "Aunt, I want you to do a good and benevolent action, at once."
"Well, I will try, my child!" said the good woman. "That is, if it is a good action that you want me to do. But you know, Josey, that you are a bit of a rattle-brain."
"Yes, well, I think that I may have heard that observation before," said Miss Josey. "However, I can live through it. Aunt, I will tell you why, by-and-bye when there is more time,—but I have a reason, that may be one of life and death, for what I ask. I want you to believe in the weight of my reasons at once, and to help me get Mary Crawford from the big house yonder, over here, immediately."
"Why, she does not come here now-a-days; and what can you want of her?" asked Aunt Betsey.