“You bet!” was the emphatic response. “I’ve cut loose and am doin’ hit by myself. Seen the folks? They have the stuff to eat.”
Talitha pointed back to the throng under the oak trees. “They’ve just gone. You’ll catch them before they get fairly started eating if you hurry.”
“Oh, Tally,” said Gincy as Kid dodged from view behind the crowd of vehicles, his boyish head held high, “isn’t Commencement just grand! I’m so happy over everything—Abner’s new suit, and the folks coming, and—honey, your daddy thinks Bentville is all right; he’ll never say another word against it, I know.”
Talitha nodded. Her face was radiant and she squeezed Gincy’s hand. “And there’s Kid, he acts so different; just wild over everything here. I’m sure he’ll be in school next year, too. That’s the five-minute bell now; we’ll have to eat fast and get back. I’m just crazy to see father’s face when he gets into the Industrial Building.”
“And mother’s when she sees the Homespun Fair; she’ll go wild over the rugs, I’m sure.”
Back under the trees groups of people were refreshing themselves. The sun flecked the broad backs of the oxen feeding from the rear end of the jolt wagons. The mules were sleepily warding off the flies. A few horses stamped restlessly. And on each side of the driveway was a mass of life and colour enveloped in the fragrant air of June. Under its dominating spell, the Goose Creek folks sat until the mass of humanity began to move; only the babies slept, guarded by their mothers.
As though suddenly roused to action, the young people began to walk back and forth through the wooded space, some aimlessly, others with a definite objective point in view. From the chapel tower, the group from Goose Creek could hear a voice inviting everybody to come up and see the surrounding country.
“That’s Martin,” said Kid. “He’s got what he names a megaphone. I’d call hit a horn-a whopper. You kin hear hit a mile, I’ll bet; I’m goin’ up after a spell ter he’p him out—thar come the gals.”
“They’re just pouring into the Homespun Fair,” said Gincy, coming up breathless. “We’ve almost run so you wouldn’t get crowded out entirely. Sudie and Billy’d better come with me and get some lemonade at the stand; Talitha’s waiting over there for the rest of you.”
“I’d like ter see some kiverlids thet can beat mammy’s,” said Dan Gooch as they walked briskly along in the direction indicated by Gincy.