“Dere folks.
I hered from a pedlar my dad is sick up in norwich. goodby and thanks i am coming back sum day.
yurs with luv.
Joe.”
Joe looked around at them with his old confident smile.
“See?” he said. “I told you I was coming back.”
“And you’re going to stay too,” replied Jean, thankfully. “I’m so glad you’re not under the snow, Joe. You’d better run down and get in that kindling for Shad.”
This took real pluck, but Joe rose bravely, and went out, and Shad’s heart must have thawed a little too, for he came in later whistling and said the little skeezicks was doing well.
Jean laughed and sank back in the big red rocker with happy weariness.
“And Bab said this country was monotonous,” she exclaimed. “If anything else happens for a day or so, I’m going to find a woodchuck hole and crawl into it to rest up.”