"Oh, sugar! He has gone, has he? I'd disremembered. He did bid me an' Heppy good-bye night b'fore last."
"He went away with his trunk yesterday afternoon. Jerome told me nobody knew at the house where Ralph was going. They did not dare tell Professor Endicott, for he was completely submerged in some experiment and had locked the laboratory door. Ralph tucked a note under the door when he left."
"You don't say?"
"Did he not explain to you, Mr. Bassett?"
"Not a word."
"Nor to us. He came over and bade us good-bye just before he left, in a very formal way. I did not get a word with him alone. Aunt Ida asked him where he was going, and he said he could not tell just where he would finally bring up. Tobias Bassett!"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"I believe Ralph has gone away to get a job of work and is ashamed to tell us."
"If it's honest work he ain't no call to be ashamed."
"Too proud to tell us, then," flashed the girl.