The second day at camp meeting was spent by these two in much the same manner as the first, as regards work, and Louis received very little attention.
Jack, in obedience to Aunt Nancy's request, looked again for Mr. Pratt, but with no better success than before; and after dinner he washed the dishes in order that the little woman might attend the afternoon services.
It was a decided relief to him when the day came on which they were to return home.
He knew Aunt Nancy had worked too hard, and the bustle and confusion tired him almost as much as the labor.
Gladly he helped gather up the empty baskets, and when the three were on the cars being whirled rapidly toward home, the little woman said with a sigh of relief,—
"What a comfort it will be to find ourselves on the farm once more, Jack dear! I believe I am getting too old to go to such places, and a week's rest wouldn't be too much to make me feel like myself again."
"If you had gone alone, without tryin' to run a boardin'-house for them who didn't care whether you had any fun or not, it would have been different."
"You don't look at the matter in the proper light, my child. They've always been accustomed to having Aunt Nancy go at such times, and I couldn't disappoint them as long as I was able to hold up my head."
Jack realized it was useless to continue this conversation, so far as convincing the little woman that she had been imposed upon was concerned, and he remained silent.
Never before had the farm looked so beautiful, either to Jack or the little woman, as when they arrived home that night, and during the evening devotions Aunt Nancy's thankfulness was made apparent by the fervently spoken words.