"I wouldn't allow you to take the chances of seeing William Dean even if you could do the errands, which is impossible. I must get Mr. Chick to carry me over in his team, and while I am away you and Louis are to stay in the house with the doors locked."
"I don't think there is any need of that. Those fellers wouldn't dare to come here."
"I can't believe they would; but at the same time it will do no harm to be careful. Now what shall we have for supper?"
"Do you mean to-night?"
"Of course not. It doesn't make any difference what we eat for a day or two; but we must think very seriously of what is to be cooked for the circle."
"Have some of your nice biscuits and a piece of cake. If folks can get anything better than that, they deserve to go hungry."
"O Jack! you don't understand such things. I should be mortified almost to death if I didn't do as well as Mrs. Souders did when the circle met at her house last month."
Then Aunt Nancy, looking as if a heavy burden of care had suddenly fallen upon her, went in to the kitchen, taking Louis with her, that Jack might be free to milk the cow.