"Good evening, Mr. Peter!" said she, dropping me a curtesy with a grace that could not have been surpassed by any duchess in the land; but, as for poor George, she did not even notice him, neither did he raise his curly head nor glance toward her.
"You come just when you are most needed, Prudence," said I, relieving her of the heavy basket, "for here be two hungry men."
"Three!" broke in the Ancient; "so 'ungry as a lion, I be!"
"Three hungry men, Prudence, who have been hearkening for your step this half-hour and more."
Quoth Prudence shyly: "For the sake of my basket?"
"Ay, for sure!" croaked the Ancient; "so ravenous as a tiger I be!"
"No," said I, shaking my head, "basket or no basket, you are equally welcome, Prudence—how say you, George?" But George only mumbled in his beard. The Ancient and I now set to work putting up an extemporized table, but as for George, he stood staring down moodily into the yet glowing embers of the forge.
Having put up the table, I crossed to where Prudence was busy unpacking her basket.
"Prudence," said I, "are you still at odds with George?" Prudence nodded.
"But," said I, "he is such a splendid fellow! His outburst the other day was quite natural, under the circumstances; surely you can forgive him, Prudence."