“The idea of her talking so to you, Uncle Cyrus!” she exclaimed. “It wasn't your fault at all.”
The captain smiled one-sidedly.
“I don't know about that, shipmate,” he said. “I wouldn't wonder if she was more than half right. But say! she was all business and no frills, wasn't she! Ha, ha! How she did spunk up to that heifer! Who in the dickens do you cal'late she is?”
CHAPTER VIII
THE “COW LADY”
That question was answered the very next day. Bos'n, carefully dressed by Georgianna under the captain's supervision, and weighted down with advice and counsel from the latter, started for the schoolhouse at a quarter to nine. Only a sense of shame kept Captain Cy from walking to school with her. He spent a miserable forenoon. They were quite the longest three hours in his varied experience. The house was dreadfully lonely. He wandered from kitchen to sitting room, worried Georgianna, woke up the cat, and made a complete nuisance of himself. Twelve o'clock found him leaning over the gate and looking eagerly in the direction of the schoolhouse.
Bos'n ran all the way home. She was in a high state of excitement.
“What do you think, Uncle Cyrus?” she cried. “What DO you think? I've found out who the cow lady is!”
“The cow lady? Oh, yes, yes! Have you? Who is she?”