“You don't say!” exclaimed the Captain. “Well, well, I want to know! All the way from out West, eh? Sho! Where is he now?”
Isaiah shook his head. “That's the funny part of it, he's gone,” he said.
“Gone? Gone where?”
“I don't know. All I know is he come and said he wanted to see Mary-'Gusta—I went up and told her and she come down to see him. I stayed up along of Zoeth until Debby T. came back from her shoppin' cruise. Then I come downstairs again and his hat and bag was gone. There wan't nobody here.”
“Where was Mary-'Gusta? Where is she now?”
“Up in her room, I cal'late. I heard her movin' round there a spell ago.”
Shadrach went up the stairs, along the hall, and knocked at Mary's door.
“Who is it?” asked a faint voice within.
“It's your Uncle Shad, Mary-'Gusta. Can I come in?”
“Yes.”