“Course he did. I told you he wa'n't quite a fool. Been there some time, has he?”
“Yes. Shall I tell 'em you've come? I'll knock first.”
“No, no.” Thankful's reply was emphatic. “Where's the rest of the folks?” she asked.
“Georgie and Mr. Cahoon—your brother, I mean—have gone up to the village with the other one, the Cobb man.”
“What have they gone to the village for?”
“To help Mr. Cobb get his horse and team at Chris Badger's. He's gone, you know.”
“Who's gone?”
“Why, the Cobb one. He's gone home again. I tried to get him to stay for dinner; so did Miss Emily. We knew you'd want him to. But he wouldn't stay. Said he was goin' home. Seemed to me he wanted to get out of the house quick as ever he could. He gave Georgie a dollar for Christmas.”
“WHAT!” Captain Obed leaned against the corner of the house. “A dollar!” he groaned. “Sol Cobb gave somebody a dollar for Christmas! Don't pinch me, anybody; I don't want to wake up. Let me enjoy my dream long as I can. Thankful, did you say Sol looked sick?”
“I said he looked pretty nearly sick when he came down this mornin'.”