“Oh, dear!” exclaimed his wife.
Mrs. Ellis, the housekeeper, drew a long breath. “I might have expected it,” she said tartly. “It's past time. He's pretty nigh a month overdue, as 'tis.”
Captain Snow rose to his feet. “I was kind of suspicious when he started for the barn,” he declared. “Seemed to me he was singin' then. WHAT did he sing, boy?” he asked, turning suddenly upon his grandson.
“Why—why, I don't know. I didn't notice particularly. You see, it was pretty cold and—”
Mrs. Ellis interrupted. “Did he sing anything about somebody's bein' his darlin' hanky-panky and wearin' a number two?” she demanded sharply.
“Why—why, yes, he did.”
Apparently that settled it. Mrs. Snow said, “Oh, dear!” again and the housekeeper also rose from the table.
“You'd better go right out to the barn this minute, Cap'n Lote,” she said, “and I guess likely I'd better go with you.”
The captain already had his cap on his head.
“No, Rachel,” he said, “I don't need you. Cal'late I can take care of 'most anything that's liable to have happened. If he ain't put the bridle to bed in the stall and hung the mare up on the harness pegs I judge I can handle the job. Wonder how fur along he'd got. Didn't hear him singin' anything about 'Hyannis on the Cape,' did you, boy?”