“I’ll explain to you.”
And he told her the story of the lost hat and the liberal reward he obtained for chasing and recovering it.
“Think of a straw hat costing fifty dollars, aunt!” he said wonderingly.
“It does seem strange, but I am glad it was worth so much or you wouldn’t have been so well paid.”
“This Mr. Tudor is a gentleman, aunt. Why, plenty of people would have given me only ten cents. I would have thought myself well paid if he had even given me that, but I couldn’t have brought you home so much tea. Aunt Jane, do me a favor.”
“What is it, Robert?”
“Make yourself a good strong cup of tea to-night. You’ll feel ever so much better, and there’s plenty of it. A pound will last a long time, won’t it?”
“Oh, yes, a good while. I shall get a good deal of comfort out of that tea. But I don’t know about making any to-night. If you would like some——”
“If you’ll make some, I’ll drink a little, Aunt Jane.”
Robert said this because he feared otherwise his aunt would not make any till the next morning.