“So do I,” chimed in Freddie.
“Now, just go easy,” advised Nan. “I can’t do everything at once. Oh, dear,” she sighed, “so many things are happening! I do wish mother and daddy would come back!”
“Oh, we’ll get along all right,” replied Bert. “This isn’t anything. ’Tisn’t half as bad as if the chimney had fallen down, for then we couldn’t have any fire.”
“No, I suppose not,” agreed Nan. “But I’ll be glad when you get that limb chopped off. Listen to it bang!”
As she spoke the wind suddenly whistled around the house in a burst of freezing air, howling and moaning, while the swaying tree branch banged louder than ever.
“Nan! Bert! I’m sure that was the chimney blowing down!” cried Aunt Sallie, for Nan had opened her door when they came out of the cold guest chamber.
“No, it’s only a tree branch near the house banging against the side,” Nan answered.
“What’s that you say? You’re going to take the children for a ride? Oh, I wouldn’t do that so early in the morning, Nan. It must be very cold,” said Aunt Sallie.
“No, no! I said that noise was a tree branch banging against the side of the house,” repeated Nan in louder tones.
“Oh, a tree branch,” murmured the old lady. “I thought it was some one knocking at the door. Is my coffee ready, dearie?”