“Yes, he did, my dear,” said Aunt Sallie, with a smile. “But I never thought, and I don’t believe he did, either, that you’d make me think the house was on fire to keep me warm. But I don’t seem to have any lumbago left. I feel much better. I guess the fright cured me.”
And so it seemed, for Aunt Sallie moved about as well as before she had had to go to bed.
The Bobbsey twins got over their fright, and the crowd, which had feared the Bobbsey house was burning, moved away. Sam made the fire good and hot, without letting it smoke. The house was soon put to rights again. And once more there were happy, smiling faces.
“But we didn’t know you were coming home,” said Nan to her mother. “Is Uncle Rossiter better?”
“Yes, he’s all right. We sent you word that we were coming, but I guess you didn’t get any mail. We had none from you.”
“The storm was too bad,” stated Bert. “And didn’t you know Sam had to go away and then Dinah had to go after Sam?”
“No, we didn’t know a thing about it,” said Mr. Bobbsey. “Coming home on the train we saw Sam and Dinah get on at the junction early this morning, and that was the first we knew they had had to leave.”
Dinah explained that she had found Sam not as sick as at first reported, and she soon had him “on his feet again,” as she called it. His brother, too, got better, so there was no need of Sam’s remaining in the South, and the two faithful servants hurried back as soon as they could.
“Oh, I’m so glad you’re all back!” exclaimed Nan. “It’s been hard work, keeping house alone.”
“It must have been, my dear,” said her mother. “You were brave children. So many things must have happened.”