“Oh, no, not one on us would think of such a thing!” said Mr. Alexander, but he watched an opportunity to make sure that a roll of money he carried in his pocket, was still there.
They had done the outside of the place, admiring the beautiful parks and the buildings, and then they thought they would have a peep inside, at the halls and various rooms of the famous house.
“Where’s Ebeneezer?” suddenly asked Mrs. Alexander, as she trailed the others into the Grand Reception Room.
“Why—he was here but a moment ago!” replied Mr. Fabian, glancing around for the missing man.
“Didn’t I tell you what a care he was? I always have to keep him on a leash when I want him to go, somewhere, with me. This is the same trick he played on us at Brindisi—and almost made us miss the boat,” complained the lady.
“He didn’t make us miss it, Ma, but he ’most missed it himself,” laughed Dodo.
“But he did a fine deed for a poor human, which goes to exonerate him for being so late. Maybe he is helping someone, now,” remarked Mrs. Fabian, who was sincerely proud of the little man’s depth of character, even though he had never had the polish and opportunities given other men.
“That’s what you-all think!” snapped Mrs. Alexander. “I bet you’ll find him in the blackest gambling den of all this awful place.”
“Ma, you wait right where you are, and Mr. Fabian and I will find that awful place and tell you if Pa is there,” said Dodo with a stern expression.
“What! Let you go in such a place? No indeed! I’ll go with Mr. Fabian myself if anyone has to go,” declared Mrs. Alexander.