"Making hay knocks spots out of parties!" said Gay. "I never had such fun in my life."
Ethel Payne, her brother Ned, and the minister, of course, were on the porch when Gay came home.
"Where have you been?" said Miss Linn. "We have looked everywhere for you, dear."
"I've been helping Mr. Carver get his hay in. It was fun. I drank molasses and water out of a stone jug and I got almost all of it in my mouth; a little of it went down my neck, but not much."
The minister tried not to look disgusted; jolly Ethel tried not to laugh; Ned tried not to stare; the aunts tried not to look displeased—and all did precisely what they tried not to do.
"But you didn't ask permission, dear," said Miss Celia, reproachfully. This sudden relapse into evil ways after the excellent behavior of yesterday was mortifying to the lady.
"I know it, auntie," said Gay, stealing his arm around Miss Celia's neck. "If I had asked permission you wouldn't have let me go."
Miss Celia smiled at this reasoning, and Ned and Ethel laughed.
"It must have been fun on the hay," said Ethel. "Mustn't it, Ned?"
"Yes, I'd have liked it myself," said Ned, graciously.