“Well,” said Mr. Martin, “I must go back to town. I feel like a different man. Somehow
or other, this news about Mary has cheered me immensely.”
“Forty dollars a week, forty a week,” said Mrs. Martin, “and we wish no more money for the bird-room.”
“It isn’t the money altogether,” said Mr. Martin.
“Oh, I know, I know,” said Mrs. Martin, with a playful tap on his arm. “I understand you, Henry, and that is the best thing in the world—to be understood and sympathized with. Don’t work too hard and come home early, and we will do some digging in our garden.”
CHAPTER XXI
MORE ABOUT SISTER SUSIE
He kissed her and our Mary and hurried away. We turned our attention to Sister Susie, who, refreshed by her nap, was cooing and bowing very prettily to Mrs. Martin.
Such tricks as she played later on, on our good Missie! One day, when Mrs. Martin was presiding at a Red Cross meeting and begging ladies to give more money for wounded soldiers, she was first amazed, then overcome with laughter, to hear “Coo, oo-ooo—” coming from the knitting bag that she had brought in and put on the table before her.
Sister Susie thought all knitting bags were nests, and went into them and often laid eggs there. Mrs. Martin was trying to get a mate for her, but had not yet succeeded, so Daisy and I had her eggs boiled, and found them very good eating.