"I'll have it done in less than no time," she said, running to get her mother's large scissors.
Click, click went the shears as she slashed into the carpet, taking off breadth after breadth, without attempting to match the pattern, and with little regard for accuracy of measurement. Instead of laying it along the length of the room, she chose to put it crosswise, thus cutting it up into any number of short pieces.
"No matter about its not being sewed," she went on; "you can nail it together, can't you, Larry?"
"Oh, yes!" said Larry.
The more hammering the better for him. He hunted up the hammer and two papers of tacks, and as fast as Abby cut he nailed.
Delia was unusually busy; for it was house-cleaning time, and she was getting the diningroom ready for the new carpet. Therefore, although she heard the noise upstairs, she gave herself no concern about it; supposing that Larry was merely amusing himself, for he was continually tinkering at one thing or another.
By and by Larry remarked: "Say, Abby, you've got two of these pieces too short."
Abby went over and looked at them. "Gracious, so I have!" she said.
"Well, put them aside, and I'll cut two more."
Click went the scissors again, and the carpet was still further mutilated. Then, as a narrow strip was required, a breadth was slit down the centre. Finally the boards were covered.
"There!" she cried triumphantly. "It is all planned. Now, I'll nail."