"We saw 'em all," cried Gabby, always glad to impart information. "We saw 'em all; and, oh, such a time as we have had!"
"Michael beat me, and beat me," burst out Jay, quite broken down at the thought of being sympathized with.
"And, oh, the things they said to Missy!" exclaimed Gabby.
"And he called me a little devil, and I'll kill him!" cried Jay, beginning to sob.
While these side-lights were being thrown upon the occurrence, Mr. Andrews looked anxiously at Missy, who was growing red and white, and trembling very visibly.
"Be silent, children," he said impatiently. "You have had some trouble, Miss Rothermel, I am afraid."
By this time they had reached the house; Missy threw down the reins, which Mr. Andrews caught.
"I hope nothing has happened to distress you," he said.
She did not wait to give Jay to his father, but getting out very quickly, and not noticing the hand that he offered her, said, in a voice not very steady, "I don't want to talk about it. It makes me ill to think of it. Call Peters, won't you, to take away the pony," ran up the steps and disappeared into the house. In another minute she would have cried.
He took the children out and drove the pony up to the stable. The children followed him, and he spent half an hour with them on the beach, trying to extract from them the history of the morning. It was rather difficult to get at the facts, but he got at enough to make him feel much disturbed in mind. The servant soon came down to take the children in to dinner, and to ask him to come in, too. But this he declined, wisely judging that his presence would not be very welcome now. He went back to his empty house, put the key in his pocket, and drove down to the village inn to get something to eat.