“I can generally find things,” said Winfried quietly.
“Is there anything we can do for your grandfather?” asked Miss Hortensia. “I am sorry to hear he’s so ill.”
The boy shook his head; a sad look passed across his bright face.
“Yes,” he said, “he’s pretty bad sometimes. But some days he’s much better. He’s better to-day. There’s one thing he would like,” he went on, “he told me to ask you if some day the young ladies might come to see him; he said I might ask—”
Ruby interrupted—
“Why, how funny you are,” she said; “that was just what we wanted yesterday, and you wouldn’t let us go near the cottage. You said we’d startle him.”
“He was very tired yesterday,” said Winfried; “and you see he wasn’t looking for you.”
“He was chattering and laughing all the same—or somebody was,” said Ruby. “We heard them—don’t you remember?”
Winfried did not speak. But he did not seem vexed.
“I believe it was the mermaids after all,” Ruby went on. “Cousin Hortensia, if you let us go there the mermaids will steal us.”