Miss Peyton was easily persuaded by me that a day in bed would restore Dum to health and reason. She said she had hoped I could do something with the refractory twin and she was going to trust to me, since I was a doctor's daughter and no doubt had inherited some skill as a healer.
That afternoon, when we took our walk, Dee and I got permission from the teacher in charge to stop a moment at the crossing, presumably to call on Oliver and see how much he had grown.
"Captain Leahy," I cried, "you won't tell anyone about our being down here last night, will you?"
"And phwat do ye take me for?" he asked. "Didn't I see that ye were after saving the little twinlet and that she was crazy with homesickness? I mind too well the time many years ago when I got off of that very express just as Miss Peyton, then a wee slip of a maid, was after boarding it; and I took her by the hand and led her back to Gresham, she weeping bitterly all the toime. She was half mad for the sight of her folks and had run away from school."
"Miss Peyton!" we exclaimed in one breath. "Not Miss Peyton, the principal?"
"The same," he answered; "and this is the first toime, so help me, that I have mintioned it to a livin' sowl."
"Well, we'll never tell, Captain," I said, grasping his hand.
"And don't I know that? Would I be divulging the loiks to ye if I did not know the stoof ye are made of? I just tell ye so ye can know that I'll keep the little twinlet's secret as long as I have Miss Peyton's. If I iver tell it, it will be when she cannot be hurt by it, and some other poor little lamb can be oop-lifted."
"You want us to tell Dum, don't you?" asked Dee.
"For sure! And all of you come have tea with me soon and bring Miss Peyton."