“Do you think he’d be sitting here laughing if she had?” Tom asked. “But she can’t live alone over there any more. They’re talking about getting her into a Home. I was—I was thinking if we—you and I go fishing, Arden—that we might hike over the mountain and see her. If you think you could.”
“I can do anything,” said Arden, shaking her pretty head with pride and spirit.
“It runs in the family,” said Tom.
“I’m the only one that hasn’t done anything so far,” said Arden. “Now it’s my turn. You can go with me if you want to. I’m going to Shady Vale at once and arrange to have Auntie Sally taken to Bridgeboro—she’s going to have the big room with the bay window. How can you look me in the face, Tom Slade, and tell me they’re talking of getting her into a Home? It’s outrageous! That shows what brutes men are! I’m going to row across—now, this instant—and hike over the mountain to Shady Vale and arrange to have her brought to Bridgeboro. We’ve already found a home for her, thank you. The large alcove room, mother; it will be just——”
“I understand you were going to have a radio in that room,” said Tom.
“There isn’t any radio,” snapped Arden, “and I hate them anyway. I thank you very much—now I have a chance to do something.”
“You’ll have to push through an awful jungle up there,” said Tom. “If you really want to go we could drive around the long way in the flivver.”
“I prefer the jungle, thank you. You needn’t go if you don’t want to.”
“You’ll get your dress all torn.”
“My brother got his arm all torn.”