So, with Chub assisting, she tacked it to the back of one of the window shelves, and cleared the one below so that the inscription should not be missed. Then she hurried out to the sidewalk and viewed it with her head perked about like a bird’s. Chub and Harry joined her and observed the effect with satisfaction, and Chub, to Mrs. Peel’s delight, discovered that it could be read from the corner of the street if you found just the right spot to stand.
They made a few modest purchases for the boat’s larder and then bade Mrs. Peel good-by.
“Well,” she said, “I do hope you’ll come again. You’ve been most kind and obliging, all of you. I do hope you won’t hold it against me, the way James acted. He’s a real nice man, ’cept when he gets his tantrums, and then he’s that set and—and pig-headed there isn’t any use trying to argue with him.”
“I think that’s so,” murmured Chub.
“Indeed, we didn’t mind him at all, did we, Chub?” assured Harry.
“No’m, not a bit,” Chub replied. “I—I hope he got his train all right last night?”
“He must have, I guess. If he hadn’t he’d been back again likely. He was real ashamed of the way he’d acted and the things he’d said, but wild horses couldn’t get him to own up to it, Miss. Some men are like that. You have to know them, Miss. My husband used to say that there was two ways to judge a man. One way was to watch him in public, and the other way was to see him at home. I’ve seen James at home. Well, must you really be going?”
“Yes,” answered Chub, “they’ll be waiting for us at the boat, I’m afraid. Good-by.”
“Good-by, sir. Good-by, Miss. I do hope you’ll come up this way again, and—and—” The little woman broke off vaguely and swept her gaze quickly about the store. Then, “Just you wait a bit, please, Miss,” she exclaimed. She trotted back to the ribbon-case, casting a backward glance at Harry’s face, and fumbled agitatedly about there for a moment. Then she came back with a roll of light-blue ribbon which she put in Harry’s hand.
“To tie up your hair, my dear,” she whispered, patting the hand that held the gift.