After that Miss Comfort arose and minutely inspected every inch of her domain, listening to Laurie’s somewhat involved explanation of the water system not yet installed, to Ned’s story of the roof-garden above, to Polly’s reason for placing the wash-boiler here and the knife-board there, and to Mae’s confidences regarding the whereabouts of the linen. Then she was taken off along the deck to see where the coal and wood were kept. At intervals Laurie took a slip of paper from a pocket and surreptitiously wrote on it. When they reached the boiler-room he added the mysterious word “coal scuttle” to several other words already on the paper.
In due course they all returned to the cabin and sat or stood around and did a good deal of talking and exclaiming and laughing until, at last, Mrs. Deane jumped up suddenly and announced in a shocked voice that she must get right back and that she didn’t know what Miss Billings would be thinking of her! That began a general exodus. Polly said that she and Mae would be down after supper to see if everything was all right. She had already offered to remain during the afternoon, but Miss Comfort had almost pathetically declined the offer. Miss Comfort, as was evident to all, wanted to be left quite alone for a while.
“You’re sure you won’t be nervous at night,” asked Mrs. Deane anxiously, “all alone here like this.”
“Nervous?” repeated Miss Comfort placidly. “Not a bit. No more than I was in that empty house up there. I never was one of the scary kind, and down here, with the friendly water around me, I’ll never be lonesome again.”
“I’ll be looking in now and then,” said Brose. “I’m liable to be passing most any time, Miss Pansy, and, whenever you want anything just let me know.”
“And to-morrow,” said Mae, “we’re all coming down to call on you in your new home, Miss Comfort.”
“Do, my dear, do! Come to-morrow afternoon, and I’ll make some tea for you. In the morning, of course, I’ll be at church.”
“Church?” said Mrs. Deane. “I wouldn’t try it unless I felt real well, my dear. It’s a long walk and a real steep one.”
“All the better,” replied Miss Comfort. “All my life I’ve lived so close to the church that it wasn’t any effort at all. Sometimes I think that if religion wasn’t made so easy for us we’d think more of it. ’Twon’t do me a mite of harm to have to walk a little on a Sunday in order to worship the Lord. And I guess maybe He will approve of it.”