“We’re going to look over the section with Andy,” finally announced Phil. “When we get back, we’ll help fix up the camp.” But when they returned from their inspection, they found that the girls had anticipated them and that the bough house was surprisingly homelike.
“My, but it does seem good to come back and find you here, Momsy,” said Ted, putting his arm about her affectionately.
“Tell us how you happened to come out so soon,” demanded the elder boy. “Honestly, when I found Ted’s note saying he had gone to meet you, I thought he was playing a trick on me.”
Before Mrs. Porter could answer, however, Margie exclaimed:
“We made Momsy come. There was no living with her. Your train wasn’t out of sight from the station before she began to worry about you, and when she got so she couldn’t say ten words without wondering how you were getting along, Sallie and I just put our feet down and said we would come out here, so we could have a few minutes’ peace.”
“Well, we’re sure glad to see you, even if we couldn’t give you the reception we hoped,” said Phil. “Still, I think it would be best for you to board at Peleg’s for awhile.”
“Pay board when we can live on our own homestead and in our own house? Do you think we are millionaires?” demanded Sallie.
“You’ve made a nice mess of things,” snorted Ted, looking at his brother angrily. “Why couldn’t you keep quiet for awhile? Don’t you know Momsy’s had enough with this fire?”
At the words, so evidently full of meaning, the little woman and the girls looked at one another and then at the boys, in wonder.
“Seems to me it’s you, not I, who has made the mess,” retorted Phil.