“You told me”’began Noah apologetically.
“Whatever I may have said, you are too dull to understand, and you turn everything cat-in-the-pan.”
Apparently satisfied, Kate prepared to go back into the kitchen, and Noah would have followed her; but she stood in the doorway and said firmly, “No, I do not wish to have you in the kitchen. If you persist in following, I shall pin a dish-clout to your back. Jane Redmore wants to get home to her little ones, the night is dark as pitch. I must help her to clean up, and we can have no one to interfere with us; you nearly made me break a dish with what you said just now.”
“Come here,” said Rose. “You are a duffer, and don’t know how to manage”; and Noah obeyed, and seated himself in the settle. Kate shut the kitchen door.
“What was that you said about my brother Jason?” asked Zerah.
“It was nonsense,” answered Rose sharply.
“But Noah meant something, when he said he had seen him.”
“Noah is a fool: are you not, Noah?”
“I suppose you know,” answered the young man meekly.
“Tell me what it was that made Kate nigh on drop the dish,” persisted Zerah, always a resolute woman to have her way.