"Ah?" said Miss Pike again, with an upward slide to her voice.
"Oh, I suppose you think I didn't take care of her very well. I suppose you think it's sort of queer my being here, but you see—"
Here he struggled so long with something in his throat that she helped him by saying,—
"Oh, possibly you got left."
What a bright, far-seeing woman she was!
"Yes, ma'am, I did get left. That was just how it was. If it had not been for trying to get some sponge-cake—"
"Well, I'm glad you stopped here," broke in the delightful Miss Pike, who seemed to care nothing at all about the little particulars. So good of her not to care! "I'm glad I met you. And as your little sister will not need you any more, couldn't you go home this afternoon to be company for me?—Why, just see, Rover has eaten every bit of his dinner!"
"Oh, I'd like to go with you, ma'am, if I hadn't carried off Flaxie's check and key," demurred Preston. "You see, I took them to keep them safe."
Rather too safe, Miss Pike thought; but she said, without the shadow of a smile, "Why not send the key and check to your sister by mail?"