"Sound abed and asleep," replied the German girl, yawning.
When had Barby been known to sit up so late? Faithful creature, she had kept her sleepy eyes open for the sake of presenting this pretty table to Grace; for, as she said, "I just does like to hear her laugh!"
"Deary me," thought Grace, "if I'd spoken up pettishly when she bothered me so, I'd want to bite my tongue out! Reckon I know of something as good for my 'nervous system' as quinine; and that's patience."
CHAPTER IV.
A SNAKE IN THE GRASS.
Next morning, when Barbara was building the kitchen fire, she heard the sound of small boots, and, looking up, saw Horace, who had run down stairs in such haste that as yet he had put on but one sleeve of his jacket.
"Ho, Barby!"—Horace considered it a waste of breath to say "good morning,"—"what were the first words she said?"
"Let's me think," replied Barby, with an air of deep reflection.
"'Where did this thing came from?' Them's the first words she said."
"That all? Poh! If I'd known that, I wouldn't have touched to make it! Did you tell her Ike Davis couldn't? and he's learned the joiner's trade, too."
"There, now, if I didn't forget to say dat!"