Dab seemed to have expected as much, for he turned to Ford with,
"Then I'll tell you what we must do."
"What's that?"
"See about the famine. Can you cook?"
"No."
"I can, then. Ham'll have one half of our house at work getting his cargo ready, and that baby'll fill up the other half."
"Mother wont be expecting us so soon, and our cook's gone out for the day. Annie knows something."
"She can help me, then. Those Hart boys'll die if they're not fed. Look at Fuz. Why, he can't keep his mouth shut."
Joe and his brother seemed to know, as if by instinct, that the dinner question was under discussion; and they were soon taking their share of talk. Oh, how they wished it had been a share of something to eat! The "Swallow" was moored, now, after discharging her passengers, but Dab did not start for the house with his mother and the rest. He even managed to detain some of the empty lunch-baskets, large ones, too.
"Come on, Mr. Kinzer," shouted Joe Hart, "let's put for the village. We'll starve here."