“Some people poke fun at pie for breakfast, but over in Sugar Valley we have a better use for it—we eat it. And this morning I feel like eating it with special thankfulness for it and every other mercy and good thing in life. You boys are all alive—I’m going to hear all about how you happen to be alive, as soon as we’ve attended to having last night’s supper, and a go-to-bed snack, and this morning’s breakfast, all at once. The flood has swept the valley, and there has been a terrible lot of damage, but so far as we can hear, nobody has been drowned. And if we have to have new bridges down below—well, that’ll be a good thing, too; I’ve been mortal afraid of the old covered bridge lately—it was so rickety. So we’ll reckon up our mercies—— Right here, Hannah; I’ll cut it myself.”
A chorus of exclamations rose from the boys. The maid had reappeared, bearing a pie as big, as magnificent, as nobly tinted as the wonder of the day before.
“Jeeminy! the twin!” cried Step, admiringly.
“Right!” said Mrs. Grant briskly. “The story goes, old Dominie Pike wished mightily that he might have had two pies instead of one, so we always make up a double allowance. And now don’t wait for ceremony.” She was beginning to cut the pie with sure and deft wielding of her knife. “This time we’ll begin with the boy who thought of having pie for breakfast—yes, serve him first, Hannah.”
Hungrily Poke snatched up a fork. There was something frankly famished in the admiring gaze he fixed upon the contents of the plate put before him.
“Don’t wait!” Mrs. Grant counselled. “We’ll dispense with ceremony.”
Poke needed no urging. He was desperately hungry; and, moreover, as has been said, he was a mighty trencherman. Up rose the fork, well freighted. An instant’s silence; then one word:
“Ah-h!”
If ever vast satisfaction were packed into a syllable, it was in that brief exclamation. Their hostess beamed; the boys burst into laughter. Sam, before whom Hannah had placed the second plate, caught Mrs. Grant’s eye.
“I—I think I used to be prejudiced about—about——” he hesitated. “Somehow, though, I think you understand what I mean, ma’am. Maybe I didn’t appreciate—er—er—you know!”