CHAPTER XIII
SUSPICION
"Of course we can get supper for everyone," declared Mrs. Lewis,cordially, when Cora spoke of the determination of the boys to comedown upon the Mote for tea. "We have plenty of food."
"You are a wonder, Mrs. Lewis," declared Cora. "You always have a fulllarder. I don't see where it comes from, for you don't even use up thebudget."
"It's a matter of experience," answered Mrs. Lewis. "When one has todo things, my dear, one learns how. I am so glad we have macaronicooked. Boys love big, steaming dishes."
Cora gave a sigh of relief. What a blessing Mrs. Lewis had proven tobe! After finding themselves shut out of their house by a trick of theland agents she and her daughter had taken up a permanent residence inthe girls' camp. Freda, in spite of all opposition, had installedherself as "maid." She insisted on waiting on the table, and attendingto rooms, and helping her mother generally, although the girls wantedher to be one of them. Everyone declared that her mother, with herwonderful management and activity, more than made up for Freda being avisitor at the Mote.
Freda seemed happier now than when she shared the little cottage withher mother, but this was easily understood. Under the new arrangementMrs. Lewis was earning an honest and comfortable living, and Freda wasmore than willing to assist her in every way possible. Before, theyhad lived in constant dread of the land agents putting them out oftheir home. Even the fact that the sign "For Sale" had been placed onthe cottage did not seem so unbearable, for the girls and boys hadinsisted that that was only a "scare" on the part of the land agents,and that while the town constable would not interfere to the extent oftaking down the sign, he had promised to investigate the rights ofthose who put it up.
But town constables are slow and timid when strangers, with big-brimmedhats, and plenty of cigars, come from the city, and order papers signedat so much per sign--for the constable.
The boys had come, and the supper was almost ready. Lottie looked aspretty and as well as ever, for she had dressed in a chic pink frock,and with a pink snood binding her brow looked as fresh as though shehad just come from the hands of a beauty specialist. After all, suchvigorous treatment and baths of spray as the girls had encountered allthat afternoon amounted to just that--beauty treatment; and Lottie wasnot the only one whose cheeks glowed, and in whose eyes shone thelight that comes only from youth and health.
The rumpus that always followed the boys' arrival was in full sway,Jack and Ed chasing Bess around the bungalow to make her give up animaginary lost scarf pin, while Dray and Walter contented themselveswith the less violent exercise of rocking on the front porch, wherethe other girls were scattered. They certainly were "scattered," forthere was so much to tell and hear of the afternoon's adventure thateach girl chose her own listener and her own corner.
Everyone seemed deeply absorbed in this when Freda appeared at thedoor with the warning bell. That meant that in five minutes the teabell would ring--only it was going to be dinner to-night.
"That sounds fine," Dray told Freda, who in her blue linen sailor suitlooked quite as well as the young ladies who put in most of their time"leisuring." "Our Belle is not nearly as aristocratic as that."
"I hope dinner will bear out the reputation," Freda replied, a bitshyly, for Dray was somewhat of a stranger to her.
"Dinner will make that reputation immortal," Jack declared, as he andEd gave up their chase and joined the others on the porch. "But hello!Here comes Denny! And he has no pipe! Something surely is wrong."
Everyone ceased chattering as Denny Shane appeared on the tan barkpath.
"Hello, there, Denny!" called Jack, getting up from his porch chair."What's up?"
"A-plenty," answered Denny with a sweep of his cap that took everyonein the greeting. "Where's the Widder Lewis?"
"Oh, what's the matter, Denny?" asked Freda, aghast. "Can't you tellme first? You know how weak mother is."
"'Tis nothing bad," replied Denny, as he sat down on the bottom stepof the porch, in spite of all invitations to come up and have a chair.He settled his cap more securely on his gray head. "I just wantto--tell her something."
"But what?" insisted Freda, who now sat beside the old sailor on thestep. "I know all about the business, you know."
"Do come in, Denny," pleaded Cora. "It will be easier to talk in theliving room. We young folks can go into the dining room and start ourdinner while you settle it all quietly among yourselves."
"Thank you, Miss," Denny replied, promptly accepting Cora's invitation."That will be the best way, I guess."
Famished as everyone seemed to be, the visit of Denny somewhat shiftedthe interest from appetites, and curiosity strayed from the diningroom toward the living room.
"What can have happened?" whispered Belle to Marita. "Denny lookspositively--angry."
"Doesn't he?" Marita replied. "I suppose it is something about Freda'sproperty; don't you think so?"
"Likely."
The voices from the other room, that had been subdued, now rose intones of surprise. Freda and her mother were both trying to talk atthe same time, evidently.
Cora was serving the dinner and endeavoring not to spoil it. The boyswere too hungry and too glad to eat to allow any interruption tointerfere with their pleasure, but the girls were prone to whisper,and even to listen when a voice penetrated the room.
"It was them!" they heard Denny exclaim, "and I'll have the law onthem!"
Then Freda said something like: "Can't be sure!"
"Sure as me name's Dinny Shane!" exclaimed the old man. "Who elsewould have tied up little Brian, the dog that was never tied before inhis life! Sure I'd like to 'a caught them at it," and he brought hisfist down hard on something.
The boys and girls exchanged glances.
"Something doing," ventured Jack. "I'll bet Denny has seen thewitches."
"No--banshees," corrected Ed. "Witches aren't ripe this time of year.But Cora, don't let us keep you. Really, Walter would love to takeyour place up head there, when you have finished."
Cora was anxious to join in the conversation with Freda and hermother, Freda having whispered to her that they would like to have herdo so as soon as the dinner was over.
"Then I will be excused," she said, "although I hope you won't hurry."
"Don't be alarmed," said Walter. "It's very bad to eat in a hurry."
"I'll serve," proposed Bess, "I know just how much everyone has had,and how much more they _ought_ to have. Dray, you cannot have anotherbit of pudding."
Dray was stretching far out for the dish. He did love apple slump. AndMrs. Lewis knew just the right amount of cinnamon to season with.
A hush followed Cora's entrance to the living room. Not a single wordor exclamation escaped through the Summer hangings that hid the narrowdoor.
"Do you think it's a conspiracy?" remarked Walter. "I'm glad we haddinner first. I had no idea that a hurricane went straight to thehunger zone like that."
"You would be a star to go up North," commented Ed. "Just fancycarrying stuff in your pockets and starving because the exact latitudefor grub had not been reached--wow!"
"I would insist upon being made chairman of the latitude committee,"replied Walter, "and my moves would be swift and certain."
The door opened and Freda entered. She was not exactly all smiles, butthe serious look on her face was not deep enough to cause comment.
"I came to fetch your coffee," she announced, cheerfully. "You mustthink we are planning to dynamite something," she added.
"Oh, worse than that," replied Dray, getting one more spoonful ofslump on the sly. "We thought you were taking a negative vote on thecoffee. Nerves, at night, you know."
"Let me help you," insisted Belle. "I am almost stiff from sitting, ormaybe it is from the way I _wasn't_ sitting in the bottom of theboat."
"Very likely," affirmed Jack. "I would not be surprised if we had tocome around in the morning with nippers to get the kinks out. I seeone forming, right now, in Lottie's cheek."
"We will be stiff, I am sure," added Bess, "although our muscles oughtto be in good form."
"When you have finished," Freda whispered to Belle, "we want to giveDenny something."
"Of course," Belle replied. "How selfish we are, sitting here'gabbing,' and neither you nor your mother has had supper yet. I'llserve coffee at once."
"Don't hurry," Freda said. "We have time enough."
Everyone, however, seemed to guess at once that they should make roomfor the next "table," and the coffee was swallowed, hastily.
"What is it?" Lottie ventured to ask Freda. "We are just dying ofcuriosity. What has happened?"
"Oh, I can't tell you now," Freda answered, evasively. "I guesseveryone knew we were shipwrecked this afternoon."
Cora appeared at the door. "May we come to eat now?" she asked. "Ihave only succeeded in making Denny stay with the understanding thatwe won't keep him long. He is anxious to get back to his cabin."
"I am that," said Denny, following Cora into the dining room. "Can'ttell what'll happen now."
"Then something _did_ happen," Bess said aside, to Marita. "I can'timagine what."
"Now you must eat a good meal," Mrs. Lewis insisted to Denny. "Iremember well how you always loved macaroni and cheese."
"And I remember well how you fixed it up," answered Denny, gallantly."This is a bit like the old days; isn't it? When I used to eat you outof house and home, when Len would fetch me into your house to tempt meappetite," and he chuckled at the recollection. "Freddie, you wereonly a tot then, but you could climb on my knee right smart. I guessyou were always a romp." This last was plainly intended as acompliment, for Denny smiled at Freda as she handed him his steamingcoffee.
If the young folks thought that by special attention to Denny and hiswants at the table they might get an inkling of the mystery that hadso excited the old man they were disappointed, for he never betrayed aword of it, and only an occasional absent look in his sober gray eyesbetokened anything unusual.
He scarcely took time to swallow the tempting food, however, when hejumped up and declared he could not stay another minute, althoughCora, Freda, and Mrs. Lewis urged him to remain.
"I must run--I really must," he insisted, "and mind what I tell you,"to Freda and Cora, "look out for yourselves!"