"Afraid! Did you ever hear of me being afraid? Of course, I shall fasten the door securely, and I’d like to see anyone try to get in through that opening there. I’ve told Abner over and over again to fix in that window which was blown out by that big gale last fall. But maybe it’s just as well as it is, for it will let in plenty of air, which no doubt we’ll need. I hope to goodness you gave those street-Arabs a special scrubbing, Jess?"
"Yes, I tubbed them thoroughly this morning, and they certainly needed it."
"And did you change everything on your bed?"
"Indeed I did, and the clothes are all out on the line yet."
"I looked after the ’sudden’ night-gowns myself," Belle laughingly remarked.
"Sudden night-gowns!" Mrs. Andrews repeated. "What do you mean?"
"Why, they were sudden, were they not? From pillow-slips to night-gowns in a minute was rather a quick change, I should say. It was the finest piece of conjuring I have ever seen," and in a few words she explained what Abner had done.
"Oh, my poor pillow-slips!" and Mrs. Andrews sighed. "But, then, it might have been much worse. You can never tell what Abner will do when he starts on the rampage. I wonder where he can be."
The boys had been very busy playing that afternoon, and were thoroughly tired when summoned to bed. They were delighted at the idea of sleeping on the floor, and considered it great fun. While Jess and Belle looked after their welfare Mrs. Andrews milked the two cows, and attended to the milk, after which she fed the pigs, and fastened up the hens and chickens. She was very tired after her trying experiences and the sleepless night at Mrs. Denton’s. In fact, she could have slept anywhere, "even on a fence-pole without once rolling off," she informed the girls as she bade them good-night. Trying the door to see that it was securely fastened, and glancing at the two pails filled with water near at hand, she blew out the light, and laid herself down upon the sofa.
Lawyer Rackshaw was in such an excellent frame of mind that he invited Henry Whittles to spend an evening with him at his office. This was something unusual, and as the two men sat down to a friendly game of poker, Whittles wondered what scheme the lawyer had in his mind. That there was some object he was quite sure, as Rackshaw never did anything out of the ordinary unless for some definite purpose.