"Yes, my dear," replied Aunt Janet. "The beds is sweet and aired, and there's a bowl of hot broth for both of them, bless their innocent souls, which'll be cooked in a minute or two. Sit you down, dearies, and rest yourselves, and Aunt Janet'll have things ready in no time for you."
"They're sure to be tired," said Glan. "They were chased up the hill by the Pumpkin," he added in a lower voice.
But his father had heard. "What was that?" he asked mournfully, taking his hands down from his ears.
So Glan had to explain to him the incident at the gate, and how the Pumpkin nearly got in. The old man listened intently, groaning every time Glan paused for breath, and rolling his eyes whenever the Pumpkin was mentioned by name. At the end of the story he hastily stopped his ears again, and bent over his book muttering faintly that he "couldn't abide that bell ringing."
"Poor old father," said Glan, compassionately, "it does upset him so."
Jack and Molly were glad of the hot broth, and Aunt Janet, as she fussed about them anxiously, was pleased to see that the steaming bowls were soon emptied.
"Sleep well, for there is hard work before you; but courage--and everything will be well," said Glan, beaming down at them as he wished them good-night. While his father shook his head mournfully, and sighed as he gave them each a limp hand.
Aunt Janet lit two long candles, and conducted them up a flight of high narrow stairs to the top of the house where there were two small rooms with little white beds, and freshly laundered window curtains.
"Good-night, dearies," she said. "Blow the candles out safely. I hope you'll find everything you want here." Her eyes grew very kind. "I had a little girl and boy once," she said, "and I know they'd like you to use their things--if they knew--so I've put them all out for you. They were just about your age, and I--and they--good-night, dearies," she stooped suddenly and kissed them each on the forehead.
A sunbeam creeping through the window and along the floor to Molly's pillow awoke her in the morning; she sat up with a start, puzzled for a moment at the unfamiliar surroundings; then she remembered--and giving a long sigh, snuggled down again for a few more minutes while she thought things over.