"What's that got to do with it? Besides you can't pretend that your own--er--motives are purely hu--what d'you call it?"
"Humanitarian, you mean. Well, what if they're not! I guess," she added sagely, "hardly anybody's are when you come right down to it!"
"Well, I said hardly anybody. Anyway don't let's stand here arguing. I guess you can stand a ten minute call."
"But what shall we talk about?" I persisted.
"Oh anything--ships or shoes or sealing wax," she returned lightly. "Personally I've always found shoes a good subject when hard pressed. Middle-aged people are practically certain to have foot troubles and they just dote on telling you about the kind of shoes they wear and where they got 'em and what a lot they had to pay!"
I giggled. "But if Mrs. Viner's in bed she won't be wearing shoes."
"Oh, I guess she isn't a permanent invalid. I guess it'll work out all right. Now do hurry and get ready so we can catch the nine-thirty bus. Aunt Cal's wrapping up the dandelion wine."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TWENTY minutes later we set forth. But we had not reached the corner of Harbor Street before we ran into Hattie May. She was walking fast and her face was red. "Why, Hattie May," I cried, "what is the matter? Your dress is wrong side out!"
Hattie May looked vaguely down at the blue print frock she wore. "Well, it's no wonder!" she panted. "I dressed in such a hurry----"
"But what _is_ the matter?" Eve demanded. "Is it a fire or something?"
"It--it's Hamish," she cried, still struggling with her breath. "He--he's gone!"
"How do I know? If I knew, I wouldn't be running round the streets like this, would I?"
"Well do sit down on this horse block," Eve suggested, "and tell us what's happened."
Hattie sank gratefully down. "Well, all day yesterday," she began, "Hamish acted queer!"
"Well as if he had something on his mind or--or was planning something. I kept my eye on him all day because I was suspicious that he was up to something. I didn't let him out of my sight a single minute."
She turned on me sharply. "Well I've got to look after him, haven't I? I promised mother. You don't know what crazy things Hamish can do!"
"All right," Eve soothed. "Go on, tell us what happened."