The boy made no remark as he came dragging the ladder across the yard and proceeded to prop it firmly against the edge of the roof. "There," he said finally when he was satisfied that it was steady.
We descended one at a time. The boy watched us coldly. His opinion of girls who got themselves locked in empty houses and marooned on tin roofs was apparent. "I don't know how we can _ever_ thank you!" Eve exclaimed as she felt that her feet were on firm earth again.
"It was perfectly swell of you to take all this trouble," I added appreciatively.
"A good deed every day, that's my motto," drawled the boy.
"Just a splendid young knight errant," I added. For just the barest second I thought the corners of his rather uncompromising mouth twitched. But he quickly controlled them, and lifting the ladder down, began to drag it back across the grass.
"Oh, let me help!" Eve ran after him and seized the other end. Together they carried it as far as the wall. "I'll just leave it here and pick it up in the morning when I go to work," the boy remarked. Then with a nod in our direction, he again vaulted over the wall. We watched him climb into his seat and gather up the reins. "Well, so long," he said.
Eve stood beside the wagon and gazed rapturously up at him. "Good-bye," she said. "I suppose we shall never see you again but I shall always treasure your memory."
"You talk a lot of nonsense, don't you?" he remarked.
"Nonsense? Me? By the way, you aren't going far with that wagon, I suppose?"
"I'm going home," he stated stolidly. "And you'd better do the same if you've got any."
"That's just the point," Eve exclaimed brightly. "I was wondering if by any chance--that is, we're not so very heavy--you see, we're late for supper as it is."
We needed no urging, which was fortunate. With more speed than grace we climbed into the rear of the wagon and in another minute were rattling down the road toward Beecham Corners.
Conversation was difficult. Only as we approached the crossroads I managed to make myself heard, "Oh, my suitcase!" I cried. "I can't go home without my suitcase."
The horses were pulled up sharply. "What's the matter now?" inquired the boy.
I left Eve to make explanations. I was out of the wagon in one leap and flying up the road toward Trap's. I found the case in the front hall just as Mr. Bangs had said. Nobody was about so I just took it and went out. Panting, I returned to the wagon.