She proceeded to fix up her own bed for the girls and loaned them night dresses so that she might hang their wet clothing out to dry. The girls drank their coffee gratefully, and slipped into the borrowed garments, too tired even to laugh at the absurd appearance they made. They were asleep in no time.
It was noon when they finally awakened. Frieda jumped out, surprised at the brightness of the sun.
“Oh, Marj! We’ll have to hurry!” she cried; “or else we won’t get there tonight. Maybe the woman, whatever her name is, can tell us how many miles away Silvertown is.”
She went to the door and called down the stairs, wishing that she knew the woman’s name. In a second, however, she received an answer, and Mrs. Brown appeared at the foot of the stairway.
“Fine, thanks,” replied Frieda. “But it’s late, and we want to get started. Are our clothes dry?”
“Good and dry!” answered Mrs. Brown; “and I pressed your dresses fer you!”
“Oh, thanks!” called Marjorie, gratefully. “Will you bring them up, Mrs.----?”
“Brown,” supplied the woman. “I’m a widder, and I live with me brother, Sam Cullen. You’ll meet him when you come down.”
A few minutes later she appeared with the clothing, all thoroughly dry, and, as she had said, the suits both carefully pressed. In high spirits, the girls dressed quickly.
When they went downstairs they were surprised at the darkness of the house. Then, looking around, they saw that every window was tight shut, and the shutters closed and bolted from the outside. Two or three oil lamps were burning in the hall, kitchen and dining room.
“Why so dark?” asked Marjorie, as Mrs. Brown motioned her to a seat at the table.
“Well, we ain’t got no nettin’ and the flies gets in after the vittals. It’s dreadful to be poor!”
“Mrs. Brown, how much shall we owe you for our visit?” asked Marjorie, changing the subject. “And will it be all right to send a money order?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that!” said the older woman. “Yer welcome to what we’ve got--it ain’t much. But I don’t think you’d better start out today. Why not rest and wait till termorrer mornin’ early? If you start now, you’ve got another night to spend in the woods, and I reckon you won’t find another place to house you like this.”