On Monday Rosa was not at school, and coming home to luncheon at noon, Ruth ran half a block out of her way to find out what was the matter. Not alone was the tenement the Wildwoods occupied a very poor one, but Rosa was no housekeeper. It almost disgusted the precise and prim Ruth Kenway to go into the three-room tenement.
Rosa had a cold, and of course it had settled on her chest. She was just dragging herself around to get something hot for Bob's dinner. Ruth made her go back to bed, and she finished the preparations.
When she came to make the tea, the Corner House girl was horrified to observe that the metal teapot had probably not been thoroughly washed out since the day the Wildwoods had taken up their abode in Milton.
"Paw likes to have the tea set back on the stove," drawled Rosa, with her pleasant Southern accent. "When he gets a chance, he runs in and 'takes a swig,' as he calls it, out of the pot. He says it's good for the gnawin' in his stomach--it braces him up an' is _so_ much better than when he useter mix toddies," said the girl, gratefully. "We'd have had June with us yet, if it hadn't been for paw's toddies."
"Oh!" cried Ruth, startled. "I thought your sister June died?"
Rosa shook her head and the tears flowed into her soft eyes. "Oh, no. She went away. She couldn't stand the toddies no more, she said--and her slavin' to keep the house nice, and us movin' on all the time. June was housekeeper--she was a long sight smarter'n me, Ruth."
"But the teachers at school think you are awfully smart," declared the Corner House girl.
"June warn't so smart at her books," said Rosa. "But she could do _anything_ with her hands. You'd thunk she was two years older'n me, too. She was dark and handsome. She got mad, and run away, and then we started lookin' for her; but we've never found her yet," sighed Rosa. "And now I've got so miserable that I can't keep traveling with paw. So we got to stop here, and maybe we won't ever see June again."
"Oh! I hope you will," cried Ruth. "Now, your father's dinner is all ready to dish up. And I'll come back after school this afternoon and rid up the house for you; don't you do a thing."
Ruth had time that noon for only a bite at home, and explained to Mrs. MacCall that she would be late in returning from school. She carried a voluminous apron with her to cover her school frock when she set about "ridding up" the Wildwood domicile.