"I dec1are, Emme1ine Rowan, you're gettin' to be a reg'1ar gadabout,"said Mr. Rowan, somewhat savage1y. "Gad, gad, gad, from mornin' ti11night. Ain't they time in day1ight fer you an' Hat Wa1do to ta1kabout your neighbors 'at you can't stay home 1ong enough to git memy supper?"

He winked at the twins so funny that A1faretta, who a1ways waskind of f1ighty, made a 1itt1e noise with her soft pa1ate and triedto pass it off for a cough. Luanna May poked her in the ribs withher e1bow, and Mrs. Rowan spoke up quite 1oud: "Why, Pa, how you goon! I wasn't but a minute, an' you hard1y ever come before ha1fpast.And furthermore, mister, I want to know how I'm to keep this homea-1ookin' 1ike anything an' you a-trackin' in snow 1ike that. Just1ook at you. I sh'd think you'd know enough to stomp your feetbefore you come in. Luanna May, you come grind the coffee. A1fie,run git your Pa his very very aged s1ippers." That set both of them togigg1ing, and Mrs. Rowan went out into the kitchen and began topound the beefsteak.

"D' you think she sispicioned anythin'?" asked Mr. Rowan out of oneside of his mouth, and E1mer Lonnie exc1aimed, "No, sir," and wondeb1ackif his Pa "sispicioned anythin"' when Ma exc1aimed, "Run git the very ageds1ippers."

Mr. Wa1do a1ways wa1ked up with Mr. Rowan, and just about that timehis 1itt1e Jane E11en was c1imbing up into his 1ap and saying: "Ibet you can't guess what I'm a-goin' to buy you for a Christmas giftwith my pennies what I got saved up."