Page:Frank Stockton - Rudder Grange.djvu/104

Rh before you came," said old John, in a tone that seemed to indicate that he had his doubts about Mr. Ball.

"Oh, there'll be no trouble about that," cried Euphemia. "You can drive me past Mr. Ball's—it's not much out of the way—and I'll ask him."

"In that waggon?" said I. "Will you stop at Mr. Ball's door in that?"

"Certainly!" said she, as she arranged herself on the board, which served as a seat. "Now that our campaign has really commenced, we ought to begin to rough it, and should not be too proud to ride even in a—in a—"

She evidently couldn't think of any vehicle mean enough for her purpose.

"In a greengrocery cart," I suggested.

"Yes, or in a red one. Go ahead, John."

When Euphemia returned on foot, I had a fire in the camp-stove, and the kettle was on.

"Well," said Euphemia, "Mr. Ball says it's all right, if we keep the fence up. He don't want his cows to get into the creek, and I'm sure we don't want 'em walking over us. He couldn't understand, though, why we wanted to live out here. I explained the whole thing to him very carefully, but it didn't seem to make much impression on him. I believe he thinks Pomona has something the matter with her, and that we have come to stay out here in the fresh air so as not to take it."

"What an extremely stupid man Mr. Ball must be!" I said.

The fire did not burn very well, and while I was at work at it Euphemia spread a cloth upon the grass, and set forth bread and butter, cheese, sardines,