Page:Hopkinson Smith--Tom Grogan.djvu/109

 meself. He's been home an hour now, an' he ain't half rubbed down.”

Carl made a grab for Cully, who dodged and ran under the cart. Then a lump of ice whizzed past Carl's ear.

“Here, stop that!” said Tom, entering the gate. She had been in the city all the morning—“to look after her poor Tom,” Pop said. “Don't ye be throwing things round here, or I'll land on top of ye.”

“Well, why don't he feed de Gray, den? He started afore me, and dey wants de Gray down ter de brewery, and he up ter de house a-buzzin' Jinnie.”

“I go brang Mees Jan's apron; da goat eat it oop.”

“Ye did, did ye! What ye givin' us? Didn't I see ye a-chinnin' 'er whin I come over de hill—she a-leanin' up ag'in' de fence, an' youse a-talkin' ter 'er, an' ole Blowhard cryin' like his heart was broke?”

“Eat up what apron?” said Tom, thoroughly mystified over the situation.

“Stumpy eat da apron—I brang back—da half ta Mees Jan.”

“An' it took ye all the mornin' to give it to her?” said Tom thoughtfully, looking