Page:Milady at Arms (1937).pdf/113

 drawback was that Master Van Houten had been both tall and broad, while Cudje was neither, so that now the master's waistcoat flopped somewhere about Cudje's legs. The colored man's enormous dignity overcame this slight defect, however, and he now stood waiting for his mistress to speak.

"Cudje," Mistress Van Houten looked up at him appealingly, "canst think o' any way to get little Mistress Sally here, back to Newark?"

Cudje turned in the girl's direction and bowed beamingly. "Ef it ain't H'l Missy Sally! Ah done declare to ma's ef when Ah come in dis hyar room dat's who it was, but"

"But she hath grown a bit since Parson Chapman brought her here, eh, Cudje?" interrupted his mistress tolerantly.

"Yas'm!" Cudje's white teeth showed in another grin.

"Well, canst think o' any way for her to return?" Mistress Van Houten turned to explain to Sally, who, seated upon the edge of her chair, was watching them anxiously: "Cudje does most o' my marketing at the docks and comes into contact wi' many Jersey farmers. I thought he might know o' someone."

"I do. Missy," said Cudje simply. "Mas'r Crane do be returning early i' the mawnin' to Newark on his boat. Ef li'l Missy likes to go that way"