"What shall we do?" I asked.
"Do?" said Melissa, snappishly. "Why, stay here till Isaac Appleby
comes out and takes that brute away? What else can we do?"
"What if he isn't at home?" I suggested.
"We'll stay here till he comes home. Oh, this is a nice predicament.
This is what comes of cushioning churches!"
"It might be worse," I said comfortingly. "Suppose the roof hadn't
been flat?"
"Call Isaac," said Melissa shortly.
I didn't fancy calling Isaac, but call him I did, and when that failed
to bring him Melissa condescended to call, too; but scream as we
might, no Isaac appeared, and that dog sat there and smiled
internally.
"It's no use," said Melissa sulkily at last. "Isaac Appleby is dead or
away."
Half an hour passed; it seemed as long as a day. The sun just boiled
down on that roof and we were nearly melted. We were dreadfully
thirsty, and the heat made our heads ache, and I could see my muslin
dress fading before my very eyes. As for the roses on my best hat--but
that was too harrowing to think about.
Then we saw a welcome sight--Isaac Appleby coming through the yard
with a hoe over his shoulder. He had probably been working in his
field at the back of the house. I never thought I should have been so
glad to see him.
"Isaac, oh, Isaac!" I called joyfully, leaning over as far as I dared.
Isaac looked up in amazement at me and Melissa craning our necks over
the edge of the roof. Then he saw the dog and took in the situation.
The creature actually grinned.
"Won't you call off your dog and let us get down, Isaac?" I said
pleadingly.
Isaac stood and reflected for a moment or two. Then he came slowly
forward and, before we realized what he was going to do, he took that
ladder down and laid it on the ground.
"Isaac Appleby, what do you mean?" demanded Melissa wrathfully.
Isaac folded his arms and looked up. It would be hard to say which
face was the more determined, his or the dog's. But Isaac had the
advantage in point of looks, I will say that for him.
"I mean that you two women will stay up on that roof until one of you
agrees to marry me," said Isaac solemnly.