"Like I said," Grandpa roared, "Missus Beebe'll allus feel mighty close
to that nanny."
Grandma flounced to the drawer where she kept her aprons. In pretended
anger she took out two. "I'll just wear 'em both," she said. "One fore
and one aft."
There was much to be done before bedtime--the ponies in the hay house
to be grained and watered, the nanny and her kid to be tended to,
kindling to be brought in. And late as it was, Grandma got down on her
hands and knees and scrubbed the floor with vigor and strong naphtha
soap.
When she had almost finished, Maureen, muddy but radiant, sloshed into
the back hall. "Guess what, Grandma!"
"What _now_?" Grandma asked without looking up. Her lips were set in a
thin line as she carefully pushed the basket of kittens back under the
stove. "Now what you so tickled about?"
"Feel in my pocket!"
"Mice?"
"No, Grandma. Guess again."
"Probably some toady-frog or lizard."
"No! No! Feel!"
Grandma wiped her hands on her apron and poked a cautious fingertip
into Maureen's pocket. She touched something smooth and curved.
Smiling, she reached in and brought out two tiny brown-flecked eggs.
"And there's two in my other pocket! I found 'em high and dry in
Misty's manger."
Grandpa and Paul came stomping into the back hall with armfuls of wood.
"What's to eat?" Grandpa shouted. "I could swaller a whale."
Grandma shook her head. "Bread's mouldy. Milk's sour. Only thing we got
is four little bitty banty eggs."
"Why, they're good," Maureen said in a hurt tone.
"Course they are, honey." Grandma placed them on the table. "Paul, you
still got your boots on. Run out to the smokehouse for some bacon.
We'll have a tiny fried egg apiece and plenty o' crispy bacon. I'll put
the skillet on and have it spittin' hot."
When Paul had gone out, Grandma turned to Maureen and Grandpa. "Now you
two wash up so's I can tell who's who. And for pity's sake, use that
naphtha soap. If'n I had any sense at all, I'd go around this house
with a clothespin twigged onto my nose."
Grandpa's face broadened into a grin. "Humpf! A sea-captain's daughter
complainin' 'bout a little bilge water."