Maureen's face clouded and she thought carefully before replying. "If
Misty's baby wasn't so new and tiny, I'd say yes."
Paul picked up the block of wood and his knife, and made a few fierce
jabs. "Exactly the way I feel." He looked at Maureen. "'Course, it'd
be fun to be excused from school and all."
"Mostly it'd be on Saturdays," Grandpa said drily.
"But suppose," Paul was serious now, "suppose they caught the shippin'
fever, or bad coughs from travelin' and going in and out of hot
theaters. Or even broke a leg."
All three of them lapsed into silence. No one knew what to say. Maureen
screwed the cap onto the ink bottle as if she would never have need of
it again. Paul threw his piece of wood into the stove and closed his
knife. The silence was a growing power. Grandpa sat down and crossed
his arms, using his paunch as a ledge. He looked up at the ceiling and
across at the clock. He picked up one of the birth announcements and
studied it. The corners of his mouth twisted into a smile of sympathy
and understanding. "It'd be chancy," he admitted. "Mighty chancy."
"But suppose," Paul spoke slowly, earnestly, "suppose we let Misty and
the colt go to just one theater, and if they come home feeling frisky,
they could go again. But if they got sick or were off their feed for
just one day, they'd _never_ have to go again."
Grandpa's eyes shone like twin meteors. "Sometimes I think you two is
the livin' image o' me! I'm so proud of ye I could strut like one o'
our peacocks in full sail. I'll take it up with the Council first thing
in the--"
_Bong! Bong!_ ... The clock struck the hour of ten, and with the last
_bong_ the telephone rang shrilly. Grandpa clapped a hand to his
forehead, then grabbed for his shoes. "Great balls o' fire! I plumb
forgot to pick up yer Grandma from the meetin' house. You answer,
Maureen. I'm gone!"
_Chapter 22_