"
Viney, reading Evadna's face in one keen, upward glance, kept her
hands hidden in the folds of her blanket, and only nodded twice
reassuringly.
"This Lucy."
Lucy read also the girl's face; but she reached up, pressed her
hand gently, and her glance was soft and friendly. So the ordeal
was over.
"Bring some of that cake you baked to-day, honey--and do brace
up!" Phoebe patted her upon the shoulder.
Hagar forestalled the hospitable intent by getting slowly upon
her fat legs, shaking her hair out of her eyes, and grunting a
command to the others. With visible reluctance Lucy and Viney
rose also, hitched their blankets into place, and vanished,
soft-footed as they had come.
"Oo-oo!" Evadna stared at the place where they were not. "Wild
Indians--I thought the boys were just teasing when they said
so--and it's really true, Aunt Phoebe?"
"They're no wilder than you are," Phoebe retorted impatiently.
"Oh, they ARE wild. They're exactly like in my history--and they
don't make a sound when they go--you just look, and they're gone!
That old fat one--did you see how she looked at me? As if she
wanted to--SCALP me, Aunt Phoebe! She looked right at my hair
and--"
"Well, she didn't take it with her, did she? Don't be silly.
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