He was something of a care, there was no doubt of that.Imogene, whom he liked and who liked him, declared that "that young one had more jump in him than a sand flea." The very afternoon of his arrival he frightened the hens into shrieking hysterics, poked the fat and somnolent Patrick Henry, the pig, with a sharp stick to see if he was alive and not "gone dead" like the kitten, and barked his shins and nose by falling out of the wheelbarrow in the barn.
Kenelm, who still retained his position at the High Cliff House and was meek and lowly under the double domination of his fiancee and his sister, was inclined to grumble."A feller can't set down to rest a minute," declared Kenelm, "without that young one's jumpin'
out at him from behind somethin' or 'nother and hollerin', 'Boo!'
Seems to like to scare me into a fit.Picks on me wuss than Hannah, he does."But even Kenelm confessed to a liking for the "pesky little nuisance." Captain Obed idolized him and took him on excursions along the beach or to his own fish-houses, where Georgie sat on a heap of nets and came home smelling strongly of cod, but filled to the brim with sea yarns.And Thankful found in the boy the one comfort and solace for her increasing troubles and cares.
Altogether the commodore was in a fair way to become a thoroughly spoiled officer.
With November came the rains again, and, compared with them, those of early September seemed but showers.Day after day and night after night the wind blew and the water splashed against the windows and poured from the overflowing gutters.Patrick Henry, the pig, found his quarters in the new pen, in the hollow behind the barn, the center of the flood zone, and being discovered one morning marooned on a swampy islet in the middle of a muddy lake, was transferred to the old sty, that built by the late Mr.Laban Eldredge, beneath the woodshed and adjoining the potato cellar.
Thankful's orderly, neat soul rebelled against having a pig under the house, but, as she expressed it, "'twas either that or havin'
the critter two foot under water."
Captain Obed, like every citizen of East Wellmouth, was disgusted with the weather."I was cal'latin' to put in my spare time down to the shanty buildin' a new dory," he said, "but I guess now I'll build an ark instead.If this downpour keeps on I'll need one bad as Noah ever did."Heman Daniels, Miss Timpson and Caleb Hammond were now the only boarders and roomers Mrs.Barnes had left to provide for.There was little or no profit in providing for them, for the rates paid by the two last named were not high, and their demands were at times almost unreasonable.Miss Timpson had a new idea now, that of giving up the room she had occupied since coming to the Barnes boarding-house and moving her belongings into the suite at the rear of the second floor, that comprising the large room and the little back bedroom adjoining, the latter the scene of Thankful's spooky adventure on the first night of her arrival in East Wellmouth.
These rooms ordinarily rented for much more than Miss Timpson had paid for her former apartment, but she had no thought of paying more for them."Of course I shouldn't expect to get 'em for the same if 'twas summer," she explained to Thankful, "but just now, with 'em standin' empty, I might as well move there as not.I know you'll be glad to have me, won't you, Mrs.Barnes, you and me being such good friends by this time."And Thankful, although conscious of an injustice somewhere, did not like to refuse her "good friend." So she consented and Miss Timpson moved into the back rooms.But she no sooner had her trunks carried there than she was struck by another brilliant idea.
Thankful, hearing unusual sounds from above that Saturday morning, ascended the back stairs to find the school mistress tugging at the bureau, which she was apparently trying to drag from the small room into the larger.
"It came to me all of a sudden," panted Miss Timpson, who was out of breath but enthusiastic."That little room's awful small and stuffy to sleep in, and I do hate to sleep in a stuffy room.But when I was standing there sniffing and looking it came to me.""What came to you?" demanded the puzzled Thankful."What are you talkin' about--the bureau?""No, no! The idea! The bureau couldn't come to me by itself, could it? No, the idea came to me.That little room isn't good for much as a bedroom, but it will make the loveliest study.I can put my table and my books in there and move the bed and things in here.Then I'll have a beautiful, nice big bedroom and the cutest little study.And I've always wanted a study.Now if you and Imogene help me with the bureau and bed it'll be all fixed."So Imogene, assisted by Kenelm, who was drafted in Thankful's place, spent a good part of the afternoon shifting furniture and arranging the bedroom and the "study." Miss Timpson superintended, and as she was seldom satisfied until each separate item of the suite's equipment had been changed about at least twice, in order to get the "effect," all three were nervous and tired when the shifting was over.Miss Timpson should have been happy over the attainment of the study, but instead she appeared gloomy and downcast.
"I declare," she said, as she and Thankful sat together in the living-room that evening, "I don't know's I've done right, after all.I don't know's I wish I had stayed right where I was.""Mercy on us! Why?" demanded Thankful, a trifle impatiently.
"Oh, I don't know.Maybe 'cause I'm kind of tired and nervous tonight.I feel as if--as if something was going to happen to me.
I wonder if I could have another cup of tea before I went to bed;it might settle my nerves, you know."
Considering that the lady had drunk three cups of tea at supper Mrs.Barnes could not help feeling doubtful concerning the soothing effect of a fourth.But she prepared it and brought it into the living-room.Miss Timpson sipped the tea and groaned.
"Do you ever have presentiments, Mrs.Barnes?" she asked.
"Have what?"
