At the same instant she heard the gate click outside, and pulling the curtain wider, saw her father trudging away down the lane.
Mary Jane, glancing up, and seeing her mistress crane forward with curiosity, stole behind and peeped over her shoulder.
"I declare they'm teening a fire!" "Who gave you leave to bawl in my ear so rudely?
Go back to your reading, this instant." (A pause.) "Mary Jane, I do believe they'm roastin' chestnuts." "What a clever game!" "Father said at dinner the tide was bringin' 'em in by bushels.
Quick! put on your worst bonnet an' clogs, an' run down to look.
I _must_ know.

No, I'm not goin'-- the idea! I wonder at your low notions.

You shall bring me word o' what's doin'-- an' mind you're back before dark." Mary Jane fled precipitately, lest the order should be revoked.
Five minutes later, Ruby heard the small gate click again, and with a sigh saw the girl's rotund figure waddling down the lane.

Then she picked up the book and strove to bury herself in the woes of Wilhelmina, but still with frequent glances out of window.

Twice the book dropped off her lap; twice she picked it up and laboriously found the page again.