The kidnappers still disputed vehemently; and he stole up to the
wall, and began to climb the vine which covered the side of the house.
He disturbed a number of roosting small birds; but Dorothy's suitors
were putting forward their pretensions to her hand with a clamour which
drowned the flutter of wings. He climbed up and up, and Dorothy never
stirred; and at last he looked under her arm into the room. Elsie,
with her elbows on the table, was staring miserably at the grim,
forbidding face of an elderly woman who sat on a chair backed up
against the door.
Tinker looked at the woman and could scarcely believe his eyes, then he
laughed gently, slipped over the window-sill, and said cheerfully,
"Hullo, Selina, how are you?"
The grim woman started up with a little cry, stared at him, ran across
the room, and began to hug him furiously, crying, "Oh, Master Tinker!
Master Tinker! What a turn you did give me!"
"Drop it, Selina! Drop it!" said Tinker, struggling out of her
embrace. "You know how I hate being slobbered over!"
Then he dodged Dorothy and Elsie, who advanced upon him with one accord
and one purpose of kissing him, and cried, "No, no! This is no time
for foolery!"
"But I don't understand," said Dorothy.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208