The cooper appeared abstracted, and did not
take as much interest as usual in the evening paper. Jack was
restless, and found it difficult to fix his attention upon anything.
Even Aunt Rachel looked more dismal than usual, if such a thing be
possible.
In the morning all felt brighter.
"Ida will be home to-night," said Mrs. Crump, cheerfully. "What an
age it seems since she left us!"
"We shall know better how to appreciate her presence," said the
cooper, cheerfully.
"What time do you expect her home? Did Mrs. Hardwick say?"
"Why no," said Mrs. Crump, she didn't say, but I guess she will be
along in the course of the afternoon."
"If we only knew where she had gone," said Jack, "we could tell
better."
"But as we don't know," said his father, "we must wait patiently
till she comes."
"I guess," said Mrs. Crump, in the spirit of a notable housewife,
"I'll make up some apple-turnovers for supper to-night. There's
nothing Ida likes so well."
"That's where Ida is right," said Jack, "apple-turnovers are
splendid."
"They're very unwholesome," remarked Aunt Rachel.
"I shouldn't think so from the way you eat them, Aunt Rachel,"
retorted Jack. "You ate four the last time we had them for supper."
"I didn't think you'd begrudge me the little I eat," said Rachel,
dolefully. "I didn't think you took the trouble to keep account of
what I ate.
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