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Goodness me! exploded Agnes, whats coming now?
Not another rattlesnake, I bet a cent though its some rattling, chuckled Neale ONeil.
The heads of a pair of horses then appeared around the turn. They proved to be drawing a tin-peddlers wagon, and over this rough piece of driveway the wash-boilers, dishpans, kettles, pails, and a dozen other articles of tin and agate-ware, were making more noise than the passage of a battery of artillery.
Some scientists have pointed out that snakes some snakes, at least seem to be hard of hearing. That could not have been so with the big rattlesnake that had held up the Kenways and their automobile.
Before the Jewish peddler on the seat of the wagon could draw his willing horses to a halt, the snake swiftly uncoiled and wriggled across the road and into the bushes. All that was left to mark his recent presence was a wavy mark in the dust.
Vats the madder? called the peddler. Aint dere room to ged by?
Sure, said the relieved Neale. Let me back a little and you pull out to the right, and well be all right. We were held up by a snake.
The Jew (he was a little man with fiery hair and whiskers, and he had a narrow-brimmed derby hat jammed down upon his head), seemed to study over this answer of the boy for fully a minute. Then, as Neale was steering the automobile slowly past his rig, he leaned sidewise and asked, with a broad smile:
I say, mister! Vat did you say stopped you?
A snake, declared Neale, grinning.
Oy, oy! And that it iss yedt to drive one of them so benzine carts? No! Mein horses iss petter. They are not afraid of snakes.
He still sat, without starting his team, thinking the surprising matter over, when the automobile turned the curve in the road and struck better going.
Well! ejaculated Agnes, I only hope he stays there till that snake comes out of the bushes again and climbs into his cart.
My! how disagreeable you can be, returned Neale, laughing. I dont believe youll get your wish, however.
Im glad we didnt run over that snake, declared Mrs. Heard, nodding her head. Im opposed to killing any dumb creature.
Then, suggested Dot, earnestly, you must be like Mr. Seneca Sprague.
Me? Like Seneca Sprague? gasped the lady, yet rather amused. I like that!
Why, how can that be, Dot? asked Ruth, rather puzzled herself, for Seneca Sprague was a queer character who was thought by most Milton people to be a little crazy.
Why, hes a vegetablearian. And Mrs. Heard must be, announced Dot, confidently, if she doesnt believe in killing dumb beasts.
Theres logic for you! exclaimed Neale. Score one for Dot.
The lady laughed heartily. I suppose I ought to be a vegetablearian if Im not, she
said. I dunno as I could worship beasts the way some of the ancients did; but I dont believe in killing them unnecessarily.
I know about some of the animal gods and goddesses the Greeks and Egyptians used to worship, ventured Tess, who had not taken much part in the conversation of late. Did any of them worship snakes, do you spose?
I believe some peoples did, Ruth told her.
Oh, I know about gods and goddesses, cried Dot, eagerly. Our teacher read about them or, some of them only yesterday, in school.
Well, Miss Know-it-all, said Agnes, good-naturedly, what did you learn about them?
I I remember bout one named Ceres, said the smallest Corner House girl, with corrugated brow, trying to remember what she had heard read.
Well, what about her? asked Agnes, encouragingly.
What was Ceres the goddess of, honey? pursued Ruth, as Dot still hesitated.
Why why she was the goddess of dressmaking, declared the child, with sudden conviction.
Oh, oh, oh! ejaculated Neale, under his breath.
For goodness sake! where did you get that idea? demanded Ruth, while Agnes and Mrs. Heard positively could not keep from laughing, and Tess looked at her smaller sister with something like horror. Why Dot Kenway! she murmured.
She is, too! pouted Dot. My teacher said so. She said Ceres was the goddess of ripping and sewing. Now, isnt that dressmaking?
Oh, cricky! gasped Neale, and swerved the car to the left in his emotion.
Do be careful, Neale! squealed Agnes.
Yes. Youll have us into something, warned Ruth.
Then put ear-muffs on me, groaned the boy. That child will be the death of me yet. Sowing and reaping ripping and sewing wow!
Humph! observed Agnes. You neednt be the death of us if she does say something funny. Do keep your mind on what you are about, Neale.
But Neale ONeil was a careful driver. He was a sober boy, anyway, and would never qualify in the joy-riding class, that was sure.
The remainder of the ride to Marchenell Grove was a jolly and enjoyable one. They all liked Mrs. Heard more and more as they became better acquainted with her. She seemed to know just how to get along with young folk, and despite her stated suffragist and S.P.C.A. proclivities, even Neale pronounced her good fun.
The Grove was a very popular resort, and very large. Perhaps it was just as well that Mrs. Heard was with the girls, for unexpectedly a situation developed during the day that might have been really unpleasant had not an older person like the good and talkative lady been with them.