have bothered asking him if I had been sure you would come. But one can never be sure with old people."
"Very true, there is no saying we won't take an attack of gout or an ague at just the crucial moment, but I shall wrap myself up well."
"Oh, cousin, you are not that old! I've been thinking about what we should wear, and I believe trousers will be more comfortable."
"Trousers, to be sure. An excellent notion, but I'm afraid I didn't bring any with me. Do you happen to have two pairs?"
"We will steal old livery. There are several suits in camphor in the cedar closet, all eaten with moths, but we shan't mind that."
"Certainly not, it will lend us an airy quality."
"We are to meet Gabriel at the graveyard at midnight. It is two miles; shall we ride or walk?"
"I have no mount, though I confess a two-mile hike in the pouring rain—it is best to plan for the worst, and the sky is very cloudy—is a little more excitement than I bargained for. Is there a farm animal I might ride?"
"There is Casper—the gig horse, but I've ridden him."
"He sounds just the thing. Will it be possible to get the horses out without being discovered?"
"We can always hit the groom on the head."
"Now why didn't I think of that?"
"I don't expect you have had many adventures, cousin, but I shall contrive all the details."
"I am very grateful you let me in on it. I'll do my bit with the shovel and—should we not take a crowbar to pry open the casket?"
"Will it be nailed shut?"
"It is the custom, I believe."
"How vexing. Gabriel said he would take care of the tools, but I bet he doesn't know we shall need a crowbar."
"Let us take one along, just to show him how wide awake we are."
"And if we can't find one, we'll take the axe."
Claudia recoiled slightly at the picture conjured up of them chopping through a wooden coffin, possibly right through to the contents thereof, but she didn't demur an iota.
"I can get away quite easily,” Luane said, “but perhaps your mama will check your room at a late hour?"
"No, she won't."
"Good, I didn't really think so. Does she like you at all?"
The startled exclamation this question called forth was coughed away. “Yes, in her own way. She is not an effusive person."
"She was effusive about the jewelry. She means to get your emerald ring from you."
Claudia looked in wonder at this artless girl with the knowing mind of a woman, and not yet the guile to conceal it. “She shan't get it,” she said.
"I have been thinking of a famous stunt, cousin, only I daresay Hillary won't let us do it, he is such a prude."
"A prude! That is certainly not the word I would have used to describe him."
"He was only showing off yesterday and a little today. He is really very straight and stiff, and never lets me or Gab do anything at all. He acts satirical like that sometimes when he doesn't like people."
"I see,” Claudia answered, marveling anew at her companion's blunt speech.
"I don't mean you. It is Jonathon and your mama. He doesn't like them because of the way they neglected Sophie, then came pacing down the minute they heard she was dying."
"Yes, now where shall we meet, and at what hour?"
"I'll take the livery to your room after dinner. You get dressed and slip downstairs around eleven. Agreed?” She stuck out a little hand, like a man, and gave a violent shake to Claudia's hand.
"Agreed."
"I'm glad I decided to let you come."
"I'm very grateful,” Claudia said, hiding a smile at this condescension. “By the way, what was the stunt you mentioned?"
"I should love to give you the paste emerald ring, and let your mama take it back to London. She'd not likely ever know the difference, and then wouldn't be pestering you for the real one."
"You don't begin to know mama. The first thing she'd do would be to take it and have it evaluated."
"I suppose she would. Hillary said she was sharp as a tack.” On this flattering speech, the cousins returned to the house.
Chapter Six
Two very different
"Very true, there is no saying we won't take an attack of gout or an ague at just the crucial moment, but I shall wrap myself up well."
"Oh, cousin, you are not that old! I've been thinking about what we should wear, and I believe trousers will be more comfortable."
"Trousers, to be sure. An excellent notion, but I'm afraid I didn't bring any with me. Do you happen to have two pairs?"
"We will steal old livery. There are several suits in camphor in the cedar closet, all eaten with moths, but we shan't mind that."
"Certainly not, it will lend us an airy quality."
"We are to meet Gabriel at the graveyard at midnight. It is two miles; shall we ride or walk?"
"I have no mount, though I confess a two-mile hike in the pouring rain—it is best to plan for the worst, and the sky is very cloudy—is a little more excitement than I bargained for. Is there a farm animal I might ride?"
"There is Casper—the gig horse, but I've ridden him."
"He sounds just the thing. Will it be possible to get the horses out without being discovered?"
"We can always hit the groom on the head."
"Now why didn't I think of that?"
"I don't expect you have had many adventures, cousin, but I shall contrive all the details."
"I am very grateful you let me in on it. I'll do my bit with the shovel and—should we not take a crowbar to pry open the casket?"
"Will it be nailed shut?"
"It is the custom, I believe."
"How vexing. Gabriel said he would take care of the tools, but I bet he doesn't know we shall need a crowbar."
"Let us take one along, just to show him how wide awake we are."
"And if we can't find one, we'll take the axe."
Claudia recoiled slightly at the picture conjured up of them chopping through a wooden coffin, possibly right through to the contents thereof, but she didn't demur an iota.
"I can get away quite easily,” Luane said, “but perhaps your mama will check your room at a late hour?"
"No, she won't."
"Good, I didn't really think so. Does she like you at all?"
The startled exclamation this question called forth was coughed away. “Yes, in her own way. She is not an effusive person."
"She was effusive about the jewelry. She means to get your emerald ring from you."
Claudia looked in wonder at this artless girl with the knowing mind of a woman, and not yet the guile to conceal it. “She shan't get it,” she said.
"I have been thinking of a famous stunt, cousin, only I daresay Hillary won't let us do it, he is such a prude."
"A prude! That is certainly not the word I would have used to describe him."
"He was only showing off yesterday and a little today. He is really very straight and stiff, and never lets me or Gab do anything at all. He acts satirical like that sometimes when he doesn't like people."
"I see,” Claudia answered, marveling anew at her companion's blunt speech.
"I don't mean you. It is Jonathon and your mama. He doesn't like them because of the way they neglected Sophie, then came pacing down the minute they heard she was dying."
"Yes, now where shall we meet, and at what hour?"
"I'll take the livery to your room after dinner. You get dressed and slip downstairs around eleven. Agreed?” She stuck out a little hand, like a man, and gave a violent shake to Claudia's hand.
"Agreed."
"I'm glad I decided to let you come."
"I'm very grateful,” Claudia said, hiding a smile at this condescension. “By the way, what was the stunt you mentioned?"
"I should love to give you the paste emerald ring, and let your mama take it back to London. She'd not likely ever know the difference, and then wouldn't be pestering you for the real one."
"You don't begin to know mama. The first thing she'd do would be to take it and have it evaluated."
"I suppose she would. Hillary said she was sharp as a tack.” On this flattering speech, the cousins returned to the house.
Chapter Six
Two very different
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