Hutchins brought a newspaper to Tish the next morning at breakfast, and Tish afterwards said her expression was positively malevolent in such a young and pretty woman.
The newspaper said that an attempt had been made to rob the Newcomb place the night before, but that the thieves had apparently secured nothing but a package of oatmeal and a tin sprinkling-can, which they had abandoned on the lawn. Some color, however, was lent to the fear that they had secured an amount of money, from the fact that a silver half-dollar had been found on the window sill of a tool-house. The Newcomb family was at its summer home on the Maine coast.
"You see," Hutchins said to Tish, "that man didn"t belong there at all.
He was just impertinent and--laughing in his sleeve."
Tish was really awfully put out, having planned to take the Sunday school there for a picnic. She was much pleased, however, at Hutchins"s astuteness.
"I shall take her along to Canada," she said to me. "The girl has instinct, which is better than reason. Her subconsciousness is unusually active."
Looking back, as I must, and knowing now all that was in her small head while she whistled about the car, or all that was behind her smile, one wonders if women really should have the vote. So many of them are creatures of s.e.x and guile. A word from her would have cleared up so much, and she never spoke it!
Well, we spent most of July in getting ready to go. Charlie Sands said the mosquitoes and black flies would be gone by August, and we were in no hurry.
We bought a good tent, with a diagram of how to put it up, some folding camp-beds, and a stove. The day we bought the tent we had rather a shock, for as we left the shop the suburban youth pa.s.sed us. We ignored him completely, but he lifted his hat. Hutchins, who was waiting in Tish"s car, saw him, too, and went quite white with fury.
Shortly after that, Hannah came in one night and said that a man was watching Tish"s windows. We thought it was imagination, and Tish gave her a dose of sulphur and mola.s.ses--her liver being sluggish.
"Probably an Indian, I dare say," was Tish"s caustic comment.
In view of later developments, however, it is a pity we did not investigate Hannah"s story; for Aggie, going home from Tish"s late one night in Tish"s car, had a similar experience, declaring that a small machine had followed them, driven by a heavy-set man with a mustache.
She said, too, that Hutchins, swerving sharply, had struck the smaller machine a glancing blow and almost upset it.
It was about the middle of July, I believe, that Tish received the following letter:--
_Madam_: Learning that you have decided to take a fishing-trip in Canada, I venture to offer my services as guide, philosopher, and friend. I know Canada thoroughly; can locate ba.s.s, as nearly as it lies in a mortal so to do; can manage a motor launch; am thoroughly at home in a canoe; can shoot, swim, and cook--the last indifferently well; know the Indian mind and my own--and will carry water and chop wood.
I do not drink, and such smoking as I do will, if I am engaged, be done in the solitude of the woods.
I am young and of a cheerful disposition. My object is not money, but only expenses paid and a chance to forget a recent and still poignant grief. I hope you will see the necessity for such an addition to your party, and allow me to subscribe myself, madam,
Your most obedient servant,
J. UPDIKE.
Tish was much impressed; but Hutchins, in whose judgment she began to have the greatest confidence, opposed the idea.
"I wouldn"t think of it," she said briefly.
"Why? It"s a frank, straightforward letter."
"He likes himself too much. And you should always be suspicious of anything that"s offered too cheap."
So the Updike application was refused. I have often wondered since what would have been the result had we accepted it!
The worms were doing well, though Tish found that Hannah neglected them, and was compelled to feed them herself. On the day before we started, we packed them carefully in ice and moss, and fed them. That was the day the European war was declared.
"Canada is at war," Tish telephoned. "The papers say the whole country is full of spies, blowing up bridges and railroads."
"We can still go to the seash.o.r.e," I said. "The bead things will do for the missionary box to Africa."
"Seash.o.r.e nothing!" Tish retorted. "We"re going, of course,--just as we planned. We"ll keep our eyes open; that"s all. I"m not for one side or the other, but a spy"s a spy."
Later that evening she called again to say there were rumors that the Canadian forests were bristling with German wireless outfits.
"I"ve a notion to write J. Updike, Lizzie, and find out whether he knows anything about wireless telegraphy," she said, "only there"s so little time. Perhaps I can find a book that gives the code."
[This is only pertinent as showing Tish"s state of mind. As a matter of fact, she did not write to Updike at all.]
Well, we started at last, and I must say they let us over the border with a glance; but they asked us whether we had any firearms. Tish"s trunk contained a shotgun and a revolver; but she had packed over the top her most intimate personal belongings, and they were not disturbed.
"Have you any weapons?" asked the inspector.
"Do we look like persons carrying weapons?" Tish demanded haughtily. And of course we did not. Still, there was an untruth of the spirit and none of us felt any too comfortable. Indeed, what followed may have been a punishment on us for deceit and conspiracy.
Aggie had taken her cat along--because it was so fond of fish, she said.
And, between Tish buying ice for the worms and Aggie getting milk for the cat, the journey was not monotonous; but on returning from one of her excursions to the baggage-car, Tish put a heavy hand on my shoulder.
"That boy"s on the train, Lizzie!" she said. "He had the impudence to ask me whether I still drive with the license plates under a cushion.
English roses--importations!" said Tish, and sniffed. "You don"t suppose he went into that tent shop and asked about us?"
"He might," I retorted; "but, on the other hand, there"s no reason why our going to Canada should keep the rest of the United States at home!"
However, the thing did seem queer, somehow. Why had he told us things that were not so? Why had he been so anxious to know who we were? Why, had he asked us to take the Sunday-school picnic to a place that did not belong to him?
"He may be going away to forget some trouble. You remember what he said about happier days," said Tish.
"That was Updike"s reason too," I relied. "Poignant grief!"
For just a moment our eyes met. The same suspicion had occurred to us both. Well, we agreed to say nothing to Aggie or Hutchins, for fear of upsetting them, and the next hour or so was peaceful.
Hutchins read and Aggie slept. Tish and I strung beads for the Indians, and watched the door into the next car. And, sure enough, about the middle of the afternoon he appeared and stared in at us. He watched us for quite a time, smoking a cigarette as he did so. Then he came in and bent down over Tish.
"You didn"t take the children out for the picnic, did you?" he said.
"I did not!" Tish snapped.
"I"m sorry. Never saw the place look so well!"
"Look here," Tish said, putting down her beads; "what were you doing there that night anyhow? You don"t belong to the family."
He looked surprised and then grieved.
"You"ve discovered that, have you?" he said. "I did, you know--word of honor! They"ve turned me off; but I love the old place still, and on summer nights I wander about it, recalling happier days."
Hutchins closed her book with a snap, and he sighed.