"Oh, yes," she said. "How do you do, Major Grover? I have heard a
great deal about you since the day of Babbie's picnic. I'm sure I
owe you an apology for the trouble my small daughter must have
caused that day."
She and the major shook hands. The latter expressed himself as
being very glad to meet Mrs. Armstrong. He looked as if he meant
it.
"And no apologies are due, not from your side at least," he
declared. "If it had not been for your little girl our missing
plan might have been missing yet."
Fifteen minutes elapsed before the owner of the windmill shop
returned. When he did come hurrying up the bluff and in at the
back door, heated and out of breath, no one seemed to have missed
him greatly. Major Grover, who might reasonably have been expected
to show some irritation at his long wait, appeared quite oblivious
of the fact that he had waited at all. He and Barbara were seated
side by side upon a packing case, while Ruth occupied the chair.
When Jed came panting in it was Babbie who greeted him.
"Oh, Uncle Jed!" she exclaimed, "you just ought to have been here.
Mr.--I mean Major Grover has been telling Mamma and me about going
up in a--in a diggible balloon. It was awf'ly interesting. Wasn't
it, Mamma?"
Her mother laughingly agreed that it was. Jed, whose hands were
full, deposited his burden upon another packing case.
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