"Did you see anybody, Jo? Are there any children?" were the questions
she met with. But she had only seen a middle-aged woman who was
cleaning the hall, and had learned nothing about the new occupants.
"It is very stupid of Joanna," said Carl as he rolled up the rug and
the clothes-pins and marched over to apologize to Mrs. Ford for their
share of the mischief. He did this so meekly and with such evident
sincerity that the old lady was greatly mollified, and sent him up to
tell Ikey he might consider himself released from the day's
confinement in his room.
For the rest of the week the children were models of propriety. No one
would have dreamed that they had been outlaws so short a time before.
From the star chamber windows Robin and his merry men looked down on
the transformation which was taking place in their old domain.
The long grass was cut down, and with it those patches of pepper grass
that had seasoned many a feast. The bushes and vines were trimmed, the
walk was reddened, the shutters were thrown open. Every day added
something to the change, yet, besides the servants, no one had been
seen about the house.
Who could their new neighbors be? The subject was discussed morning,
noon, and night, till their father said he would have to tell them the
story of the man who made a fortune minding his own business.
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