IX
A HOLIDAY
Floyd slept luxuriously late the next morning; when he came down to breakfast, Letty had already gone to her work at the Library.
"Mrs. Bell," he said, while his waited upon him, "what should you do in my place, getting a sudden holiday like this?"
"Land!" said Mrs. Bell, "I don't know, but I guess I'd get as far away from the works as I could."
"It must be fine out in the country this morning," observed Floyd. "I have to go into the city this afternoon; why would n't it be a good thing to spend the morning in the country?"
"Why, it would so," assented Mrs. Bell.
"What do you do with yourself, mornings?" pursued Floyd. What do women do after they get the men-folks shipped out of the house?"
"Oh, warsh the dishes and read up the rooms and sweep and mend clothes and bake and put up preserves and get things ready for dinner," Mrs. Bell replied.
"Suppose you take a holiday from all that this morning," Floyd suggested.
"My land! what for?"
"I'll get a team from the livery-stable and we'll go for a drive in the country."
"Oh, my goodness, Mr. Halket!"
"Yes, you go and get yourself ready, and I'll go after the team. I wonder if Letty could n't join us. I'll stop at the Library and see."
"Oh, the idea!" giggled Mrs. Bell. "Well, it certainly will be enjoyable."
