Part 3 (2/2)
”You're just afraid you'll put me to a little trouble,” Mrs. Breen laughed, swinging open the car door and tugging at Penny's hand. ”You have to stay.”
Taking a cue from their mother, the three young children surrounded the girls, fairly forcing them toward the trailer. Ted immediately started in the opposite direction.
”You come back here, Ted Wiegand!” Mrs. Breen called in a loud voice.
”I don't want any dinner, Mom.”
”I know better,” Mrs. Breen contradicted cheerfully. ”You're just bashful because we're having two pretty girls visit us. You stay and eat your victuals like you always do, or I'll box your ears.”
”Okay,” Ted agreed, glancing at Rhoda again. ”It's no use arguing with you, Mom.”
Neither Penny nor Louise wished to remain for dinner, yet they knew of no way to avoid it without offending Mrs. Breen. Briskly the woman herded them inside the trailer.
”It's nice, isn't it?” she asked proudly. ”We have a little refrigerator and a good stove and a sink. We're a bit crowded, but that only makes it more jolly.”
A man in s.h.i.+rt sleeves lay on one of the day beds, reading a newspaper.
”Meet my husband,” Mrs. Breen said as an afterthought. ”Get up, Pop!” she ordered. ”Don't you have any manners?”
The man amiably swung his feet to the floor, grinning at Penny and Louise.
”I ain't been very well lately,” he said, as if feeling that the situation required an explanation. ”The Doc tells me to take it easy.”
”That was twenty years ago,” Mrs. Breen contributed, an edge to her voice. ”Pop's been resting ever since. But we get along.”
Rhoda and Ted, who had followed the others into the trailer, were acutely embarra.s.sed by the remark. Penny hastily changed the subject to a less personal one by pretending to show an interest in a book which lay on the table.
”Oh, that belongs to Rhoda,” Mrs. Breen responded carelessly. ”She brought it from the library. Ted and Rhoda always have their noses in a book. They're my adopted children, you know.”
”Mr. and Mrs. Breen have been very kind to us,” Rhoda said quietly.
”Stuff and nonsense!” Mrs. Breen retorted. ”You've more than earned your keep. Well, if you'll excuse me now, I'll dish up dinner.”
Penny and Louise wondered how so many persons could be fed in such a small s.p.a.ce, especially as the dinette table accommodated only six. Mrs.
Breen solved the problem by giving each of the three small children a plate of food and sending them outdoors.
”Now we can eat in peace,” she remarked, squeezing her ample body beneath the edge of the low, anch.o.r.ed table. ”It's a little crowded, but we can all get in here.”
”I'll take my plate outside,” Ted offered.
”No, you stay right here,” Mrs. Breen reproved. ”I never did see such a bashful boy! Isn't he the limit?”
Having arranged everything to her satisfaction, she began to dish up generous helpings of chicken and potato. The food had an appetizing odor and looked well cooked, but save for a pot of tea, there was nothing else.
”We're having quite a banquet tonight,” Pop Breen remarked appreciatively. ”I'll take a drumstick, Ma, if there ain't no one else wantin' it.”
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