Just think what she'd
have missed if any one had known when Easter was right off!"
"What she'd have missed indeed. Exactly what the townsman misses, as long
as he remains in a land where everything can be known right off."
But a new idea had come to Dan. "Of course," he said, "as far as that
goes, if Johnny does turn up she ought to learn a thing or two, while
he's moving the dining-room up the house"; and he decided to welcome
Johnny on his return.
He had not long to wait, for in a day or two Johnny rode into the
homestead, followed by a black boy carrying a cross-cut saw. This time he
hailed us with a cheery:
"NOW we shan't be long."
CHAPTER X
It had taken over six weeks to "get hold of little Johnny "; but as the
Dandy had prophesied, once he started, he "made things hum in no time."
"Now we shan't be long," he said, flourishing a tape measure; and the
Dandy was kept busy for half a day, "wrestling with the calculating."
That finished, the store was turned inside out and a couple of "boys"
sent in for "things needed," and after them more "boys" for more things;
and then other "boys" for other things, until travellers must have
thought the camp blacks had entered into a walking competition.
