"Ahem!" loudly and suddenly exclaimed Grandpa Ford. "I rather think,
Miss Ripley, you had better come into the house where you can talk to me
alone," he said, with a quick glance at Russ and Laddie. "Little
pitchers have big ears, you know."

"Oh, yes, I understand!" exclaimed the pretty young lady. She, too,
looked at Russ and Laddie in a strange way, smiling the while. "You
don't want the little pitchers to know anything about it?" she asked.

"Not yet," answered Grandpa Ford. "It's a sort of secret, you know. I
think it will all be easily explained, but I wanted to ask your father
about it, since, as he sold me Great Hedge, he would know more about the
house than I do, he having lived there so long."

"I lived there, too," said Miss Ripley with a smile. "Well, as long as
the banging auto is gone, I think my horse will stand all right, so I'll
come in and tell you all I know, and all my father knows, about the
place, and the strange things you heard. I'll go in where the little
pitchers can't be filled up," and again she smiled at the two boys.

"Is that a riddle, Grandpa Ford?" asked Laddie, as Miss Ripley started
toward the front porch.

"Is what a riddle, Laddie boy?"

"About little pitchers and big ears."

"Oh! No, not exactly a riddle. I'll tell you about it some other time.
Here is five cents each, for you and Russ. Run along now while I take
Miss Ripley into the house."