under his breath the burst he indulged in when she arrayed the supper
on the box:

O, I went to a friend's house,
The friend says, 'Come in,
Have a hot cup of coffee;
And how have you been?'

Grandma Padgett said she could not sleep until she knew what other
creatures were hidden in the house.

They all ascended the enclosed staircase, and searched echoing dusty
rooms where rats or mice whisked out of sight at their approach.

"This is a funny kind of an addition to a tavern," remarked the head
of the party. "No beds: no anything. We'll build a fire in this upper
fireplace, and bring the cushions and shawls up, and see if we can
get a wink of sleep. It ain't a cold night, and we're dry now. You
can sleep by the fireplace down-stairs," she said to the pedler, "and
I'll settle with you for our breakfast and supper before we leave in
the morning. It's been a providence that you were in the house."

Mr. Matthews smiled deferentially, and appeared to be pondering a
new rhyme about Grandma Padgett. But the subject was so weighty it
kept him shaking his head.

They came down-stairs for fuel and coals, and she requested the
pedler to take possession of the lower room and make himself
comfortable, but not to set the house on fire.