CHAPTER XXII THE COCKATOO MAN IN TROUBLE The knowledge that the Double O's (Captain Ozias Littlefield and his cousin, Oliver) were near by, excited again Carolyn May's curiosity regarding the artificial limbs worn by the two old men. She easily interested Edna in the mystery, for Edna possessed her full share of inquisitiveness. They determined to make a combined raid upon the "Portugoosy" cabin by Dorris Cove and attempt to extort the longed-for confidences from the Cousins Littlefield. Mrs. Cameron would not allow the little girls to walk along the beach as far as Beppo's hut; but after many careful directions from Molly Ball and admonitions from Carolyn's mother, they started for that attractive point by way of the patrol path above the beach. There were several houses to pass in this direction, and the little girls had to go over or through many stiles. At most of the houses Carolyn was acquainted, for the neighbourhood women had learned to appreciate the quaint little "off" girl. Aunt Ardelia Dodge never saw Carolyn near her house but that she made offering of the contents of her doughnut crock to tempt the little girl to "stop awhile." To Aunt Ardelia's mind a child's stomach was as an aching void, only to be appeased by continual "stuffing." "You an' your little friend set right down on the doorstun an' I'll pop a hot doughnut into each o' your laps in a minute," declared the generous old woman. "Lucky you come along just as you did. This is Thursday and I always fry doughnuts on Thursday. Jest like I bake beans an' steam loaf on Sat'day. "Smith, he never kin see why I have reg'lar days for cookin' sartain things. But if a body don't have some method in doin' things, where'll they be? That's what _I_ say. Man's work is always helter-skelter, an' ketch-as-ketch-can. They air always waitin' on the weather, or on the tide, or on the moon, or some sech foolishness. Men's work is never systematic--nor judgmatic, neither." "Oh, but my papa goes very regular to his work," objected Carolyn May. "He goes downtown at just a certain time, and gets back home at a certain time. Don't he, Edna? And your papa, too." Edna nodded vigorously; but her mouth was too full of hot doughnut at the moment to agree audibly. "Wal, I wish't I'd married an off man, then," said Aunt Ardelia. "For Smith never did 'preciate reg'larity, not even in cookin'. Why!" chuckled the voluble woman, "there was one time Smith Dodge took it inter his head he didn't want beans on a Sat'day night. Puffictly foolish idee. _Every_body has baked beans for Sat'day night supper. But men will git them fits. It's the way the good Lord made 'em, I cal'late.