This was on Friday evening. Janice, happy and care-free, went home to help Aunt 'Mira prepare supper. There seemed nothing in the world now to trouble Janice Day and she had forgotten Aunt 'Mira's prognostications of evil. News from Mexico--from dear daddy at the mine--had been very favorable for weeks. Of course, back in the girl's mind was always the fear, now lulled to sleep, that something bad might happen to Mr. Broxton Day down in battle-ridden Mexico. But the present de facto government seemed to favor American mining interests, and Mr. Day wrote very hopefully of the outlook for the future. Uncle Jason Day, a silent man at best, came in to supper much as usual. In the midst of the meal there was a rap upon the kitchen door and Marty clumsily arose to answer the summons. "Say, Dad!" the boy cried, "it's Aaron Whelpley. Says he wants to see you outside." "What's _he_ want o' ye, Jase?" asked Aunt 'Mira curiously, as her husband left the table. "Don't he clerk down to Tom Hotchkiss' store?" Uncle Jase muttered something unintelligible and went out on the porch, closing the door carefully behind him. The air of expectancy over the three left at the supper table in the Day kitchen increased as the minutes passed. "More secrets," said Mrs. Day lachrymosely. "I might's well be merried to the Shah of Pershy. I'd know jest as much about _his_ business as I do about Jase Day's." Marty only chuckled at his mother's complaint. Janice felt some little perturbation. It increased as Uncle Jason's absence continued. When finally he opened the door suddenly and almost staggered into the kitchen, his face blanched and his eyes expressing an emotion that she could not fathom, the girl leaped simultaneously to her feet and to a conclusion. "It's daddy!" she gasped. "Something has happened again in Mexico! Oh, Uncle Jason! what is it?" CHAPTER II SOMETHING TROUBLES EVERYBODY Uncle Jason stood suddenly straighter and looked at his niece with clearing visage. His wife shrilled: "Ye wanter scare ev'rybody out o' their seven senses, Jase Day? What's the matter of you?" "Nothin'," stammered Mr. Day with dry lips. "Is it about daddy?" questioned Janice again. "No, 'tain't nothin' about Brocky," said Uncle Jason more stoutly. "I--I felt bad for a minute." "What's the matter with you? Is it yer digestion again? If you air goin' to get _that_ on ye at your time o' life where'll you be when you're an old man?" demanded Aunt 'Mira. "My victuals ain't never suited ye none too well----" "I've et 'em for more'n twenty year, ain't I?" snapped her husband, sitting down heavily in his chair again. "Under protest, I don't doubt," sighed Aunt 'Mira. "I know I ain't as good a cook as some." "'The Lord sends the food but the devil sends the cooks,'" quoted Marty in an undertone to his cousin. "You're good enough," Uncle Jason gruffly stated.