“Now I’ll get the cakes and glasses,” Alice said.
“Let me help you,” begged Fenn.
“Here, you quit that!” called Ned.
“Quit what?”
“Walking downstairs with Alice. I’ll tell Jennie on you, Stumpy!”
“Oh, you dry up!” cried Fenn, and, despite the boys’ laughter Fenn accompanied Bart’s sister to the next floor, where he got the cake and glasses.
“Stumpy’s as bad as ever,” commented Frank. “He reminds me of—” Frank did not finish his sentence.
“Reminds you of what?” asked Ned. “There you go again, beginning a thing and not finishing it.”
“I guess I’ll not say it. Doesn’t make any difference,” and Frank turned aside and gazed out of the window.
Bart and Ned looked at each other. It was a peculiarity of Frank’s to begin to say something, and then seem to recollect a matter that made him change his mind. But his chums were now used to his strangeness.