“I say, that’s too bad,” said Max. “Old Ezra is always so good-natured about letting you flag trains and things.”
“I’ve got a crow,” suddenly exclaimed Jessie, “and his name is Eb. That’s short for Ebony. He doesn’t talk yet, but he is going to, Sam says. I think he must be up in the barn. Come, and I’ll show him to you. I have a new friend, too. Her name is Adele Pauline Falaise Hallett, and she lives in the yellow house.”
“Mother wrote to us that the yellow house was taken,” said Walter. “I’m sorry, for now we fellows can’t go there and play in that empty barn like we used to.”
“I thought Effie Hinsdale was your best friend,” said Max to his sister.
“Effie is a friend, of course, but she lives across the railroad, and I can’t go to see her unless some one goes with me. Besides, she has a new friend, too; a girl named Anna Sharp that has come to the neighborhood, so Effie don’t mind being second best. She has a gray kitten that is to be mine when it is big enough.”
“Girls are always so crazy about cats and kittens,” said Walter scornfully. “I’d much rather have the crow.”
“Well, you can’t have him. Sam brought him to me,” returned Jessie a little sharply. Boys were entirely too fond of making slighting remarks about girls, she thought.
“Oh, keep your old crow,” returned Walter. “No doubt you’ll be glad enough to get rid of him some day.”
“Why?” asked Jessie.
“Wait and see,” replied Walter mysteriously. “Say, Max, let’s go see old Ezra. Maybe he is all right now, and I want to know about the trains. We’ll see enough of the old crow, and it is a good time to go to Ezra’s.”