“I thought of it first,” said Jessie, not liking to have her ideas taken possession of in this style.
“That makes no difference,” returned Walter. “The few you could carry wouldn’t do much good. Max and I can take a big basketful.”
Jessie did not answer, but she determined to carry out her plan if she could. If going away to school made Walter like this she didn’t think it was doing him much good. The boys left her at the first gate for they caught sight of their father in a field near by, and joined him, so Jessie went up to the house alone. She sought her mother immediately. “Mother,” she said, “I wish you would send Walter to another school.”
“Why, my dear,” returned Mrs. Loomis, looking up with a smile.
“Because he’s so—so—he has such a contemptibleness for girls since he’s been away. He used not to care when I wanted to go with him and Max, and now he is at home again he just wants to put me down all the time. I said I wanted to take some apples to Ezra, and he says he is going to. I thought of it first, mother, and Ezra has been so good to me. Couldn’t you let Sam go with me to-morrow morning, and carry a big basketful, bigger than Walter and Max could carry?”
Mrs. Loomis was thoughtful for a moment. She realized that Walter had no right to set aside Jessie’s little plan, so she said, “I am afraid Sam cannot be spared, but I will tell you what can be done. I have to go to Mrs. Traill’s to-morrow morning, and you could go as far as the crossing with me. We can carry a big basket of apples in the phaeton and leave them for Ezra, then you can go on to your lessons from there.”
“Oh, lovely!” cried Jessie. “You always do think of just the right thing, mother. Will you tell Walter we are going to take the apples?”
“Yes, and I think it is right that you should be the one to go with them, for we appreciate very much his kindness to you.”
No more was said then, but at the supper table Mrs. Loomis told her husband what had been arranged and asked him to select a lot of their finest apples for the basket. Jessie gave Walter a triumphant look across the table. He answered by making a mouth at her, but she did not care as she had her mother on her side.
“Sneaky thing,” whispered Walter as she passed him after supper.