"No, I'll not," persisted Jack. "I'll never ask but once. He has never been in an automobile and you see it's the only way to keep him from saying those horrid words. He says he'll have to say something, so I told him he could say, Dog it all; that doesn't sound so bad as the others. You can't really dog anything, can you?"
"He dogs your footsteps," returned Carter.
Jack looked at him speculatively, and thought over this statement. "Well," she said finally, "it isn't a very bad thing even if you can do it, so I reckon it is the best thing he can say after all. Will you let him go, Carter?"
"I will upon one condition."
"What?"
"That you will sign a paper which promises that you will never ask for him but once. I'll prepare it now." He gravely wrote out a formal document which he read impressively to Jack who signed her name to it in very black uneven letters, and Carter professed himself satisfied.
The very next day Clarence had the bliss of taking his first ride in a motor car during which time he proved himself so entertaining that the following afternoon Jack and Jean were amazed to see Carter's car whiz by with Clarence again as passenger. He waved his cap exultantly and Jack experienced a real feeling of jealousy. If Clarence had been usurping Carter's place in her affections now the tables were turned and the little boy was now superseding her in Carter's affections. Jack did not like it a bit and Carter could have taken no surer way of sending Clarence into the background, for never again did Jack so much as hint that Clarence would like a ride.
For two whole days she turned her back on the pair of them, and occupied herself with playing dolls with Jean in a sequestered corner of the garden never appearing in spite of Carter's whistle or Clarence's call.