A thin boy-soprano voice made its way through the door. It was somewhat more distant, as though it were in another room. “Hey, Mom, what’s a vagabond?”
Dora’s voice rose a notch. “Peter! You keep your mind on your homework.”
Swenson said in a low voice, “It’s not right to talk this way in front of the kid. What kind of notions will he get about me?”
“Stay home then and teach him better notions.”
Peter’s voice called out again. “Hey, Mom, I’m going to be a Scavenger when I grow up.”
Footsteps sounded rapidly. There was a momentary hiatus in the sounds, then a piercing, “Mom! Hey, Mom! Leggo my ear! What did I do?” and a snuffling silence.
Long seized the chance. He worked the signal vigorously.
Swenson opened the door, brushing down his hair with both hands.
“Hello, Ted,” he said in a subdued voice. Then loudly, “Ted’s here, Dora. Where’s Mario, Ted?”
Long said, “He’ll be here in a while.”