“Here, Nellie,” she said. “Don’t you like chocolates?”
Nellie seized upon the proffered sweet.
“Only one, Nellie,” struck in Aunt Martha, who seemed to know without looking what went on among the children round her.
“I’ve got a pocketful,” Jacqueline urged generously.
“No need to be piggy on that account. Where did you get ’em, Caroline? I hope you don’t spend money foolishly.”
“There was a little girl on the train had a whole box of chocolates.” Jacqueline spoke truthful words, but with untruthful intent. “These are some of them.”
Aunt Martha looked at her disapprovingly.
“It’s just as well not to pick up acquaintances on trains,” she said. “But I don’t need to lay down the law, for you won’t be taking another such journey for one while.”
“Not unless you send me to an Institution,” thought Jacqueline. What would it be like to go to an Institution, she wondered? Perhaps she would be really bad, and let Aunt Martha send her there. The Gildersleeves could always come and get her out.
Nellie interrupted Jacqueline’s train of thought. She had bitten into the plump chocolate she had chosen and found it not at all to her taste.