“You can explain later,” Mrs. Schofield said. “You'll have all afternoon.”
Penrod's heart grew cold.
“I CAN'T stay in,” he protested. “I've asked Sam Williams to come over.”
“I'll telephone Mrs. Williams.”
“Mamma!” Penrod's voice became agonized. “I HAD to give that bread to a—to a poor ole man. He was starving and so were his children and his wife. They were all just STARVING—and they couldn't wait while I took time to come and ask you, Mamma. I got to GO outdoors this afternoon. I GOT to! Sam's—”
She relented.
In the carriage-house, half an hour later, Penrod gave an account of the episode.
“Where'd we been, I'd just like to know,” he concluded, “if I hadn't got out here this afternoon?”
“Well, I guess I could managed him all right,” Sam said. “I was in the passageway, a minute ago, takin' a look at him. He's standin' up again. I expect he wants more to eat.”
“Well, we got to fix about that,” said Penrod. “But what I mean—if I'd had to stay in the house, where would we been about the most important thing in the whole biz'nuss?”