Daisy selected half a dozen or more, and gave the rest of the lot back to the little one, who went on round the circle, letting each pick out his own letters.
Patty had about a dozen letters, and cards and greetings of various sorts. Some she tore open and read aloud, some she read to herself, and some she kept to open when she might be alone.
“Have you opened all your letters, Patty?” asked Jim, looking at her, quizzically.
“No; I saved father’s and Nan’s to read by myself, you people are so distracting.”
“Oho! Father’s and Nan’s! Oho! aha! And are those the only ones you saved to read by yourself, young lady?”
“I saved Elise’s, also,” said Patty, looking at him, a little surprised. “Aren’t you the inquisitive gentleman, anyway!”
“Elise’s! Oh, yes, Elise’s! And how about that big blue one,—what have you done with that?”
“I don’t see any big blue one,” said Patty, innocently. “What do you mean, Jim?”
“Oho! what do I mean? What, indeed!”
“Now, stop, Jim,” said his wife. “I don’t know what you’re teasing Patty about, but she shan’t be teased. If she wants to keep her big blue letter to herself, she’s going to keep it, that’s all.”