"Perhaps Dave will get you a partridge—Doctor Bennett said you could eat that. Did you ever eat partridge?"
"Yes," returned Billy.
"Where?" demanded Bettie and Henrietta, with one voice.
"At—at—oh, it's gone!" wailed Billy, "when I had it right at the end of my tongue."
"Don't worry," soothed motherly Jean. "You're a lot better than you were yesterday. We can all see that."
"Think so? Well, maybe I am. Is that—yes, it is milk toast. Tastes just like food. Sure I'm ready for another bite."
"It's the good sweet cream those people brought," said Mrs. Crane.
"I hope," murmured Billy, between bites, "they'll come often."
"I don't," protested Mabel. "Visitors are a nuisance—they stir things up too much."