“He’s got a nice fresh face, and he seems a real nice lad. And there’s a girl about the size of Eileen there, and there’s another one in a sort of a pram or chair.”
“Oh, she must be the baby!” they gasped.
“No, she ain’t the baby, but I think she must be delicate. She looked about nine or ten.”
“Oh! Any more?”
“No, that’s all I seen.”
“You didn’t hear any more laughing or—crying anywhere, did you, Joe?”
“No,” he answered, testily; “of course I didn’t. Wouldn’t I know there was more if I heerd ’em laughing or crying?”
“Oh, the poor little delicate one. I’d love to see her. What a pity she won’t be able to join in our fun!” said Eileen.
“Now, that’s all I know about ’em,” said Joe. “So don’t you ever mention the new people to me again. If you want to find out any more go and see ’em for yourself, and don’t let on I said anything about the little delicate one—for there’s no knowin’ how they’ll take it.”
“All right, Joe—all right,” they shouted after him. “But what a pity!” they said among themselves, “there’s not more of them. If there were only five or six.”