“Fee!� Red Mayo stared in amazement. “Assuredly you don’t think I’d accept his dirty money! Case! I informed him he had none.�
“But I did knock him down.�
“Of course you did. When he repeated what he said, I’d have knocked him down myself, if he hadn’t been in my own office. I told him if The Village heard such talk, he’d be tarred and feathered and drummed out of the community. Then I ordered him out of my office.�
“And that is how you treat your rara avis, a client!� said Black Mayo.
“What is a client?� repeated Sweet William, whose questions were always answered because he never stopped asking till they were.
“A client, young man, is the golden-egg goose that a lawyer tries to lure into his coop,� Black Mayo explained. “One fluttered to your father and he shooed it away.�
“I wish I had a goose that laid gold eggs,� said Sweet William. “I wouldn’t kill it, like the silly man in that story.�
“Perhaps I can find one and trade it to you for Hop-o-hop,� suggested his cousin.
Sweet William considered and shook his head. “Hop-o-hop couldn’t get on without me,� he said gravely.
“Ah, it’s a family failing,� laughed Black Mayo, as they left the table. “None of you is willing to pay the price for the goose.�