"Please, Susan!" begged Mrs. Milo, with a look which made her daughter fall back apologetically. And to Ikey, "How did you come by that wound?"
The truth would not do. And the truth was even now on the very tip of Ikey's heedless tongue. Sue gave him a little sidewise push. "Mother dear," she explained, "it was accidental."
Aghast at the very boldness of the statement, Ikey came about upon the defender. "Ac-ci-den-tal!" he cried; "dat he smashes me in de hand? Oh, Momsey!"
"Sh! Sh!" implored Sue.
But the worst had happened. Now, voice or no voice, aunt or no aunt,
Ikey must be disciplined. Mrs. Milo caught him by a white sleeve. "Ikey
Einstein!" she breathed, appalled.
"Yes, Missis?"
"Please don't 'Missis' me! What did you call my daughter?"
"I—I mean Miss Milo."
"What did you call my daughter?"
"Mother," pleaded Sue, "it slipped out."