To their great disgust, however, just outside the barnyard, they found Mamie Hecker lurking.
“I seen yer,” she said, triumphantly. “You’ve got some eggs, and you’re a-goin’ to the store to swap them for some candy. I’m a-goin’, too.”
“Now, Mamie Hecker,” said Eunice, stopping angrily, “you can go straight home. You shan’t go one step with us.”
Mamie squinted up her impish little black eyes, provokingly.
“Road’s mine as much as yours,” she said, dancing around, in a way peculiar to herself. “You can’t help my walkin’ in it.”
“You shan’t come with us,” said Eunice, stubbornly, ignoring that point.
“I’ll come as far as my father’s fence, any way,” said Mamie, walking backwards in front of them.
“You’re a horrid, mean, little copy-cat,” said Cricket, wrathfully. “I shouldn’t think you’d like to come where you’re not wanted.”
“I don’t keer,” returned Mamie, carelessly. “I want some candy.”
“We’ve given you candy, and we’ve given you candy,” said Cricket, “and the more we give you, the more you want. You shall not go one step with us to-day.”