“I supposed you were in school,” she began indiscreetly.
“No, I thought I’d stay out and see you,” grinned Blue.
“Ah? Then your brother has spoken of me?”
“Oh, yes! He and I are great chums.”
“That’s very nice—just as all brothers should be,” she purred sweetly. “And then, of course, you agree with him about selling me the mocking bird,” she added tentatively, with a fluttering smile.
“Sure!” beamed Blue.
“Oh, I’m so glad! I do like to see boys ready to help their mother, and those twenty silver dollars will do her no end of good.”
“Ye—es,” drawled the boy, “I s’pose she or anybody’d like twenty dollars well enough; but I guess they’d like two hundred better, wouldn’t they?” His eyes sparkled.
“Two—hundred?” she repeated, frowning. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” and Blue’s eyes met her own squarely, “that we shan’t sell Caruso for less than two hundred dollars.”