“J’ever hear such a racket?” he asked and not expecting a reply, went on, “It does look to me, Rowland, as though the city ought to put in three or four more courts.”
“Three or four more courts,” echoed Eddie with a wail. “What you wishin’ off on me, Bill? Don’t I have enough to do now? Don’t I work here ’til eight o’clock at night? Don’t I get up at six to get the courts marked? Say, don’t I? Where would I be with more courts?”
“Why, you would have a helper, and that would be me,” said Bill, uncrossing his legs and elevating the other foot. “Of course you do all those things, but don’t you drag down a man’s pay for it? I say you do! Gosh! I don’t see why you don’t apply for a helper anyhow. How’s that, Rowland? I’ll help you for anything in reason. Say thirty a month.”
“Thirty a month!” cried Eddie, sitting up. “Thirty a ... say, Bill, what sort of a drag do you suppose I have with the Park Commissioners? Why, I only get forty-five myself.”
“Course you do,” said Bill, grinning. “Course you do, and you grudge me thirty! Tell you what, you are always yelling about how hard you work and all that. All right. I will do half your work for you, and you can split even with me.”
“No, you don’t, and no, I can’t!” said Eddie with the decision of the man who has his job clamped down tight. “Go find yourself a job, the way I did!”
“I would,” said Bill; “I would do it just to show you what a real fellow can do in the way of getting a real life-sized job, but it’s too late. It’s only a little while before school begins, and I have to study.”
“Only a little while!” repeated Eddie. “I say it is! Today is the sixth of July. Oh, man, you amuse me!” He flopped down again, and crossed his legs like Bill, but they did not stick up as high. They were short, stocky legs, those belonging to Eddie.
“Well, I don’t know what I shall do,” said Bill. “I do want a job, but mamma says I have got to go to Georgetown and visit my Aunts down there.”
“Yes, and how you do hate it!” sneered Eddie. “I do pity you! Three Aunts with slews of coin, and two automobiles, and horses, and dogs, and cows and cats, and more cake. I guess I don’t forget the time I went there with you.”