“For the love of the board of health!” said his brother solemnly. “It’s a great thought, sonny, but do you suppose Mom wants to start in bringing up another lot of children? You know if she ever started, she would make a good job of it; you know how thorough she always is.”
“Yes, she is thorough, all right!” grinned Mom’s son. “Look at us!”
“She did the best she could with us, anyhow,” retorted Mom’s other son solemnly, “and I think, no, I know she would be tickled to death to do something as real and important as taking these two little chaps to bring up. And we could help support them if we had to, later.”
“That’s silly,” said Porky. “You know Dad has made a lot of money. And he could afford to bring up six of them if he wanted to.”
“Well, all he ever wants is what Mom wants,” said Beany.
“I guess that’s so too,” said Porky, “but perhaps some of those officers will have some other plans for them.”
He looked down at the child on his arm. Already he felt a tenderness for the starved, sickly little creature who had trusted him.
“One apiece,” he said, looking at Beany.
“One’s a girl, though,” said Beany.
Porky wanted to be fair.