“Yes, I am.”
“Well,” said the boy, with a sigh, “they’ll just about kill me there.”
“What for?” demanded Tess and Dot, in chorus.
“Guess you warn’t at home an hour ago?” said Tommy, a faint grin dawning on his face.
“No. We came over here right after lunch,” said Tess.
“Wow! wait till you hear about it,” groaned Tommy. “Just wait!” and he refused to explain further.
At the Meadow Street fruit stand, there was great excitement when the procession appeared. Mrs. Maroni feared that it was the baby who had fallen into the canal and she ran out, screaming.
Such a chattering Tess and Dot had never heard before. Joe and his wife and all the children—including Maria and the baby—screeched at the top of their voices. Somehow an understanding of the facts was gathered by Mr. and Mrs. Maroni, and they began to calm down.
Then Tess put in a good word for Maria, and told Joe that she had saved the life of Tommy, who was a friend of theirs—and a friend of the “litla Padrona,” as Joe insisted upon calling Ruth.
So the excitable Italian was pacified, and without visiting Mrs. Kranz on this occasion, Tess and Dot bade the Maronis good-by, kissed the baby, and with Tommy Rooney started for home.