“What do you suppose that is, Tess Kenway?” she demanded, stopping short.
“Goodness! what does it say?” responded Tess, puzzled for the moment.
“Why! it looks just like what was tacked on the front door of the Creamers’ house when Mabel’s sisters had quarantine. Don’t you ‘member?” demanded Dot.
“Oh, dear me!” cried Tess. “It’s scarlet fever. Then Sammy’s really got it!”
“Is—is it catching?” asked Dot, backing away and hugging tighter her Alice-doll, which she had snatched out of the carriage.
“I—guess—so,” said Tess. “Oh, poor Sammy!”
“Do you ‘spect he’ll die?” asked Dot, in awed tone.
“Oh, goodness me! I don’t know!” exclaimed Tess.
“And won’t he ever grow up to be a pirate?” queried Dot, for to the mind of the smallest Corner House girl romance gilded Sammy Pinkney’s proposed career.
“Scarlet fever’s dreadful bad. And we mustn’t go in,” Tess said.