“I don’t believe even pirates tell stories,” added Dot, with grave conviction.
“I ain’t! I ain’t telling a story,” repeated the small boy, with earnestness. “She did! she did!”
“I never! I never!” responded Agnes.
“Wait!” put in Ruth, firmly. “We are getting nowhere. Of course you did not tell him he could come, Aggie; but he must have thought you said something like that. What did she say, Sammy Pinkney?”
“She said—she said,” choked the now much-abused-sounding Sammy. “She said she’d like to see me find room aboard the car—and I did!” and he concluded with something like triumph.
“Oh!” gasped Agnes.
“Well, I never!” exclaimed Mrs. Heard, and it must be confessed she was immensely amused. “What a boy!”
“Did you ever hear the like of that?” repeated Ruth, using one of Mrs. MacCall’s favorite expressions of amazement.
“I’m sure I didn’t mean——” began Agnes, but her older sister said, quickly:
“Of course you didn’t, deary! And that boy should have known better.”