Noticing Carlitos at her side just then, Jo Ann remarked to Florence, “Before you forget it, you’d better tell Carlitos and the other children about the party.”
“All right.” As Florence knew that the word party had no meaning for the children she began explaining about the cakes and dulces that she and the girls would have up at the house for them. Immediately their faces began to beam.
“Oh, señorita, we’ll be most happy to come!” Carlitos explained, acting as spokesman for the younger children.
As soon as Dr. Blackwell had completed the examination of Pepito, he came over beside the girls. With the keenest interest he eyed Carlitos and talked to him for a few minutes; then he turned to Florence and said, “I’m going back to your mother now, but you girls may stay as long as you like.”
“We’ll be along in a little while,” Florence replied. “We’re not quite ready to leave.”
After he had given the parents a few directions about caring for Pepito, he bade them all “Adios” and left.
No sooner had he gone than Jo Ann suggested to Florence that she ask José about the part the big mean boss had played in Carlitos’ life. “Ask him what made that man so mean to Carlitos’ mother and if he has any idea what became of his father.”
“Well, I’ll do my best, but first I want to tell María about Daddy’s not being able to find that Mr. Eldridge.”
After Florence had talked to María a few minutes, she began questioning José. Jo Ann listened intently to their conversation, but José talked so rapidly that she could catch only a word now and then. Finally, discouraged, she remarked to Peggy, “Why is it that foreigners always talk so much faster than Americans?”
Peggy laughed. “It does sound that way, but I suppose they really don’t.”