While talking rapidly in Spanish, the woman picked up a long-stemmed, beautifully shaped bud of shell-pink color edged with silver, and then held up three fingers of her left hand.
“She says they’re three centavos each,” explained Jo Ann.
“Tell her I’ll take a dozen.”
“Un dosena,” she repeated in Spanish.
“Is that all you do—just add an a to the English words—rose-a, dozen-a? I could do that,” laughed Peggy.
“Don’t ever think it’s that simple, but there are several Spanish words which are much like the same words in English,” Jo Ann explained, feeling quite proud of her superior knowledge.
As the woman had seldom sold more than three or four flowers at a time, she had great difficulty now in figuring the cost of a dozen. Finally Jo Ann offered her assistance, and after arguing for some little time, Peggy received her change and the roses, and they started on their way again.
“Gracious! I feel like a bride with all these flowers,” laughed Peggy. “Suppose you take half of them.”
“All right—that’s the very thing.” Jo Ann’s eyes sparkled. “If I can only find the rope now, I can carry the bundle under these flowers, and it won’t be noticed.”
A moment later Peggy called to Jo Ann to stop again. “Just look at these beautiful blankets! Feel how soft they are and see how beautifully the colors are blended.”