"They'll leave you alone," he assured her. "Let me pick up your eggs."
They were smashed beyond all hope of salvage, but he gathered the fragments of shell, with as much of the dust-laden yolks as he could scrape up, and placed them gravely in the torn, soggy bag. Then he took the bread and the butter from her very gently and turned his back on the gang.
"I'll carry them all for you," he said, almost in a whisper. "Let's go home now."
She acquiesced silently. They strolled down the leafy walk. John's back tingled unpleasantly, for he expected a shower of missiles. Louise's weeping ceased, save for an occasional sniffle. At last Silvey roused himself from the amazed silence into which his chum's actions had thrown him, and seized upon the solution of the mystery.
"Johnny an' Lou-i-ise! Johnny an' Lou-i-ise!"
Louise flushed scarlet and bit her lip. John turned and stuck out his tongue defiantly. An awkward silence followed.
"I'll punch that kid's head off when I catch him," he growled as the shouts continued. Louise looked up at him shyly.