“Oh, I’m not thinking of much,” said Neddie, with a look through the woods to see if he could see his Uncle Wigwag trying to play any tricks on him.
“Oh, but you must be thinking of something,” insisted Beckie. “For I have had to speak to you twice before you answered, and when mamma asked if you didn’t want to scrape out the frosting dish when she was making a cake, you said: ‘I would if I didn’t have to have a ring in my nose.’ What in the world did you mean, Neddie?”
“Hush!” exclaimed the little bear boy, looking all around. “Not so loud. Some one may hear you!”
“Well, what if they do?” asked Beckie in surprise. “I only said what you said about having a ring in your nose——”
“Hush, that’s it!” exclaimed Neddie. “You know——”
“I know you said the tame trained bear had one,” went on Beckie, “but what has that got to do with you!”
“Hush!” exclaimed Neddie, coming nearer and taking hold of Beckie’s paw, “that’s it, Beckie. How would you like to become a trained bear and do tricks, Beckie?”
“Like it? Why, I wouldn’t like it at all!” exclaimed the little bear girl. “I think it would be perfectly horrid to have a ring in your nose.”
“Well, maybe we wouldn’t have to,” went on her brother. “That’s what I’ve been thinking of.”
“Why, Neddie Stubtail!” exclaimed Beckie. “I’m going straight and tell mamma! The very idonical idea!”