Ted was getting down out of the tree when Janet reached the porch, and Trouble was digging in a new place for worms.
“You were gone a long time,” said Ted. “I blew the whistle three times. I got to have my dinner,” he went on, “’cause the ship’s got to sail to China right away soon.”
“Oh, all right, I’ll get your dinner quick,” offered Janet, pretending to be serious. “I just stopped a minute to look at the tame crow,” she said. “He stood on one leg for me.”
“He’s done it for me, too,” said Ted.
“And he could be in a show if he wanted to, only Mr. Jenk won’t sell him,” added Janet.
“Maybe we could get up a circus and have him in one of the acts,” suggested Ted. “Oh, mother let you take the diamond, didn’t she?” he asked, as he saw the sparkle on Janet’s neck.
“Yes, I can wear it while we play house,” she answered. “Now I’ll get dinner. Did you blow the whistle for Trouble to come?” she asked.
“Yes, I did. But he says he’s a fisherman, and fishermen only come when a horn blows, so I got to blow a horn,” laughed Ted.
“Honk! Honk,” he went, pretending to be a horn. Then Trouble dropped his shovel and hurried to the “house” to get some of the cookies before his brother and sister might eat them all.
The children sat on some little chairs that had once been a doll’s furniture set belonging to Janet, and they ate bits of cookies off a box that formed the “dining-room table.”