“We’re having lots of fun!” said Janet.
“Piles of it!” agreed Ted.
“I likes it lots,” declared Trouble. “What you takin’ off ma’s diamond for?” he asked Janet, for she was unclasping the locket from her neck.
“I have to wash the dishes,” she answered, “and you never wash dishes with a diamond locket on.”
“Let me see locket!” begged Trouble, as Janet was about to lay it on the box that served as the cupboard.
“Be very careful of it!” cautioned Janet. She let her small brother take the sparkling ornament in his hand and admire it for a few moments. Then Janet took it again and put it on the box. She was preparing to “wash the dishes,” which was only make-believe, of course; Trouble was again digging in his hole; Ted was up in the tree, pretending to be an airship conductor; when suddenly there sounded a loud crash in front of the house.
“Something’s happened!” exclaimed Janet.
“I go see!” offered Trouble, dropping his shovel.
“It’s an automobile smash-up!” shouted Ted. “I can see it from here!” and he began to scramble down from the tree. “Two cars are smashed up!” he went on.
The two Curlytops and Trouble hurried to the front gate, anxious to see what had happened.