“Considerable bean, too,” said Honey. “Well, we’ve got to put a stop to it to-night.”
“Sure!” Ralph agreed. “Read the riot act the instant we get home. By the Lord Harry, if it’s necessary I’ll tie my wife up!”
“I never could do that,” said Pete.
“Nor I,” said Frank.
“Nor I,” said Honey. “But I don’t think we’ll have to resort to violent measures. We’ve only got to appeal to their love; I can twist Lulu right round my finger that way.”
“I guess you’re right,” Ralph smiled. “That always fetches them.”
“I don’t anticipate any real trouble from this,” Billy went on as though arguing with himself. “We’ve got to take it at the start, though. We can’t have Angela flying after she’s grown.”
“Sure,” said Honey, “it’ll blow over in a few days. But now that they can walk, let’s offer to teach them how to dance and play tennis and bocci and golf. And I’ll tell you what—we’ll lay out some gardens for them—make them think they’re beautifying the place. We might even teach them how to put up shelves and a few little carpentering tricks like that. That’ll hold them for a while. Oh, you’ll all come round to my tactics sooner or later! Pay them compliments! Give them presents! Jolly them along! And say, it will be fun to have some mixed doubles. Gee, though, they’ll be something fierce now they’ve learned how to walk. They’ll be here half the time. They’ll have so many ideas how the New Camp ought to be built and a woman is such an obstinate cuss. Asking questions and arguing and interfering—they delay things so. We’ve got to find out something harmless that’ll keep them busy.”
“Oh, we never can have them here—never in the world,” Ralph agreed. “But we’ll fix them to-night. How about it, old top?” he inquired jovially of Frank.
Frank did not answer.