"So you can. Halloa, little man! How do you do?" This was said to Franky, who had just come up with Jane.
Franky remembered Mr. Hall quite well, and he also remembered how the old gentleman used to give him sugar-plums out of his pocket.
"Welly well," he answered. "Me want sudar-plum."
"Oh, you naughty boy!" said Maggie.
"Dear, dear," said Mr. Hall. "I quite forgot the sugar-plums this afternoon. When I saw my little friends going up the street, I thought of nothing but the pleasure of joining them, and hurried out as quickly as I could."
"Dive Franky sudar-plums," said the child again.
"Oh, Franky!" said Bessie, "don't be so yude. You make us very mortified. Please to 'scuse him, Mr. Hall; he don't know any better, 'cause he's only three years old."
Mr. Hall laughed and offered Franky his stick to ride on, but the little boy would not take it; and when he found he could not have the sugar-plums, walked away with an offended air, which amused the old gentleman very much, though it distressed his sisters, who thought him very impolite.
"And now tell me about Quam Beach," said Mr. Hall. "You liked it very much, did you?"