“Yes,” said Mrs. Burton, giving Toddie a light squeeze. “I’ve been through that, too.”
“Why!” said Budge, “you was awful little once, wasn’t you? Well, did you ever have to wonder where God stood when he made the world out of nothing?”
“An’ did you ever have to fink how the sweet outsides got made onto date-stones an’ peach-pits?” asked Toddie.
“Oh, yes.”
“Then tell us all about ’em.”
“You asked me about dreams this morning, dear,” said Mrs. Burton, addressing Budge, “and——”
“I know I did,” said Budge; “but I’d rather know about dates an’ peaches now. I can’t dream any more till I go to bed; but I can buy dates inside of a quarter of an hour, if you’ll give me pennies. Oh, say—I’ll tell you what—you send me to buy some, and then you can explain about ’em easier. It’ so much nicer to see how things are than to have to think about ’em.”
“I can’t spare you now, dear, to go after dates. I may not have time to talk to you when you get back.”
“Oh, we’d manage not to bother you. I think we could find out all about ’em ourselves, if we had enough of ’em to do it with.”
“Very well,” said Mrs. Burton, compromising reluctantly. “I’ll tell you about something else at present; then I will give you some money to purchase dates, and you may study them for yourselves.”