"I should never be so foolish as to keep on wanting what I knew I could not have."
"Why!" exclaimed Budge. "Are grown folks as smart, as all that?"
Mrs. Burton's conscience smote her not over-lightly, and she hastened to change the subject, and to devote herself assiduously to Budge, as if to atone for some injury which she might have done to his brother. An occasional howl which fell from the attic-window increased her zeal for Budge's comfort. Under each one, however, her resolution grew weaker, and finally, with a hypocritical excuse to Budge, Mrs. Burton hurried up to the door of Toddie's prison, and said through the keyhole:
"Toddie?"
"What?" said Toddie.
"Will you be a good-boy, now!"
"Yesh, if you'll take me a-widin'."
Mrs. Burton turned abruptly away, and simply flew down the stairs. Budge, who awaited her at the foot, instinctively stood aside, and exclaimed:
"My! I thought you was goin' to tumble! Why didn't you bring him down?"
"Bring who?" asked Mrs. Burton, indignantly.