"Indeed I do," returned the Lefthandiron, "and Tom is about the finest Dormouse I ever saw, and I wish he'd let us get acquainted with him."
"So do I," said the other, "but if he doesn't it's his own loss. You and I can go off to Santa Clausville by ourselves and have quite as good a time, if not better, than if he were along with us. I've noticed one thing, my dear Lefty, two's best anyhow.
"Two people in an omnibus
Where there's but one settee,
Can both be seated with less fuss
Than if the twain were three.
"If there is candy for but four,
This maxim still holds true,
Each one will get so much the more
If there are only two.
"Two boys upon a teeter board
Can have just twice the fun
That any seesaw can afford
If there's another one.
"So I say, what if he doesn't come? You and I will enjoy ourselves just as much. There'll be more candy for us, we won't have to divide the good time we have up into more than two parts, and, what is more, neither of us will have to carry the Dormouse."
Here the two Andirons gave a sidelong glance at Tom, and saw that he was smiling.
"What are you laughing at?" asked the Righthandiron. "Eh, Dormouse?"
"If I'll be a Dormouse will you take me off on your good time with you?" asked Tom.
"Certainly, but we can't take anybody who denies that he is what he is or who says that his name doesn't belong to him."