Calvin looked from him to the girl, and then at the candy, helplessly.
"Well, look here!" he said. "Say! where do hossy and me come in? We've got to get our livin', you see."
"Could you get much living out of two sticks?" asked the little girl.
Calvin looked again at the round wistful eyes.
"This ain't no kind of way to do business!" he remonstrated. "You've got to airn it some way, you know. Tell you what! Let me see which can holler loudest, and I'll give you a stick apiece."
The babes closed their eyes, threw back their heads, and bellowed to the skies.
"That's first rate!" said Calvin. "Good lung power there, young uns! go it again!"
The children roared like infant bulls of Bashan. At this moment the door of the house flew open and a woman appeared wild-eyed.
"What's the matter?" she cried. "Susy, be you hurt? Eben, has something bit you?"
"Don't you be scairt, Marm!" said Calvin affably. "They was just showin' off their lung power, and they've got a first rate article of it."