“You let her alone, an’ you let me alone!” ordered the ragged boy. “I ain’t done nothin’, an’ she ain’t done nothin’!”
“You shouldn’t say ‘ain’t,’ ’cause it ain’t—I mean it isn’t a good word. Our teacher says so,” Flossie quickly admonished the strange boy.
“Well, I don’t care what I say, you oughtn’t to drive us away from lookin’ in this winder,” objected the boy. “Nice smells comes out; and when you ain’t—I mean when you isn’t got any money to buy candy, you can smell it!”
Flossie and Freddie looked at each other in surprise. To be so poor that one had to “smell” candy instead of eating it, was to be poor indeed! Flossie opened her fat chubby hand and looked at the two moist pennies clutched there. Freddie did the same. Then the small Bobbsey twins, with one accord, held out the money to the boy and girl.
“Here,” said Freddie. “Take it!”
“Mine too!” added Flossie. “You can buy candy with it!”
For a moment the ragged boy and girl did not know what to say. Then a smile came over the boy’s face. His fist unclenched, and his sister smiled too.
“You mean this—for us?” he asked.
“Sure!” answered Freddie. “We don’t need candy, and we’ll feel good for Thanksgivin’!”
“Oh, I’m going to buy two lollypops!” cried the ragged girl.