"Fierce!" commented Grace. "Think she bites?"
"Might," replied Cleo under her breath.
Louise was ordering stamps, and her friends pretended to examine the alluring display of new post-cards.
"Oh, my!" whispered Grace. "What is this we have come upon? Please look over in that far corner!"
They followed the direction indicated and saw there a very tall, awkward boy, pouring over a badly worn book, and making notes on a slip of yellow paper. He wore glasses, and possessed that queerly undefinable personality, usually ascribed to the gawky boy, or he who is different from others.
"Look!" begged Louise grasping the arms of Grace and Cleo. "He has the same kind of paper we found in the bottle!"
"Our fire-bug!" breathed Cleo, edging away in mock alarm. "Behold his avenger!" and she held aloft a pretty yellow lolly-pop lately chosen from the candy case.
The boy never noticed those about him, but literally poured over his book and dug notes out with a stubby pencil.
Meanwhile the girl with the bag of coins had procured her confections, and was now counting her change. As she passed the girls she looked boldly at them and actually stuck out her tongue!
Grace roared laughing. The outburst caused the boy in the corner to drop his pencil and stare.