“Have we got to have that thing round, Mother?” he demanded in deep disgust. He had just deluged his hot cakes with cream which Olga had put in the syrup jug by mistake.
“I’m afraid so, my son, until we can find someone better. Girls are hard to get in this town. Alice has certainly spoiled us.”
“What did you let her go for?” Ernest grumbled as if keeping her with them were optional.
“Why, Ernest, I thought you were pleased with Alice’s good fortune.”
“Well, that’s not saying I want her to go off and never see her again.”
“Oh, you’ll see me again, Ernest,” said Alice, coming into the room just then and divining the boy’s mood.
“I am coming back to Centerville as soon as I finish school. It seems so hard to leave you all. You’ve been so good to me——”
Alice broke down and turned hurriedly away to hide her tears.
Chicken Little jumped up and threw her arms around Alice’s waist, laying her face against her hands lovingly.
Alice hugged the child tight.