“Yes, like the heroines do in books.”
“What you going to do to Johnny?”
But Jane had it all thought out.
“His hands most always need washing awful bad—I did think of that, but they don’t seem ever to begin with hands. They most always make them promise not to use tobacco or drink wine and stuff.”
“Yes,” said Grace doubtfully, “but Johnny doesn’t do anything like that—Mr. Carter would lick him if he did. He’s temperance and awful strict with Johnny. I heard Mother say so.”
“Johnny chews gum. I’ve seen him lots of times—I think gum’s most as bad as tobacco don’t you?”
“Maybe it’s just as bad for a boy. Miss Brown always makes us throw it in the waste-paper basket.”
“Well, my mother thinks it’s a horrid habit. She says no lady would do such a thing.”
“How you going to make him quit?”
This was a point that was not quite clear to Chicken Little herself. To tell the truth she and Johnny had not been on very good terms since the candy episode. She thought it best to be a little vague with Grace.