"Oh, no, of course not. But, anyway, she vas pretty. Wasn't she, boys?"
"A hummer!" declared Walter, adjusting a porch steamer chair for
Cora.
"Well, if you want to hear about the letter—" began the girl.
"Hear about it? Why, we want to read it for ourselves!" cried Jack, and he tried to take it from his sister's hand. Cora struggled to retain it, and finding that she was being bested, threw it over Jack's head to Walter. He grabbed it, and defied his chum to touch it.
"Now, easy, fellows," begged Ed in his quiet way. "If there happens to be news from Mistress Mary, though she be quite contrary, pray let us hear it."
"That's what I say," added Walter, handing Cora the missive. "Now,
Jack, I'm going to stand on guard, and if you interfere again—"
"Oh, go ahead. I'll get it, anyway, later, when sis is asleep."
"No, you'll not!" declared his sister. "But this is the news," she went on guardedly. "Mary intimates that she knows something about the money."
"Is that so?" cried Ed eagerly.
"Oh, every one is intimating that," declared Jack in some contempt.
"Is that all? What we want is an intimation that makes good, eh,
Ed?"