They told him of their morning's shopping, and he listened with absorbed interest.
Then Nell, who hated to have a grievance hidden away, brought hers out reproachfully.
"I do think it was awfully nasty of you to go away and forget I was keeping a place for you the other night."
He promptly dropped a parcel.
"Forget!" he exclaimed, standing on Noah, and surrounded by his relations and his horses and his cows and his elephants and his trees. "Why, Pennington took my place!"
"Oh, but that was only till you should come back."
"Fool!" he muttered savagely, and kicked Noah's aunt.
"Be careful, boy!" shrilled the Atom, who was picking up Noah and his impedimenta.
"Sorry!" He stooped and helped her.
"So," said Mistress Nell, "you thought I broke my word!"