"Very nice and sweet, my darling," was the whispered reply, accompanied by a tender caress.
Walter, hardly waiting until the necessary introductions were over, burst out eagerly, "Zoe, do you know where that pup is?"
"What pup?" she asked.
"I don't know his name."
"Well, what about him?"
"I thought he was in Max's pocket, but he wasn't, and neither was the hen."
The tea-bell rang at that instant, and Rosie, putting her lips to Walter's ear, whispered, "Do keep quiet about it, and we'll have some fun."
"Will we?" he asked with a look of mingled wonder and pleasure; "then I'll keep quiet."
All through the meal Walter was on the qui vive for the fun, but there was none beyond a few jests and pleasantries which were by no means unusual in their cheerful family circle.
"There wasn't a bit of fun, Rosie," he complained to her after all had returned to the parlor.