'Don’t worry, Mr. Rudinsky,' she said, looking out of her glad eyes. 'And you, Mrs. Rudinsky, don’t think for a moment that David doesn’t understand. He’s had a bad time, the poor boy, but I know—Oh, I must speak to him! Will he wake soon, do you think?'
Mr. Rudinsky left the room without a word.
'It’s all right,' said David’s mother, in reply to an anxious look from Miss Ralston. 'He sleeps already the whole afternoon.'
It had grown almost dark while they talked. Mrs. Rudinsky now lighted the lamps, apologizing to her guest for not having done so sooner, and then she released Bennie from his prolonged attendance in the store.
Bennie came into the kitchen chewing his reward, some very gummy confection. He was obliged to look the pent-up things he wanted to say, until such time as he could clear his clogged talking-gear.
'Teacher,' he began, before he had finished swallowing, 'What for did you say—'
'Bennie!' his mother reproved him, 'You must shame yourself to listen by the door.'
'Well, there wasn’t any trade, ma,' he defended himself, 'only Bessie Katz, and she brought back the peppermints she bought this morning, to change them for taffy, but I didn’t because they were all dirty, and one was broken—'
Bennie never had a chance to bring his speeches to a voluntary stop: somebody always interrupted. This time it was his father, who came down the stairs, looking so grave that even Bennie was impressed.
'He’s awake,' said Mr. Rudinsky. 'I lighted the lamp. Will you please come up, ma’am?'