“I suppose he’s told her,” thought Roy.
This was the case. There was a flush in Mrs. Pell’s cheeks as she came up, and Rex exclaimed as soon as he was within speaking distance: “Mother knows. Have you told the girls yet, Roy?”
A look of annoyance crossed Mrs. Pell’s face, but before either she or Roy could say anything, Jess sprang to her feet, nearly upsetting the bowl of strawberries in the act.
“Told you what? There’s been an air of mystery about you ever since you left the creek yesterday afternoon.”
“Of course there has,” exclaimed Rex exuberantly. “And it’s something worth being mysterious about, eh, brub? What should you say, sisters mine, if I should tell you that the magic wand of fortune has been waved over the Pellery, which will transform yonder sober fowls into gallant steeds, these homely pups into expensive hounds of the hunt, and—”
“Reginald.”
Rex always knew he had gone too far when his mother spoke like that. He ceased abruptly and dashed into the house, as if to cut himself off from temptation to transgress further. The next moment they heard him whistling a comic opera air up in his room.
“Mother, you tell me what all this means, won’t you?” This from Jess in almost a desperate tone.
“Yes, you may as well all know now,” said Mrs. Pell, sinking into a chair. “I find that half of the town seems to be aware of it already.”
“It! It! Quick, mother. It isn’t something awful, is it?”