"Yes."
And Dank said, "Have they taken Ponto off the chain yet?"
"No."
"Well, then, that shows you what pigs they are."
And when she saw Mark looking at her she felt small and silly and ashamed.
II.
It was the last week of the midsummer holidays. Mark and Dank had gone to stay for three days at Aunt Bella's, and on the second day they had been sent home.
Mamma and Roddy were in the garden when they came. They were killing snails in a flower-pot by putting salt on them. The snails turned over and over on each other and spat out a green foam that covered them like soapsuds as they died.
Mark's face was red and he was smiling. Even Dank looked proud of himself and happy. They called out together, "We've been sent home."
Mamma looked up from her flower-pot.