"For the love of Mike, Ma Gilligan, where are you going to?" I says, looking at her idly.
"I'm leaving you forever!" says Ma, in a deep voice.
"Leaving us? Whatter you mean, leaving us?" I says, taking notice and my head off Jim's shoulder.
"I'm going back to work," says Ma. "I'm not going to be dependent on you no longer," she says, "nor a burden in my old age," she says. "And now that you got Jim back I shall only be in the way, so good-by, Gawd bless you!"
"Why, Ma Gilligan!" I yells, jumping to my feet. "How you talk! Besides what on earth do you think you could do?"
"Oh, I got a job," she flashes, proudly. "I'm going back to the circus!"
Believe you me, that pretty near had me floored.
"The circus!" I says. "What nonsense! Why a trapezer has to be half your age to say nothing of weight!"
"I'm not going on no trapeze at my years!" says Ma. "I'm going back as Fat Lady. One hundred a week and expenses!"
All of a sudden I realized the full meaning of them doughnuts and cocoa and etc she had eat these past months. She had been deliberately training and as usual was successful. I sprung to my feet and hung around Ma's neck like a ten-year-old.