“Egg-chocolates are fifteen cents apiece, and five times fifteen are seventy-five, instead of sixty, Teddy boy,” asserted Margie. “I don’t wonder your old machine wouldn’t fly if you can’t make your calculations any better than that.”
“Now don’t get too puffed up because you can multiply fifteen by five. I said sixty cents because Sallie won’t buy herself a drink, wouldn’t if she never had any,” chuckled Ted, his sister’s anger at this flaunting of her “closeness” repaying him for her gibe of the moment before.
“Wait till we get our tickets and then I’ll treat,” announced Phil, taking his brother’s arm and heading him toward the long row of ticket windows.
In dismay, Mrs. Porter looked from the boys to her daughters.
“There’s—there’s no hurry about the tickets, is there?” she stammered. “How long before the train goes, Phil?”
“Two hours, Momsy.”
“Then there is plenty of time, I am sure.”
“But we might as well get them now and then we shall not be obliged to bother about them later. Besides, it is so early that we ought to be able to get the best berths. Come on, Ted.”
Again Mrs. Porter and her daughters exchanged swift and significant glances.
“Oh, bother the tickets! Come, have the egg-chocolates first,” exclaimed Sallie. “I’m just going to fool you, Ted, so you’d better come and watch me buy a soda for myself.”