"Papa, what do you think?"
"Oh, I think ever so many things," he replied, laughing.
"Now, you naughty man, you're going to tease again. But I've begun wrong way about, as usual. I want to ask a favour."
"I expected as much, Eva," said her father, smiling. "But how many more Christmas presents will you want?"
"But this is not a present exactly."
"Oh, indeed," he said, pretending to look serious.
"Now, don't be a tease," she said, pulling his whiskers, "for I'm quite serious. Now listen."
"I'm all attention, my dear."
"You want a little boy to run errands and sweep out the office, and do little odd jobs, don't you?"
"Well, who has been telling you that?"