“Not half so bad as you are, Gilly Irwin!”
“Me? Who said I’s bad?”
“Well, you are; but your mamma doesn’t know it, and that’s why you don’t be punished.”
Gilly whistled. Perhaps he felt that there was some truth in this.
“Your mamma punishes you more’n you are naughty,” he said.
“Now you stop!” cried Jimmy. “My mamma always finds out things. She isn’t talking all the time with ladies in the parlor, the way your mamma is.”
“Pshaw! You think you have the best mamma and best papa and best everything!” exclaimed Gilly.
“So I have!” said Jimmy confidently.
This was more than even the mild-tempered Gilly could bear.