Gilbert entered, followed slowly by Jimmy.
“Can you sell us some candy, ma’am?” asked Gilly in a low voice. It was dawning upon him that he had made some mistake.
“Candy? Did you think I kept it to sell?”
Mrs. Alvord smiled as she asked the question. She was a gentle, graceful lady, all in black. She had been putting on her bonnet when the children knocked, and had not finished tying the strings.
“I don’t keep candy to sell. You’ve come to the wrong place, my dears.”
“Oh!” said Jimmy.
“Oh!” echoed Gilly, gazing regretfully at his portemonnaie. He had kept it all the while in his hand.
“Have you been trying to buy candy?”
“Yes, ma’am,” answered Gilly; “but the candy-men ’most all have gone off to Fourth o’ July.”