But she said she thought of taking a house at Bolton for the summer, while her husband was away at the war; it was seashore, and it was also near the city, where she could hear the war-news soon.
And then Sonny Boy felt sure that he should not miss his extra pay for the parrot.
His sister Polly would not think that a boy ought to want to ride on a buffalo; she would say that none of the Plummers had ever done such a thing. But Aunt Kate was different.
“There are other things I want, Aunt Kate,” said Sonny Boy suddenly, and he stood as tall as he could before his aunt—so tall that his shoulders scarcely stooped and his bow-legs were almost straight. “I’ve got to have them!” Sonny Boy’s red cheeks grew quite pale and his voice was gruff with feeling.
“Why, Sonny Boy dear, what can the things be that you want so much!” said Aunt Kate wonderingly.
“Spelling and fractions,” said Sonny Boy firmly.
“You dear boy! I never heard of a boy who thought so much of his lessons as that!” exclaimed Aunt Kate.
“It’s to show another fellow—stupider than I am,” said Sonny Boy. “And crookeder. I’ve got to get straight and be a soldier, too, to show him how.” And he told her about Otto.
Aunt Kate hugged him and laughed a little and cried a little. And she said it was a beautiful idea and he should have a tutor so that he could learn spelling and fractions very fast. And he should go to a gymnasium and straighten his shoulders and his legs. And his uncle would take him to camp to see the soldiers drill.
And she would buy him some more white mice. But that last offer Sonny Boy declined. He wanted no white mice but those! And he didn’t want those, because he liked better to have Otto and the poor invalid children have them.