“Why, where do these come from?” cried Lee Amoy, the mother, when she tried to lift the Little Fat One on to her lap and found him too heavy to raise.
Lee Chu and Lee Yen looked away.
“You bad boys!” exclaimed the mother angrily. “You have been on the beach instead of at school. When your father comes in I shall tell him to cane you.”
“No, no, not bad!” contradicted the Little Fat One, scrambling after the stones which were slipping from his tunic. His mother picked up some of them, observing silently that they were particularly fine.
“They are the most beautiful pebbles that ever were seen,” said Lee Chu sorrowfully. He felt sure that his mother would cast them away.
“The sea will never give up as fine again,” declared Lee Yen despairingly.
“Then why did you not each keep what you found?” asked the mother.
“Because—” said Lee Chu, then looked at the Little Fat One.
“Because—” echoed Lee Yen, and also looked at the Little Fat One.
The mother’s eyes softened.