"Jackie," she said, turning to him, "will you answer me a question? Did I visit you two weeks ago, and did I call upon Mrs. Parker?"
Jack gave one look at Cynthia, and then, dropping on the grass, rolled over and over in an ecstasy of mirth.
"You're in for it now, Miss Cynthia!" he chuckled.
Miss Betsey drew herself up.
"You have not answered my questions. Was I here two weeks ago, and did I call upon Mrs. Parker?"
"No, no, Aunt Betsey!" shouted Jack. "You weren't! You didn't! Go ahead, Cynth! Out with it! My eye, I'm glad I'm here and nowhere else! I've been waiting for this happy day. Now you'll get paid up for fooling me."
And again he rolled, his long legs beating the air.
"I think you are mean, Jack, when you were the one that made me go!" exclaimed Cynthia, indignantly. Then she relapsed into silence. How could she ever confess to Aunt Betsey?
Miss Trinkett hastened the climax.
"I don't know why Jack finds this so amusing. It is not so to my mind; but if you are quite sure that I was not here, and that I did not call upon Mrs. Parker, I must ask you to drive down with me at once and state the facts to her. I cannot have it insinuated that I am no longer capable of judging for myself, and of knowing what I do and what I don't do. She actually told me to my face that I was getting childish. What would Silas say? But I'll never tell him that. I would like to go at once."