"Mother!" he cried, poking his head out to the shady front veranda where his mother and aunt sat sewing, "Hal's going to the commons; may I go too?"
His mother looked up from her sewing rather doubtfully.
"O, I really don't know, dearie!" she began.
"O, let the poor wee man go!" pleaded Aunt Kate, when she saw the look of disappointment on Bobby's round face. "Hal will take care of him."
"Well, keep near Hal, Bobby. I don't like your crossing the railroad track."
Bobby bounded out to the back yard in high glee, waving the lacrosse stick.
"Mother says I can go, too," he shouted, jumping down the steps in a manner that made Tiger and Topsy rise up indignantly and move to one side.
"O pshaw!" cried his brother, hammering a nail rather viciously. "What do you always want to follow me round for?"
"O, can't I go?" cried the little fellow, in distress. "Aw, Hal, do let me!"
"I can't have a kid like you forever tagging after me. Why can't you play with boys of your own age? You can't come today, that's all about it."