“See,” said she, “here are mes amies, les petites marchandes de journaux. You will make friends with them while Pierrot and I visit Madame Courtois. It is a quiet street and Pierrot will not run away. We will soon return.”
In a little round stall at the corner sat two pretty young girls sewing and chatting together behind their piles of magazines and newspapers. They looked up with smiles and greeted Mère Marie gayly as she approached. They, too, were from the South and spoke French rather than Flemish. Henri liked them at once.
“This is my little Henri,” said Mère Marie to the newsgirls, “and his legs have become fatigued. May he sit with you while I visit Madame Courtois?”
Both girls laughed merrily at nothing at all and made a place for Henri on the narrow bench between them, while Mère Marie and Pierrot started up a side street. One of the girls had dimples in her cheeks and the other had curly hair which blew about her ears.
“Where is the old dog to-day?” asked one of the girls.
“He is ill,” replied Henri.
“And the young dog has learned to take his place?”
Henri nodded very solemnly. “Oh, yes,” said he, “we have taught him.”
Whereat both girls laughed again.