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But when she took her brother to task about this matter she could not get Chet to admit a thing. He refused to say anything illuminating about the car that had run down the stranger at the hospital, or if the boys suspected anybody in particular. "If we think we know anything, I can't tell you," Chet declared "Billy? Why, he's always sore at Purt Sweet. You can't tell anything by him!"
The gutters were crowded with noisy children, and the street with traffic. A fat butcher stood before his shop, with his thumbs in the string of his apron. When he spied Purt and his close companion, he gave vent to an exclamation of satisfaction and reached for the Central High boy with a mighty hand. "Here!" he said, hoarsely, his fat face growing scarlet on the instant.
"It's that horrid Bobby Hargrew!" gasped Lil, seeing the black-eyed one shoot up from beneath, and take a long breath. "Aw, Miss Hargrew!" begged Purt. "Don't bother us so. It's weally too bad of you." "Then act human!" ejaculated Bobby. "Don't you two stand around as though you were fashion pictures in the magazines. Duck under and get your hair wet!
"He's all right!" declared Bobby warmly. "You know just how mean and stingy Purt Sweet is and his mother has more money than anybody else in Centerport. Last Christmas, d'you know what Purt did?" "Something silly, of course," Laura said. "I don't know what you call silly. I call it mean," declared the smaller girl.
Purt was really ashamed of his present appearance. He felt it necessary to excuse it to the girls. "Weally," he said, when he came ashore, "I am not pwesentible; but I hope you ladies understand that it was an unavoidable accident." "I don't know about that," said Laura, gravely. "Oh! I assure you, Miss Belding," Purt hastened to say, "I had no intention of going overboard weally!"
"Somehow he acts differently from usual." "You're right," Bobby declared, with frank approval of one of whom she had never approved before. "I believe there's a big change in old Purt." "Well, it's strange," Laura remarked. "He never showed such obstinacy before." "He's never shown any particular courage before, either," said her brother. "That's what gets me!"
The Girl went with her to the little bridge crossing Singing Water on the north. There the old lady took her hand. "Honey," she said, "I'm goin' to tell you somethin'. I am so happy I can purt near fly.
However the lady could have made the mistake of thinking she had seen Purt before, is not easily explained. Perhaps she was very near sighted. The Central High dude "moved on," with the mongrel frisking about him. Purt wanted to get back to Main Street and rejoin the girls; but he knew it would be no use in trying that unless he could "shake" the dog.
About seven-thirty was our perchin' time before Bill took a hand, but after that we got so convivual that sometimes we'd sit up till purt' nigh half-past nine, playin' cut-throat an' swappin' tales. Sleep allus was a kind of a nuisance to Bill.
"Mighty easy way to make half a dollar," commented Reddy, slipping it into his pocket. "I told you I'd get it, Purt, without touching the mug." "But you didn't do it, doncher know!" cried Purt, growing exasperated. "My half dollar is there." He whipped off the napkin, lifted the mug and Reddy, with a laugh, grabbed the coin that lay under it.
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