Page:Nid and Nod (IA nidnod00barb).pdf/184

 Polly. "And then afterward, while Ned was gone—"

"There's a busted window down there that some one's got to settle for," growled Ned.

"Believe me, old scout," replied Laurie feelingly, "I'm willing to settle for a hundred busted windows! Of course, I don't mean that it wouldn't have been a heap more considerate of you to have slipped the catch with your knife and saved me the expense."

Ned faced them again then, glaring at his brother. "You poor fish!" he said contemptuously.

"That's me," agreed Laurie smilingly. "Pulled up with a line!"

Polly and Bob laughed, the former a trifle hysterically. Then Ned's mouth twitched itself into a grin. "Laurie, you're an awful fool," he said affectionately.

"Guess you're right, Neddie." He climbed to his feet, stamped them experimentally, seemed to approve of the result, and added, "Well, unless some one else is going to fall over, say we go home."