Page:Penrod by Booth Tarkington (1914).djvu/194

180 She's par excellaws the queen of all the swells. She's sweeter far"

Margaret rose and jumped up and down repeatedly in a well-calculated area, whereupon the voice of Penrod cried chokedly, "Quit that!" and there were subterranean coughings and sneezings.

"You want to choke a person to death?" he inquired severely, appearing at the end of the porch, a cobweb upon his brow. And, continuing, he put into practice a newly acquired phrase, "You better learn to be more considerick of other people's comfort."

Slowly and grievedly he withdrew, passed to the sunny side of the house, reclined in the warm grass beside his wistful Duke, and presently sang again.

"Pen-rod!"

Mr. Schofield appeared at an open window up stairs, a book in his hand.

"Stop it!" he commanded. "Can't I stay home