Page:The purple pennant (IA purplepennant00barb).pdf/244

Rh "They don't. Only dad took it into his head that he'd like to see what the movies are like, and ma said she'd go, too. I'm sorry."

"Well" Fudge stopped and then asked hopefully: "Do you think they'll pay for me, Perry?"

"I guess so," was the doubtful answer. Further conversation across the fence was prevented by a summons for Perry, and a minute or two later the quartette was on its way to the theater. To Fudge's satisfaction, Doctor Hull, directed by Perry, attended to the trifling matter of tickets and they filed in. The slight delay had allowed the front half of the house to fill and they were obliged to seat themselves fifteen rows back, a location not at all to Fudge's liking. Fudge derived great enjoyment, in the interims between films, from observing the orchestra, and from back here all he could see well was just the man at the piano, and the man at the piano was the least interesting

"Why, Fudge Shaw, what is the matter?" exclaimed Mrs. Hull.

"N-n-nothing, ma'am," replied Fudge chokingly.

"Aren't you well?"

"Y-yes'm."

"You don't look it. You sure you don't feel faint?"