"And meet the other mother," concluded Jimmy with a shake of his head.
There was a distinct threat in Zoie's voice when she again addressed the
stubborn Jimmy and the glitter of triumph was in her eyes.
"You'd better meet here THERE than HERE," she warned him; "you know what
the Superintendent said."
"That's true," agreed Aggie with an anxious face. "Come now," she
pleaded, "it will only take a minute; you can do the whole thing before
you have had time to think."
"Before I have had time to think," repeated Jimmy excitedly. "That's how
you get me to do everything. Well, this time I've HAD time to think and
I don't think I will!" and with that he threw himself upon the couch,
unmindful of the damage to the freshly laundered clothes.
"Get up," cried Zoie.
"You haven't time to sit down," said Aggie.
"I'll TAKE time," declared Jimmy. His eyes blinked ominously and he
remained glued to the couch.
There was a short silence; the two women gazed at Jimmy in despair.
Remembering a fresh grievance, Jimmy turned upon them.
"By the way," he said, "do you two know that I haven't had anything to
eat yet?"
"And do you know," said Zoie, "that Alfred may be back at any minute? He
can't stay away forever."
"Not unless he has cut his throat," rejoined Jimmy, "and that's what I'd
do if I had a razor."
Zoie regarded Jimmy as though he were beyond redemption. "Can't you ever
think of anybody but yourself?" she asked, with a martyred air.
Had Jimmy been half his age, Aggie would have felt sure that she saw him
make a face at her friend for answer. As it was, she resolved to make
one last effort to awaken her unobliging spouse to a belated sense of
duty.
"You see, dear," she said, "you might better get the washerwoman's baby
than to go from house to house for one," and she glanced again toward
the paper.
"Yes," urged Zoie, "and that's just what you'll HAVE to do, if you don't
get this one."
Jimmy's head hung dejectedly. It was apparent that his courage was
slipping from him. Aggie was quick to realise her opportunity, and
before Jimmy could protect himself from her treacherous wiles, she had
slipped one arm coyly about his neck.
"Now, Jimmy," she pleaded as she pressed her soft cheek to his throbbing
temple, and toyed with the bay curl on his perspiring forehead, "wont
you do this little teeny-weepy thing just for me?"