He smiled at her. She smiled back,
falling into a little chant that had been on her lips much of the time of
late: "You know, Peter! You know, Peter! We know somepin' we won't tell!"
Peter nodded, beaming on her.
"Just listen to that boy, Peter, he must be perfectly possessed!" said
Nancy.
"He didn't ever sound so glad before!" cried the child eagerly.
Mickey came up the walk radiant. He divided a smile between Mrs. Harding
and Peter, and bowed low before Peaches as he laid a package at her feet.
Then he struck an attitude of exaggerated obeisance and recited:
"_Days like this I'm tickled silly,
When I see my August Lily.
No other fellow, dude or gawk,
Owns a flower that can laugh and talk._"
Peaches immediately laughed; so did all of them.
"Peter," asked Mickey, "were you ever so glad that you thought you would
bust wide open?"
"I was," said Peter; "I am this minute."
"Would you mind specifying circumstances?"
"Not a bit," said Peter. "First time was when Ma said she'd marry me, and
I got my betrothal kiss; second, was the day she said she'd forgive my
years of selfish dunderheadedness, and start over.
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