t
this.

"This summer-house is on private land," he said, "and I'm the boss of
it. If you try to get fresh with me I'll paint you blacker--blacker than
a--than a tomato could--I will. You come ten steps nearer, I dare you
to."

Gamely paused irresolute, at which Pepsy, under protection of her
partner's terrible threat, set up a provoking laugh. Wiggle, appearing
to sense the situation, began to bark up-roariously. There was nothing
for the baffled village sport to do but retreat as gracefully as he
could.

"Can't you take a joke?" he said weakly. "Do you think I'd hurt you?"

"I know you wouldn't," said Pee-wee; "you wouldn't get the chance. You
think you're smart, don't you, talking about the wagon coming to get her
and getting her all scared."

Deadwood Gamely broke into a very excessive but false laugh. "No harm
intended," he said, vaulting on to the fence and sitting discreetly at
that distance. "What's all this going on here? Going to have a circus or
play store or something?"

Pee-wee was always magnanimous in victory. Abiding enmity was a thing he
knew not. So now he laid down his stencil brush (within easy reach)
and said, "We're going to start a refreshment shack and sell fruit
and lemonade and waffles and things and maybe auto accessories and
souvenirs."

Pepsy seemed a bit uncomfortable as Pee-wee said this, perhaps just a
trifle ashamed. She was afraid that this clever, sophisticated young
fellow would ridicule their enterprise, as indeed there was good reason
to do. Yet she felt ashamed, too, of her momentary faithlessness to
Pee-wee.

"Maybe some people will pass here when they have the carnival at
Berryville," she said, half apologetically.

To her surprise Deadwood Gamely, instead of emitting an uproarious,
mocking laugh, appeared to be thinking.

"Bully for you," he finally said, looking all about as if to size up the
surroundings. "Right on the job, hey? I'd like to buy some stock in that
enterprise. Whose idea is it? Yours, kiddo?"

"We're going to make money enough to buy three tents for the scout troop
I belong to," Pee-wee said.

"Visiting here, hey?"

"I live in Bridgeboro, New Jersey; I'm here for the summer."

Deadwood Gamely sat on the fence still looking, about him and whistling.
Then, instead of bursting forth in derisive merriment as Pepsy dreaded
he would do, he made an astonishing remark.

"I tell you what I'll do," he said. "You kids take care of the place and
furnis