little joker, eh?"

"Why, not at all," says he. "Merely a young school friend of
Marjorie's. Used to be in the kindergarten class when Marjorie was a
senior, and took a great fancy to her, as little girls sometimes do to
older ones, you know."

Also it seems little Gladys had been spendin' a night or so with
another young friend in town, and someone had to round her up and
deliver her at the tea, where her folks would be waitin' for her.

"So I'm to take her by the hand and tow her up by train, am I?" says I.

"I had planned," says Mr. Robert, shakin' his head solemn, "to have you
go up in the machine with her, as Marjorie wants to send someone back
in it--Miss Vee, by the way. Sure it wouldn't bore you?"

"Z-z-z-ing!" says I. "Say, if it does you'll never hear about it,
believe me!"

Mr. Robert chuckles. "Then take good care of little Gladys," says he.

"Won't I, though!" says I. "I'll tell her fairy tales and feed her
stick candy all the way up."

Honest, I did blow in a quarter on fancy pink gumdrops as I'm passin'
through the arcade; but when I strolls out to the limousine Martin
touches his hat so respectful that I gives him a dip into the first bag.

"Got your sailin' orders, ain't you, Martin?" says I. "You know we
collect a kid first."

"Oh, yes, Sir," says he. "Madison avenue. I have the number, Sir."
Just like that you know. "I have the number, Sir"--and more business
with the cap brim. Awful bore, ain't it, specially right there on
Broadway with so many folks to hear?

"Very well," says I, languid. Then it's me lollin' back on the
limousine cushions and starin' haughty at the poor dubs we graze by as
they try to cross the street. Gee, but it's some different when you're
inside gazin' out, than when you're outside gawpin' in! And even if
you don't have the habit reg'lar, but are only there just for the time
bein', you're bound to get that chesty feelin' more or less. I always
do. About the third block I can look slant-eyed at the cheap skates
ridin' in hired taxis and curl the lip of scorn.

I've noticed, though, that when I work up feelin's like that there's
bound to be a bump comin' to me soon. But I wasn't lookin' for this
one until it landed. Martin pulls up at the curb, and I hops out,
rushes up the steps, and rings the bell.

"Little Miss Gladys ready?" says I to the maid.

She sort of humps her eyebrows and remarks that she'll see. With that
she waves me into the rec