re would be no future
for John C. Bedelle but to ship before the mast. Skippy thought hard and
Skippy had the instincts of a diplomat. He decided to begin with a light
conciliatory manner.

"Well, Tootsie, old girl, you've got the goods on me. What's your
price?"

Tootsie's reply was a succession of hysterical gasps that sounded like a
child with the whooping cough laughing over a comic section.

"What's your price?" Skippy repeated more firmly, but striving to
maintain a sickly smile.

"OW! OW! OW!" said Tootsie, holding in her sides.

Skippy began to be alarmed. He thought a moment and then carefully
removed the dressmaker's form and hid it behind a packing-case. But the
sight of Skippy's dancing companion brought forth a fresh attack of
hysterics. Then he had recourse to water and a dripping oily sponge. The
sight of this so affected Tootsie that she rose precipitately and
staggered to a chair. Skippy at once abandoned the sponge and
sympathetically proffered his handkerchief.

"It's goin' to cost me a lot of money," he thought, considering her with
anxiety. He had fifteen dollars stowed away with the intention of adding
it to the cash returns of his approaching birthday and acquiring his
first dress suit. He made a mental surrender and advancing to the
somewhat calmer Tootsie, a third time asked:

"Well, come on! What's your price?"

"Thief!" said Tootsie, all at once remembering her grievance.

"Oh, I say, can't you take a joke?"

"A joke! Wait'll I get even with you, Mr. Smarty!"

"Go easy. Name your terms."

"And I paid you to watch it!" said Tootsie, whose anger began to rise as
her respiration returned.

Skippy mournfully admitted to himself that this had been an unnecessary
aggravation.

"Shucks! You didn't think I was going to keep the money, did you?" he
said, bringing out a dollar bill and tendering it humbly.

Tootsie put the bill from her with the gesture of a tragedy queen, stood
up, straightened her skirt and said:

"Just you wait, thief!"

"What are you going to do?"

"My business."

"You're not going to tell?" said Skippy, who had no doubt of her
intention.

"Oh dear no! Oh no indeed!" said Tootsie, moving to depart.

Skippy sprang ahead, slammed the door, locked it and pocketed the key.

"What good does that do?" said Tootsie disdainfully.

"You'll not leave this room until you swear a solemn oath," said Skippy
desperately.

"All right, I guess I can wait if you can,"