community, at three-thirty to-day--assorted boy and girl." And David
grinned with sheer delight at having projected such a bomb in the circle.

"What!" demanded Phoebe while Mrs. Cherry lay back in her chair and
fanned herself, and Mrs. Buchanan paused with suspended teapot.

"Yes," he answered jubilantly, "Of course little Mistake is only two and
a quarter and Crimie can just toddle on his hocks at one and a fifth
years; but the two little crimes are here, and are going to stay. Billy
Bob is down at the club getting his back slapped off about it. He's
accessory you understand. He says Milly is radiant and wants all of you
to come and see them right away. But what I want to see is Grandma
Shelby--won't she rage? I'm going to send her a message of
congratulations and then stand away. Just watch for--"

"Why--I don't quite understand," said Caroline Darrah as she leaned
forward with puzzled eyes.

"Neither do any of the rest of us," answered David gleefully. "We didn't
understand how Billy Bob managed to pluck Mildred from the golden-dollar
Shelby stem in the first place, at a salary of one twenty-five a month
out at Hob's mills. But Billy Bob is the brave boy and he marched right
up and told the old lady about the first kid as soon as he came. Then she
glared at him and said in an awful tone, 'Mistake.' Billy Bob just oozed
out of that door and Mistake the youngster has been ever since. I named
the next Crimie before _she_ got to it. But watch her rage, poor old
dame! It's up to somebody to remonstrate with Milly about this unbecoming
conduct it seems to me," and David glanced around the little circle for
his laugh which he promptly received.