"An' then Kathleen won't cry for me," he coaxed, "'cause I'll be right
there an' can run over any time, couldn't I, Mother?"

"Yes, of course you could, dear."

"There, you see," he continued.

"I should love to," Mrs. Mullarkey replied at last to Mr. and Mrs. Bowe.
"It would be such a relief to have some one I could go to for advice
about the children. It's not that they're wayward or bad, but Danny is
hot-headed like his father and thoughtless. I'm sure, he didn't mean to
steal Jerry's ticket to the circus--"

"Why, mother!" exclaimed Danny. "I didn't steal it! He gave it to Celia
Jane of his own free will and she gave it to me, didn't you, Celia
Jane?"

"Yet it was stealing," replied his mother, "for you put Celia Jane up to
it. Nora told me all about it and Nora never tells what is not true."

"You gave your ticket to Celia Jane, didn't you, Jerry--I mean, Gary?"
appealed Danny.

"Yes," Jerry replied hesitantly.

"There, you see, Mother, I didn't steal it," Danny defended himself.

"Because you put Celia Jane up to getting Jerry's ticket for you,"
continued his mother, "you must stay home to-night and--"