Laddie, whose real name wasn't "Laddie" at all, but Fillmore Bunker,
shook his head decidedly.

"I don't know," he told his twin sister. "Not unless it is a riddle:
'How did William get the croup?'"

"He hasn't got the croup," put in Rose, for just a moment giving the
twins her attention.

"Why--ee!" cried Vi. "Aunt Jo said he had!"

"She didn't," returned Rose rather shortly and not at all politely.

"She did so!" rejoined Vi instantly, for although she and Rose loved
each other very much they were not always in agreement. Vi's gray eyes
snapped she was so vexed. "Aunt Jo said that a window got broke in--in
the neu-ral-gi-a and William had to drive a long way yesterday and the
wind blew on him and he got the croup."

"Was that the way of it?" said Laddie, thoughtfully. "Wait a minute, Vi.
I've most got it----"

"You're not going to have the croup!" declared his twin. "You never had
it! But I have had the croup, and I didn't catch it the way William
did."

"No-o," admitted Laddie. "But--but I'm catching a new riddle if you'd
only wait a minute for me to get it straight."

"Pooh!" said Vi. "Who cares anything about your old riddle? Br-r-r! it's