"Puppies?"

"No."

"I give up--what is it?"

"A houseboat," said Freddie. "It's a house on a boat, and you can live
in it on water."

"Huh!" said Johnnie. "There isn't any such thing."

"Yes, there is, too, isn't there, Flossie?" and Freddie appealed to
his small sister.

"'Course there is," she said. "Our papa bought one, and Freddie's
going to be the fireman, and I'm going to cook the meals, so there!
Haven't we got a houseboat, Nan?"

"Yes, dear," answered the older sister, who was walking with Bert. At
this, coming from Nan, Johnnie had nothing to say, except that he
murmured, as he walked away:

"Huh! A houseboat's nothing. We've got a baby at our house, and it's
got hair on its head, and two teeth!"

"A houseboat's better'n a baby," was Freddie's opinion.

"It is not!" cried Johnnie.

"It is so!" Freddie exclaimed.