cream hot out of the oven."

"Do you think you can jolly me?" said the head of the firm. "I'll
give you some carpet tacks to eat if you'd like them."

"Oh, wouldn't those be too scrumptious," another girl said. "Do you
serve peanut glue with them?"

"I'll give you some fried fish-hooks," Pee-Wee shot back with
blighting sarcasm.

"Yes, but what we'd like most of all is the ground glass," said
another girl. "Is it chocolate or vanilla flavor?" At which they all
giggled, while the man smiled broadly.

"What flavor glass are you going to have, Esther?" a girl asked.

"Oh, I think I'll take cathedral glass," caroled forth another; "I
think it's more digestible than window glass, if it's properly cooked."
At which there was another chorus of laughter.

The terrible conqueror, who intended to subdue this bevy of giggling
maidens and cast a blight upon their levity, stood behind his counter
like a soldier making a last stand in a third line trench, while Pepsy,
captivated by the mirthful assailants, laughed uncontrollably.

The head of this firm saw that this was no time for dallying
measures, his own partner was laughing, and even Wiggle was barking
uproariously at Pee-Wee as if he had shamelessly gone over to the enemy.