"
"So am I," said Patty, laughing, "so we should be good friends.
I'll try to get a chance to see you soon again, but perhaps I
can't; I'm a good deal tied at home."
"Your father doesn't like you to go any-wheres, I guess,"
interposed Rodman. "I've heard Ivory tell Aunt Boynton things,
but I wouldn't repeat them. Ivory's trained me years and years
not to tell anything, so I don't."
"That's a good boy!" approved Patty. Then as she regarded him
more closely, she continued, "I'm sorry you're lonesome, Rodman,
I'd like to see you look brighter."
"You think I've been crying," the boy said shrewdly." So I have,
but not because I've been punished. The reason my eyes are so
swollen up is because I killed our old toad by mistake this
morning. I was trying to see if I could swing the scythe so's to
help Ivory in haying-time. I've only 'raked after' and I want to
begin on mowing soon's I can. Then somehow or other the old toad
came out from under the steps; I didn't see him, and the scythe
hit him square. I cried for an hour, that's what I did, and I
don't care who knows it except I wouldn't like the boys at school
to hector me. I've buried the toad out behind the barn, and I
hope Ivory'll let me keep the news from Aunt Boynton.
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