Read on line
Listen on line
Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

Give me your check here--this minute."

"And you'll enter the names in the books?"

"Before you leave the office. Have you got the list?"

"Yes; in my pocket," said Mr. Hopkins.

"Then make out your check and I'll get the books."

There was a stir behind the partition and a sound of chairs scraping the

floor. Patsy slid out the door and flew down the stairs at the imminent

danger of breaking her neck. James was seated in the buggy outside,

engaged in rumination.

Patsy bounded in beside him and startled him.

"Drive for your life!" she cried. "Drive for home!"

He whipped up the spirited horse and they dashed away. Presently the man

asked, with a grin:

"Did it hurt much, Miss Patsy?"

"Did what hurt, James?"

"The tooth pullin', Miss Patsy."

"The tooth wasn't pulled," answered the girl, sweetly. "It didn't need

it, James. The only thing that was pulled was the Honorable Erastus's

leg."

CHAPTER XX

PRICKING A BUBBLE.

When Patsy arrived home she called a council of war and related the

conversation she had overheard in the dentist's office.

"It isn't a very nice thing to do--listening to a private conversation,"

said the girl, "but when I discovered they were going to play such a

trick on Kenneth I couldn't help eavesdropping."

"I think you were justified," declared Mr. Watson, with a grave face;

"for this matter is very serious indeed. Tomorrow is election day, and

if a toothache hadn't carried you to the dentist's office Kenneth would

surely have been defeated."

"And we'd never have known how it happened," declared Uncle John.

"But can the plot be foiled at this late date?" inquired Louise,

anxiously.

"I think so," said Mr. Watson. "Dr. Squiers was correct in saying that

such a crime was a state's prison offense. Our discovery of it will send

both Erastus Hopkins and Dr. Squiers to prison. Probably Mr. Marshall,

the manager of the mill, will go with them."

"Oh, I don't like that!" exclaimed Patsy.

"Nor do I," added Kenneth. "It would be a sad beginning to my political

career to send three such men to prison.

Also read
Read
Read
The prince and the fakir
Category: Indian folktales
Read times: 9
Read
Why the fish laughed
Category: Indian folktales
Read times: 29