Now the baker's wife did not like children. She did not like boys at all.
"Come, Benny," he said. "You must wake up and walk now."
"Go away!" said Benny.
"Good morning, Benny. Time to get up. Today you must build something for me out of stones."
"What is it?" Benny asked eagerly.
"I'm not going to tell you," said Henry, laughing.
"A runaway hen!" said Jessie. "She wanted to hide her nest so she would have some chickens. We'll have the eggs for supper. I know how to cook eggs."
(Note: Is anyone else disturbed how easily Jessie segues from "how cute, she wanted babies" to "let's eat them"?)
Now J. H. Alden liked boys. He liked to see them running and jumping and playing.
Jessie laughed and laughed until she almost cried. Violet laughed until she did cry.
Then she could not stop crying. She cried and cried. At last Jessie made up her mind that Violet was really sick.
"Well, if you don't find him, maybe you can have me, " remarked Benny. "I like you."
"You do? cried the man. "Come and get up in my lap."
