well , that 's jolly now . She was afraid you would n't give her the money ; so I 'll tell her it 's all right ; '' and innocent Toady nodded approvingly . `` Oh , she expects some of my money , does she ? '' `` Course she does ; ai n't you always saying you 'll remember us in your will , because father was your favorite nephew , and all that ? I 'll tell you a secret , if you wo n't let Polly know I spoke first . You 'll find it out to-night , for you 'd see Van and she were sweethearts in a minute . '' `` Sweethearts ? '' cried Aunt Kipp , turning red in the face . `` Yes 'm . Van settled it last week , and Polly 's been so happy ever since . Mother likes it , and I like it , for I 'm fond of Van , though I do call him Baa-baa , because he looks like a sheep . We all like it , and we 'd all say so , if we were not afraid of you . Mother and Polly , I mean ; of course we men do n't mind , but we do n't want a fuss . You wo n't make one , will you , now ? '' Anything more expressive of brotherly good-will , persuasive frankness , and a placid consciousness of having `` fixed it , '' than Toady 's dirty little face , it would be hard to find . Aunt Kipp eyed him so fiercely that even before she spoke a dim suspicion that something was wrong began to dawn on his too-confiding soul . '' I do n't like it , and I 'll put a stop to it . I wo n't have any ridiculous baa-baas in my family . If Mary counts on my money to begin housekeeping with , she 'll find herself mistaken ; for not one penny shall she have , married or single , and you may tell her so . '' Toady was so taken aback by this explosion that he let go his shoe-strings , fell over with a crash , and lay flat , with shovel and tongs spread upon him like a pall .
In rushed Mrs. Snow and XXXXX , to find the boy 's spirits quite quenched , for once , and Aunt Kipp in a towering passion .
Mary Polly Van crash explosion first minute penny right shoe-strings