"Watchie wouldn't take one, neither," said Benny, "Would you, doggie?"
Watch opened one eye and wagged his tail. Jess looked at Violet in despair. "What shall I do with him?" she asked.
Violet took out her chalk and printed clearly on the outside of the freight car the following example:
2 - 1 =
"Now, Benny, don't you see," she began, "that if you have two things, and somebody takes away one, that you must have one left?"
"I'll show you myself," agreed Benny finally with resignation. "Now see the 2?" He actually made a respectable figure 2 on the freight car. "Now, here's a nice 1. Now, s'posen I take away the 1, don't you see the 2's left right on the car?" He covered the figure 1 with his chubby hand and looked about at his audience expectantly.
Jess rolled over against a tree trunk and laughed till she nearly cried. Violet laughed until she really did cry. And here we come to the first unpleasant incident in the story of the runaway children.
