EXIT
So it befell that the big black wagon belonging to the brick orphan home
came and turned around and went back again. It got in the way of all the
automobiles that were headed for The Home of Fresh Doughnuts (a new
sign) and was a nuisance generally. The men who drove it didn’t buy so
much as a gumdrop.
But what cared the partners? For such a business were they doing as
would make the Standard Oil Company turn green with envy. Their
financial rating was so high that you couldn’t see it without a
telescope. Every time there was a strike over at the new bridge the
partners reaped a profit from the delay. Thus labor unconsciously put
business in the way of monopolies.
And so the great enterprise prospered. The advertising department had
now two steady employees—Licorice Stick and Wiggle. Licorice Stick
covered the road up as far as Berryville with a huge placard hung from
his neck. Wiggle proudly flew an inflated balloon from his tail bearing
the appropriate reminder HOT DOGS AT THE PEPSY REST.
One evening, oh, it must have been about six o’clock, the weary partners
were closing up their little shack for the night. Pepsy was counting the
money and Pee-wee was eating the cookies that were left over. For he was
conscientious and must open shop with a fresh supply each day. Sometimes
he would have a dozen or more to eat, but he did it bravely—from a sense
of duty. A scout is dutiful.
Presently there hove in sight a large figure, walking.
“Oh, it’s Mr. Jensen,” said Pepsy; “hurry up and finish the cookies or
he’ll want them; he always does that.”
Mr. Jensen came up mopping his forehead. “Any lemonade left?” he asked.
“There’s about one glass,” Pee-wee said.
In accordance with his invariable daily custom, Mr. Jensen bought up the
remainder of stock, drank several glasses of cider, and chatted with the
partners.
“Ain’t heard of any rivals, have you?” he asked.
“We’ve got the whole detour eating out of our hands,” said Pee-wee,
which was literally true.
“Makin’ money fast, huh? You takin’ good care of this little gal of
mine?”
Pepsy smiled at him and he put his arm around her and kissed her and
said, “If he don’t take good care of you, you just come and let me
know.” Then he winked at Pee-wee.
When he was gone something reminded Pee-wee to look into the big
lemonade cooler and make sure that it was empty. It was not quite empty,
there being about ten lemon pits, a slice of rind, and a small piece of
ice left in the bottom of it. But this was worth going after and Pee-wee
went after it. With all his strength he raised the goodly cooler to a
position above his head and tilted it to his mouth. His arms trembled
under its weight, and his hands slipped upon its cold, beady sides. The
several drops of highly diluted lemonade trickled down into his mouth
but the flavory pits and rind remained at bay at the bottom of the
cooler.
They would not roll but they might fall. Pee-wee held the cooler up to a
perfectly perpendicular position above his upturned face. Then, oh,
horrors! The wet cooler slipped through his hands and the curly head of
Pee-wee Harris disappeared within it. If the postman who found him
wrestling valiantly with a banana and clinging with the other hand,
could only have seen him in this new and terrible predicament!
And thus the curly head and terribly frowning countenance of Scout
Harris disappears out of our story into a new realm of joy....
THE END