"But at your age, my young friend, running away is overchancy." Mrs.Harvey Whipple ignored this.
"Of course you will--run away all you like," she soothed.

"It's good for people to run away." Then she turned amazingly to the Wilbur twin and spoke him fair as a fellow human.

"And who is this dear little boy?
I just know he was kind enough to change clothes with you so you could run away better! And here you're keeping him in that dress when you ought to know it makes him uncomfortable--doesn't it, little boy ?" The little boy movingly ogled her with a sidelong glance of gratitude for what at the moment seemed to be the first kind words he had ever heard.
"You have her give me back my pants!" said he.

Then for the first time he faced his inquisitors eye to eye.

"I want my own pants!" he declared, stoutly.