He walked carelessly into the library, inquiring in a loud, bluff voice: "Has anybody seen my dog around here anywheres ?" Mr.Blakely had inclined himself so far toward Margaret, and he was sitting so near the edge of the chair, that only a really wonderful bit of instinctive gymnastics landed him upon his feet instead of upon his back.

As for Margaret, she said, "Good gracious!" and regarded Penrod blankly.
"Well," said Penrod breezily, "I guess it's no use lookin' for him--he isn't anywheres around.

I guess I'll sit down." Herewith, he sank into an easy chair, and remarked, as in comfortable explanation, "I'm kind of tired standin' up, anyway." Even in this crisis, Margaret was a credit to her mother's training.
"Penrod, have you met Mr.Blakely ?" "What ?" Margaret primly performed the rite.
"Mr.Blakely, this is my little brother Penrod." Mr.Blakely was understood to murmur, "How d'ye do ?" "I'm well," said Penrod.
Margaret bent a perplexed gaze upon him, and he saw that she had not divined his intentions, though the expression of Mr.Blakely was already beginning to be a little compensation for the ammonia outrage.

Then, as the protracted silence which followed the introduction began to be a severe strain upon all parties, Penrod felt called upon to relieve it.
"I didn't have anything much to do this afternoon, anyway," he said.

And at that there leaped a spark in Margaret's eye; her expression became severe.
"You should have gone to Sunday-school," she told him crisply.
"Well, I didn't!" said Penrod, with a bitterness so significant of sufferings connected with religion, ammonia, and herself, that Margaret, after giving him a thoughtful look, concluded not to urge the point.
Mr.Blakely smiled pleasantly.