She raised her chin aggrievedly.
"Maybe you think a nice live little boy wouldn't be better than that old dead skeleton you keep somewhere; but I think it would!" "SKELETON ?" "Yes.

Nancy said you had one in your closet, somewhere." "Why, what--" Suddenly the man threw back his head and laughed.

He laughed very heartily indeed--so heartily that Pollyanna began to cry from pure nervousness.

When he saw that, John Pendleton sat erect very promptly.

His face grew grave at once.
"Pollyanna, I suspect you are right--more right than you know," he said gently.