pass, the wire fence to slip under, and a
short stretch of clay and rubble which ended suddenly in a thick brake
of blackberry bushes. Once in the patch all that was necessary was to
keep a sharp eye on the gravedigger's house, which stood on a knoll
beyond, in plain sight, but far enough away to give one a good chance of
escape in case of detection.

"Now, I'll let you hold the pail, Margery, and I'll pick into my hat.
Jiminy! They haven't been picked over to-day at all. We'll get our two
quarts easy."

"H'm," murmured Margery, tentatively. There was a little matter upon
which she had been speculating ever since they had left home. "Are--are
you going to give me half the money?"

"What money?"

"Why, don't you know, the money your mother's going to pay you for these
berries."

"Oh."

The _Oh_ was all Willie had to answer.

"Well, are you?"

"Are I what?"

"Are you going to give me half the money?"

"Well, I--I hadn't thought about it," Willie admitted.

Margery felt perfectly sure of this and sure likewise that he never
would think of it unless she herself insisted on her rights.

"Then just think about it now. Here I am picking berries for you as fast
as I can. I haven't et one. Now if you go sell these berries, you ought
to give me half, oughtn't you?"

"I dunno but what I ought."

A timid creature would have rested content with this, but Margery had
had too many dealings with the other sex to put undue confidence in any
concession so vaguely expressed, so grudgingly admitted. It was rather a
hard thing to do--she knew beforehand Willie Jones would hate her for
it--but a nickel is a nickel, and now or never, she realized, was the
moment to demand a definite promise.

"Well, then, will you?"

Willie seemed not to hear.

"Will you?" Margery repeated, stopping her picking to make her question
more emphatic.

Willie looked up apprehensively toward the gravedigger's house.

"If you don't stop arguing and go ahead picking we won't either of us
have anything," he burst out querulously.

It was hard indeed not to act upon a suggestion so plainly expected to
be of benefit to them both. Fortunately, Margery knew that if she had
but character to persist a little longer she would probably gain her
end. So, by a great effort of will, she continued idle and reiterated
tiresomely:

"Well, will you?"

"Will I? Why, of course I will!" Willie raised his voice and screwed up
his face into a tight little