"You get me!" cried Mickey. "You get me clearly. I don't want to be left alone with them, for them to put ideas in Lily's head about a nicer car than ours, and a bigger house, and finer dolls and dresses, and going to the city to stay with them on visits; or me going to live with Mr. Winton, to be the son he should have found for himself long ago. I guess I have Lily sized up about as close as the next one; and she has got all that is _good_ for her, right now. She'd make the worst spoiled kid you ever saw if she had half a chance. What she needs to make a grand woman of her, like you and mother, is clean air, quiet, good food like she's got here, with bone as well as muscle in it; and just enough lessons and child play with children to keep her brains going as fast as her body, and no silly pampering to make her foolish and disagreeable. I know how little and sick she is, but she shan't use it for capital to spoil her whole life. See?" "'Through a glass darkly,'" quoted Mrs. Harding laughing. "Oh Mickey, I didn't think it of you. You're deeper than the well." "That's all right," said Mickey, his face flushing. "Often I hear you say 'let good enough alone.' My sentiments exact. Lily is fine, and so am I. Let us alone! If you and Peter will do me the 'cap-sheaf favour, as he would say, you'll dust up and _spunk_ up, and the very first hint that comes--'cause it's coming--at the very first hint of how Miss Leslie would love to take care of the dear little darling awhile, smash down with the nix! _Smash like sixty!_ Keep your eyes and ears open, and if you could, dearest lady, beat them to it: I'd be tickled silly if you manage _that_. If you could only tell them how careful she has to be handled, and taken care of, and how strangers and many around would be bad for her----" "Mickey, the minute they see the shape things are in here, it will give them the chance they are after, so they will begin that very thing," she said. "I know it," conceded Mickey. "That's why I'd put them off if I could, 'til we were fixed and quiet again. But at _that_, their chance isn't so grand. This isn't worrying Lily any. She saw all of it happen, she knows what's going on. What I want, dearest lady, is for you to get on the job, and spunk up to them, just like you did about Junior going away. I didn't think you'd get through with that, and I know Peter didn't; but you _did_, fine! Now if you and Peter would have a little private understanding and engineer this visit that I scent in the air, so that when you see they are going to offer pressing invitations to take Lily, and to take me, and put me at work that I wasn't born to do; if you'd only have a receiver out, and when your wires warn you what's coming down the line, first and beforehand, _calm_ and _plain_, fix things so the nix wouldn't even be needed; do you get me, dearest Mother Harding, do you see?"