"Oh, yes, of course, that's all right. But we'll have to see which corner we can spare best. The store isn't any too big, is it?" "Big enough," agreed the affable boy. "And I'll bet, Nan, we'll have heaps of sport around here this summer. There's fine fellows over by the big hill. That's more of a summer place than this is, I guess." "Where does your friend Uncle Sam live?" "You mean Mr. Sanders. Why, he didn't say, but he went up the hill toward that old stone place." "Yes. I wouldn't wonder but he would live in an old stone place," echoed Nancy sarcastically. "Why, don't you like him?" "Like him?" "I mean--do you hate him?" laughed Ted. His basket was filled and he was gathering up the loose ends of the splintered fibers upon a tin cover. "I don't like him and I don't hate him, but I do hope he won't come snooping around _my_ store," returned Nancy. Teddy stopped short with a frying pan raised in mid air. He swung it at an imaginary ball, then put it down in the still packed peach basket. "Now, Nan," he protested, "don't you go kickin' up any fuss about Mr. Sanders. He always came around here; he's a great friend of the Townsends." "Ted Brandon!" Nancy flirted the dust brush at the gas stove, "do you think I am going to take all that with this store? Did we buy all the Townsends' old--old cronies along with the Whatnot Shop?" "There's someone," Ted interrupted, as the store bell jangled timidly. "Oh, you go please, Ted," begged Nancy, who had glimpsed girls' skirts without. "I'm too untidy to tend store this afternoon." CHAPTER IV NEW FRIENDS Nancy never looked as untidy as she really felt. In fact, she always looked "interesting and human," as her friends might say, but she was sensitive about the disorder she pretended to despise. Now, here were those two girls! She simply could not go in the store as she looked. "You're all right," Ted insisted, as they both listened to the jangling bell. "You look good in that yellow dress." "Good?" she took time to correct. "You mean--something else. And it isn't yellow," she countered. "But please, Ted, you go. There's a dear. I'll do something for you--" Ted started off dutifully. "But I won't know," he argued. "Run along, like a dear," whispered Nancy, for persons were now within the store, she could easily hear them talking and could even see their reflections in the little hall mirror. Ted went. He was such a good-natured boy, and Nancy was glad to notice once more "so good-looking." After exchanging a few questions and answers with the girls in the store, Ted was presently back again in the kitchen. "Blue silk!" he sort of hissed at Nancy. "They want--_blue silk_." "We haven't any. Tell them we're out of it." Ted went forth with a protest. A few seconds later he again confronted Nancy. "Blue _twist_ then. What ever on earth is blue _twist?_"