“I think it’s awfully nice of you,” the girl said. I said, “Oh, that’s nothing, he’s a rising young scout. Didn’t you just see him rise? If you want to see him at his best go and have some waffles with him.” “Will they mind?” she said to Pee-wee. “What do you care if they mind or not?” Pee-wee said. “Will you come?” She said, “If—I don’t know—if you think they won’t mind—if you really want me to.” “Absolutely, positively,” I said. “Take him away from us a little while. The pleasure is ours.” CHAPTER XXV RESOURCES AND THINGS “What—do—you—know—about—that?” Warde said. “We’re too slow for _him_,” said Hervey. “Let’s climb up on the roof while we’re waiting.” “Let’s not,” Brent said. “Isn’t he the gallant little scout?” Warde said, laughing all the while. “What do you suppose came over him?” said Brent. “I guess he wants to show that he’s not a sharpy, that’s all I can make of it,” I said. “He didn’t lose much time. He’ll have four cents when he comes out.” We all laughed, it seemed so funny. Then we all tiptoed up onto the porch and looked in through a window that was open. I could hardly keep a straight face to see him in there sitting at a table opposite that flapper. His feet were up on a cross-piece under the chair and he was studying the menu card with a terrible scowl on his face. One stocking was all screwed around from his grand flop. The girl wasn’t any bigger than he was. Brent said she was a flapper in the chrysalis stage. He gave one look and turned away with his hand over his mouth. Hervey said, “Shall I plug him with a pop-corn ball?” “You keep the pop-corn in your pocket,” Brent whispered. “Don’t spoil the show,” I said. By that time the Italian boy was standing by the table waiting. Pee-wee looked as if _he_ should worry about the Italian boy. I think there wasn’t anything on that card but maybe about two things, but Pee-wee kept studying it. Pretty soon the waiter went away and came back with two waffles on two plates and a little jar of honey. Then they started eating. “What do you think of it?” Warde asked. “It’s a scene that none but an artist could paint,” Brent said. “Keep still, don’t laugh,” Warde said to me. Pretty soon we could hear Pee-wee telling the girl about the scouts. He told her they have to be shivellers. “Do you suppose she knows he means chivalry?” Warde asked us. “Hsh, keep still,” Brent whispered. “Listen.” He caught Hervey by the arm; I guess he was afraid Hervey was going to throw something. “They have to be thrifty,” we could hear Pee-wee saying; “so that’s why they always have money. They don’t need it because they can depend on nature, but they have it because they’re thrifty. In the forest you need a lot of lore and things like that. A sharpy, he’d starve in the forest, but I wouldn’t.” “Can you picture him starving,” I whispered to Brent. “Cake-eaters, they never have any money,” Pee-wee said.