Sunny offered to get her another cup, and soon all the Brownies needed a drink. Miss Gordon had to ask them to remain in their seats because she was afraid they might disturb the other passengers.
“Let’s play jacks,” suggested Veve, who wanted to do something every minute.
“What with?” inquired Connie, not very much interested.
“Oh, I brought some with me,” Veve said, taking them from her pocket. “We can play on the seat.”
The girls crossed their legs and sat at either end of the car cushion. This left a small place between them where they could play.
“You start first, Veve,” Connie suggested politely. “Let’s see if you can get past your ‘ones.’”
“Oh, I’ll go up to my ‘fours’ at least,” Veve boasted. “Just watch!”
The little girl threw one jack on the cushion. She tossed another into the air, scooped up the one on the cushion and caught the other before it fell. Then she threw two down and continued until she had reached her “fours.”
“Yes, but it’s going to be hard now,” said Connie. “There are three jacks together and one off at the side.”
Veve caught up three of the jacks. But when she tried to get the fourth, all flew from her hand and went helter-skelter over the car floor. Several rolled into the aisle.
Before Connie or Veve could pick them up, the same elderly man who had been doused with water ambled down the aisle.
He failed to see the jacks lying on the car floor. Veve tried to warn him, but she spoke too late.
The man stepped squarely on one of the jacks and the points cut through his soft-soled slipper.
The other Brownies, Miss Gordon and many of the passengers, turned to see why the man was making such a fuss.
“Mister, you are standing on one of my jacks,” said Veve.
Although she spoke politely, it seemed to be exactly the wrong thing to say.
“_Your_ jacks?” demanded the man. “You might have crippled me for life!”
“Veve didn’t mean to do it,” said Connie quickly. “The jacks just slipped from her hand.”
She stooped down and gathered up four jacks which she gave to Veve.
“One is missing,” said Veve, gazing directly at the elderly man. “I think you are standing on it.”
“This is an outrage!” declared the man irritably. “Children should not be allowed to play games on trains. Where are your parents?”
