Fifteen Read Online Free Page B

through work. Jane considered this idea and discarded it as being too obvious. A business that cut up horsemeat would not be in a part of town where she could go for a walk without having people wonder what she was doing there.
    Or she could happen to walk by the Nortons’house about three o’clock on Friday afternoon when he might be delivering Cuthbert’s food again. Jane thought this over and decided the plan had both advantages and disadvantages. She could easily go for a walk in the Nortons’ neighborhood without looking out of place. However, the truck probably would not arrive at exactly three o’clock and she could not very well walk up and down in front of the Nortons’ as if she were picketing their house. The neighbors would begin to wonder what she was doing. Nevertheless, a leisurely stroll up their street next Friday afternoon could do no harm. He might happen to drive by and see her and think, Why, there’s that girl I spoke to at the Nortons’. He would stop the truck and say, “Hi there. Going to Sandra’s house? If you are I’ll give you a lift.” And she would say…
    And then Jane had an even better idea. If she were babysitting with Sandra she would be sure to see him. She turned this over in her mind. Could she stand another afternoon of Sandra—another afternoon of trying to maneuver her into doing what she was supposed to do when Sandra was so clever at outwitting sitters? To see that boy again, yes. It would not be easy but she could do it. The boy would arrive with Cuthbert’s food and say,“Hi! I didn’t expect to see you here again,” and of course he would look as if he were glad she was there again. And she would laugh and say…
    Jane realized there was another reason for wanting to sit with Sandra Friday afternoons—she might keep some other babysitter from meeting the boy.
    â€œWell, I guess I’ll phone Julie,” Jane remarked casually.
    â€œDon’t talk all night,” said Mr. Purdy.
    Jane kicked off her loafers and dialed Julie’s number. “Hi, it’s me,” she said when Julie answered. Jane could picture her friend at the other end of the line with her loafers kicked off, too, and her freckled face smiling expectantly. “Look, Julie, if Mrs. Norton wants somebody to sit with Sandra again next Friday, I’ve got dibs.”
    â€œJane!” shrieked Julie into the telephone. “Have you lost your mind?”
    â€œI don’t think so,” answered Jane. “Not yet, anyway.”
    â€œWhat happened?” Julie asked. “Has Sandra reformed or something?”
    â€œLots of things happened.” Jane pulled her knees up under her chin and prepared to make certain no one else would sit with Sandra. “She shut up alot of flies in snapdragons and let Cuthbert out when he had just been washed and she dumped an ashtray on the carpet and she threatened to pour ink all over the living-room floor and—”
    â€œThat’s enough,” cried Julie. “You can have her any time Mrs. Norton wants a sitter, but I still think you’re crazy. Or did Mrs. Norton pay double or something?”
    â€œNo, she paid the usual,” answered Jane. “And for once she had the right change.”
    There was a moment of silence at Julie’s end of the line. “Then there must be a boy in it someplace,” announced Julie. “There can’t be any other reason.”
    â€œAt Sandra’s? How could there be?” Jane made her voice sound innocent.
    â€œThere must be,” insisted Julie. “There can’t be any other reason why, of your own free will, you would offer to sit with Sandra.”
    â€œHave you ever seen a boy there?” asked Jane.
    â€œJane!” Mr. Purdy’s voice was warning her that she had talked long enough.
    That was the trouble with this house. A girl couldn’t even carry on a telephone