Patty's Success Part 22

But, won't you send for some more water? I had to bring them with only a little, for fear I'd spill it, and they seem to have drunk it nearly all up."

"Nonsense! they don't drink the water; they only swim in it."

"That's the trouble. There isn't enough for them to swim in. And yet there's too much for them to drink."

Patty rang for Jane, who then brought them a pitcher of ice water.

Kenneth poured it in, but at the sudden cold deluge, Darby and Juliet began to behave in an extraordinary manner. They flew madly round and round the bowl, hitting each other, and breathing in gasps.

"The water's too cold," cried Patty.

"Of course it is," said Kenneth; "get some hot water, won't you?"

Patty ran herself for the hot water, and returned with a pitcher full.

"Don't you want a little mustard?" she said, giggling. "I know they've taken cold. A hot mustard foot-bath is fine for colds."

"And that is very odd, because they haven't any feet," quoted Kenneth, as he poured the hot water in very slowly.

"Do you want a bath thermometer?" went on Patty.

"No; when they stop wriggling it's warm enough. There, now they're all right."

Kenneth set down the hot water pitcher and looked with pride on the two fish, who had certainly stopped wriggling.

"They're awful quiet," said Patty. "Are you sure they're all right? I think you've boiled them."

"Nothing of the sort. They like warmth, only it makes them sort of----"

"Dormant," suggested Patty.

"Yes, clever child, dormant. And now while they sleep, I'll tell you my plan. You see, these are extra intelligent goldfish,--especially Juliet, the one with a black spot on her shoulder. Well, you've only to train them a bit, and then give exhibitions of your trained goldfis.h.!.+ You've no idea what a hit it will make."

"Kenneth, you're a genius!" cried Patty, meeting his fun halfway. "It's lots easier than white work. Come on, help me train them, won't you? How do we begin?"

"They're still sleepy," said Kenneth, looking at the inert fish. "They need stirring up."

"I'll get a spoon," said Patty, promptly.

"No, just waggle the water with your finger. They'll come up."

Patty waggled the water with her finger, but Darby only blinked at her, while Juliet flounced petulantly.

"She's high-strung," observed Kenneth, "and a trifle bad-tempered. But she won't stand scolding. Let's take her out and pet her a little."

"How do you get her out? With a hook and line?"

"No, silly! You must be kind to them. Here, puss, puss, puss! Come, Jooly-ooly-et! Come!"

But Juliet haughtily ignored the invitation and huddled in the bottom of the bowl.

"Try this," said Patty, running to the dining-room, and returning with a silver fish server.

This worked beautifully, and Kenneth scooped up Juliet, who lay quietly on the broad silver blade, blinking at them reproachfully.

"She's hungry, Ken; see how she opens and shuts her mouth."

"No; she's trying to talk. I told you she was clever. I daresay you can teach her to sing. She looks just as you do when you take a high note."

"You horrid boy! But she does, really. Anyway, let's feed them. What do they eat?"

"I brought their food with me; it's some patent stuff, very well advertised. Here, Julie!"

Gently slipping Juliet back into the water, Ken scattered some food on the surface.

Both fish rose to the occasion and greedily ate the floating particles.

"That's the trouble," said Ken. "They have no judgment. They overeat, and then they die of apoplexy. And, too, if they eat too much, you can't train them to stand on their tails and beg."

"Oh, will they learn to do that? And what else can we teach them?"

"Oh, anything acrobatic; trapeze work and that. But they're sleepy now; you fed them too much for just an afternoon tea. Let's leave them to their nap, and train them after they wake up."

"All right; let's sit down and talk seriously."

"Patty, you're always ready to talk seriously of late. That's why I brought you some Nonsense Fish, to lighten your mood a little."

"Don't you worry about my mood, Ken; it's light enough. But I want you to help me earn my living for a week. Will you?"

"That I will not! I'll be no party to your foolishness."

"Now, Ken," went on Patty, for she knew his "bark was worse than his bite," "I don't want you to do anything much. But, in your law office, where you're studying, aren't there some papers I can copy, or something like that?"

"Patty, you're a back number. That 'copying' that you mean is all out of date. In these days of typewriters and manifold thigamajigs, we lawyers don't have much copying done by hand. Except, perhaps, engrossing. Can you do that?"

"How prettily you say 'we lawyers,'" teased Patty.

"Of course I do. I'm getting in practice against the time it'll be true.

But if you really want to copy, buy a nice Spencerian Copy-book, and fill up its pages. It'll be about as valuable as any other work of the sort."

"Ken, you're horrid. So unsympathetic."

"I'm crool only to be kind! You must know, Patty, that copying is out of the question."

"Well, never mind then; let's talk of something else."

"'Let's sit upon the ground and tell strange stories of the death of kings.'"

"Oh, Ken, that reminds me. You know my crystal ball?"