then he would certainly speak of that

And he had a sister who was half an orphan too. Half and half equals a whole. Together they made a whole orphan. He felt that it was not worth mentioning, that he was half an orphan, although he privately considered it a good deal better than nothing; and that also, he would not volunteer the fact that he and his sister together made a whole orphan. But if anyone teased either of them about not being an orphan at all, then he would certainly speak of that. He decided that Catherine should be warned of this, so that if they were teased, they could back each other up. “Both of us together is a whole orphan,” he said. “Huh?” “Don’t say ‘huh,’ say, ‘What is it, Rufus?’ ” “I will not!” “You will so. Mama says to.” “She does not.” “She does so. When I say ‘huh’ she says, ‘Don’t say “huh,” say “What is it, Mother?’ ” When you say ‘huh’ she tells you the same thing. So don’t say ‘huh.’ Say, ‘What is it, Rufus?’ ” “I won’t say it to you.” “Yes, you will.” “No, I won’t.” “Yes, you will, because Mama said for us to be good. If you don’t I’ll tell her on you.” “You tell her and I’ll tell on you.” “Tell on me for what?” “Listening at the door.” “No you won’t.” “I will so.” “You will not.” “I will so.” He thought it over. “All right, don’t say it, and I won’t tell on you if you won’t tell on me.” “I will if you tell on me.” “I said I won’t, didn’t I? Not if you don’t tell on me.” “I won’t if you don’t tell on me.” “All right.” They glared at each other.