L. Frank Baum

“ He took rather more than his share of the spoils, but the girls had no voice to object. They were by this time so convulsed with suppressed merriment that they had hard work not to shriek aloud their laughter. ”

“ On the way home she confided to her cousins a method of securing revenge upon the agent for selling them the three copies of the "Lives of the Saints."
"McNutt wants to get even with Brayley, he says, and we want to get even with McNutt. I think our chances are best, don't you?" she asked.
And they decided to join the conspiracy.
There was some difficulty escaping from Uncle John and the Major that night, but Patsy got them interested in a game of chess that was likely to last some hours, while Beth stole to the barn and harnessed Joe to the surrey. ”

“ My mellings at fifty cents is better 'n his'n at fifteen."
"Tell me," said Patsy, with a smile, "did you ever rob a melon-patch, Mr. McNutt?"
"Me? I don't hev to. I grow 'em."
"But the ones you grow are worth fifty cents each, are they not?"
"Sure; mine is."
"Then every time you eat one of your own melons you eat fifty cents. If you were eating one of Mr. Brayley's melons you would only eat fifteen cents."
"And it would be Brayley's fifteen cents, too," added Beth, quickly. ”

“ McNutt?" inquired Louise.
"Charge? Why—er—fifty cents a piece is my price to nabobs; an' dirt cheap at that!"
"That is too much," declared Patsy. "Mr. Brayley says he will sell his melons for fifteen cents each."
"Him! Fifteen cents!" gasped Peggy, greatly disappointed. "Say, Brayley's a disturbin' element in these parts. He oughter go to jail fer asking fifteen cents fer them mean little mellings o' his'n."
"They seem as large as yours," murmured Louise.
"But they ain't. An' Brayley's a cheat an' a rascal, while a honester man ner me don't breathe. Nobody likes Brayley 'round Millville. ”