“Listen,” Sprite said, turning on the old woman again. “I sort of have some private things to discuss with Scotty up there.”

“Why you sneak?”

Sprite rolled her head in frustration. “I just have to talk with the guy. He owes me a favor, and I need a favor. But I’m not sure how he’ll respond, so I don’t want him to try skipping out. Ok?”

“Ok,” Mioko said.

“Ok,” Sprite said, turning around again, but Scotty had vanished. Sprite looked around frantically. “Where’d he go?”

“Skipping,” the old woman said, pointing toward the little man rapidly making his exit.