I wouldn't
say my lesson, papa, an' Miss Carrie locked me up, an' the chil'en
brought me my dinner."
"'Tuz me," chimed in Tot. "I b'ing 'er de besses dinner-- take an' jam
an' pud'n in de p'ate. Aunt Mawy dum tum me."
"Hush, Tot," said Diddie, "till I get through. An' then, papa, I
climbed out the winder on the step-ladder, an' I--"
"Dilsey an' Chris got the ladder," put in Dumps.
"HUSH UP, Dumps!" said Diddie; "you're all time 'ruptin' me."
"I reckon I done jes bad ez you," retorted Dumps, "an' I got jes much
right ter tell 'boutn it. You think nobody can't be bad but yerse'f."
"Well, then, you can tell it all," said Diddie, with dignity. "Papa,
Dumps will tell you."
And Dumps, nothing daunted, continued:
"Dilsey an' Chris brought the step-ladder, an' Diddie clum out; an' we
runned erway in the woods, an' waded in the ditch, an' got all muddy
up; an' the Jay Bird, he was settin' on er limb watchin' us, an' he
carried the news ter the deb'l; an' Uncle Snake-bit Bob let us go ter
his shop, an' tol' us 'bout the Woodpecker's head, an' that's all;
only we ain't n-e-v-er goin' ter do it no mo'; an', oh yes, I furgot--
an' Diddie's rael sorry an' right 'pents; an' I'm sorter sorry, an'
toler'ble 'pents. An', please, are you mad, papa?"
"It was certainly very wrong," said her father, "to help Diddie to get
out, when Miss Carrie had locked her in; and I am surprised that
Diddie should need to be kept in.
Pages:
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124