at
chile."

Hugh seemed about to beg Sarah to let them off, but Thad, for some
reason, perhaps just through mere curiosity, hastened to say:

"Come on, let's take a peek, Hugh. I've got an engagement in a short
time, but this'll only take a few minutes. We're some interested in
Brutus, you know. I guess he's bound to make a name for himself some
day."

So they followed Sarah as she led the way to a nearby cottage.

"Dat's whar we libs, me an' Brutus and my sister, Nancy, her as takes
in washin' six days in de week, an' teaches de infant class in Sunday
school on de seventh day. Yuh see we done got a cabin in de rear where
Nancy she washes. So we fits up one end fo' Brutus' playhouse, same as
de white chillun dey hab playhouses in de yard. He sets dar most ob de
day a havin' de time o' his life playin' sojer with de buttons, and
settin' out his Noah's Ark animals. I allers knowed dat boy was
different from de rest o' de kids. Parson Brown, he say he sure enough
hab de makin' o' a good preacher in him, fo' he talks by de hour to his
toys."

So Hugh and Thad had a look-in. They found everything in order,
showing that Nancy was not slovenly about her work. The tubs were hung
on the wall, and a basket of soiled clothes standing ready for the next
day's washing.

Over at the far end of the cabin was the special precinct devoted to
Brutus and his toys. Hugh glanced at the accumulation. He saw that
the boy was one of those who love to accumulate things. He had
numerous little assortments of curious articles, picked up here and
there, all of which had excited his love for collecting.

Thad was heard to chuckle as though he found it quite amusing; but he
turned this off with a cough as Sarah glanced inquiringly toward him.

"Yuh see how dat boy he spend his time," the proud mother went on to
say. "Right here he play and play de whole blessed day long. He ain't
nebber done tired o' talkin' to his toys, and asettin' o' 'em in lines
like dey was in school. I always hab an idea in my head Brutus, he
either make a good parson or else he bound to be a school teacher, I
ain't zactly made up my mind yet which it'll be."

"It's plain to be seen, Sarah," said Hugh, as he turned away, "that
your boy is different. I certainly hope he'll grow up to be a man
you'll be proud of. You won't punish him for what happened today, will
you? We promised him we'd ask you to go easy with him; he was
dreadfully alarmed about