ll time
perposing to play chain-gang and you all time lose the key."

Lina grew indignant.

"You proposed this yourself, Jimmy Garner," she said; "we never would
have thought of playing chain-gang but for you."

"It looks like we can't never do anything at all," moaned Frances,
"'thout grown folks 've got to know 'bout it."

"Yes, and laugh fit to pop theirselfs open," said her fellow-prisoner.
"I can't never pass by Owen Gibbs and Len Hamner now 'thout they laugh
just like idjets and grin just like pole-cats."

"I ain't never hear tell of a pole-cat grinnin'," corrected Billy, "he
jes' smell worser 'n what a billy goat do."

"It is Chessy cats that grin," explained Lina.

"Look like folks would get 'em a lot of pole-cats stead o' chillens
always hafto be wearing assfetty bags 'round their nakes, so's they can
keep off whopping-cough," said Frances.

"You can't wear a pole-cat roun' yo' nake," grinned Billy.

"And Len Hamner all time now asking me," Jimmy continued, "when I'm
going to wear Sarah Jane's co'set to Sunday-School. Grown folks 'bout
the lunatickest things they is. Ain't you going to unlock this chain,
Billy?" he demanded.

"What I got to unlock it with?" asked Billy.

As Jimmy's father was taking the crestfallen chaingang to the blacksmith
shop to have their fetters removed, they had to pass by the livery
stable; and Sam Lamb, bent double with intoxicating mirth at their
predicament, yelled:

"Lordee! Lordee! Y' all sho' is de outlandishest kids 'twixt de Bad
Place an' de moon."

CHAPTER XXII

A TRANSACTION IN MUMPS

"Don't you come near me," screamed Billy, sauntering slowly and
deliberately toward the dividing fence; "keep way f'om me; they's
ketchin'."

Jimmy was sitting on his front steps and the proverbial red flag could
not have excited a bull to quicker action. He hopped down the steps and
ran across his own yard toward Billy as fast as his short, fat legs,
could carry him.

"Git 'way f'om me; you'll ketch 'em if you teches me," warned Billy;
"an' you too little to have 'em," and he waved an authoritative hand at
the other child. But Jimmy's curiosity was aroused to the highest
pitch. He promptly jumped the fence and gazed at his chum with critical
admiration.

"What's the matter," he inquired, "you got the toothache?"

"Toothache!" was the scornful echo, "well, I reckon not. Git back; don't
you tech 'em; you ain't ol' 'nough to have 'em."

Bill