ut your finger on 'em?"

"I ain't a-goin' to charge little girls nothin'," said the gallant
Billy, as he proffered his swollen jowl to each in turn.

A little darkey riding a big black horse was galloping by; Jimmy hailed
and halted him.

"You better go fast," he shrieked. "Me and Billy and Frances and Lina's
got the mumps and you ain't got no business to have 'em 'cause you're
a nigger, and you better take your horse to the lib'ry stable 'cause he
might ketch 'em too."

The negro boy dismounted and hitched his horse to the fence. "I gotter
little tarrapim--" he began insinuatingly.

And thus it came to pass that there was an epidemic of mumps in the
little town of Covington, and William Green Hill grew rich in marbles,
in tops, in strings, in toads, in chewing gum, and in many other things
which comprise the pocket treasures of little boys.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE INFANT MIND SHOOTS

Miss Minerva had bought a book for Billy entitled "Stories of Great
and Good Men," which she frequently read to him for his education and
improvement. These stories related the principal events in the lives of
the heroes but never mentioned any names, always asking at the end, "Can
you tell me who this man was?"

Her nephew heard the stories so often that he had some expression or
incident by which he could identify each, without paying much attention
while she was reading.

He and his aunt had just settled themselves on the porch for a reading.

Jimmy was on his own porch cutting up funny capers, and making faces for
the other child's amusement.

"Lemme go over to Jimmy's, Aunt Minerva," pleaded her nephew, "an' you
can read to me to-night. I 'd a heap ruther not hear you read right now.
It'll make my belly ache."

Miss Minerva looked at him severely.

"William," she enjoined, "don't you want to be a smart man when you grow
up?"

"Yes 'm," he replied, without much enthusiasm. "Well, jes' lemme ask
Jimmy to come over here an' set on the other sider you whils' you read.
He ain't never hear 'bout them tales, an' I s'pec' he'd like to come."

"Very well," replied his flattered and gratified relative, "call him
over."

Billy went to the fence, where he signaled Jimmy to meet him.

"Aunt Minerva say you come over an' listen to her read some er the
pretties' tales you ever hear," he said, as if conferring a great favor.

"Naw, sirree-bob!" was the impolite response across the fence, "them
'bout t