"COAX him to make pitty singin'? I LOVE his voice--I'm dest CRAZY over
it. Isn't oo?"

William's passion for Mr. Bullitt's voice appeared to be under control.
He laughed coldly, almost harshly. "Him sing?" he said. "Has he been
tryin' to sing around HERE? I wonder the family didn't call for the
police!"

It was to be seen that Mr. Bullitt did not relish the sally. "Well, they
will," he retorted, "if you ever spring one o' your solos on 'em!" And
turning to Miss Pratt, he laughed loudly and bitterly. "You ought to
hear Silly Bill sing--some time when you don't mind goin' to bed sick
for a couple o' days!"

Symptoms of truculence at once became alarmingly pronounced on both
sides. William was naturally incensed, and as for Mr. Bullitt, he had
endured a great deal from William every evening since Miss Pratt's
arrival. William's evening clothes were hard enough for both Mr. Watson
and Mr. Bullitt to bear, without any additional insolence on the part
of the wearer. Big Bruvva Josie-Joe took a step toward his enemy and
breathed audibly.

"Let's ALL sing," the tactful Miss Pratt proposed, hastily. "Come on,
May and Cousin Johnnie-Jump-Up," she called to Miss Parcher and Mr.
Watson. "Singin'-school, dirls an' boys! Singin'-school! Ding, ding!
Singin'-school bell's a-wingin'!"

The diversion was successful. Miss Parcher and Mr. Watson joined the
other group with alacrity, and the five young people were presently
seated close together upon the steps of the porch, sending their voices
out upon the air and up to Mr. Parcher's window in the song they found
loveliest that summer.

Miss Pratt carried the air. William also carried it part of the time
and hunted for it the rest of the time, though never in silence. Miss
Parcher "sang alto," Mr. Bullitt "sang bass," and Mr. Watson "sang
tenor"--that is, he sang as high as possible, often making the top sound
of a chord and always repeating the last phrase of each line before the
others finished it. The melody was a little too sweet, possibly; while
the singers thought so highly of the words that Mr. Parcher missed not
one, especially as the vocal rivalry between Josie-Joe and Ickle Boy
Baxter incited each of them to prevent Miss Pratt from hearing the
other.

William sang loudest of all; Mr. Parcher had at no time any difficulty
in recognizing his voice.

"Oh, I love my love in the morning
And I love my love at night,
I love my love in the