"Gooid gracious! tha arn't callin thi sister in here an me i' this
state!" sed James, an he dived under th' bed.

"Maude Blanche! _do_ come! Th' hasse is full o' robbers!"

"For God's sake, Angelina, dunnot let her come in here till awm donned.
Aw've nowt on but mi shirt, and if shoo comes an sees me aw shall faint
reight off."

"Shirt be hanged! what does it matter if shoo sees it! shoo'll have it
to wesh next wick! Tha owt to be 'shamed o' thisen!"

"Aw am, an aw'st be moor soa if shoo comes in. Does ta know aw've noa
stockins on, an mi britches is hung ovver th' bed fooit; an this shirt
is a quarter ov a yard to short! Dunnot let her come in whativver tha
does!"

Just then th' door oppened, an a smilin face peep'd in.

"What's to do?" axt Maude Blanche.

"We've been robbed! an that softheead is caarin under th' bed asteead o'
runnin after th' robbers!"

"Turn her aght, Angelina! If tha doesn't aw shall sink throo th' floor.
Gie me mi britches if tha'll do nowt else, an then aw'll see what aw can
do. Maude Blanche! If tha hasn't forgetten all tha's ivver been towt at
th' Sundy schooil, get aght o' this hoil as sharp as tha can! If tha
doesn't tha'll see what tha'll be sorry for as long as tha lives, for aw
cannot stand it!"

Angelina wor soa upset 'at shoo hardly knew what shoo wor dooin, but
shoo pitched James's britches under th' bed, and Maude Blanche wor
laffin wol shoo had to rest ageean th' bed fooit to steady hersen.

James tried to put on his britches, but it wor noa easy matter, but in a
bit he did get his legs into 'em, altho' they wor th' wrang side before,
an then he crept aght, moor deead nor alive, an a deeal war freetened
wi' Maude Blanche nor he wor abaat th' robbers.

"Whear's th' robbers?" he sed, lukkin daan at th' slack ov his britches
an fumblin after th' buttons.

"Ther's noa robbers," sed Maude Blanche, "it's nobbut a bit o' my fun.
Aw heeard yo booath snooarin an aw thowt it ud be a gooid jooak to mak
yo fancy somedy'd brokken into th' haase."

"A'a! did ta ivver!" sed Angelina, turnin to James; "did ta ivver see
one like her i' all thi life?"

"Aw dooant think aw ivver did, an aw nivver want to see owt like her
agean. Aw wonder if shoo ivver saw owt like me? Aw should think shoo'll
nivver forget it as long as shoo lives."

"A'a, hold thi wisht! Little things mak noa impression on awr Maude
Blanche."

They all went to bed agean, but James couldn't sleep, his narves had