hes, lifted both
their voices and sharp-pointed noses to the sky. On the opposite side of
the fire sat Jalap Coombs holding Nel-te in his arms, rocking him to and
fro in time to the chorus that he was pouring forth with the full power
of his lungs, and utterly oblivious to everything save his own unusual
occupation of putting a baby to sleep.

"Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho!" roared Phil and Serge, unable to restrain
their mirth a moment longer. "Oh my! Oh my! Oh, Mr. Coombs, you'll be
the death of me yet! What ever are you doing? Didn't know you could
sing! What a capital nurse you make! What a soft voice for lullabies!
The dogs, too! Oh dear! I shall laugh at the thought of this if I live
to be a hundred! Don't mind us, though. Keep right on. Please do!"

But the concert was ended. Jalap Coombs sprang to his feet with a
startled yell, and dropped the child, who screamed with the fright of
his sudden awakening. The dogs, whose harmonious howlings were so
abruptly interrupted, slunk away with tails between their legs, and hid
themselves in deepest shadows.

"There, there, little chap. Don't be frightened," cried Phil, darting
forward and picking up the child, though still shaking with laughter.
"It's all right now. Brother Phil will protect you, and not let the big
man frighten you any more."

"I frighten him indeed!" retorted Jalap Coombs, indignantly. "He was
sleeping quiet and peaceful as a seal pup; and I were just humming a bit
of a ditty that useter be sung to me when I were a kid, so's he'd have
something pleasant to dream about. Then you young swabs had to come
creeping up and yell like a couple of wild hoodoos, and set the dogs to
howling and scare the kid, to say nothing of me, which ef I had ye
aboard ship I'd masthead ye both till ye larnt manners. Oh, ye may
snicker! But I have my opinion all the same of any man as'll wake a
sleeping child, specially when he's wore out with crying, all on account
of being desarted. And I'm not the only one nuther. There was old Kite
Roberson who useter clap a muzzle onto his wife's canary whenever she'd
get the kids to sleep, for fear the critter'd bust inter singing. But
it's all right. You will know how it is yourselves some day."

Phil, seeing that, for the first time since he had known him, the mate
was thoroughly indignant, set out to smooth his ruffled feelings.

"Why, Mr. Coombs," he said, "we didn't mean to startle you, but those
wretched dogs kept up such a howling