scour 'em
sometimes."

Even Shadrach had no remark to make. He gazed at the child, then at
Zoeth, and drew a long breath.

As soon as supper was over the Captain and Mr. Hamilton hastened up to
the village and the store.

"You better go to bed pretty soon, Mary-'Gusta," said Zoeth. "You're
tired, I know. Isaiah'll make your bed for you. We'll be on hand and see
you first thing in the morning. Isaiah'll go up with you and blow out
your light and all. Good night."

The Captain said good night also and the pair hurried out.

When at ten o'clock they returned they found Mr. Chase up and awaiting
them. Isaiah had a story to tell.

"I never see a young-one like that in this world," declared Isaiah. "You
know what she done after you left? Helped me do the dishes. Yes, sir,
by time, that's what she done. And she wiped 'em first-rate, too; good
enough to satisfy ME, and you know that means somethin' 'cause I ain't
easy to satisfy. And talk! Say, I never had a child talk same as she
does. How old is she, for the land sakes?"

Zoeth told them the visitor's age.

"Well, maybe so," went on Isaiah, "but she don't talk seven; nigher
seventeen, if you ask me. Pumpin' me about funerals, she was, and about
folks dyin' and so on. Said she cal'lated she'd have a doll's funeral
some time. 'For mercy sakes, what for?' I says. 'Can't you think up
anything pleasanter'n that to play? That kind of game would give me the
blue creeps!' She, thought that over--she generally thinks about a thing
for five minutes afore she talks about it--and says she, 'I know,' she
says, 'but a person must go to funerals and so it's better to get used
to 'em and know how to behave. I shouldn't want my dolls,' she says, 'to
do things at funerals that make people feel bad and laugh.' I couldn't
get that through my head. 'If they felt bad they wouldn't laugh, would
they?' says I. 'THEY wouldn't--the ones that felt bad wouldn't,' says
she, 'but others might laugh at them. And that would make the person who
was to blame feel TERRIBLY.' Now what was all that about? Can you make
any sense of it?"

Captain Shadrach smiled sheepishly. "I cal'late me and Zoeth have an
idea what she was drivin' at," he said. "Go on, Isaiah; what else did
she say?"

"What didn't she say? Wanted to know if I thought God would knock
anybody's head off that had done wrong, even if they didn't mean to.
Yes, sir, that's what she said---if God would knock anybody's head off.
Mine prett