ong to
someone else; but they don't come extra, do they? I thought it was the
twins that was worryin' you?"

"That is where the urns come in," says he. "Here the youngsters are
now. Step back in here and watch."

He pulls me into the next room, where we could see through the
draperies. There's a whoop and a hurrah outside, the door bangs, and
in tumbles the kids, with a nurse taggin' on behind. The youngsters
makes a bee line for the mantelpiece and sings out:

"Hello, Grandfather! Hello, Aunt Sabina! Look what we brought this
time!"

"Stop it! Stop it!" says the nurse, her eyes buggin' out.

"Boo! Fraid cat!" yells the twins, and nursy skips. Then they begins
to unload the stuff they've lugged in, pilin' it up alongside the urns,
singin' out like auctioneers, "There's some daisies for Aunt Sabina!
And wild strawberries for Grandfather! And a mud turtle for aunty!
And a bird's nest for Grandfather!" windin' up the performance by
joinin' hands and goin' through a reg'lar war dance.

Pinckney explains how this was only a sample of what had been goin' on
ever since they heard Snivens tellin' what was in the urns. They'd
stood by, listenin' with their mouths and ears wide open, and then
they'd asked questions until everyone was wore out tryin' to answer
'em. But the real woe came when the yarn got around among the servants
and they begun leavin' faster'n Pinckney's Aunt Mary could send out new
ones from town.

"Maybe the kids'll get tired of it in a few days," says I.

"Exactly what I thought," says Pinckney; "but they don't. It's the
best game they can think of, and if I allow them they will stay in here
by the hour, cutting up for the benefit of Grandfather and Aunt Sabina.
It's morbid. It gets on one's nerves. My aunt says she can't stand it
much longer, and if she goes I shall have to break up. If you're a
friend of mine, Shorty, you'll think of some way to get those
youngsters interested in something else."

"Why don't you buy 'em a pony cart?" says I.

"I've bought two," says he; "and games and candy, and parrots and
mechanical toys enough to stock a store. Still they keep this thing
up."

"And if you quit the domestic game, the kids have to go to some home,
and you go back to the club?" says I.

"That's it," says he.

"And when Miss Gertie comes on, and finds you've renigged, it's all up
between you and her, eh?" says I.

Pinckney groans.

"G'wan!" says I. "Go take a sleep."