she claimed, every
sound in her previous experience and, for the sake of definiteness, she
stated her age to be fifty-three years and four months. She added that
all members of the Williams family had gone out of town to attend the
funeral of a relative, but she wished that they might have remained
to attend Penrod's, which she confidently predicted as imminent if the
neighbourhood followed its natural impulse.

Penrod listened for a time, but departed before the conclusion of the
oration. He sought other comrades, with no success; he even went to the
length of yodelling in the yard of that best of boys, Georgie Bassett.
Here was failure again, for Georgie signalled to him, through a closed
window, that a closeting with dramatic literature was preferable to the
society of a playmate; and the book that Georgie exhibited was openly
labelled, "300 Choice Declamations." Georgie also managed to convey
another reason for his refusal of Penrod's companionship, the visitor
being conversant with lip-reading through his studies at the "movies."

"TOO MUDDY!"

Penrod went home.

"Well," Mrs. Schofield said, having almost exhausted a mother's powers
of suggestion, "well, why don't you give Duke a bath?" She was that far
depleted when Penrod came to her the third time.

Mothers' suggestions are wonderful for little children but sometimes
lack lustre when a boy approaches twelve an age to which the ideas of a
Swede farm-hand would usually prove more congenial. However, the dim and
melancholy eye of Penrod showed a pale gleam, and he departed. He gave
Duke a bath.

The entertainment proved damp and discouraging for both parties. Duke
began to tremble even before he was lifted into the water, and after his
first immersion he was revealed to be a dog weighing about one-fourth
of what an observer of Duke, when Duke was dry, must have guessed his
weight to be. His wetness and the disclosure of his extreme fleshly
insignificance appeared to mortify him profoundly. He wept. But,
presently, under Penrod's thorough ministrations--for the young master
was inclined to make this bath last as long as possible--Duke plucked
up a heart and began a series of passionate attempts to close the
interview. As this was his first bath since September, the effects were
lavish and impressionistic, both upon Penrod and upon the bathroom.
However, the imperious boy's loud remonstrances contributed to bring
about the result desired by Duke.

Mrs. Schof