baby's new confidence and hope. "Did you think old brother Jim was
lost? Did you want to go home and get some bread and milk?"

"He ain't a bit hungry. He didn't want nuthin' to eat," said Miss Doc,
in self-defence. "And you ain't no more fit to have that there child
than a--"

"Goin' to have him all the same," old Jim interrupted, starting for the
door. "You stole him--that's what you did!"

"I didn't do no sech thing," said the housewife. "I jest nachelly
borrowed him--jest for over night. And now you've got him, I hope
you're satisfied. And you kin jest clear out o' my house, do you hear?
And I can't scrub and sweep too soon where your lazy, dirty old boots
has been on the floor!"

"Wal," drawled Jim, "I can't throw away these boots any too soon,
neither. I wouldn't wear a pair of boots which had stepped on any
floor of yours."

He therefore left the house at once, even as the lady began her violent
sweeping. Interrupting Keno's mad chortles of joy at sight of little
Skeezucks, Jim gave him the tiny man for a moment's keeping, and,
taking off his boots, threw them down before Miss Dennihan's gate in
extravagant pride.

Then once more he took his little man on his arm and started away. But
when he had walked a half-dozen rods, on the rocks that indented the
tender soles of his stockinged feet, he was stepping with gingerly
uncertainty. He presently came to a halt. The ground was not only