"No use for you to go, Billy," said Mrs. Norris, with marvellous
diplomacy for such a simple, unworldly farmer's wife to suddenly
acquire. "Sammy wouldn't let you set foot on his place. He wouldn't
let you put an eye or a finger on that precious baby--not for the
whole earth."

"What! Not _me_, the little chap's _grandfather_?" blurted old
Billy in a rage. "I'm a-goin' to see that baby, that's all there
is to it. I tell yer, I'm a-goin'."

"No use, father; you'll only make things worse," sighed Sam's
mother, plaintively; but in her heart laughter gurgled like a
spring. To the gift of diplomacy Mrs. Norris was fast adding the
art of being an actress. "If you go there Sam'll set the dog on
you. I _know_ he will, from the way he was talking," she concluded.

"Oh! got a _dog_, have they? Well, I bet they've got no _cow_,"
sneered Billy. Then after a meaning pause: "I say Marthy, _have_
they got a cow?"

"No," replied Mrs. Norris, shortly.

"_No cow_, an' a sick woman and a baby--_my_ grandchild--in the
house? Now ain't that jes' like that sneak Sam? They'll jes' kill
that baby atween them, they're that igner'nt. Hev they got enny
milk fer them two babbling kids, Della an' the baby--my
grandchild?"

"No!" snapped Mrs. Norris, while through her mind echoed some