"See, Mammy, here's Agnes and Polly and Frances," said Diddie, as they
entered the nursery; "mamma let us have them, and they are to stay here
a long time and play Injuns with us."

"Now, Miss Diddie, honey," said Mammy, "Injuns is sich a sackremenchus
play, an' makes so much litter and fuss; git yer dolls, an' play like er
little lady."

"No, no, no," interrupted Dumps; "we're goin' ter play Injuns! We're
goin' ter make out we're travellin' in the big rockin'-cheer, goin' ter
New Orleans, an' the little niggers is got ter be Injuns, hid all behin'
the trunks an' beds an' door; an' after we rock an' rock er _lo-o-ong_
time, then we're goin' ter make out it's night, an' stretch mamma's big
shawl over two cheers an' make er tent, and be cookin' supper in our
little pots an' kittles, an' the little niggers is got ter holler,
'Who-ee, who-eee,' an' jump out on us, an' cut off our heads with er
billycrow."

"How silly you do talk, Dumps!" said Diddie: "there ain't any Injuns
between here and New Orleans; we've got ter be goin' ter California, a
far ways f'um here. An' I don't b'lieve there's nothin' in this world
named er '_billycrow_;' it's er tommyhawk you're thinkin' about: an'
Injuns don't cut off people's heads; it was Henry the Eighth. Injuns
jes' cut off the hair and call it sculpin', don't they, Mammy?"

"Lor', chile," replied Mammy, "I dunno, honey; I allers hyeard dat
Injuns wuz monstrous onstreperous, an' I wouldn't play no sich er game."

But "Injuns, Injuns, Injuns!" persisted all the little folks, and Mammy