Atkins chuckled. "I mean you want to have the water bilin' hot when you
put him in," he explained. "Wait till she biles up good and then souse
him; see?"

"I guess so. How do you know when he's done?"

"Oh--er--I can't tell you. You'll have to trust to your instinct, I
cal'late. When he looks done, he IS done, most gen'rally speakin'."

"Dear me! how clear you make it. Would you mind hintin' as to how he
looks when he's done?"

"Why--why, DONE, of course."

"Yes, of course. How stupid of me! He is done when he looks done, and
when he looks done he is done. Any child could follow those directions.
HOW is he done--brown?"

"No. Brown! the idea! Red, of course. He's green when you put him in
the kittle, and when you take him out, he's red. That's one way you can
tell."

"Yes, that will help some. All right, I'll boil him till he's red, you
needn't worry about that."

"Oh, I sha'n't worry. So long. I'll be back about six or so. Put him in
when the water's good and hot, and you'll come out all right."

"Thank you. I hope HE will, but I have my doubts. Where is he?"