Why on earth didn't you? Didn't you know that if I'd realized that swab
had borrered my gun to kill my cat that would have been enough? If the
critter had stole a million chickens 'twouldn't have made any difference
if I'd known THAT. The cheeky lubber! Well, he won't shoot at anything
of ours for one spell, I'll bet. But why didn't you tell me?"

Mary-'Gusta's answer was promptly given.

"Why, 'cause," she said, "that was just it. I knew if you knew that you
wouldn't care whether David stole the chicken or not. And I wanted you
to know he didn't."

"Um, I see. But if you had told me you wouldn't have had to tell about
the parlor. I'D never asked a single question."

"Ye-yes, sir; but I wanted you to know David doesn't steal chickens."

Shadrach swallowed hard. "I see," he said. "Yes, yes, I see. So just to
clear that cat you was willin' to give up the picnic and everything."

Mary-'Gusta sobbed: "I--I did want to go so," she moaned.

The Captain lifted her from the pillow and put his arm about her.

"You ARE goin'," he declared, emphatically, "you just bet you're goin'."

"Oh! Oh, am I? Am I really? I--I know I hadn't ought to. I was a bad
girl."

"You! You're a dummed good girl! The best and squarest--yes, and the