hippopotamus, and his pretty grey eyes were almost invisible.

"You better git 'way f'om me an' don't tech 'em, like I tells
you," he reiterated. "Aunt Minerva say you ain't never had 'em
an' she say fer me to make you keep 'way f'om me 'cause you
ain't a ol' chile like what I is."

"You ain't but six," retorted angry Jimmy, "and I'll be six
next month; you all time trying to 'suade little boys to
think you're 'bout a million years old. What's the matter
with you, anyhow? You 'bout the funniest looking kid they
is."

Billy theatrically touched a distended cheek. "These here is
mumps," he said impressively; "an' when you got 'em you can make
grown folks do perzactly what you want 'em to. Aunt Minerva's
in the kitchen right now makin' me a 'lasses custard if I'll be
good an' stay right in the house an' don't come out here in the
yard an' don't give you the mumps. Course I can't tech that
custard now 'cause I done come out here an' it ain't honer'ble;
but she's makin' it jes' the same. You better git 'way f'om me
an' not tech 'em; you too little to have 'em."

"Are they easy to ketch?" asked the other little boy eagerly;
"lemme jest tech 'em one time, Billy."

"Git 'way, I tell you," warned the latter with a superior air.
To increase Jimmy's envy he continued: "Grown folks tries to
see how nice they can be to chillens what's got the mumps. Aunt
Minerva ain't been impedent to me to-day; she lemme do jest