like kerosene is because
I tipped over the kerosene can." This last was not in her studied part,
but she threw it in answer to an audible sniff from Mr. Jensen.

"You said when I came here and stayed nights when Mrs. Jensen
was sick with the flu and everybody else was sick and you couldn't get
anybody to do--to nurse her--you remember?" She did not give him time to
answer for she knew that if she paused she could not go on. Her momentum
kept her going. "You said then--just before I went home--you'd--you said
I was--you said you'd do me a good turn some day, because I helped you.
So now a boy that's staying with us--we have a refreshment parlor and
nobody comes to buy anything--and he wants to buy some tents and we have
to make a lot of money so will you please have them have the County Fair
in Berryville this year so lots of people will go past our summerhouse?

"We have lemonade and he calls to the people and tells them, only there
ain't any people. But lots and lots and lots of people come to the
County Fair from all over, don't they? So now I'd like it for you to do
me that good turn if you want to pay me back."

Thus Pepsy, standing tremulously but still boldly, her thin little
hand clutching the lantern, played her one card for the sake of Pee-wee
Harris, Scout. Standing there in her oil soaked gingham dress, she
made demand upon this staunch bank of known probity, for principal and
interest in the matter of the one great good turn she had one before she
had ever known of Scout Harris. It never occurred to her as she looked
with frank expectancy at Mr. Jensen that her naive request was quite
preposterous.

To his credit be it said, Mr. Jensen did not deny her too abruptly.
Instead he spread his knees and arms and, smiling genially, beckoned her
to him.

"I can't, I'm all kerosene," she said.

"Never you mind," he said. "You come and stand right here while I tell
you how it is." So she set down the lantern and stepped forward and
stood between his knees and then he lifted her into his lap. "Well,
well, well, you're quite a girl; you're quite a little girl, ain't you,
huh? So you came all the way in the dark to ask me that! Here, you sit
right where you are and never you mind about kerosene; if you ain't
scared of the dark I reckon I ain't scared of kerosene. Now, I want you
should listen 'cause I'm going to tell you jes' how it is n' then you'll
understand. Because I call you a little kind of a--a herro--ine