rnfully replied. "I's done with you an' I ain't never goin' to have
me no mo' sweetheart long's I live."

CHAPTER XVIII

CLOSER THAN A BROTHER

It was a bad, rainy day. Jimmy and Billy were playing in Sarah Jane's
cabin, she, however, being in happy ignorance of the fact. Her large
stays, worn to the preaching the night before, were hanging on the back
of a chair. "Ain't I glad I don' have to wear no corset when I puts on
long pants?" remarked Billy, pointing to the article. "Ain't that a big
one? It's twice's big's Aunt Minerva's."

"My mama wears a big co'set, too," said Jimmy; "I like fat womans
'nother sight better 'n lean ones. Miss Minerva's 'bout the skinniest
woman they is; when I get married I'm going to pick me out the fattest
wife I can find, so when you set in her lap at night for her to rock you
to sleep you'll have a soft place to put your head, while she sings to
you."

"The Major--he's mos' plump enough for two," said Billy, taking down the
stays and trying to hook them around him.

"It sho' is big," he said; "I berlieve it's big 'nough to go 'round both
of us."

"Le's see if 'tain't," was the other boy's ready suggestion.

He stood behind Billy and they put the stays around both little bodies,
while, with much squeezing and giggling, Billy hooked them safely up
the front. The boys got in front of Sarah Jane's one looking-glass and
danced about laughing with glee.

"We're like the twinses what was growed together like mama read me
'bout," declared the younger child.

Presently they began to feel uncomfortable, especially Jimmy, whose fat,
round little middle was tightly compressed.

"Here, unhook this thing, Billy, and le's take her off," he said. "I'm
'bout to pop open."

"All right," agreed his companion.

He tugged and pulled, but could get only the top and bottom hooks
unclasped; the middle ones refused to budge.

"I can't get these-here hooks to come loose," Billy said.

Jimmy put his short, fat arms around him and tried his hand, but with
no better success. The stays were such a snug fit that the hooks seemed
glued.

"We sho' is in a fix," said Billy gloomily; "look like God all time
lettin' us git in trouble."

"You think of more fool stunts to do, William Hill, than any boy they
is," cried the other; "you all time want to get us hooked up in Sarah
Jane's corset and you all time can't get nobody loose. What you want to
get us hooked up in this th