ss you on one cheek turn the other cheek and let her kiss you
on that, too,' and I all time bound to do what the Bible say. You 'd
better call him back, Frances, and kiss him, you and Lina 're so stuck
on him."

"I wouldn't kiss him to save his life," declared Frances; "he's got the
spindliest legs I ever saw."

CHAPTER XX

RISING IN THE WORLD

The painter had just finished putting a bright green coat of paint upon
the low, flat roof of Miss Minerva's long back-porch. And he left his
ladder leaning against the house while he went inside to confer with her
in regard to some other work.

Billy, Jimmy, Frances, and Lina had been playing "Fox and Geese."
Running around the house they spied the ladder and saw no owner to deny
them.

"Le's clam' up and get on top the porch," suggested Jimmy.

"Aunt Minerva'll put me to bed if I do," said Billy.

"Mother'll make me learn a whole page of the catechism if I climb a
ladder," said Lina.

"My mama'll shut me up in the closet, but our mamas aren't bound to know
'bout it,"--this from Frances. "Come on, let's climb up."

"I ain't neverpromise not to clam' no ladder but--" Billy hesitated.

"You-all 'bout the skeeriest folks they is," sneered Jimmy. "Mama'll
whip me going and coming if she finds out 'bout it, but I ain't skeered.
I dare anybody to dare me to clam' up."

"I dare you to climb this ladder," responded an accommodating Frances.

"I ain't never tooken a dare yet," boasted the little boy proudly, his
foot on the bottom rung. "Who's going to foller me?"

"Don't we have fun?" cried a jubilant Frances.

"Yes," answered Jimmy; "if grown folks don't all time be watching you
and sticking theirselfs in your way."

"If people would let us alone," remarked Lina, "we could enjoy ourselves
every day."

"But grown folks got to be so pertic'lar with you all time," cried
Jimmy, "they don't never want us to play together."

He led the way up the ladder, followed by Frances and Billy; and Lina
brought up the rear. The children ran the long length of the porch
leaving their footprints on the fresh, sticky paint.

"Will it wash off?" asked Frances, looking gloomily down at her feet,
which seemed to be encased in green moccasins.

At that moment she slipped and fell sprawling on top of the roof. When
the others helped her to her feet, she was a sight to behold, her white
dress splotched with vivid green from top to bottom.

"If that ain't