ller 'n what 'tis now. Won't I be a pretty sight
when I puts on long pants with these here yaller curls stuck on topper
my head? I'd 'nuther sight ruther be bal'headed."

"Bennie Dick's got 'bout the kinkiest head they is."

Bennie Dick was the two-year-old baby of Mrs. Garner's cook, Sarah Jane.

"It sho' is," replied Billy. "Wouldn't he look funny if he had yaller
hair, 'cause his face is so black?"

"I know where the bottle is," cried Jimmy, snatching eagerly at the
suggestion. "Let's go get it and put some on Bennie Dick's head and see
if it'll turn it yeller."

"Aunt Minerva don' want me to go over to yo' house," objected Billy.

"You all time talking 'bout Miss Minerva won't let you go nowheres; she
sure is imperdunt to you. You 'bout the 'fraidest boy they is.... Come
on, Billy," pleaded Jimmy.

The little boy hesitated.

"I don't want to git Aunt Minerva's dander der up any more 'n I jest
natchelly boun' to," he said, following Jimmy reluctantly to the fence;
"but I'll jes' take a look at that bottle an' see ef it looks anything
't all like 'No-To-Kink'."

Giggling mightily, they jumped the dividing fence and slipped with
stealthy tread around the house to Sarah Jane's cabin in the back-yard.

Bennie Dick was sitting on the floor before the open door, the entrance
of which was, securely barricaded to keep him inside. Sarah Jane was in
the kitchen cooking supper; they could hear her happy voice raised in
religious melody; Mrs. Garner had not yet returned from a card party;
the coast was clear, and the time propitious.

Jimmy tiptoed to the house and soon returned with a big bottle of a
powerful "blondine" in one hand and a stick of candy in the other.

"Bennie Dick," he said, "here's a nice stick of candy for you if you'll
let us wash your head."

The negro baby's thick, red lips curved in a grin of delight, his shiny
ebony face beamed happily, his round black eyes sparkled as he held out
his fat, rusty little hands. He sucked greedily at the candy as the
two mischievous little boys uncorked the bottle and, poured a generous
supply of the liquid on his head. They rubbed it in well, grinning with
delight. They made a second and a third application before the bottle
was exhausted; then they stood off to view the result of their efforts.
The effect was ludicrous. The combination of coal black skin and
red gold hair presented by the little negro exceeded the wildest
expectations of Jimmy and Billy. The