evin' doctors needs pay. I ain't no bum doc. What you give
'em--the kids?"

Scipio bundled his money back into his pocket, flushing at the thought
that he had unintentionally insulted his benefactor.

"Well," he said thoughtfully, "I didn't give 'em no corn cure. Y'see,"
he added apologetically, "I couldn't find no corns on 'em to speak of.
But," he went on more hopefully, "I give 'em the cough cure. They
ain't got no coughs, neither of 'em, but, seein' they was to take a
bath, I guessed it 'ud be a kind of precaution. Then there were them
powders. How were they called? Why--Lick--Lick--well, they were called
Lick--something. Anyways, I give 'em one each. They didn't take 'em
easy, an' was nigh sick, but they got 'em down after awhile. Then,
seein' they got bruises on their legs, playin', I rubbed 'em good with
hoss lin'ment. After that I give 'em some o' that tonic--quinine an'
something. An' then, seein' they couldn't eat food this mornin', an'
had got sick headaches, I give 'em one o' them fizzy Seidlitz fellers
between 'em. Jamie bein' the smallest I give him the thin white
packet, an' the other, the blue one, I give to Vada. That seemed to
fix them good, an I guess they're most ready fer their baths by now."

"I guessed you'd treat 'em right," approved Sunny seriously. "Ther'
ain't nothin' like physic. You're sure a wise guy, Zip."

Sandy Joyce agreed, too.

"You was dead right," he said impressively. "It don't never do takin'
chances with kids o' that age. Chances is bum things, anyway. Y'see,
kids ken ketch such a heap o' things. Ther's bile, an' measles, an'
dropsy, an' cancer, an' hydryfoby, an' all kinds o' things. They's
li'ble to ketch 'em as easy as gettin' flies wi' molasses. An' some o'
them is ter'ble bad. Ever had hydryfoby? No? Wal, I ain't neither, but
I see a feller with it oncet, an' he jest went around barkin' like a
camp dog chasin' after swill bar'ls, an' was scared to death o'
water--"

"Some folks don't need hydryfoby fer that," put in Toby, with a grin.

"Ther' ain't no call fer you buttin' in," flashed Sandy angrily.
"Guess I'm talkin' o' things you ain't heerd tell of. You ain't out o'
your cradle yet."

He turned back to his host and prepared to continue his list of
horrors, but Sunny forestalled him.

"Talkin' o' water," he said, "you ain't bathed the kids yet?"

Scipio shook his head.

"The water's cookin'."

"Cookin'?" Toby whistled.

Sunny sat up, all interest.

"Hot