lla. "Dat water's too
wet fer me."

Buster John waited for an explanation, but none was forthcoming.

"We couldn't go through the spring, you know," he said presently.

"How do you know?" asked Mr. Thimblefinger slyly. "Did you ever try
it?"

He asked each of the children this, and the reply was that none of
them had ever tried it.

"I put my foot in it once," said Buster John, "and the water was just
like other spring water. I know we can't go through it."

"Come now!" Mr. Thimblefinger suggested, "don't say you know.
Sometimes people live to be very old and don't know the very things
they ought to know."

"But I know that," replied Buster John confidently.

"Very well, then," said Mr. Thimblefinger, pulling out a tiny watch,
"did you ever feel of the water in the spring at precisely nine
minutes and nine seconds after twelve o'clock?"

"N-o-o-o," replied Buster John, taken by surprise, "I don't think I
ever did."

"Of course not!" cried Mr. Thimblefinger gayly. "You had no reason.
Well, at nine minutes and nine seconds after twelve o'clock the water
in the spring is not wet. It is as dry as the air we breathe. It is
now two minutes after twelve o'clock. We'll go to the spring, wait
until the time comes, and then you will see for yourselves."

As they went toward the spring--Mr. Thimblefinger running on before
with wonderful agility--Drusilla touched Sweetest Susan on the arm.
"Honey," said she, "don't let dat creetur pull you in de spring.
Goodness knows, ef he puts his han' on me I'm gwine ter squall."

"Will you hush?" exclaimed Buster John impatiently.

"Watch out, now," said Drusilla defiantly. "Ef you gits drownded in
dar I'll sho' tell yo' ma."

Fortunately, there was no one near the spring, so Mr. Thimblefinger
advanced boldly, followed closely by the children, though Drusilla
seemed to hang back somewhat doubtfully. When they arrived there Mr.
Thimblefinger took out his tiny timepiece and held it in his hand. The
children watched him with breathless interest, especially Buster John,
who was thrilled with the idea of having an adventure entirely
different from any that he had read of in the story-books.

As the little man stood there holding his watch and looking at it
intently, the dinner-bell rang, first in the hallway and then in the
back porch. The children remembered it afterward.

"You all better go git yo' dinner 'fo' it git col', stidder projeckin'
'roun' here wid you dunner what,"