f and a dry-goods box. Cis
slept on a narrow mattress which upholstered the shelf, and used the box
both as a dressing-table and a wardrobe. Johnnie was not expected to
make up the shelf; and was strictly forbidden to touch the box. He
scratched the floor successfully, not having attended to it for some
days.

By the time he was ready to do the kitchen, his face was streaked again,
and glistening with perspiration. And he could not help but wish, as he
planted the wheel chair at the open window, that Barber, if he intended
to make another unexpected return, would come at such a time as this,
when things that he liked were happening.

The kitchen floor lay in great splintering hummocks and hollows. Its
wide cracks were solid with the accumulations of time, while lint and
frayings, and bits of cloth and string, were fairly woven into its rough
surface everywhere, and tenaciously held. It was lastingly greasy in the
neighborhood of the table, as steadily wet in the region of the sink,
and sooty in an ever-widening circle about the stove.

Sprinkling it thoroughly, he swept even the two squares on which were
set the fuel boxes; gave the stove what amounted to a feverish rubbing,
then turned his attention to old Grandpa.

The morning routine of caring for the aged veteran included the bathing
of the wizened face and hands and the brushing of the thin, straggling
hair. Johnnie hastened to collect the wash basin, the bar of soap (it
was of the laundry variety), and a square of once-white cloth, which it
must be confessed was used variously about the flat, serving at one time
to polish the lamp chimney, and again for any particular dusting.

Grandpa had all of a small boy's dislike for water. The moment he spied
Johnnie's preparations, he began to protest. "No! no!" he objected.
"It's cold! It's cold!" He whirled his chair in an attempt to escape.

But Johnnie had a fine device for just this problem. "Oh, Grandpa!" he
reminded coaxingly as he filled the wash basin with warm water out of
the teakettle, "don't you remember that you jus' was in a big battle?
And there's _mud_ on your face!"

Grandpa capitulated at once, and allowed himself to be washed and
combed. The old man clean, Johnnie gave him a glass of warm milk,
wheeled him as far away from the window as possible, then trundled him
gently back and forth, as if he were a baby in a carriage. And all the
while the boy sang softly, improvising a lullaby:

"Oh