ingnag tribe, who had greeted Mary's request to be
directed to "the house" as a bit of dry Eastern humor, led the herd to
pasture. Ben's right-hand man was "Stump," the collie, so named because he
had no tail worth mentioning, but otherwise in full possession of his
faculties. Stump was newly broken to his official duties and authority sat
heavily on him. Keenly alert, he flew hither and thither, first after one
straying member of the herd, then another, barking an early morning
roll-call as he went. Two other male Brobdingnags came from some
sequestered spot in the landscape and joined Ben--Mary recognized two more
pupils.

Mrs. Yellett then unrolled the pillow constructed the night previous of
such garments as she had been willing to dispense with, and put them on.
The vastness of her surroundings did not prevent her from locating the
minutest article, and Mary gave her the respectful admiration of a woman
who has spent a great deal of time searching for things in an infinitely
smaller space. The matriarch then called the remaining members of her
household officially--the Misses Yellett accomplished their early morning
toilets with the simplicity of young robins. Only the new governess hung
back, but finally mustered up enough courage to say that if such a thing
was possible she would like to have a bath.

Mrs. Yellett greeted her request with the amused tolerance of one who has
never given such a trifle a thought.

"The habit of bathing," she commented, "is shore like religion: them that
observes it wonders how them that neglects it gets along." She beckoned
Mary to follow, and led the way to a bunch of willows that grew about a
stone's-throw from the camp. "Here be a whole creek full of water, if you
don't lack the fortitood. It's cold enough to sell for ten cents a glass
down to Texas."

Somewhat dismayed, Mary stepped gingerly into the creek. Its intense cold
numbed her at first, but a second later awoke all her young lustiness, and
she returned to camp in a fine glow of courage to encounter whatever else
there might be of novelty. Mrs. Yellett was preparing breakfast at a
sheet-iron stove, assisted by Cacta and Clematis.

"Your hankering after a bath like this"--she added another handful of flour
to the biscuit dough--"do shore remind me of an Englishman who come to
visit near Laramie in the days of plenty, when steers had jumped to
forty-five. This yere Britisher was exhibit stock, shore enough, being
what'