ded Antonio.

"O, about ten, when we lived in Parker, I guess."

"Feely's twelve and she don't wash the dishes yet," tattled Vinie, and
was promptly rewarded with a smart slap from the older sister.

"Shame on you!" cried Peace indignantly. "You are the meanest family I
ever knew. Mrs. Wood said you are always fighting, and that's all you've
done every time you've been over here."

"I don't care, Vinie had no business to say that," muttered Ophelia,
scowling sullenly. "She can't never keep her mouth shut. I just _hate_
to wash dishes."

"So do I," Peace cheerfully agreed. "But I don't go around slapping
folks' faces 'cause of it. Besides, Gail had all she could 'tend to
without bothering about the dishes. We _had_ to do them or go hungry.
Who does them at your house?"

"Ma," volunteered Vinie once more, edging warily out of range of the big
sister's hand.

"After she's washed all day?" asked Peace in horrified accents.

Ophelia was scowling threateningly; Vinie drew a little further away and
nodded silently.

"Don't _any_ of you do _anything_ to help her?"

"I mind the kids," said Ophelia defiantly.

"I should think you would keep 'em scrubbed up a little cleaner, then,"
observed Peace critically. "They--you are all so dirty you--you--smell.
I don't wonder folks won't buy milk from you."

"Ma takes care of the milk herself and washes the buckets and covers 'em
all up careful before she gives 'em to us to tote," cried Tobias, much
insulted by Peace's frank words.

"I don't care," retorted that young lady with dignity. "Mrs. Wood
herself says she can't swallow you children, you are so dirty; and she
would take milk from you if you were clean, 'cause I asked her."

Silence reigned while each young McGee dug his bare toes into the soft
earth and chewed his finger or thumb. Then Tobias growled, "Mrs. Wood is
too p'tic'lar. Ma says so."

"I'll bet Mrs. Moody and Mrs. Carter are just as p'tic'lar," Peace
declared hotly. "If you'd ask them why they quit taking milk of you, and
just _made_ 'em tell you the truth, I'll bet they would say that you
kids were always so dirty it made 'em sick to look at you."

Vinie withdrew her thumb from her mouth, stopped shuffling her dirty
little feet in the grass, stared thoughtfully at the candid young
hostess on the other side of the fence, and quietly disappeared,
followed by solemn-eyed Humphrey. No one noticed her going, no one
missed her from her place in the rank, but