Wiggle, you ole snake, you! See her wiggle,
Verman?"

"Hi!" Undoubtedly Verman felt some pleasure.

"Now, listen, Verman!" Penrod continued, hastening to make the most of
the opportunity. "Listen! I fixed up this good ole snake just for you.
I'm goin' to give her to you."

"HI!"

On account of a previous experience not unconnected with cats, and
likely to prejudice Verman, Penrod decided to postpone mentioning Mrs.
Williams's pet until he should have secured Verman's cooperation in the
enterprise irretrievably.

"All you got to do," he went on, "is to chase this good ole snake
around, and sort o' laugh and keep pokin' it with the handle o' that
rake yonder. I'm goin' to saw it off just so's you can poke your good
ole snake with it, Verman."

"Aw wi," said Verman, and, extending his open hand again, he uttered a
hopeful request. "Peamup?"

His host perceived that Verman had misunderstood him. "Peanuts!" he
exclaimed. "My goodness! I didn't say I HAD any peanuts, did I? I only
said s'pose f'rinstance I DID have some. My goodness! You don't expeck
me to go round here all day workin' like a dog to make a good ole snake
for you and then give you a bag o' peanuts to hire you to play with it,
do you, Verman? My goodness!"

Verman's hand fell, with a little disappointment.

"Aw wi," he said, consenting to accept the snake without the bonus.

"That's the boy! NOW we're all right, Verman; and pretty soon I'm goin'
to saw that rake-handle off for you, too; so's you can kind o' guide
your good ole snake around with it; but first--well, first there's just
one more thing's got to be done. I'll show you--it won't take but a
minute." Then, while Verman watched him wonderingly, he went to the can
of white paint and dipped a brush therein. "It won't get on your clo'es
much, or anything, Verman," he explained. "I only just got to--"

But as he approached, dripping brush in hand, the wondering look was all
gone from Verman; determination took its place.

"Mo!" he said, turned his back, and started for outdoors.

"Look here, Verman," Penrod cried. "I haven't done anything to you yet,
have I? It isn't goin' to hurt you, is it? You act like a little teeny
bit o' paint was goin' to kill you. What's the matter of you? I only
just got to paint the top part of your face; I'm not goin' to TOUCH the
other part of it--nor your hands or anything. All _I_ want--"

"MO!" said Verman from the doorway.

"Oh, my goodness!" moaned Penro