p of tea and
merely pushed back the rest on the kitchen table. He was now sitting
in a helpless condition by the side window, with one of his sister's
purple calico aprons pinned close about his neck. Poor William was
meekly submitting to being smeared, as to his countenance, with a most
pungent and unattractive lotion of pennyroyal and other green herbs
which had been hastily pounded and mixed with cream in the little white
stone mortar.

I had to cast two or three straightforward looks at William to reassure
myself that he really looked happy and expectant in spite of his
melancholy circumstances, and was not being overtaken by retribution.
The brother and sister seemed to be on delightful terms with each other
for once, and there was something of cheerful anticipation in their
morning talk. I was reminded of Medea's anointing Jason before the
great episode of the iron bulls, but to-day William really could not be
going up country to see a railroad for the first time. I knew this to
be one of his great schemes, but he was not fitted to appear in public,
or to front an observing world of strangers. As I appeared he essayed
to rise, but Mrs. Todd pushed him back into the chair.

"Set where you be till it dries on," she insisted. "Land sakes, you'd
think he'd get over bein' a boy some time or 'nother, gettin' along in
years as he is. An' you 'd think he 'd seen full enough o' fish, but
once a year he has to break loose like this, an' travel off way up back
o' the Bowden place--far out o' my beat, 'tis--an' go a trout fishin'!"

Her tone of amused scorn was so full of challenge that William changed
color even under the green streaks.

"I want some change," he said, looking at me and not at her. "'T is
the prettiest little shady brook you ever saw."

"If he ever fetched home more 'n a couple o' minnies, 't would seem
worth while," Mrs. Todd concluded, putting a last dab of the mysterious
compound so perilously near her brother's mouth that William flushed
again and was silent.

A little later I witnessed his escape, when Mrs. Todd had taken the
foolish risk of going down cellar. There was a horse and wagon outside
the garden fence, and presently we stood where we could see him driving
up the hill with thoughtless speed. Mrs. Todd said nothing, but
watched him affectionately out of sight.

"It serves to keep the mosquitoes off," she said, and a moment later it
occurred to my slow mind that she spoke of the