hammered upon, could be
studied at leisure. Altogether this Saturday was starting splendidly.

After a time, the student's attention was withdrawn from his specimens
by a peculiar smell, which, being followed up by a system of selective
sniffing, proved to be an emanation leaking into the stable from the
alley. He opened the back door.

Across the alley was a cottage which a thrifty neighbour had built on
the rear line of his lot and rented to negroes; and the fact that a
negro family was now in process of "moving in" was manifested by the
presence of a thin mule and a ramshackle wagon, the latter laden
with the semblance of a stove and a few other unpretentious household
articles.

A very small darky boy stood near the mule. In his hand was a rusty
chain, and at the end of the chain the delighted Penrod perceived the
source of the special smell he was tracing--a large raccoon. Duke,
who had shown not the slightest interest in the rats, set up a frantic
barking and simulated a ravening assault upon the strange animal. It
was only a bit of acting, however, for Duke was an old dog, had suffered
much, and desired no unnecessary sorrow, wherefore he confined his
demonstrations to alarums and excursions, and presently sat down at
a distance and expressed himself by intermittent threatenings in a
quavering falsetto.

"What's that 'coon's name?" asked Penrod, intending no discourtesy.

"Aim gommo mame," said the small darky.

"What?"

"Aim gommo mame."

"WHAT?"

The small darky looked annoyed.

"Aim GOMMO mame, I hell you," he said impatiently.

Penrod conceived that insult was intended.

"What's the matter of you?" he demanded advancing. "You get fresh with
ME, and I'll----"

"Hyuh, white boy!" A coloured youth of Penrod's own age appeared in
the doorway of the cottage. "You let 'at brothuh mine alone. He ain' do
nothin' to you."

"Well, why can't he answer?"

"He can't. He can't talk no better'n what he WAS talkin'. He
tongue-tie'."

"Oh," said Penrod, mollified. Then, obeying an impulse so universally
aroused in the human breast under like circumstances that it has become
a quip, he turned to the afflicted one.

"Talk some more," he begged eagerly.

"I hoe you ackoom aim gommo mame," was the prompt response, in which
a slight ostentation was manifest. Unmistakable tokens of vanity had
appeared upon the small, swart countenance.

"What's he mean?" asked Penrod, enchanted.

"He say he tole you 'at