Listen to ME-E-E!"

"Shut up!" cried Penrod, irritated. "Go to heaven; go to hell!"

"Oo-o-oh!" exclaimed Georgie Bassett, profoundly shocked.

Sam and Maurice, awed by Penrod's daring, ceased from turmoil, staring
wide-eyed.

"You cursed and swore!" said Georgie.

"I did not!" cried Penrod, hotly. "That isn't swearing."

"You said, 'Go to a big H'!" said Georgie.

"I did not! I said, 'Go to heaven,' before I said a big H. That isn't
swearing, is it, Herman? It's almost what the preacher said, ain't it,
Herman? It ain't swearing now, any more--not if you put 'go to heaven'
with it, is it, Herman? You can say it all you want to, long as you
say 'go to heaven' first, CAN'T you, Herman? Anybody can say it if
the preacher says it, can't they, Herman? I guess I know when I ain't
swearing, don't I, Herman?"

Judge Herman ruled for the defendant, and Penrod was considered to have
carried his point. With fine consistency, the conclave established
that it was proper for the general public to "say it," provided "go to
heaven" should in all cases precede it. This prefix was pronounced a
perfect disinfectant, removing all odour of impiety or insult; and, with
the exception of Georgie Bassett (who maintained that the minister's
words were "going" and "gone," not "go"), all the boys proceeded to
exercise their new privilege so lavishly that they tired of it.

But there was no diminution of evangelical ardour; again were heard the
clamours of dispute as to which was the best qualified for the ministry,
each of the claimants appealing passionately to Herman, who, pleased but
confused, appeared to be incapable of arriving at a decision.

During a pause, Georgie Bassett asserted his prior rights. "Who said
it first, I'd like to know?" he demanded. "I was going to be a minister
from long back of to-day, I guess. And I guess I said I was going to be
a minister right to-day before any of you said anything at all. DIDN'T
I, Herman? YOU heard me, didn't you, Herman? That's the very thing
started you talking about it, wasn't it, Herman?"

"You' right," said Herman. "You the firs' one to say it."

Penrod, Sam, and Maurice immediately lost faith in Herman.

"What if you did say it first?" Penrod shouted. "You couldn't BE a
minister if you were a hunderd years old!"

"I bet his mother wouldn't let him be one," said Sam. "She never lets
him do anything."

"She would, too," retorted Georgie. "Ever since I was little, she----"

"H