"Ain't Steve got a jug of molasses? He ought to have some sweetenin' somewheres."
"Why, I did see a jug of something under the bed. I don't know what is in it, though."
He went to investigate, getting down on the door-sill and entering the shack on his knees. Presently he reappeared, smelling the cork.
"It ain't anything more or less than molasses," he reported.
As he sat down, the off wheeler of the team, which had been drawn up a short distance from the fire, dropped on his paunch with a great rattling of chain and began placidly chewing his cud. Following his example, an ox in the middle of the string got down on his knees and began chewing. At the same moment the lamb, which had fallen out of bed and found his way out of the shack, announced himself with a bleat and went toddling off toward the darkness. Janet jumped up at once and went after him. Having captured him, she brought him back and stowed him comfortably in her lap, drawing the edge of her skirt up over him.
"I suppose you've noticed, Miss Janet," he remarked, as he again turned his attention to the jug, "that the animals out in these parts don't know very much. They make people lots of trouble."
"Oh, I don't mind the trouble at all. You see, I saved this one's life myself; that's why I am so interested in caring for him. He 's an orphan."
"So I see. There's liable to be plenty of them. Are you partial to orphans?"
"I could hardly help caring for him. Of course one naturally is."
Jonas again turned his attention to the jug, removing the cork and placing it upside down on the ground. Janet held a saucer to receive her share. The molasses was slow about making its appearance.