“If you tell her I'm going to lick you,” he said.

“All right—lick!” I said. “I ain't afraid of your lickings. Lick all you want to. I told her I'd tell and you nor nobody else can't make me a liar!”

So Mamie Little waited for me at the front door, and when I came out I knew she had waited so I could walk home with her, and I did.

“Well, I'm glad we aren't mad any more,” she said when we were walking along.

“Ah! who was mad? I wasn't mad,” I said. “Well, I ain't mad now,” she said. “Who was it blew up our house?”

“Oh, somebody!” I said.

We walked a little way and then she said:

“Who blew up our house?”

“Slim Finnegan,” I said.

“How do you know he did?” she said.