Just then Brink Tuomy passed by, and he says:

“How's things comin' along?”

The boys had all been mighty interested in this baby business, and I knew he'd trot off and tell them, so I says, sad enough:

“It's a girl.”

Brink seen I wasn't very jubilant, so he says:

“You don't seem very stuck up about it. But girls ain't so bad—when you git used to them. Lady all right?”

“Yes,” I says, “she's O. K.”

Brink hung round a minute or two, waitin' for further orders, and none comin', he says, hesitatin':

“So long!”

I let him go and was glad he went.