"Oh, git out, that's not what I want to know. What do people call her?"
"Lazy."
"Lathy."
With a sigh of despair Abner gave up the attempt to gain any more information, and went into the pantry. After he had fumbled about for some time, and knocked down a number of pans and dishes, he returned with two big slices of bread covered with butter and molasses.
"There, fall to," he ordered, "an' help ye'rselves."
The children needed no second bidding. They were ravenous, and ate more like dogs than human beings. Not until they had devoured the third helping were they satisfied, and breathed a sigh of relief. Tom wiped his sticky mouth with his coat sleeve, and Billy did likewise.
"Yez needn't paint ye'r sleeves with molasses," Abner chided. "But I guess by the look of things they're the only napkins yez ever use. Git over to the sink there, till I give yez another scrubbin'."
When the molasses had been wiped away, Tom gave a deep yawn.
"I'm sleepy," he announced.
"Theepy," lisped Billy.