"Yes'm."
Mrs. Bradford smiled. "I do not think you would care much about it, Bessie, and the committee will be too busy with its own affairs to care to see you."
"Why, is it alive?" asked Bessie, in great surprise.
"To be sure," said Fred, before his mother could answer; "did you never see one?"
"No," said Bessie, "could it bite me or scratch me?"
"It could if it had a mind to," said Fred, "and—" He was stopped by Harry's hand over his mouth. Fred drew back his head, and looked angry.
"You gave me leave," said Harry.
"So I did," said Fred. "I beg your pardon, Bess, for plaguing you once more. The committee wont hurt you; it's nothing but a lot of ladies."
"You should beg your mother's pardon, also, for answering a question addressed to her," said Mr. Bradford; "it is a rude thing to do. Come to me, Bessie." He took her upon his knee, saying, "A committee is a number of people who are appointed to attend to some particular thing. You know that the ladies in our church are going to make up some clothing to send to the children at the Five Points' Mission; do you not?"