“Now call him,” she said.

“Li’ll Iky! Li’ll Iky!” shouted Judy.

“Ma-a-a-a-me!” came a sharp, plaintive answer from the great deep.

“Is you down dar, precious?”

“Eth, e-e-eth, ’m.”

“Well, well, is you drownded?”

“No—no—no, ’m!”

“Well, well! Is you done gone all to pieces?”

“No—n-n-no, ’m!”

“Is anything de matter wid mammy’s precious boy baby?”