“Wall, you’se know where t’ git one, den! Go ’an git it!” ordered Marybell, pointing a determined finger towards the kitchens.
Rebecca ran, glad to be away from the disconcerting gaze of the Blue Birds.
“Now you Eliza—come here and show the ladies your teet’ an’ finger-nails,” said Marybell, selecting the girl she had the most trouble with on those very scores.
“I ain’t all done wid dem yet,——lemme run an’ finish,” said Eliza, hurriedly, but blushing at being caught so unexpectedly.
“Ain’ done! Laws me, sloven, yeh had more’n an hour since breakfast t’ do yer toilet!” exclaimed Marybell, frowning.
“She gits out of doin’ ’em all the time,” willingly tattled another girl.
“Come right here, Emmy, an’ lemme see yer own nails!” said Marybell, while the other little girls in the Nest tittered.
When Emmy slowly shuffled up and held out her fingers, Marybell expressed disgust at the sight. “A black mark fer you’se, an’ one fer Eliza! Yeh can’t be depended upon. Mebbe yeh better stay away from de picnic an’ tend to yer teet’ an’ nails!”
“Oh no, no! Please not dat, Marybell! Give us all black marks, if yeh wants to, but let us go today!” cried the two delinquents.
“Well den, git a hustle on an’ clean up before I git back,” said she, shaking a warning head at them and going her way to the next Nest.