“Papa,” said Diddie, “we’ve ben very bad, an’ we’ve come ter tell yer ’bout it.”
“An’ the Jay Bird, he tol’ the deb’l,” put in Dumps, “an’ ’twan’t none er his business.”
“Hush up, Dumps,” said Diddie, “till I tell papa ’bout it. I wouldn’t say my lesson, papa, an’ Miss Carrie locked me up, an’ the chil’en brought me my dinner.”
“’Tuz me,” chimed in Tot. “I b’ing ’er de besses dinner—take an’ jam an’ pud’n in de p’ate. Aunt Mawy dum tum me.”
“Hush, Tot,” said Diddie, “till I get through. An’ then, papa, I climbed out the winder on the step-ladder, an’ I—”
“Dilsey an’ Chris got the ladder,” put in Dumps.
“HUSH UP, Dumps!” said Diddie; “you’re all time ’ruptin’ me.”
“I reckon I done jes bad ez you,” retorted Dumps, “an’ I got jes much right ter tell ’boutn it. You think nobody can’t be bad but yerse’f.”
“Well, then, you can tell it all,” said Diddie, with dignity. “Papa, Dumps will tell you.”
And Dumps, nothing daunted, continued: