Sunny sat up, all interest.
“Hot bath?” he inquired, with wide eyes. “You ain’t givin’ ’em a hot bath?” he exclaimed incredulously.
A troubled look came into Scipio’s pale eyes. He doubted his purpose in face of his friends’ astonishment.
“Why, yes. That’s how I was thinking,” he said weakly. “Y’see, I guessed it would soften the dirt quicker, and make it easy wipin’ it off.”
“But ain’t you scared o’ them––peelin’?” inquired Sandy, refusing to be left out of the discussion.
Scipio looked perplexed.
“Peelin’?” he said. “I––I don’t think I get you.”
“Why,” explained Sandy readily, “peelin’ their skins off ’em. You allus sets potatoes in b’ilin’ water to git their skins peeled quick. Same with hogs. Same with most anything. I call that a fool chance to take.”
Scipio’s perplexity merged into a mild smile.
“I wouldn’t jest set ’em into boilin’ water,” he explained; “kind of warm, with a bit o’ soda.”