"You don't have to have pretty clothes to have 'em clean," Peace retorted.
"Ma ain't got time to keep us washed up," explained Tobias, apologetically.
"Why don't you do it yourselves then?"
"But—we—can't," they gasped in chorus.
"I don't see why."
"We ain't big enough."
"You are, too. Feely's as old as Hope was when we were in Parker, and Hope kept after us till we were glad to wash our faces and hands and brush our hair. Of course she helped, but there were Cherry and Allee and me all younger'n her. And we helped Gail, too. I churned the butter once, and we helped houseclean and—and pick chickens, and run errands and bring in the wood—"
"Huh, us boys do that," broke in Gus scornfully. "Girls ain't s'posed to fetch wood and water."
"All our boys were girls," replied Peace loftily, "and some of us had to bring in the wood or else how would it have got there?"