“What yuh tryin’ to do?” yelled Bantie, trying to escape from the attentions of the pets. “Gol dang it! When yuh comes visitin’ why don’t yuh come a-lone!”
“Givin’ th’ pets uh little airin’,” mumbled Magpie, still eying the kitten on the roof. “Where did yuh git th’ kitten, Bantie?”
“Got him from old man Sims uh few days ago. I needed company so I gits th’ kitten. Didn’t yuh see him when yuh was here before?”
“Say,” continued Bantie, before Magpie had a chance to answer, “where did yuh go th’ other day, Tellurium? When I gits back with that pail uh water yuh was gone. I finds the kitten maulin’ yore hat around th’ floor and you ain’t no place in sight.”
“I—I—huh! You say yuh finds that kitten playin’ with my hat?”
Bantie picked the hat off the bed and handed it to Tellurium.
“Ain’t that yore hat?”
“By golly, she shore is!” exclaimed Tellurium. “How do yuh reckon that hat got down here? I must be gittin’ absent minded, Magpie.”
“I reckon yore both that way,” grinned Bantie. “Th’ other day Magpie is here sittin’ comfortably on m’ bunk, and all to oncet he shoots out of th’ door and gallops off up th’ trail. I stands here plumb surprised. I’m plumb scared that he’s loco.”
Magpie looked at Tellurium in an inquiring way, but Tellurium’s face was hopelessly blank.