An dollars is as scarce wid me as dem hens teef dey talks about, said the old darkey. An I never yet did see a hen wid teef an Ah reckon Ive seen a million of em.
Oh-oo! murmured Dot Kenway. A million hens, Unc Rufus? Is there that many?
He, he! chuckled the old man. Aint that the beatenes chile dat ever was? Always a-questionin an a-questionin. Yo cant git by wid any sprodigious statement when she is around no, suh!
Nor could such an expression as sprodigious go unchallenged with Dot on the scene no, indeed! A big word in any case attracted Miss Dorothy.
What does that mean, Unc Rufus? she promptly demanded. Is is sprodigious a dictionary word, or just one of your made-up words?
Go long chile! chuckled the old man. Cant Uncle Rufus make up words just as good as any dictionary-man? If I knows what Ah wants to say, Ah says it, neer mind de dictionary!
Thats all very well, Unc Rufus, Tess put in. But Ruthie only wants us to use language that you find in books. So I guess youd better not take that one from Uncle Rufus, Dottie.
Howcome Missy Ruth so perticlar? grumbled the old man. Yo little gals is gettin too much larnin suah is! But none of hit dont find de ol man his dollar.
At this complaint Tess and Dot went to work immediately to hunt for the missing dollar.
It was while they were searching along the hedgerow next to the Creamers premises that the little girls got into their memorable argument with Mabel Creamer about the lobster an argument, which, being overheard by Agnes, was reported to the family with much hilarity.
Mabel, an energetic and sharp-tongued child, and Bubby, her little brother, were playing in their yard. That is, Bubby was playing while Mabel nagged and thwarted him in almost everything he wanted to do.
Now, dont stoop over like that, Bubby. Your face gets all red like a lobster does. Maybe youll turn into one.
I aint a lobser, shouted Bubby.
You will be one if you get red like that, repeated his sister in a most aggravating way.
I wont be a lobser! wailed Bubby.
Of course you wont be a lobster, Bubby, spoke up Tess from across the hedge. Youre just a boy.
Course Is a boy, declared Bubby stoutly, sensing that Tess Kenways assurance was half a criticism. I dont want to be a lobser nor a dirl, so there!
Oh-oo! gasped Dot.
You will be a lobster and turn all red if you are a bad boy, declared Mabel, who was always in a bad temper when she was made to mind Bubby.
Why, Mabel, murmured Dot, who knew a thing or two about lobsters herself, you wouldnt boil Bubby, would you?
Dont have to boil em to make em turn red, declared Mabel, referring to the lobster, not the boy. My father brought home live lobsters once and the big one got out of the basket on to the kitchen floor.
Oh, my! exclaimed the interested Dot. What happened?
With her imagination thus spurred by appreciation, Mabel pursued the fancy: And there were three little ones in the basket, and that old, big lobster tried to make them get out on the floor too. And when they wouldnt, what do you think?
I dont know, breathed Dot.
Why, he got so mad at them that he turned red all over. I saw him
Why, Mabel Creamer! interrupted Tess, unable to listen further to such a flight of fancy without registering a protest. That cant be so you know it cant.
Id like to know why it cant be so? demanded Mabel.
Cause lobsters only turn red when they are boiled. They are all green when they are alive.
How do you know so much, Tess Kenway? cried Mabel. These are my lobsters and Ill have them turn blue if I want to so there!
There seemed to be no room for further argument. Besides, Mabel grabbed Bubby by the hand and dragged him away from the hedge.
My! murmured Dot, Mabel has such a magination. And maybe that lobster did get mad, Tess. We dont know.
She never had a live lobster in her family, declared Tess, quite emphatically. You know very well, Dot Kenway, that Mr. Creamer wouldnt bring home such a thing as a live lobster, when there are little children in his house.
M mm I guess thats so, agreed Dot. A live lobster would be worse than Sammy Pinkneys bulldog.
Thus reminded of the absent Sammy the two smaller Corner House girls postponed any further search for Uncle Rufuss dollar and went across the street to learn if any news had been gained of their runaway playmate. Mrs. Pinkney was still despairing. She had imagined already a score of misfortunes that might have befallen her absent son, ranging from his eating of green apples to being run over by an automobile.
But, Mrs. Pinkney! burst forth Tess at last, if Sammy has run away to sea to be a pirate, there wont be any green apples for him to eat and no automobiles.
Oh, you can never tell what trouble Sammy Pinkney will manage to get into, moaned his mother. I can only expect the very worst.
Well, Dot remarked with a sigh, as she and Tess trudged home to supper, Im glad there is only one boy in my family. My boy doll, Nosmo King Kenway, will probably be a source of great anxiety when he is older.