“I wonder what He looks like,” mused Billy.
“I s'pec' He just looks like the three-headed giant in Jack the Giant-Killer,” explained Jimmy, “'cause He's got three heads and one body. His heads are name' Papa, Son, and Holy Ghost, and His body is just name' plain God. Miss Cecilia 'splained it all to me and she is 'bout the splendidest 'splainer they is. She's my Sunday-School teacher.”
“She's goin' to be my Sunday-School teacher, too,” said Billy serenely.
“Yours nothing; you all time want my Sunday-School teacher.”
“Jimmee!” called a voice from the interior of the house in the next yard.
“That ain't nobody but mama,” explained Jimmy composedly.
“Don't make no noise,” warned that little boy, “maybe she'll give up toreckly.”
“I don' never have to go 'less she says 'James Lafayette Garner,' then I got to hustle,” he remarked.
“She's mighty near got me,” he said softly; “but maybe she'll get tired and won't call no more. She ain't plumb mad yet.
The two little boys sat very still and quiet.
“I got to get a move on now,” he said; “when she calls like that she means business. I betcher she's got a switch and a hair-brush and a slipper in her hand right this minute. I'll be back toreckly,” he promised.
He was as good as his word, and in a very short time he was sitting again facing Billy in the swing.
“She just wanted to know where her embroid'ry scissors was,” he explained. “It don't matter what's lost in that house I'm always the one that's got to be 'sponsible and all time got to go look for it.”
“Yep; I went right straight where I left 'em yeste'day. I had 'em trying to cut a piece of wire. I stole off and went down to Sam Lamb's house this morning and tooken breakfast with him and his old woman, Sukey,” he boasted.
“I knows Sam Lamb,” said Billy, “I rode up on the bus with him.”
“No, he ain't neither; you all time talking 'bout you going to have Sam Lamb for a partner. You want everything I got. You want Miss Cecilia and you want Sam Lamb. Well, you just ain't a-going to have 'em. You got to get somebody else for your partner and sweetheart.”
“Well, you jest wait an' see,” said Billy. “I got Major Minerva.”
“Shucks, they ain't no Major name' that away,” and Jimmy changed the subject. “Sam Lamb's sow's got seven little pigs. He lemme see 'em suck,” said Sam Lamb's partner proudly. “He's got a cow, too; she's got the worrisomest horns ever was. I believe she's a steer anyway.”