"I'd like to come over and see her do it," said Mr. Biggs. "If you do I'll milk in your face--honest I will," said Bim. "I wouldn't care if it rained milk. I'm going to come and see you often, if your mother will let me." A blush spread over the girl's cheeks to the pretty dimple at the point of her chin. "You'll see her scampering up the ladder like a squirrel," said Mrs. Kelso. "She isn't real tame yet." "Perhaps we could hide the ladder," he suggested, with a smile. "Do you play on the flute?" Bim asked. "No," said Mr. Biggs. "I was afraid," Bim exclaimed. "My Uncle Henry does." She looked into Mr. Biggs' eyes. "You like fun--don't you?" he said. "Have you got a snare drum?" Bim queried. "No. What put that into your head?" Mr. Biggs asked, a little mystified. "I don't know. I thought I'd ask. My Uncle Henry has a snare drum. That's one reason we came to Illinois." Mr. Biggs laughed. "That smile of yours is very becoming," he said. "Did you ever dream of a long legged, brindle cat with yellow eyes and a blue tail?" she asked, as if to change the subject. "Never!" "I wisht you had. Maybe you'd know how to scare it away. It carries on so." "I know what would fix that cat," said Mrs. Kelso. "Give him the hot biscuits which you sometimes eat for supper. He'll never come again." At this point Mr. Kelso returned with his gun on his shoulder and was introduced to Mr. Biggs. "I welcome you to the hazards of my fireside," said Kelso. "So you're from St. Louis and stopped for repairs in this land of the ladder climbers. Sit down and I'll put a log on the fire." "Thank you, I must go," said Biggs. "The doctor will be looking for me now." "Can I not stay you with flagons?" Kelso asked. "The doctor has forbidden me all drink but milk and water." "A wise man is Dr. Allen!" Kelso exclaimed. "Cervantes was right in saying that too much wine will neither keep a secret nor fulfill a promise." "Will you make me a promise?" Bim asked of Mr. Biggs, as he was leaving the door with Ann. "Anything you will ask," he answered. "Please don't ever look at the new moon through a knot hole," she said in a half whisper. The young man laughed. "Why not?" "If you do, you'll never get married." "I mustn't look at the new moon through a knot hole and I must beware of the flute and the snare drum," said Mr. Biggs. "Don't be alarmed by my daughter's fancies," Kelso advised. "They are often rather astonishing. She has a hearty prejudice against the flute. It is well founded. An ill played flute is one of the worst enemies of law and order. Goldsmith estranged half his friends with a grim determination to play the flute. It was the skeleton in his closet."