Mickey bounded up the stairs and swung wide his door. Again the awful heat hit him in the face. He swallowed a mouthful, hastily shutting the door. "It's hard on Lily," was his mental comment, "but I guess I'll just _save_ that for Mr. and Mrs. Peter. I think a few gulps of it will do them good; it will show them better than talking why, once she's _out_ of it, she shouldn't come back 'til cold weather at least, if at all. Yes I guess!" "Most baked honey?" he asked, taking her hot hands. "Mickey, 'tain't near six," she panted. "No it's two hours early," said Mickey. "But you know Flowersy-girl, I'm going to take _care_ of you. It's getting too hot for you. Don't you remember what I told you last night?" "'Bout laying on the grass an' the clover flowers?" "Exactly yes!" said Mickey. "'Fore we melt let's roll up in this sheet and go, Lily! What do you say?" "Has--has the red-berry folks come?" she cried. "They're downstairs, Lily. They're waiting." Peaches began climbing into his arms. "Mickey, Mickey-lovest, hold me tight," she panted. "Mickey, I'm scairt just God-damned!" "Wope! Wope lady! None of that!" cried Mickey aghast. "The place where you're going there's a _nice little girl_ that never said such a word in all her life, and if she did her mammy would wash the badness out of her mouth with soap, just like I'll have to wash out yours, if you don't watch. You can't go in the big car, being held tight by me, else you promise cross your heart never, not never to say that again." "Mickey, will soapin' take it out?" wailed Peaches. "Well my mammy took it out of _me_ that way!" "Mickey get the soap, an' wash, an' scour it all out now, so's I can't ever. Mickey, quick before the nice lady comes that has flower fields, an' red berries, an' honey 'lasses. Mickey, hurry!" "Oh you fool little sweet kid," he half laughed, half sobbed. "You fool little precious child-kid--I can't! There's a better way. I'll just put on a kiss so tight that no bad swearin's will ever pop out past it. There, like that! Now you won't ever say one 'fore the nice little girl, and when I want you not to so bad, will you?" "Not never Mickey! Not never, never, never!" "The folks can't wait any longer," said Mickey. "Here quick, I'll wash your face and comb you, and get a clean nightie on you, and your sweetest ribbon." "Then it's pink," declared Peaches, "an' Mickey, make me a pretty girl, so's the nice lady will like me to drink her milk." "Greedy!" said Mickey. "How can I make you pretty when the Lord didn't!" "Ain't I pretty any at all?" queried Peaches. "Mebby you would be if you'd fatten up a little," said Mickey judicially. "Can't anybody be pretty that's got bones sticking out all over them." "Mickey, is the girl where we are going pretty?"