"I don't know," said Mickey. "I haven't seen her. She's a fine little girl, for she's at home taking care of her baby brother so's that her mammy can come and see if you are _nice enough_ to go to her house and not _spoil_ her children. See?" Peaches nodded comprehendingly. "Mickey, I won't again!" she insisted. "I said not never, never, never. Didn't you _hear_ me?" "Yes I heard you," said Mickey, applying the washcloth, slipping on a fresh nightdress, brushing curls, and tying the ribbon with fingers shaking with excitement and haste. "Yes I heard you, but that stuff seems to come awful easy, Miss. You got to be careful no end. Now, I'm going to bring them. You just smile at them, and when they ask you, tell them the right answer _nice_. Will you honey? Will you _sure?_" "Surest thing you know," quoted Peaches promptly. "Aw-w-w-ah!" groaned Mickey. "That ain't right! Miss Leslie wouldn't ever said that! You got that from me, too! I guess I better soap out my mouth 'fore I begin on you. 'Yes ma'am,' is the answer. Now you remember! I'll just bring in the lady first." "I want to see Peter first!" announced Peaches. "Well if I ever!" cried Mickey. "Peter is a great big man, 'bout twice as big as Mr. Bruce. You don't either! You want to see the nice lady first, 'cause it's up to _her_ to say if she'll take care of you. She may get mad and not let you go at all, if you ask to see Peter _first_. You want to see the nice lady first, don't you Lily?" "Yes, if I got to, to see the cow. But I don't!" said Lily. "I want to see Peter. I like Peter the _best_." "Now you look here Miss Chicken, don't you start a tantrum!" cried Mickey. "If you don't see this nice lady first and be pretty to her, I'll just go down and tell them you _like_ lying here roasting, and they can go back to their flower-fields and berries. See?" Peaches drew a deep breath but her eyes were wilful. A wave of heat seemed to envelop them. "Sweat it out right now!" ordered Mickey. "When people do things for you 'cause they are sorry for you, it's up to you to be polite, to pay back with manners at least. See?" Peaches' smile was irresistible: "Mickey, I feel so p'lite! I'll see the nice lady first." "Now there's a real, sure-enough lady!" Mickey stooped to kiss Peaches again, take a last look at the hair ribbon, and straighten the sheet, then he ran; but he closed in the heat quickly as he slipped through the doorway. A few seconds later with the Harding family at his heels he again approached it. There he made his second speech. He addressed it to Peter and Junior. "'Cause she's so little and so scared, I guess the nice lady better go in first, and make up with her. Then one at a time you can come, so so many strangers won't upset her."