The next day was bright, the weather was warm, and the little Duvals, to put it frankly, were very, very dirty. Jeanne, who had charge of the family while lazy Mollie dozed in one of the frowzy bunks, decided to give her charges a bath. There was a beautiful spot for the purpose along the edge of the Cinder Pond. The bottom at that place was really quite smooth and sandy. A tiny bit of beach had formed below the sloping bank of fine cinders and never were young trees more useful than those in the two clumps of shrubbery that screened this little patch of sandy beach. The shallow water was pleasantly warm. "Me first! Me first!" shrieked Annie, who had wriggled out of her solitary garment, and was already wading recklessly in. "Ladies first, _always_," said Jeannette. "Mike, you and Sammy go behind that bush and undress. Then you can paddle about until I'm ready to soap you. Here, Patsy! Keep out of the water until I get your clothes off. There, Annie, you're slippery with soap. Go roll in the pond while I do Patsy. Don't get too far away, Sammy, I want _you_ next." "Annie make big splash," said that youngster, flopping down, suddenly. "Annie jump like hop-toad." "Now, Annie, you've hopped enough. You watch Patsy while I do Sammy. Sammy! Come back here. Michael! Bring Sammy back. Goodness, Sammy! How wet you are--don't put your hands on me." "Wonst," remarked Sammy, eying the big bar of yellow soap, thoughtfully, "I seen _white_ soap--white and smelly. The time the boat with big sails on it was here." "Once I _saw_," corrected Jeanne. "Old Captain said that was a yacht. I liked that lady with little laughs all over her face. _You_ remember, Michael. She took us aboard and showed us the inside. My! wasn't that grand! She showed us the gold beds and nice dishes and everything." "What for did the boat come?" asked Sammy. "They broke something and had to take it to a blacksmith to be mended. They stayed here most all day." "Sammy tried to _eat_ their smelly soap," said Michael. "Aw! I didn't," denied Sammy. "I just licked it like I done the cheese that was on the cook's table. He gimme the cheese. But I'd ruther a-had the soap--it tasted better." "You sure _needed_ soap," teased Michael. "I'd like to be all smiling on my face like that pretty lady," said Jeanne, wistfully. "And she hadn't any holes in her clothes." "_Oo_ got a pretty face," assured Annie, patting it with one plump hand. "So have you when it's clean. Why don't you wash it yourself as I do mine? I'm sure you're big enough." "Nuffin to wipe it on," objected Annie.