Page:Hegan Rice--Mrs Wiggs of the cabbage patch.djvu/146

  Wiggs constituted herself a salvage corps.

"Take off yer coat out here, Mr. Bob, an' I 'll take off Austry's dress. Them's the worst, 'ceptin' her plaits. Now, we 'll all go up to the kitchen, an' see what kin be did."

Now, Fate, or it may have been the buggy at the gate, decreed that just as they turned the corner of the house, Lucy Olcott should be coming up the walk. For a moment she stood bewildered at the sight that greeted her. Redding, in his shirt sleeves, was leading Australia by the hand; the little girl wore a red-flannel petticoat, and over her face and hands and to the full length of her flaxen braids ran sticky streams of bright green paint.

Involuntarily, Lucy looked at Redding for explanation, and they both laughed.