“I didn’t notice partic’lar, I must say.  But he’s got two of ’em, an’ they can stand up, an’ lay down, real natural-like, accordin’ to taste—­the dog’s taste, which wouldn’t be noways remarkable, if it was his tongue, but is what I call extraordinary, seein’ it’s his ears.  An’ his tail’s the same, exceptin’ it has even more education still.  It can wag, besides standin’ up an’ layin’ down.  Ain’t that pretty smart for a pup, that prob’ly didn’t have no raisin’ to speak of, ’less you count raisin’ on the toe of somebody’s boot?”

“D’you mean anybody kicked him?”

“Well, he ain’t said so, in so many words, but I draw my own conclusions.  He’s an honorable, gentlemanlike dog.  He keeps his own counsel.  If it so happened that he’d needed to be punished at any time, he’d bear it like a little man, an’ hold his tongue.  You don’t catch a reel thorerbred whinin’.”

“I wish I could see Sammy’s dog.”

“Well, p’raps you can.  But I’ll tell you confidential, I wouldn’t like Flicker to ‘sociate with none but the best class o’ boys.  I’m goin’ to see he has a fine line of friends from this time on, an’ if Sammy ain’t what he’d oughter be, why, he just can’t mix with Flicker, that’s all there is to it!”

“Who gave him that name?”

“‘His sponsers in baptism—­’ Ho!  Hear me!  Recitin’ the Catechism!  I’m such a good ’Piscopalian I just can’t help it!  A little lady-friend of mine gave him that name, ’cause he flickers round so—­so like a little yeller flame.  Did I mention his color was yeller?  That alone would show he’s a true-breed cur-dog.”

“Say, I forgot—­my mother she—­she sent me down to tell you she wants to see you right away up in her sittin’-room.  I guess you better go quick.”

Mrs. Slawson ceased plying her polishing-cloth upon the hardwood floor, sat back upon her heels, and calmly gathered her utensils together.

“Say, my mother she said tell you she wanted to see you right off, for something particular.  Ain’t you goin’ to hurry?”

“Shoor I am.  Certaintly.”

“You don’t look as if you was hurrying.”

“When you get to be a big boy, and have a teacher to learn you knowledge, you’ll find that large bodies moves slowly.  I didn’t have as much schoolin’ as I’d like, but what I learned I remember, an’ I put it into practice.  That’s where the use of books comes in—­to be put in practice.  Now, I’m a large body, an’ if I tried to move fast I’d be goin’ against what’s printed in the books, which would be wrong.  Still, if a lady sends for me post-haste, why, of course, I makes an exception an’ answers in the same spirit.  So long!  See you later!”

Radcliffe had no mind to remain behind.  Something subtly fascinating in Martha seemed to draw him after her, and he followed on upstairs, swinging himself athletically along, hand over hand, upon the baluster-rail, almost at her heels.