“Say, do you know our cook, ’Liza—­the one we uster have—­has gone away?”

“So I gathered from not havin’ saw her fairy-figger hoverin’ round the kitchen as I come in, an’ meetin’ another lady in her place—­name of Augusta, Beetrice said.”

“Yes, sir!  Augusta’s the new one.  I guess Augusta don’t drink.”

“Which, you are suggesting ’Liza does?”

“Well, my mother, she don’t know I know, but I do.  I heard Shaw tellin’ ’bout it.  It was ‘Liza’s day out, an’ she went an’ got ‘toxicated, an’ a p’liceman he took her up, an’ nex’ mornin’ my Uncle Frank, they sent to him out of the station-house to have him bail her out.”

“My, my!  She was as full as that?”

“What’s bail her out?” inquired Radcliffe.

Mrs. Slawson considered.  “When a boat gets full of water, because o’ leakin’ sides or heavy rains or shippin’ seas, or whatever they calls it, you bail her out with a tin can or a sponge or anythin’ you have by you.”

“Was Liza full of water?”

“I was describin’ boats,” said Martha.  “An’ talkin’ o’ boats, did I tell you we got a new kitten to our house?  He’s a gray Maltee.  His name is Nixcomeraus.”

“Why is his name Nix—­why is his name that?”

“Nixcomeraus?  His name’s Nixcomeraus because he’s from the Dutchman’s house.  If you listen good, you’ll see that’s poetry—­

“‘Nixcomeraus from the Dutchman’s house!’

“I didn’t make it up, but it’s poetry all the same.  A Dutchman gen’l’man who lives nex’ door to me, made him a present to our fam’ly.”

“Do you like him?”

“The Dutchman gen’l’man?”

“No, the—­the Nix—­the cat?”

“Certaintly we like him.  He’s a decent, self-respectin’ little fella that ‘tends to his own business, an’ keeps good hours.  An’ you’d oughter see how grand him an’ Flicker gets along!  Talk o’ a cat-and-dog existence!  Why, if all the married parties I know, not to speak o’ some others that ain’t, hit it off as good as Flicker an’ Nixcomeraus, there wouldn’t be no occasion for so many ladies takin’ the rest-cure at Reno.”

“What’s Reno?”

“Reno?  Why, Reno’s short for merino.  Like I’d say, Nix for Nixcomeraus, which is a kinder woolen goods you make dresses out of.  There!  Did you hear the schoolroom bell?  I thought I heard it ringin’ a while ago, but I wasn’t sure.  Hurry now, an’ don’t keep Miss Lang waitin’.  She wants you to come straight along up, so’s she can learn you to be a big an’ handsome gen’l’man like your Uncle Frank.”

When Radcliffe had left her, Martha went over in her mind the items he had guilelessly contributed to her general fund of information.  Take it all in all, she was not displeased with what they seemed to indicate.