Mr. Benedict, with his restored boy in his arms, occupied the room next to his, a door opening between them.  Both were awake, and were busy with their whispered confidences, when they became aware that Jim was roused and on his feet.  In a huge bundle on the table lay Jim’s wedding garments, which he eyed from time to time as he busied himself at his bath.

“Won’t ye be a purty bird with them feathers on!  This makin’ crows into bobolinks’ll do for oncet, but, my! won’t them things spin when I git into the woods agin?”

Benedict and Harry knew Jim’s habit, and the measure of excitement that was upon him, and lay still, expecting to be amused by his soliloquies.  Soon they heard him say: 

“Oh, lay down, lay down, lay down, ye misable old mop!”

It was an expression of impatience and disgust.

“What’s the matter, Jim?” Mr. Benedict called.

“Here’s my har,” responded Jim, “actin’ as if it was a piece o’ woods or a hay-lot, an’ there ain’t no lodgin’ it with nothin’ short of a harricane.  I’ve a good mind to git it shingled and san’-papered.”

Then, shifting his address to the object of his care and anxiety, he went on: 

“Oh, stick up, stick up, if you want to!  Don’t lay down on my ’count.  P’rhaps ye want to see what’s goin’ on.  P’rhaps ye’re goin’ to stand up with me.  P’rhaps ye want to skeer somebody’s hosses.  If I didn’t look no better nor you, I sh’d want to lay low; an’, if I’d ’a slep as poor as ye did last night, I’d lop down in the fust bed o’ bear’s grease I could find. Hain’t ye got no manners?”

This was too much for Harry, who, in his happy mood burst into the merriest laughter.

This furnished Jim with just the apology he wanted for a frolic, and rushing into the adjoining bedroom, he pulled Harry from his bed, seated him on the top of his head, and marched with him struggling and laughing about the room.  After he had performed sundry acrobatic feats with him, he carried him back to his bed.  Then he returned to his room, and entered seriously upon the task of arraying himself in his wedding attire.  To get on his collar and neck-tie properly, he was obliged to call for Mr. Benedict’s assistance.

Jim was already getting red in the face.

“What on arth folks want to tie theirselves up in this way for in hot weather, is more nor I know,” he said.  “How do ye s’pose them Mormons live, as is doin’ this thing every three days?”

Jim asked this question with his nose in the air, patiently waiting the result of Mr. Benedict’s manipulations at his throat.  When he could speak again, he added: 

“I vow, if I was doin’ a big business in this line, I’d git some tin things, an’ have ’em soddered on, an’ sleep in ’em.”

This sent Harry into another giggle, and, with many soliloquies and much merriment, the dressing in both rooms went on, until, in Jim’s room, all became still.  When Benedict and his boy had completed their toilet, they looked in upon Jim, and found him dressed and seated on his trunk.