under Brownie's nose an' eyes; an' poor Brownie, she won't know dey're her'n; she'll tink dey are on'y her neffers an' nieces. Now aint dat are too bad? an' I done it!"
"Probably," said Alice, laughing at the old woman's troubled face, "Brownie will never find it out; and you know 'what the mind does not know the heart will not rue.' I guess she will stand it. But Winny, I want to ask about your father—how is old Drosky?"
"Oh, lors bress us! he's well enuff—strong as a horse, he is."
"I am glad to hear it. I have never seen him since the day he built this hen-coop."
"No, nor before eder. Don't yer remember how s'prised yer wuz to find I had dad? An' yer neber knowed yer had one yerself. I guess yer wuz more s'priseder yet when yer own come along. He is jest a beauty, your'n is. I'd swap wid yer any day, I 'clare I would, on'y I dun'no as he'd be so becomin' to me as old dad is; an' like as not I shouldn't be as becomin' to him as you be. So I s'pose, on de whole, we had better each on us keep to our own."
