" It was, of course, incumbent upon William to test personally
the wetness of the paint. His trousers bore testimony to the testing
to their last day, in spite of many applications of turpentine. Jumble
also tested it, and had in fact to be disconnected with the front gate
by means of a pair of scissors. For many weeks the first thing that
visitors to the Brown household saw was a little tuft of Jumble's hair
adorning the front gate.
William then proceeded to "help" to the utmost of his power. He
stumbled up from the van to the house staggering under the weight of a
medicine cupboard, and leaving a trail of broken bottles and little
pools of medicine behind. Jumble sampled many of the latter and became
somewhat thoughtful.
It was found that the door of a small bedroom at the top of the stairs
was locked, and this fact (added to Mr. Jones' failure to return from
his lemonade) rather impeded the progress of the unpackers.
"Brike it open," suggested one.
"Better not."
"Per'aps the key's insoide," suggested another brightly.
William had one of his brilliant ideas.
"Tell you what I'll do," he said eagerly and importantly. "I'll climb
up to the roof an' get down the chimney an' open it from the inside."
They greeted the proposal with guffaws.
They did not know William.
It was growing dusk when Mrs. Brown and Ethel and the second van load
appeared.
"What is that on the gate?" said Ethel, stooping to examine the part
of Jumble's coat that brightened up the dulness of the black paint.
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