"Come in," she said. "Sally has had her bath.
Now I've got a tub of good hot water and a gourd full of soap waiting
for you. Skedaddle out of those old clothes and throw them in the fire."
"I ain't got any others." Abe looked terrified.
"I don't aim to pluck your feathers without giving you some new ones."
Sarah laughed. "I sat up late last night, cutting down a pair of Mr.
Johnston's old pants. I got a shirt, too, laid out here on the bed."
Slowly Abe started taking off his shirt. He looked fearfully at the tub
of hot water.
"There's no call to be scared," said Sarah. "That tub won't bite. Now
I'm going down to the spring. By the time I get back, I want you to have
yourself scrubbed all over."
Abe stuck one toe into the water. He said, "Ouch!" and drew it out. He
then tried again, and put in his whole foot. He put in his other foot.
He sat down in the tub. By the time Sarah returned he was standing
before the fire, dressed in the cut-down trousers and shirt of the late
Mr. Johnston.
Sarah seemed pleased. "You look like a different boy," she said. "Those
trousers are a mite too big, but you'll soon grow into them.
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