He walked around for thirty seconds smelling the furniture, found a rag mat, settled himself down on it, and sat wagging his tail with a motion regular almost as a pendulum's.

Tilda, observing it, heaved a small sigh, and perched herself on the packing-case, where she confronted Mr.Hucks fair and square across the table.
"Now you just sit there and answer me," said Mr.Hucks, seating himself and filling a pipe.

"First, who's _in_ this ?" "Me," answered Tilda.

"Me and 'im." Mr.Hucks laid down his pipe, spread his fingers on the table, and made as if to rise.
"I thought," said he, "you had more sense in you 'n an ord'nary child.
Seems you have less, if you start foolin'." "I can't 'elp 'ow you take it," Tilda answered.

"I got to tell you what's true, an' chance the rest.