"You peen goin' to ged ofer dot britty soon pime-by." "But I hain't got no voice, an' I can't sing a tune no more than a mule kin." "Me b'y," said Barney, "Oi admire yer modesty, but ye'll foind it necessary to sing fer th' intertainmint av Ould Gunn an' under professors av ye stay in th' academy, so ye moight as well begin now." "You'll laff." "Nivver moind that." "It will sp'ile me so I can't sing.

If I couldn't see ye laff I might do----" "Dot vos all righdt," declared Hans.

"You bet my life we been aple to feex dot britty soon right avay queek.

Shust gif me your bocket handerkerchief." "Whut you want of it ?" "Nefer you mindt dot.

Shust gif me to id." The country boy produced the handkerchief, and Hans quickly folded it in a thick strip about three inches wide.
"Now I feex id britty shlick so you don'd see us laugh oudt loudt," he said, as he quickly tied the handkerchief over the boy's eyes, while several of the others made Ephraim submit and stand with his little fingers still glued to the seams of his trousers.
In a few seconds the boy from Vermont was securely blindfolded.
"Now you sing dot song," commanded Hans.
"Whut shell I sing ?" "'Yankee Doodle,' begobs!" cried Barney.