But lots and lots and lots of people come to
the County Fair from all over, don't they? So now I'd like it for you
to do me that good turn if you want to pay me back."
Thus Pepsy, standing tremulously but still boldly, her thin little
hand clutching the lantern, played her one card for the sake of Pee-Wee
Harris, Scout. Standing there in her oil soaked gingham dress, she made
demand upon this staunch bank of known probity, for principal and
interest in the matter of the one great good turn she had one before
she had ever known of Scout Harris. It never occurred to her as she
looked with frank expectancy at Mr. Jensen that her naive request was
quite preposterous.
To his credit be it said, Mr. Jensen did not deny her too abruptly.
Instead he spread his knees and arms and, smiling genially, beckoned her
to him.
"I can't, I'm all kerosene," she said.
"Never you mind," he said. "You come and stand right here while I
tell you how it is." So she set down the lantern and stepped forward and
stood between his knees and then he lifted her into his lap. "Well,
well, well, you're quite a girl; you're quite a little girl, ain't you,
huh? So you came all the way in the dark to ask me that! Here, you sit
right where you are and never you mind about kerosene; if you ain't
scared of the dark I reckon I ain't scared of kerosene.
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