She spoke first and did her thinking afterward.

But she was a good girl, and I often wished my sister knew her.

Helen was older, to be sure, but she could have learned a great deal from Corny.
That afternoon, we had a meeting up in the silk-cotton tree, and Priscilla, who had sold out her small stock of flowers in the hotel-door market, was requested to be present.

A variety-show, consisting of about a dozen young darkeys with their baskets and strings of sponges, accompanied her up the steps; but she was ordered to rout them, and she did it in short order.

When we were alone, Rectus, as captain, began to state to her what we desired of her; but he was soon interrupted by Corny, who could do a great deal more talking in a given time than he could, and who always felt that she ought to begin early, in order to get through in good season.
"Now, Priscilla," said Corny, "in the first place, you must promise never to tell what we are going to say to you." Priscilla promised in a flash.
"We want you, then," continued Corny, "to act as our emissary, or general agent, or errand-girl, if you don't know what the other two things mean." "I'll do dat, missy," said Priscilla.