Mary-'Gusta protested, but young Bacheldor called her a coward and declared he wouldn't play with cowards and 'fraid-cats, so rather than be one of those detestable creatures she usually swallowed her scruples and followed the tempter.
It was a risk, of course, but a real adventure; and, like many adventurers, the pair came to grief.

They took David into the parlor and the cat wriggled from its owner's arms, jumped upon the table, knocked the case containing the chessmen to the floor, and not only broke the glass but decapitated one of the white knights.
Even the mild Mr.Hamilton was incensed when Isaiah told the news at supper time.

And Captain Shad, who had bought those chessmen at Singapore from the savings of a second mate's wages, lost patience entirely.
"Didn't I tell you young-ones not to go into that parlor ?" he demanded.
"Yes, sir," admitted Mary-'Gusta, contritely.
"Yes, by fire, I did! And you went just the same." "Yes, sir." "And you fetched that everlastin'-- er--Goliath in there, too.

Don't you know you've been a bad girl ?" "Ye--yes, sir." Zoeth protested.

"She ain't a bad girl, Shadrach," he said.