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Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Scouts of the Valley"

Down on your knees an' say
your prayers!"
Shif'less Sol stared in astonishment.
"You say a wally will do all that fur me, Jim? Now, what under
the sun is a wally ?"
"I heard all about 'em from Paul," replied Long Jim in a tone of
intense satisfaction. "A wally is a man what does fur you what
you ought to do fur yourself."
"Then I want one," said Shif'less Sol emphatically. "He'd jest
suit a lazy man like me. An' ez fur your makin' me the King o'
France, mebbe you're more'n half right about that without knowin'
it. I hev all the instincts uv a king. I like to be waited on,
I like to eat when I'm hungry, I like to drink when I'm thirsty,
I like to rest when I'm tired, an' I like to sleep when I'm
sleepy. You've heard o' children changed at birth by fairies an'
sech like. Mebbe I'm the real King o' France, after all, an' my
instincts are handed down to me from a thousand royal ancestors."
"Mebbe it's so," rejoined Long Jim. "I've heard that thar hev
been a pow'ful lot uv foolish kings."
With that he put his two blankets upon the floor, lay down upon
them, and was sound asleep in five minutes. But Shif'less Sol
beat him to slumberland by at least a minute, and the others were
not more than two minutes behind Sol.


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