“I can’t do anything if they’re going to rock,” gasped Betsy.

“You’ll have to get used to it,” said Nyoda emphatically.  “We want those rocking chairs, they’re the funniest part of the show.  Don’t look at them if you can’t keep a straight face.  Now start again.  Where’s your baby?  Here, take this towel for a baby until you can find a doll.

“Now, remember, when I come in you say ‘Hello, George,’ in a very familiar tone, and when I say, ’Gee, ain’t it fierce, we ain’t go no flag to fight this here Revolution with,’ you say, ’I know, ain’t it fierce!  Here, you hold the baby and I’ll make one.’  Then you give me the baby and I walk up and down while you sew, and the baby screams all the while—­Oh-Pshaw, you’ll have to make the noise for the baby behind the scenes.  Now, all ready!”

George came in, with a yardstick tied around his waist for a sword, and made a deep bow which made the spinet giggle violently. “’Gee, ain’t it fierce—­’ Stop laughing, Sahwah, remember you’re the scenery!”

Sahwah lasted until the towel baby was laid in the arms of the Commander-in-Chief, and Oh-Pshaw, trying to imitate the noise of a crying baby behind the scenes, emitted a series of yelps which were harrowingly suggestive of a large yellow dog going through the meat chopper.  It was too much for the rest of the scenery; the rocking chair howled, the spinning wheel choked, the table wept into her handkerchief, and even George’s composure forsook him and he and Betsy fell up against each other and shouted.

“Good gracious, Oh-Pshaw, a baby doesn’t cry like that!  It makes a wailing noise in a high key.  Try it again, now.”

Oh-Pshaw amended her vocal efforts so that the results were not fatal, and the historical First Edition of the Stars and Stripes proceeded without further mishap.

“Where’s the flag I’m to hold up when it’s done?” demanded Betsy.

“Who brought the flag along?” asked Nyoda.

The spinet suddenly clapped a hand to her brow.  “I left it on the porch at Carver House!” she exclaimed.  “I was going to bring it along with the rest of the things, and then I forgot it.  Shall I go and get it?”

“Never mind,” said Nyoda, “we’ll get along without it now and bring it along when we come over to-night.  Come on, now, go through the whole thing once more, and then we’re finished.  Oh-Pshaw, while you’re not on the stage, you make the signs for the scenery, TREES, MORE TREES, GUNS—­make two signs for Guns—­MOON, etc., and on the other side paint CHAIR, TABLE, SPINNING WHEEL, SPINET, etc., so all the scenery will have to do is turn the signs around on themselves when they change from the first to the second scenes.”

All the above commotion was in preparation for the party which Agony and Oh-Pshaw were giving that night in honor of Slim’s birthday.  The birthday was already past, it is true, but it was still recent enough to make it a legitimate excuse for a party.  The Winnebagos, as usual, could not have a party without some select private theatricals in honor of the occasion.