human
Why, Aunt Kate, what do you think?
gpt
There are times, replied Aunt Kate, looking over at the girl swaying in the hammock, humming gently to herself,
human
Well sir, what do you think? The man that mends the boats knows more 'an Watts!
gpt
Worthie, she admonished,
human
But yes, he does. 'Cause I asked Watts why Pourquoi had more yellow than white, and why N'est-ce-pas was more white 'an yellow, and he said I sure had him there. He'd be blowed if he knew, and he guessed nobody did, 'less maybe the Almighty had some ideas about it; but yesterday I asked the man that mends the boats, and he explained it--oh a whole lot of long words, Aunt Kate. More long words 'an I ever heard before.
gpt
And the explanation? I trust it was satisfactory?
human
I guess it was, replied Worth uncertainly.
gpt
My experience, too,
human
With the man that mends the boats?
gpt
No, with other sages. You see when they're afraid to stay down here on the ground with us any longer, afraid they'll be hit with a question that will knock them over, they get into little air-ships they have and hurl the long words down at our heads until we're too stunned to ask any more questions, and in such wise is learning disseminated.
human
I'll ask the man that mends the boats if he's got any air-ships. He's got most everything up there.
gpt
Up where?
human
Oh, up there,
gpt
He says he'd like to get acquainted with you, Aunt Kate. He says he really believes you might be worth knowing.
human
Well upon my word! gasped she. Then, recovering her book--and more--
gpt
Why what a kindly gentleman he must be,
human
Oh yes, he's kind. He's awful kind, I guess. He'll talk to you any time you want him to, Aunt Kate. He'll tell you just anything you want to know. He said you must be a--I forgot the word.
gpt
Oh no, you haven't, wheedled Aunt Kate.
human
Try to think of it, dearie.
gpt
Can't think of it now. Shall I ask him again?
human
Certainly not! How preposterous! As if it made the slightest difference in the world!
gpt
And how did it happen, Worthie, that this kindly philosopher should have deemed me worth knowing?
human
Oh, I don't know. 'Cause he liked the puppies' names, I guess. I told him how their mother was just Queen, but how they was Pourquoi and N'est-ce-pas--a 'quirer and 'versalist and so then he said: 'And which is Aunt Kate?'
gpt
Which is Aunt _Kate? What_ did he mean?
human
Worth, was this one of the men?
gpt
Oh no, Aunt Kate. He's not one of the men. He's just a man. He's the man that mends the boats.