ead-gear.

"Think how that governess has treated me," growled Puffy. "When I was in
your nursery, and was old and a little worn out, _how_ I would've
appreciated care--and repair!"

"The Employment Agency for her," said the Piper.

"I'll attend to that," added the Policeman.

Gwendolyn's father had been gathering candles, and had seemed not to see
what was transpiring. Now as if he was satisfied with his load, he
suddenly started away in the direction he had come. His firm stride
jolted the talking-machine not a little. The quacking cries
recommenced--

"Please to pay me.... Let me sell you...! Let me borrow...! Won't you
hire...! _Quack! Quack! Quack!_"

After him hurried the others in an excited group. The Piper led it, his
plumbing-tools jangling, his pig-poke a-swing. And Gwendolyn saw him
grin back over a shoulder craftily--then lay hold of her father and
_tighten a strap_.

She trudged in the rear. She had found her father--and he could see
only the candles he sought, and the money in his grasp! She was out in
the open with him once more, where she was free to gambol and shout--yet
he was bound by his harness and heavily laden.

"I might just as well be home," she said to Puffy, disheartened.

"Wish your father'd let me sharpen his ears," whispered the
Man-Who-Makes-Faces. He shifted the hand-organ to the other shoulder.

The Doctor had a basket on his arm. He peered into it. "I haven't a
thing about me," he declared, "but a bread-pill."

"How would a glass of soda-water do?" suggested the Policeman, in an
undertone.

"Why, of _course!_"

It had happened before that the mere mention of a thing brought that
dying swiftly. Now it happened again. For immediately Gwendolyn heard
the rush and bubble and brawl of a narrow mountain-stream. Next, looking
down from the summit of a gentle rise, she saw the smoky windings of the
unbottled soda!

The Doctor was a man of action. Though the Policeman had made his
suggestion only a second before, here was the former already leaning
down to the stream; and, having dipped, was walking in the midst of the
little company, glass in hand.

Gwendolyn ran forward. "Fath-er!" she called; "_please_ have a drink!"

Her father shook his head. "I'm not thirsty," he declared, utterly
ignoring the proffered glass.

"I--I was 'fraid he wouldn't," sighed Gwendolyn, head down again, and
scuffing bare feet in the cool damp grass of the stream-side--yet not
enjoying it! The l