quare meal,--something to eat, you know, and plenty
of it. I'm hungry as the deuce, and candy ain't very filling. Is it a
go?"

Susie looked at her crestfallen companions, and they looked at her.

"There were no potatoes left from dinner," began Irene.

"But there's any number of cans of stuff in the pantry," said Inez
hastily.

"Salmon and sardines and veal loaf and corned beef and vegetables,"
added Susie hopefully, yet fearful lest the menu should not prove
sufficiently tempting to the queer, unexpected, unknown visitor. "And
Tabitha cut the cake for dinner."

"Besides cookies and crackers and bread," murmured Irene, seeing
reproof in her sisters' eyes, and feeling that she had been
inhospitable to their hungry guest.

"Good!" promptly answered the man. "I reckon we'll make out. Just
open a tin of salmon, make a pot of strong coffee, and bring on your
bread and cake and sauce--lots of it, now, for I haven't had a bite to
eat since last night. Lost my money, you know, and it hurts a decent
fellow's pride to beg."

The trio nodded sympathetically, and hurried to do his bidding, while
he rapidly measured out fresh supplies of sugar and syrup, and briskly
began stirring the mass over the fire, talking all the while. "I just
happened to be passing when I smelled your stuff burning, and thinks I,
now there's trouble in there. Just then you all commenced screaming,
and I was sure the house was a-fire, so I rushed in to help. Good
gracious, but I was scared for a minute when I see the flames jumping
so high. You might have had an explosion any minute."

"Yes," gravely agreed the girls, the look of terror returning to their
eyes.

"If it hadn't been for you, I reckon the house would have burned down,
and it's the only one we've got," said Irene.

He nodded. "I understand, and so I thought you wouldn't begrudge me a
bite to eat, after I had put out the fire and cleaned up the clutter so
Tabitha wouldn't know that you had been in mischief."

"Course we're glad to give you something to eat," Inez again hastily
interrupted. "'Specially when you are making us some more candy. Are
you ready for your--lunch--now?"

"In a jiffy. Just grease a pan for this dope and I'll pour it out to
cool. Bet it beats yours all hollow. There! Set it in the
window--so! Now, I'll sample your larder. Looks fine and smells
bully. Which store is best here in town?"

"Brinkley's," promptly answered the trio, with longi