lookin' for you, an'
thought the best thing I could do was to bring him right up here," Dan
said as he ostentatiously placed half a dozen small packages on the
table.

"Ain't you fellers slingin' a terrible lot of style?" Bill asked, as he
gazed around him. "It strikes me that business must be boomin' if you
can afford all this."

"It'll only cost twenty-five cents a week for each one of us," Seth
replied, as if thinking something in the way of an apology was
necessary.

"What?" and Master Dean was so thoroughly astonished as to be unable to
speak for several seconds. Then he cried eagerly: "Say, you don't want
to take another feller in, I s'pose? I'd like to get sich a snap as
this!"

"I don't know as Miss Hanson would want to take another lodger. You
might ask her, though, after we've been here a spell."

"Why not have it settled now?"

"It seems to me as if you'd better hold off for a while till she sees
how we flash up. 'Cordin' to what she said, I don't believe we'd got in
here if it hadn't been for Mr. Davis."

"I'd like to come mighty well," Bill said longingly, and then his
attention was attracted to Dan's movements.

Master Roberts was busily engaged displaying his purchases on the table
in such a manner as to make the greatest possible show, and there was no
question but that he had succeeded in "layin' himself out in great
shape."

Fully a pound of bologna sausage cut in thick slices, four large
crullers, two smoked herrings, two ham sandwiches, a pint of peanuts,
and four apples caused the shaky table to look as if literally laden
with dainties.

Dan pushed it toward the bed, that one of the party might sit there,
placed the two chairs at either end, and invited his companions to join
in the feast.

"Pitch in an' fill yourselves way up full! This is the first swell house
I ever lived in, an' I'm willin' to pay for style. After this I reckon
Seth an' me will skin along for grub same's we've allers done, but I'm
goin' to have one blow-out if it takes every cent I've got."

No second invitation was needed, and not until a goodly portion of the
eatables had disappeared did either speak. Then it was Bill Dean who
broke the partial silence.

"Say, I've raised money enough to send Sam Barney to Philadelphy, if you
fellers come up with the nickels you promised."

"How much will it cost?" and Dan began searching his pockets for the
contribution which had been promised in his name.

"I can get t