he's
talking about quitting. Good cooks aren't easy to get. Do you remember
the one before her?"

It was a strong argument.

The Industrialist looked about vaguely. He said, "I suppose you're
right. He isn't here, I suppose. When he comes in, I'll talk to him."

"You'd better start. Here he comes."

Red walked into the house and said cheerfully, "Time for lunch, I
guess." He looked from one parent to the other in quick speculation at
their fixed stares and said, "Got to clean up first, though," and made
for the other door.

The Industrialist said, "One moment, son."

"Sir?"

"Where's your little friend?"

Red said, carelessly, "He's around somewhere. We were just sort of
walking and I looked around and he wasn't there." This was perfectly
true, and Red felt on safe ground. "I told him it was lunch time. I
said, 'I suppose it's about lunch time.' I said, 'We got to be getting
back to the house.' And he said, 'Yes.' And I just went on and then when
I was about at the creek I looked around and--"

The Astronomer interrupted the voluble story, looking up from a
magazine he had been sightlessly rummaging through. "I wouldn't worry
about my youngster. He is quite self-reliant. Don't wait lunch for him."

"Lunch isn't ready in any case, Doctor." The Industrialist turned once
more to his son. "And talking about that, son, the reason for it is that
something happened to the ingredients. Do you have anything to say?"

"Sir?"

"I hate to feel that I have to explain myself more fully. Why did you
take the chopped meat?"

"The chopped meat?"

"The chopped meat." He waited patiently.

Red said, "Well, I was sort of--"

"Hungry?" prompted his father. "For raw meat?"

"No, sir. I just sort of needed it."

"For what exactly?"

Red looked miserable and remained silent.

The Astronomer broke in again. "If you don't mind my putting in a few
words--You'll remember that just after breakfast my son came in to ask
what animals ate."

"Oh, you're right. How stupid of me to forget. Look here, Red, did you
take it for an animal pet you've got?"

Red recovered indignant breath. He said, "You mean Slim came in here and
said I had an animal? He came in here and said that? He said I had an
animal?"

"No, he didn't. He simply asked what animals ate. That's all. Now if he
promised he wouldn't tell on you, he didn't. It's your own foolishness
in trying to take something without permission that gave you away. That
happene