ateful, I call it," he
declared. "What do you say, Feeble?"

"It is particularly distasteful to me just now," complained the invalid.
"When Sister has learned to give me my hot water at just the right
temperature," and he took a sip of that innocent beverage. "Don't you
suppose we could prevail upon the old lady to renig?"

"She's bound to put us off with half rations for the rest of the time
she stays," declared Crackit, shaking his head wisely. "She's got
nothing to lose now. She don't care if we all up and leave--after she
gets hers."

"That's always the way," feebly remarked Mr. Peebles. "Just as soon as I
really get settled down into a half-decent lodging, something happens."

Mr. Peebles had been a fixture at Mother Atterson's for nearly ten
years. Only Old Lem Camp had been longer at the place.

The latter was the only boarder who had no adverse criticism for the
mistress's new move. Indeed this evening Mr. Camp said nothing whatever;
even his usual mumblings to himself were not heard.

He ate slowly, and but little. He was still sitting at the table when
all the others had departed.

Mrs. Atterson started into the dining-room with her own supper between
two plates when she saw the old man sitting there despondent in looks
and attitude, his head resting on one clawlike hand, his elbow on the
soiled table cloth.

He did not look up, nor move. The mistress glanced back over her
shoulder, and there was Sister, sniffling and occasionally rubbing her
wrist into her red eyes as she scraped the tower of plates from the
dinner table.

"My soul and body!" gasped Mother Atterson, almost dropping her supper
on the floor. "There's Sister--and there's Old Lem Camp! Whatever will I
do with 'em?"

Meanwhile Hiram Strong had already left for the farm on the Wednesday
previous. The other boarders knew nothing about his agreement with
Mother Atterson; he had agreed to go to the place and begin work, and
take care of the stock and all, "choring for himself", as the good lady
called it, until she could complete her city affairs and move herself
and her personal chattels to the farm.

Hiram bore a note to the woman who had promised to care for the Atterson
place, and money to pay her what the boarding-house mistress had agreed.

"You can 'bach' it in the house as well as poor old Uncle Jeptha did, I
reckon," this woman told the youth.

She showed him where certain provisions were--the pork barrel, ham and
bacon of th