often said, "He'll do; he'll
do."

William neglected his lessons occasionally, as, for instance, once, in
the first week of September, but it was in a good cause. He thus
explained it to Lucien. "You shoulder seen the Turnpike bunch at the
exhibition yesterday."

"So that's where you were. Mr. Whimple said he understood you were
engaged on important private business matters."

"Well, he ain't far wrong the way I look at it."

"And were you----?"

"Yes," broke in William, "I was around when the lion broke outer the
wild beast show--I'm coming to that soon. Pa took the whole bunch of
us: he's been taking the whole family since I can remember, and we
always have a good time.

"Well, of course it takes Ma about two hours to get the bunch
ready--say, ain't kids the worst! I suppose she must have washed off
Joey's and Bessie's face four times before we got started. After the
second or third time, Pa takes 'em upstairs and makes 'em lie on the
bed until the army is ready to advance. 'I've heard about machines for
washin' dishes,' he says, 'but it takes a pair of hands and a lot of
soap for washin' kiddies' faces, and hands is liable to get tired, so
there you stays until Ma's had a chance to get cleaned up,' and they
stayed.

"Well, we gets to the grounds about eleven o'clock, and all us kids had
a lunch in a box, or a bag, or something, and Ma and Pa had two big
baskets fuller grub besides. You'd thought there was enough to last a
week. As soon as we gets inside, Pete says he's hungry, he's afraid he
can't walk none unless he has something to eat right away. Pete always
lays for the grub, you bet. So Pa he lets on he's considering
something, but we all know what it is, because he's played it on us
before, and he winds up by taking us down to a swell lunch place near
the lake. Honest, it's as clean nearly as our house, and there's
mighty few houses that's cleaner. So when Bill Thomson--the man what
runs it--sees us coming, he looks mighty solemn, and we all knew what
he's going to say, and he says it. 'Ah,' he says, 'there's the
Turnpikes what's going to drink up me last drop of tea and all me
gingerbeer. Well'--and then he heaves a great sigh--'let 'em come--let
'em all come: it'll ruin me, I know, but somebody always has-ter go
under.'

"And Pa says to him to 'cheer up, and how's business?'

"So Bill says it's rotten! the worst in years. So far as he can see he
ain't even going to pay expenses,