e added, with a wink. "Um-hm, too bad--yes, 'tis--yes,
yes."

Mrs. Ellis sniffed.

"And that's what the newspapers in war time used to call--er--er--oh,
dear, what was it?--camel--seems's if 'twas somethin' about a camel--"

"Camouflage?" suggested Albert.

"That's it. All that talk about me is just camouflage to save him
answerin' my question. But he's goin' to answer it. What are you doin'
away from the office this time in the afternoon, I want to know?"

Mr. Keeler perched his small figure on the corner of the kitchen table.

"Well, to tell you the truth, Rachel," he said solemnly. "I'm here to do
what the folks in books call demand an explanation. You and I, Rachel,
are just as good as engaged to be married, ain't we? I've been keepin'
company with you for the last twenty, forty or sixty years, some such
spell as that. Now, just as I'm gettin' used to it and beginnin' to
consider it a settled arrangement, as you may say, I come into this
house and find you shut up in the kitchen with another man. Now, what--"

The housekeeper advanced toward him with the dripping dishcloth.

"Laban Keeler," she threatened, "if you don't stop your foolishness and
answer my question, I declare I'll--"

Laban slid from his perch and retired behind the table.

"Another man," he repeated. "And SOME folks--not many, of course, but
some--might be crazy enough to say he was a better-lookin' man than
I am. Now, bein' ragin' jealous,--All right, Rachel, all right, I
surrender. Don't hit me with all those soapsuds. I don't want to go back
to the office foamin' at the mouth. The reason I'm here is that I had to
go down street to see about the sheathin' for the Red Men's lodge room.
Issy took the order, but he wasn't real sure whether 'twas sheathin'
or scantlin' they wanted, so I told Cap'n Lote I'd run down myself and
straighten it out. On the way back I saw you two through the window and
I thought I'd drop in and worry you. So here I am."

Mrs. Ellis nodded. "Yes," she sniffed. "And all that camel--camel--Oh,
DEAR, what DOES ail me? All that camel--No use, I've forgot it again."

"Never mind, Rachel," said Mr. Keeler consolingly. "All
the--er--menagerie was just that and nothin' more. Oh, by the way, Al,"
he added, "speakin' of camels--don't you think I've done pretty well to
go so long without any--er--liquid nourishment? Not a drop since you and
I enlisted together. . . . Oh, she knows about it now," he added, with
a jerk of hi