was not much
of the food left, so there was no danger of over-feeding any of the small
children who shared in the generosity of the chums. But when the last
crumb was gone they found the conductor at their elbows.

"Well, girls!" he exclaimed grimly. "Now you've done it, haven't you?"

"Done what, sir?" asked Bess, rather startled.

"You've given away all your own lunch. What did I tell you? I warned you
to take care of it."

"Oh, sir!" cried Nan. "We couldn't have eaten it, knowing that these
little folks were so hungry."

"No, indeed!" agreed Bess.

"If you had remained in your own car," the conductor said, "you would
have known nothing about these poor kiddies."

"Well, I'm glad we did find out about 'em before we ate our lunch all
up," declared Nan.

"Why, I'd like to know, Miss?" asked the man.

"It would have lain heavily on our consciences--"

"And surely injured our digestions," giggled Bess. "That pie was
something awful."

"Well, it's all gone now, and you have nothing."

"Oh, that's not the worst," cried Bess, suddenly. "Oh, Nan!" and she
clasped her gloved hands tragically.

"What is it now?" asked her chum.

"The poor little dog! He won't have even railroad pie to eat."

"What dog is this?" demanded the conductor.

"Oh!" cried Nan. "Are you Mr. Carter?"

"Yes, I am, Miss. But this dog?"

"Is in the baggage car," Nan said eagerly. "And he's so cold and hungry
and lonesome. He's just crying his heart out."

"He is?"

"Won't you let us take him into our car where it is warmer and take
care of him?"

"That nuisance of a pup?" demanded the conductor, yet with twinkling eyes
that belied his gruffness. "I know he's yapping his little head off."

"Then let us have him, sir, do!" begged Nan earnestly.

"Take him into the Pullman, you mean?"

"Yes, sir, we'll take the best care of him," promised Nan.

"Against the rules!" declared the conductor, briskly.

"But rules ought to be broken at times," urged Nan. "For instance, can't
they be relaxed when folks are cast away on desert islands?"

"Oh, ho!" chuckled the conductor. "I see the point, Miss. But the captain
of the ship must maintain discipline, just the same, on the desert island
as aboard ship."

"I s'pose you've got to enforce the rule against passengers riding on the
platform, too, even if we are stuck in a snowdrift?" Bess said a little
crossly. They had come out into the vestibule, and she was cold.

The conductor broke