od,
Bob could not understand. But had the boy been as keen an observer as
the stranger, he would have noticed that the paper on one end of the box
was saturated with grease, causing the obvious inference that some sort
of food was wrapped up inside.

"I don't like to take your grub for nothing, son," returned the other,
"but I sure am hungry. I have always made it a rule never to accept
anything from any one without giving something in return. So I tell you
what I'll do. If you're sure you won't accept any money, and will give
me a bite, when the train stops for dinner, I'll pay for whatever you
want to eat."

"That seems fair," returned Bob, "but I should be just as willing to
give you some, even if you didn't return it."

While Bob had been speaking, he had picked up the box, broken the
string, unwrapped the paper and opened it, after which he held it out to
the stranger, saying:

"Help yourself."

To Bob's surprise, the man accepted the invitation literally--and took
the whole box, which he rested on his knee. Though it contained cake and
pie, hard-boiled eggs, and several sandwiches, the stranger exercised no
choice of selection, but began at one end of the box and ate everything
just as it came.

Naturally Bob had supposed that the man would eat possibly only a couple
of eggs and one or two sandwiches, with perhaps even a piece of cake or
a piece of pie. But as he saw one piece of food disappearing after
another, and remembered that the stranger had asked only for a bite, he
wondered what he would require to make a full meal.

As the last piece of food was devoured, the man reached down, put the
cover on the box, folded the paper, wrapped up the box and set it on the
floor, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, then exclaimed:

"My, but that went to the right spot! I sure was hungry."

"Yes, I guess you were," assented Bob, a bit ruefully, for he had
expected to have at least a portion of the food, put up for him by the
kind waitress, to eat during the day.

The stranger, however, ignored the insinuation in Bob's tone, and
proceeded to talk with him.

"Going far?" he asked.

"Yes, to Chicago."

"That's good. So am I. I'm glad to have some one to talk to. It makes
the time pass quicker. Been visiting in the East?"

"No. I've always lived in New York."

"Going to Chicago on a visit?"

"Not exactly. I'm going to call on some friends, and then go on to
Oklahoma."

The mention of Oklahoma r