ou have been talking we have come many a mile, and
the time has slipped past," his wife said. "If all goes well--" The shot
from a bursting tire rent the air.

"Which evidently it does not," interrupted Mr. Tolman grimly, bringing
the car to a stop. "How aggravating! We were almost into Palmer, where I
had planned for us to lunch. Now it may be some little time before we
can get anything to eat."

"Motorist's luck! Motorist's luck, my dear!" cried Mrs. Tolman gaily.
"An automobilist must resign himself to taking cheerfully what comes."

"That is all very well," grumbled her husband, as he clambered out of
the car. "Nevertheless you must admit that this mishap on the heels of
the other one is annoying."

Stephen also got out and the two bent to examine the punctured tire.

"I should not mind so much if I were not so hungry," murmured Mr.
Tolman. "How are you, Steve? Fainting away?"

The boy laughed.

"Well, I could eat something if I had it," he confessed.

"I wish I hadn't mentioned food," went on Mr. Tolman humorously. "It was
an unfortunate suggestion."

"I'm hungry, too," piped Doris.

"There, you see the epidemic you have started, Henry," called Mrs.
Tolman accusingly. "Here is Doris vowing she is in the last throes of
starvation."

Nobody noticed that in the meanwhile the mother had reached down and
lifted into her lap the small suitcase hidden in the bottom of the car.
She opened the cover and began to remove its contents.

At length, when a remark her husband made to her went unheeded, he
sensed her preoccupation and came around to the side of the car where
she was sitting. Immediately he gave a cry of surprise.

"My word!" he exclaimed. "Steve, come here and see what your mother
has."

Stephen looked.

There sat Mrs. Tolman, unpacking with quiet enjoyment sandwiches, eggs,
cake, cookies, and olives.

A shout of pleasure rose from the famished travelers.

"So it was not your jewels, after all, Mater!" cried Stephen.

"No, and after the way you have slandered me and my little suitcase,
none of you deserve a thing to eat," his mother replied. "However, I am
going to be magnanimous if only to shame you. Now climb in and we will
have our lunch. You can fix the tire afterward."

The men were only too willing to obey.

As with brightened faces they took their seats in the car, Stephen
smiled with affection at his mother.

"Well, Mater, Watt was not the only person who lived to see himself
ap