ted place, but not a speck for me. But I got along, I'd ha' made
out, if I hadn't et somethin' made me dretful sick. It was somethin'
in a can I picked up out a garbage pail, some sort o' fish I guess,
and I've been terr'ble ever since. What'd he go for? Why don't he come
back?"

"I don't know. I reckon he went for food. How did you keep warm in
here, if this is where you lived?"

"Didn't keep warm. How could I? I ain't been warm, not real clean
through, since the last night I slep' in my nice bed at Oak Knowe."

"Why didn't you come back? Or go to the railway stations? They are
always heated, I reckon."

"Did. Turned me out. Lemme stay a spell but then turned me out. Said I
better go to the poorhouse but--won't that boy never come!"

"He's coming now, Jack," she answered and was almost as glad as he of
the fact.

Robin came whistling in, good cheer in the very sound.

"Here you are neighbor! Candle and matches--two cents. Pint of
milk--three. Drink it down while I light up!"

Jack grabbed the milk bottle with both hands and drained it; then fell
back again with a groan.

"'T hurts my stummick! Hurts my stummick awful!"

"Never mind. I'll turn Baal loose and let him find something outside.
A likely supper of tin cans and old shoes'll set him up to a T. Scoot,
Baal!"

The goat was glad enough to go, apparently, yet in a moment came
bleating back to his master. Dorothy thought that was pathetic but
Robin declared it disgusting.

"Clear out, you old heathen, and hunt your supper--"

"Oh! don't be cruel to the loving creature, Robin! Suppose he should
get lost?" begged Dorothy.

"Lost? You can't lose Baal, don't you fret. Look-a-here, boy! here's a
sandwich! Come from the best place in town. I know it. Give the
biggest slice for the least money. Can't tell me anything about that,
for I've been nigh starved myself too often in this same old town.
What? You don't want it? Can't eat it? Then what do you want?"

Provoked that his efforts to please Jack failed so fully, Robin
whistled again, but not at all merrily this time; for he had at last
begun to think of his own predicament and Dorothy's. Here they were
stranded in town, Oak Knowe so far away, night fast falling and,
doubtless, a stern reprimand due--should they ever reach that happy
haven again.

"Robin, I do believe he is sick. Real, terrible sick. It wasn't just
starving ailed him. Do you s'pose we could get a doctor to him?"

"To this shanty? No