r how grim and speechless Aunt Sarah
might be, she could not glare Mrs. MacCall out of countenance, so that
arrangement was very satisfactory.

The four girls had their seats, two on either side. The guests, when
they had them, were placed between the girls on either side, and the
table was gradually drawn out, and leaves added, to suit the
circumstances.

Neale always sat between Tess and Dot. He did so to-night. But beside
him was the Irish cobbler. Opposite was the stout and glowing Mr.
Sorber, prepared to do destruction to Mrs. MacCall's viands first of
all, and then to destroy Neale's hopes of an education afterward.

At least, he had thus far admitted no change of heart. He had met Neale
with rough cordiality, but he had stated his intention as irrevocable
that he would take the boy back to the circus.

Tess and Dot were almost horrified when they came to understand that
their friend the lion tamer proposed to take Neale away. They could not
understand such an evidently kind-hearted tamer of wild beasts doing
such a cruel thing!

"I guess he's only fooling," Tess confided to Dot, and the latter agreed
with several nods, her mouth being too full for utterance, if her heart
was not.

"These beans," declared Mr. Sorber, passing his plate a third time, "are
fit for a king to eat, and the fishcakes ought to make any fish proud to
be used up in that manner. I never eat better, Ma'am!"

"I presume you traveling people have to take many meals haphazardly,"
suggested Mrs. MacCall.

"Not much. My provender," said Mr. Sorber, "is one thing that I'm mighty
particular about. I feeds my lions first; then Bill Sorber's next best
friend is his own stomach--yes, Ma'am!

"The cook tent and the cooks go ahead of the show. For instance, right
after supper the tent is struck and packed, and if we're traveling by
rail, it goes right aboard the first flat. If we go by road, that team
gets off right away and when we catch up to it in the morning, it's
usually set up on the next camping ground and the coffee is a-biling.

"It ain't no easy life we live; but it ain't no dog's life, neither. And
how a smart, bright boy like this here nevvy of mine should want to run
away from it----"

"Did ye iver think, sir," interposed the cobbler, softly, "that mebbe
there was implanted in the la-ad desires for things ye know nothin' of?"

"Huh!" grunted Sorber, balancing a mouthful of beans on his knife to the
amazement of Dot, who had se