sigh of
exquisite content and satisfaction he at once dropped off to sleep again.
With the exception of the night at the bachelor's shanty he had not
known such sweet and unbroken rest for--it seemed to him almost his
whole lifetime.

And then again, if Chip had wondered whether there might be kindness,
cheerfulness and plenty to eat somewhere in the world, as he most
certainly often had done, he must surely have found the answer now. For
when he awoke again the rich aroma of boiling coffee and cheering
scent of frying bacon greeted him. From the beach down by the lake,
too, there came lively laughter and a great splashing of water.

"Skip down and dive in! Paddle around some, then rub down lively!" urged
Billy Worth, who, having had his plunge, was now nimbly getting breakfast.
"Makes a man feel dandy!" he urged, really thinking that a bath would do
Chip good, anyway. "And hold on!" he added. "Here's soap and a towel if
you care for 'em."

Slider was by no means afraid of the water. He was glad of the chance
to take a swim and had the sound sense to realize, as well, that he
stood much in need of a vigorous scrubbing. He hurried down to the water
zestfully, albeit rather lamely for his body was stiff and sore. Paul
made him feel at home at once by turning a back flip-flop off the now
completed raft for his especial benefit. He asked Chip to follow suit,
but the latter only smiled and dove off forward, instead.

"Being around the woods as much as you have been, you'll hardly have a
change of clothes with you, but here's a shirt I'll never need, and you
can keep it if you'll accept it from me," said Phil Way in a pleasant,
off-hand manner, when he and Chip were dressing. It was a friendly yet
delicate way of getting the young stranger into one garment, at least,
that was clean and whole.

The boy could not refuse nor did he wish to do so. Though he was
sensitive, his feelings were not injured. Nor were his pride and
manliness hurt at all. It was just because he was not permitted to feel
that he was in any degree an object of charity.

True, Chip had begged for food along the road. One would think that did
not indicate much pride on his part; but it should be remembered that
asking for aid among strangers is very different from receiving anything
as charity from those one considers his friends.

With such a beginning the Auto Boys and their new acquaintance found
Sunday passing very pleasantly. They wrote letters