ome readin' shoved onto you, too."

Dan, who was the Treasurer of the Wonder Workers, as well as holding
other important offices, brought forth a can from under the hay in the
corner of Spot's stall.

"We better see how much money we got before we talk 'bout what we'll
take him."

"If there's enough, Dan, don't you think an ice-cream cone 'ud be fine;
or do you think he'd ruther have some peanuts an' pop-corn?"

"Peanuts an' pop-corn's all right, or maybe some candy an' gum. You see
if he can't eat the ice-cream it 'ud melt right away an' wouldn't be any
good t' anybody. But the other stuff 'ud last, an' if he's too bad t'
eat it, he could always give it to his mother, or some of his friends."

They carefully counted the thirty-five cents in the Treasury, and were
deep in a financial debate when the Woman's voice broke in upon their
important discussion.

"Hello, boys, where are you?"

"We never seem to be able to get any place that some one don't butt in
on us," groaned Dan. "I'll bet if we went out on an ice hummock on
Bering Sea that some Eskimo tom-cod fisher 'ud show up beside us t' fish
through a hole in the ice. What do you s'pose she wants now?"

"I don't know, Dan. But let's tell her about Ben, and maybe she'll want
t' take him the things t' eat, an' we can keep the thirty-five cents
till he's well an' can help spend it some way he'd like better. P'raps
on somethin' for the dogs."

"I was just coming to ask for him," she said when informed of Ben's
illness. "I have missed him the last day or so, and wondered what was
the matter."

Then, "Let's give him a party," she exclaimed quickly. "A cold isn't
serious, and a party would cheer him up. Besides, I have been wanting to
see Mrs. Edwards for a long time, and this is a good chance for a chat
about the boy. And we'll invite Baldy too." She took some money out of
her purse, and handed it to George. "You can both run downtown and get
whatever boys like, and I'll go for a cake I have at home, and meet you
here in fifteen minutes."

When they at last started for the Edwards house the boys felt that their
modest mission of mercy had developed into quite a festive occasion.
Their purchases ranged from dill pickles through ginger snaps to
chocolate creams; while the Woman carried jellies and preserves and all
sorts of dainties that inspired Dan with a sudden belief, confided to
George, that invalidism, unmixed with literature, was not so much to be
dreaded