u don't get us all into jail or some other place before then
we'll be lucky," came brusquely from his mother.

"Now isn't that gratitude for you?" growled Carl with mock indignation.
"Here I take my mother and all her family to a perfectly good party and
this is all the thanks I get for it."

"Yes, this happened to be a perfectly good party," agreed Mrs. McGregor
mischievously. "But it might have ended in some scrape or other and
like as not it would another time. One never can be sure where your
adventures will bring up."

"Well, Ma, Mr. Coulter appreciates me if you don't."

"Apparently he does--up to date. Just you take care that you go on
deserving his good opinion."

"I mean to," Carl flashed. "Say, folks, sha'n't we have something to
write Uncle Frederick now? I'll bet it will take ten sheets of paper to
retail the whole thing; and then he won't really have any idea of what
happened. None of you ever can. You just ought to have been there and
seen the play."

"It's as good as a play--as good as any moving picture, in my opinion,"
Louise ventured.

"What wouldn't I have given to be under the seat of that car and
listened when you were laying out poor old Cork!" Hal ejaculated.

"I laid him fine and flat," acknowledged Carl with candor.

"Events have proved you did. Poor Cork! Still, Corks float, you know,
and he has. He isn't dead yet by any means," jested Hal. "In fact, he
told me only a day or two ago that he liked his new job much better
than he did the old one so I guess nobody need waste pity on him."

"I'm afraid he wasn't punished much, after all," sniffed Mrs. McGregor.

"Oh, he's had it borne in upon him that he was a brute, Ma; don't you
fret," declared Carl. "Mr. Coulter never does things by halves. When he
starts in he finishes up a job in bang-up style. Corcoran's learned his
lesson; and if he has that is all that is necessary."

A clock struck softly.

"Hal Harling! Do you realize it is twelve o'clock?" Louise exclaimed in
dismay. "We must go home this minute. The very idea of our staying here
and keeping the McGregors up until this hour! I'd no idea it was so
late. Why, you may be robbed of your precious Corcoran watch if you
don't hurry home out of the lonely streets. Good-night, everybody! And
blessings on you, Carlie! You've been a trump. I'm going to begin
to-morrow and work harder than ever for Mr. John Coulter."

"Here's to him!" Carl began. But a restraining hand was clapped ov