can
just as easy get----"

He was interrupted by a shout from Sam, who was keeping his eye upon
Whitey throughout the discussion.

"Look! Looky there!" And undoubtedly renewing his excitement, Sam
pointed at the long, gaunt head beyond the manger. It was disappearing
from view. "Look!" Sam shouted. "He's layin' down!"

"Well, then," said Penrod, "I guess he's goin' to take a nap. If he
wants to lay down without waitin' for us to get the sawdust fixed for
him, that's his lookout, not ours."

On the contrary, Sam perceived a favorable opportunity for action.

"I just as soon go and make his bed up while he's layin' down," he
volunteered. "You climb up on the manger and watch him, Penrod, and
I'll sneak in the other stall and fix it all up nice for him, so's he
can go in there any time when he wakes up, and lay down again, or
anything; and if he starts to get up, you holler and I'll jump out over
the other manger."

Accordingly, Penrod established himself in a position to observe the
recumbent figure. Whitey's breathing was rather labored but regular,
and, as Sam remarked, he looked "better," even in his slumber. It is
not to be doubted that, although Whitey was suffering from a light
attack of colic, his feelings were in the main those of contentment.
After trouble, he was solaced; after exposure, he was sheltered; after
hunger and thirst, he was fed and watered. He slept.

The noon whistles blew before Sam's task was finished, but by the time
he departed for lunch there was made a bed of such quality that Whitey
must needs have been born faultfinder if he complained of it. The
friends parted, each urging the other to be prompt in returning, but
Penrod got into threatening difficulties as soon as he entered the
house.

III

"Penrod," said his mother, "what did you do with that loaf of bread
Della says you took from the table?"

"Ma'am? _What_ loaf o' bread?"

"I believe I can't let you go outdoors this afternoon," Mrs. Schofield
said severely. "If you were hungry, you know perfectly well all you had
to do was to----"

"But I wasn't hungry; I----"

"You can explain later," said Mrs. Schofield. "You'll have all
afternoon."

Penrod's heart grew cold.

"I _can't_ stay in," he protested. "I've asked Sam Williams to come
over."

"I'll telephone Mrs. Williams."

"Mamma!" Penrod's voice became agonized. "I _had_ to give that bread to
a--to a poor ole man. He was starving and so were his children and hi