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Neale demanded, as he spied a paper bag upon the stand. He crossed to the head of the bed, and put his hand on the package. There was no mistaking the contents of the bag at first touch. Crackers! "That's the fat girl!" exclaimed Neale, and for a moment he was really a little angry with Agnes. It was true, he had gorged himself on Mrs. MacCall's good things.
But without asking him point-blank just what his life had been, and why he had never been to school, Ruth did not see how she was to learn more than the white-haired boy wished to tell them. The girls all liked him. Of course, Aunt Sarah, who was very odd, when she came to table did not speak to the boy, and she glared at him whenever he helped himself to one of Mrs. MacCall's light biscuit.
MacCall's voice sounded sharply on the morning air: "That pig! in that garden again! Shoo! Shoo, you beast! I wish you'd eat yourself to death and then maybe your master would keep you home!" "Oh, oh, oh!" squealed Agnes. "Con Murphy's pig after our cabbages!" "That pig again?" echoed Ruth, starting after the flying Agnes.
But fust off let me git him shut up in de hen-yard, else he'll be eatin' up de hull ob Mis' MacCall's wash ya'as'm!" The poultry pens were fenced with strong woven wire, and one of them was not in use. Into this enclosure Mr. Billy Bumps was led. When the strap was taken off, he made a dive for Uncle Rufus, but the darky was nimble, despite his years.
Neale disappeared for some time right after dinner. He had done all he could to help Uncle Rufus and Mrs. MacCall that forenoon, and had promised Ruth to come back for supper. "I wouldn't miss Mrs. MacCall's beans and fishcakes for a farm!" he declared, laughing. But he did not laugh as much as he had when he first came to the old Corner House.
Once Miss Shipman, Agnes' and Neale's teacher, had come as the guest of honor; and more than once Mr. Howbridge had passed his dish for a second helping of Mrs. MacCall's famous beans. It was an elastic table, anyway, that table of the Corner House girls. It was of a real cozy size when the family was alone. Mrs.
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.
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