game, eh? Ha, ha, ha." They all
joined in the laugh.

"And he plays the mouth organ, too, and does funny stunts," sturdily
continued the little girl, disdaining Tom's scornful laughter.

"Good for you, Jane."

"Yes, and he passed his entrance to the High School a year ago when
he was fourteen, in Ontario, anyway." This appeared to check Tom's
hilarity.

"My, what a wonder he is! And did he tell you all this himself?"

"No, indeed," said Jane indignantly.

"Oh, I am glad to hear that," said Tom with a grin. "Won't you come
along, Sam? It's only a little way down."

"All right," said Sam cheerfully. "So long, folks. See you later, Larry.
Au reservoir, young lady, as the camel said to the elephant when
he asked what he'd have. Hope I see you later if not sooner--ta-ta;
tinga-ling; honk honk." Again he swept Miss Hazel an elaborate bow.

"Thinks he's smart," said that young lady, lifting her nose. "He's a
regular scarecrow. Who in the world is he and where did he come from?"
she demanded of Larry, who proceeded to account for Sam's presence with
their party.

The visitors peered into the car and poked into its recesses, discovered
the food supplies for boy and beast, and inspected the dormitories
under Larry's guidance, while the boy, who had recovered from his
embarrassment, discoursed upon the wonderful experience of the journey.
Miss Hazel flashed her great blue eyes and her white teeth upon him,
shook all her frizzes in his face, smiled at him, chattered to him,
jeered at him, flattered him with all the arts and graces of the
practiced flirt she was, until Larry, swept from his bearings, walked
the clouds in a wonder world of rosy lights and ravishing airs. His
face, his eyes, his eager words, his tremulous lips, were all eloquent
of this new passion that possessed him.

As for Miss Hazel, accustomed as she was to the discriminating
admiration of her fellow clerks, the sincerity and abandonment of this
devotion was as incense to her flirtatious soul. Avid of admiration and
experienced in most of the arts and wiles necessary to secure this from
contiguous males, small wonder that the unsophisticated Larry became her
easy prey long before she had brought to bear the full complement of her
enginery of war.

It was a happy afternoon for the boy, but when informed by his sisters
of his mother's desire that he should return with them, he was resolute
in his refusal, urging many reasons why it was impossible that