ft over on his hands, an' he couldn't sell 'em termorrer, you know."

Paul really looked relieved to know that no worse danger threatened
Johnny; and as he walked along with Ben, the latter said:

"Yer see, Shiner would have been about through work if we hadn't met
you, an' fooled away so much of our time. Now it'll take him quite a
while to sell out, an' so you an' I might as well go down to ther
house. I've had a pretty fair day's work, an' I'll git up such a
supper as'll make Shiner's eyes stick out more'n a foot."

Just then they were opposite a grocery store, and he went in to begin
the work of making his companion's eyes stick out. It was with the air
of one who felt able to purchase at least half the store contained, in
case he should want to, that he ordered half a pound of bologna
sausage, a pound of crackers, and two candles. He was also very
careful to see that he was given full weight.

Paul was a little mystified as to what share the candles could have in
extending Johnny's eyes; but he thought it better to wait the course
of events, rather than to ask any questions.

When Ben had been served, and there had been quite a delay in paying
for the articles, owing to his inability to count his money three
times, and have it amount to the same sum each time, he came out and
completed his purchases by buying a quart of pea-nuts at a stand near
by.

"There," Ben said, with evident satisfaction, as he gave Paul one of
the bundles to carry, "I guess when Shiner gets home, an' finds all
these things, he'll think we're havin' a reg'lar party."

Paul agreed very mildly to this assertion, for he had not been
accustomed to look upon such an assortment as much of a treat, and
already he began to have vague misgivings as to the value of the real
estate Ben had spoken of so proudly.

To Paul, tired as he was from the walking he had already done, and the
excitement through which he had passed, it seemed as if they would
never reach this place which Ben called home, for his guide turned up
one street and down another until he was quite worn out.

"That's the place, jest ahead there," said Ben, in a cautious whisper,
as he halted at the corner of a street, and pointed to a small yard in
the rear of what seemed to be a warehouse. "That's the place, but
we've got to look out that nobody don't see us."

Paul believed that his companion referred to the building, and he was
surprised to find it so large; yet why they had