eet a little uneasily and glanced round the dirty
room. The place looked as though it hadn't been cleaned for a month.
There was a hideous accumulation of unwashed utensils scattered
everywhere. The floor was unswept, let alone unwashed. And the smell
of stale food and general mustiness helped to add to the keenness of
the visitor's nervous edge as he waited for the man's reply.

"Guess they're out on the dumps playin' at findin' gold," Sunny said,
with a slightly forced laugh. "Y'see, little Vada's staked out a claim
on a patch of elegant garbage, an' is digging fer worms. Them's the
gold. An' Jamie's playin' 'bad man' an' swoopin' down on her and
sneakin' her worms. It's a new game. Y'see, I thought it out and
taught 'em how to play it. They're a heap struck on it, too. I--"

But words somehow failed him under the baleful stare of the other's
eyes. And turning back to the milk he fell into a stupid silence.

"You'll get right out an' huyk them kiddies off'n those dumps," cried
Bill sharply. "You got no more sense in your idjot head than to slep
when your eyes shut. Diggin' worms on the dumps! Gee! Say, if it ain't
enough to give 'em bile and measles, an'--an' spots, then I don't know
a 'deuce-spot' from a hay-rake. Git right out, you loafin' bum, an'
fetch 'em in, an' then get the muck off'n your face, an' clean this
doggone shack up. I'd sure say you was a travelin' hospital o' disease
by the look of you. I'm payin' you a wage and a heap good one, so git
out--an' I'll see to that darn milk."

Argument was out of the question, so Sunny adopted the easier course
of obedience to his employer's orders. He dropped the spoon into the
milk with a suddenness that suggested resentment, and shuffled out,
muttering. But Bill followed him to the door.

"How?" he inquired threateningly.

"I didn't say nothin'," lied Sunny.

"I didn't jest guess you did," retorted Bill sarcastically. And he
watched his man hurry out into the sunlight with eyes that had somehow
become less severe.

He waited where he was for some moments. Then he turned back into the
room and stared disgustedly about him.

"If a feller can't fix two kiddies right an' cook 'em pap without
mussin' things till you feel like dying o' colic at the sight, he
ain't fit to rob hogs of rootin' space," he muttered. "I'd--Gee-whiz!
Ther's that doggone milk raising blue murder wi'--"

He rushed to the stove where the boiling milk was pouring over the
sides of the p