ctive in
appearance than when covered; did not seem the strange, rakish,
picturesque, almost wild figure of a moment before, but civilized,
slick, and mild.

For one thing, that shut eye was in full view, which subtracted from the
brigandish look of his countenance; for another, the shaggy trousers
were--naturally--in total eclipse. Then he had mouse-colored hair which
matched his mustache, whereas it should have been black--or bright red.
To make matters worse, the hair had recently been wet-combed. It was
also fine and thin, especially over the top of the head, from where it
had been brought straight down upon the forehead in a long, smooth,
shining bang which (and this not a quarter-inch too soon) turned to
sweep left. Contrasting with the oily appearance of the bang were some
hairs at the very crown of the head. These--a few--leaned this way and
that, making a wild tuft.

Johnnie wished with his whole heart that the stranger would again put on
his hat.

Another feature thrust itself upon Johnnie's notice. Out from the front
of his host's throat, to the ruination of such scant good looks as he
had, protruded an Adam's apple that was as large and tanned and
tough-looking as his nose. On that brown prominence a number of long
pale hairs had their roots. These traveled now high, now low, as the
one-eyed man drank deep of the ice water. And Johnnie felt that he
understood the sad quiet of this queer, tall person. In his case the
stork had been indeed cruel.

The hat was swinging from a near-by hook--one of a double line of hooks
down the long room. Under the hat was a sign. Johnnie read it; then
centered his stare on the hat. At any moment he expected to witness
something extraordinary. That was because across the placard, in neat,
black letters, were the words: _Watch your Hat and Coat_.

He reached to touch the one-eyed man. "Say, Mister!" he whispered, "Y'
see what it says? Well, what'll happen if we watch?"

"Huh!" ejaculated the other, slewing that one green eye round to glance
upward. "That's jes' it! If y' watch, _nuthin'll_ happen!"

It was a good thing to know at the moment. For the second lady was back,
bringing supper with her--a smoking dish of mingled meat and vegetables,
another of pork and beans, a cup of coffee, a glass of milk, an orange,
and bread and butter.

Butter! Johnnie could scarcely believe his eyes. He almost thought this
was one of Buckle's meals, and that the butter would melt, figu