ked to pummel the one who had insulted him,
but that was impracticable, inasmuch as he had not addressed any words to
the youth.

While he was fuming and glaring at the door through which the man had
disappeared, Mike heard a soft chuckle behind him. He whisked his head
around and saw Nora standing beside the safe just back of him, stuffing
her handkerchief in her mouth and with her face almost as crimson as his
own.

"If I may be so bowld I should like to know what ye are laughing at,"
said Mike, who could feel no resentment toward the merry young miss.

"We both heard what he said," she replied as soon as she could command
her voice.

"Being I faal like a firecracker that has jest been teched off, I suspict
I caught his loving remarks consarning mesilf."

"Will you tell me something truly--upon your word of honor--take your
dying oath?"

"That I will, ye may depind upon the same."

"Are you a real post office robber?"

CHAPTER XII

HOSTESSES AND GUESTS

Mike affected to be greatly embarrassed by the question of Nora
Friestone. He swallowed what seemed to be a lump rising in his throat,
grinned in a sickly way and then asked as if much distressed:

"Do ye insist on me answering yer quistion?"

"I do," she replied, with an expression of tremendous solemnity.

"Then I'll hev to own that I'm the champion post office robber in Maine.
It was mesilf that plundered three offices, each a hundred miles from the
ither, on the same night and burned up an old man, his wife and siven
children that vintured to dispoot me will. I've been in the bus'ness iver
since the year one and me home is Murthersville at the head of
Murthersville Creek in Murthersville County."

Rising from his chair, Mike bowed low.

"I thrust I have answered yer quistions satisfactorily, Miss."

"You couldn't have done better--hello, Jim!"

This salutation was to a big gawky boy, who slouched through the door,
with the announcement:

"Wal, I'm ready: what shall I do?"

"Who's yer frind?" asked Mike of Nora.

"He comes round each morning to take out and place the things on the
porch in front and brings them in again each evening"

"Jim," said Mike, addressing the gaping youngster, "ye're discharged fur
to-night. I'm doing yer job for the avening, but you git your wages just
the same."

With which Mike thrust his hand into his trousers pocket and drew out one
of the three silver quarters there, handing it to the boy, who was t