coat to start him. He started
obediently, and walked in their charge, they leading the way.

"Christmas is comin' now, sure," said Lin, grinning to himself. "It
ain't exactly what I figured on." It was the first time he had laughed
since Cheyenne, and he brushed a hand over his eyes, that were dim with
the new warmth in his heart.

Believing at length in him and his turkey, the alert street faces, so
suspicious of the unknown, looked at him with ready intimacy as they
went along; and soon, in the friendly desire to make him acquainted with
Denver, the three were patronizing him. Only Billy, perhaps, now and
then stole at him a doubtful look.

The large Country Mouse listened solemnly to his three Town Mice, who
presently introduced him to the place in Market Street. It was not boss,
precisely, and Denver knows better neighborhoods; but the turkey and
the oyster stew were there, with catsup and vegetables in season, and
several choices of pie. Here the Country Mouse became again efficient;
and to witness his liberal mastery of ordering and imagine his pocket
and its wealth, which they had heard and partly seen, renewed in the
guests a transient awe. As they dined, however, and found the host as
frankly ravenous as themselves, this reticence evaporated, and they all
grew fluent with oaths and opinions. At one or two words, indeed, Mr.
McLean stared and had a slight sense of blushing.

"Have a cigarette?" said the leader, over his pie.

"Thank yu'," said Lin. "I won't smoke, if yu'll excuse me." He had
devised a wholesome meal, with water to drink.

"Chewin's no good at meals," continued the boy. "Don't you use
tobaccer?"

"Onced in a while."

The leader spat brightly. "He ain't learned yet," said he, slanting his
elbows at Billy and sliding a match over his rump. "But beer, now--I
never seen anything in it." He and Towhead soon left Billy and his
callow profanities behind, and engaged in a town conversation that
silenced him, and set him listening with all his admiring young might.
Nor did Mr. McLean join in the talk, but sat embarrassed by this
knowledge, which seemed about as much as he knew himself.

"I'll be goshed," he thought, "if I'd caught on to half that when I was
streakin' around in short pants! Maybe they grow up quicker now."
But now the Country Mouse perceived Billy's eager and attentive
apprenticeship. "Hello, boys!" he said, "that theatre's got a big start
on us."

They had all forgotten he ha