vely. If you don't clean it all up she'll
think you don't like it," he said, winking at Blake, "and if she once
gets that notion in her head it will be no more invitations for the Star
C."

There was much excitement in the crowd, and the replies came fast.

"I ain't had anything good to eat for fifteen long, aching years!" cried
Bud. "When I get through you'll need a new table.

"Same here, only for thirty years," replied Jim hastily. "I just couldn't
sleep last night for thinking about the glorious surprise my abused
stomach was due to have to-day. I'll bet my gun on my performance if
the track is heavy, all right. I'm not poor on speed, and I'm a stayer
from Stayersville."

"Well, I won't be among the also rans, you can bet on that," laughed
Silent. "I don't weigh very much, but I'm geared high."

"I'll bet it's good!" cried Humble, "I'll bet it's real good!"

"D----n good, you mean!" corrected Jack. "Hey, fellows!" he cried, "did
you hear what Humble said? He said that he'd bet it was _real_ good!"

"Horray for Humble, the wit of the Star C," laughed Docile.

"Me for the apricot pie!" exulted Charley. "Here's where I get square on
Blake for rubbing it in all these months about the fine pie he gets over
here."

"There ain't no apricot pie," gravely lied the sheriff in surprise.

"What!" cried Charley in alarm. "There ain't none for me! Oh, well, you
can't lose me in daylight, for I'll double up on everything else. I ain't
going to get left, all right!"

"Don't wake me up," begged Joe Haines. "Let me dream on in peace and
plenty. Grub, real, genuine grub, grub what is grub! Oh, joy!"

Mrs. Shields hurried into the room and then paused in surprise when she
saw that the outfit had not moved toward the feast.

"Land sakes!" she cried. "Aren't you boys hungry, or is James up to some
of his everlasting teasing again!"

"You talk to her, Bud," whispered Jim eagerly. "I'm so scary I shore
can't."

"Yes, go ahead, Bud!" came instant and unanimous endorsement in whispers.

"Well, ma'am," began Bud, clearing his throat, glancing around uneasily
to be sure that the crowd was giving him moral backing, and feeling
uncomfortable, "we was just getting up a--a----"

"B, C, D," prompted Jim in a whisper.

"We was just getting up a resolution of thanks, Mrs. Shields," he
continued, stabbing his elbow into the stomach of the offending Jim.
"You shut up!" he fiercely whispered. "I'm carrying one hundred and
forty pou