wasn't an ounce of joy that Ma
Gummidge was missin'.

"And it's so nice for you to be here in a comfortable apartment, instead
of in some big hotel," says Vee.

"Henry's notion," says Mrs. Gummidge. "You remember the Whitleys that
complained about him? He had an idea Whitley's business was petering
out. Well, it was, and he was glad enough to sub-let to Henry. Never
knew, either, until after the lease was signed, who we were. Furnished
kind of nice, don't you think?"

"Why, Ma!" protests Rowena. Then she turns to Vee. "Of course, it'll do
for a while, until we find something decent up on Riverside Drive; one
with a motor entrance, you know. You're staying for dinner, aren't you?"

"Why," begins Vee, glancin' doubtful at me, "I think we----"

"Oh, do stay!" chimes in Ma Gummidge. "I did the marketing myself today;
and say, there's a rib roast of beef big enough for a hotel, mushrooms
raised under glass, an alligator pear salad, and hothouse strawberries
for dessert. Besides, you're about the only folks we know that we could
ask to dinner. Please, now!"

So we stayed and was waited on by two haughty near-French maids who
tried to keep the Gummidges in their places, but didn't more than half
succeed.

As we left, Rowena discovers for the first time all the hand luggage.
"Oh!" says she, eyeing the suitcase. "You are in town for the week-end,
are you?"

"Not exactly," says' I. "Just a few things for a fam'ly that Vee thought
might need 'em."

And Vee gets out just in time to take the lid off a suppressed snicker.
"Only think!" says she. "The Gummidges living like this!"

"I'm willing," says I. "I get back my shirts."

CHAPTER IV

FINDING OUT ABOUT BUDDY

The best alibi I can think up is that I did it offhand and casual.
Somehow, at the time it didn't seem like what people would call an
important step in my career. No. Didn't strike me that way at all.
Looked like a side issue, a trifle. There was no long debate over
whether I would or wouldn't, no fam'ly council, no advice from friends.
Maybe I took a second look, might have rubbed my chin thoughtful once,
and then I said I would.

But most of the big stuff, come to think of it, gets put over like that;
from gettin' engaged to havin' the news handed you that you're a
grand-daddy. Course, you might be workin' up to it for a long time, but
you're so busy on other lines that you hardly notice. Then all of a
sudden--Bing! Lots of young hicks' start in