nd large. He
ain't much addition here when he's fidgeting round, poking into
everything and suggesting it better be done some other way. He's much
better off somewhere else--he's happier and so are we. By and by he
comes back again cheerful as if nothing had happened. Mebbe it's as
well you should be told what's in store for you in foggy weather,"
concluded Jerry, with a touch of humor, "for you'll come in for your
share together with the rest of us. Everybody gets it. Most likely
you'll hear that an egg-beater is a much better thing to smooth down a
dog's hair with than a brush; that all the world knows that and only
an idiot uses anything else. Don't smile or venture a yip in reply.
Just say you'll be glad to use the egg-beater if he prefers it. Remark
that, in fact, you quite hanker to try the egg-beater. To agree with
him always takes the wind out of his sails quicker'n anything else.
He'll calm down soon as he sees you aren't ruffled and go off and hunt
up somebody else to reform. And when the fog blows out to sea his
temper will go with it and he will forget he ever suggested an
egg-beater. Oh, we understand the boss. He's all right! If you only
know how to take him you'll never have a mite of trouble with him."

By this time they had reached the house and having removed rubbers and
dripping coats they entered the basement door and proceeded to the
cellar. It was not the sort of cellar with which His Highness was
familiar although his mother's cellar was clean, as cellars go. This
one was immaculate. Indeed it seemed, on glancing about, that one
might have done far worse than live in the Crowninshields' cellar.
Every inch of the interior was light, dry, and spotless with
whitewash, paint, and tiling. Even the coal that filled the bins had
taken on a borrowed glory and shone as if polished.

"This is my kingdom!" announced Jerry proudly. "You could eat off the
floor were you so minded."

"I should say you could!"

"When once you've set out it's no more work to keep things shipshape
than to let 'em go helter-skelter. Now here's a basket. Load into it
as many of those birch logs as you can carry and bring 'em upstairs.
I've kindlings there already."

While Walter was obeying these instructions Jerry himself was piling
up on his lank arm a pyramid of wood, and together the two ascended
the stairway and tiptoed through the kitchen. As they went the boy
caught a glimpse of gleaming porcelain walls; ebon-hued stove