The Corner House Girls at School

heard what seemed to be the pig expressing his dissatisfac

hole through which he had just shot the raider head-first, shook his o

ck, so ut is! An' th' poor pig kem t'roo

uth, almost as much overcome w

bbler had run to the rescue of his pet. He had seized it by the ears as it was trying to crowd under the fe

on his tongue from "the ould dart." Mr. Murphy's "Irish was up" and when he got his breath, which the pig had well nigh kn

e to end without an explanation. S

she cried. "You're

gh the fince that har-rd that he kem near flyin' down me t'roat? Ye niver could have done it, Miss Kenway-don't

rly hour, with only his trousers slipped on over his calico nightshi

countenance like a frame, having his lips, chin and cheeks smoothly shaven. He had

h. "Of course I didn't push

y Bumps," gi

phy, glaring at Neale O'Neil. "That y

e with this fence paling," said the boy.

ttle Irishman. "Would ye have me

'd let him be a nuisance to the n

. "You mustn't speak so. Of

body can see that," s

ow ter kape the baste at home. The fince is not mine, whati

a day-if you'll pay me for

w much will ye tax me?" qu

long the bottom of the fence. That will s

chin reflectively. "'Twill c

"let's turn Billy Bumps loose, and the next time

"Who's this Billy Bumps ye

t," explained A

e billy, just then reflectively nibbling an

at shot me pig under

, shook his venerable beard

accusation,"

a good whack at me pig, he'd dr-rive him through a knothole! Kem over and see me by and by, la

you, sir," promised

and whispered: "You must sta

ty and his own private history. He frankly admitted that he had gone hungry of l

t have so much time then to earn money for my keep," he said. "But I am go

asked Ag

eale, laughing, as he looke

and why he had never been to school, Ruth did not see how she

id not speak to the boy, and she glared at him whenever he helped himself to one of Mrs. M

said. "Sometimes you girls eat so little at breakfast t

ce. Although frank to admit his poverty, he d

breakfast she told Neale that he might remain at the old Corn

you," said the

warmly. "There are so many empty rooms here, you know

o something to pay you," Neale

use. We must get it all done before school begins, so as to help Mrs. MacCa

But first I'll fix that Irishman's fence so

but he showed up for the noon dinner. Ruth h

tell me," she said. "A boy's always hollow clean down to his heels-and you

" admitted Neale O'Neil. "And this is so mu

before had proper food given him. But although Neale was jolly, and free to speak about everything else, the moment

complained Agnes, "before he ran through our sid

confidence in time," Ruth s

had done s

ppose somebody should hear?

don't really know

amed of his former life, but I am sure it is not because of his

emain idle at all. As soon as he had finished at Mr. Murphy's, he retu

appetite seemed to increase rathe

ever did have enough

hat I ever did,

were real hungry it would be dreadful. I think you'd better take

ood temper, but Mrs. Mac

tore to-day. Tess, do you and Dot want to run over to

ll, Mrs. MacCall

" declared Dot. "Her health isn't all that we migh

?" cried Neale. "

, too. It was an awful thing, and we don't talk about it-much,"

in which the lady from Ipsilanti and her little daughter had slept, for the use of Neale O'Neil. After supper she had gone up there to make the

h her legs were not the longest. "Did you know we all have

rl, smoothing up the coverlet of the b

of the bed. "'Tisn't 'scalloped, Tess. It's vac-vacilation, I b

s-and it wasn't such a dreadful operation, after all. All we'll have to do

ark on my arm," and she tried to roll up the sleeve of her frock to s

rs later the house quieted down, for the

e happy, merry girls, benevolent Mrs. MacCall and her odd sayings, even Aunt Sarah with her grim manner, seemed creatures and things of another world. For t

ring the night, for fear of getting lost in the winding passages, and

owed him to his room. There was a gas-jet burning an

le demanded, as he spied

his hand on the package. There was no mista

cke

Neale, and for a moment he was

so, and he had really been on "short commons" for several days. Agnes had suggested

. For one thing, he was tempted to put on his ca

n so kind to him. He was sure the oldest Ken

thought, at last, his good judgment coming to hi

crackers with him. He opened the door and listened. S

girl!" he muttered, "an