The Corner House Girls on a Houseboat

had to use when Tess and Dot, either or both, were engaged in one of the

and he had been about to burst out with the news, w

nt to hear it?" he asked, fannin

one, showing his white teeth that made a contrast to his tanned face. "But we have just passed through

eale O'Neil. "They're all right. I j

they had got into more mischief. Well, go

ttle. "The only trouble is that there isn't very

uited her action to the words. "Uncle Ruf

resentable again. "But I suah does wish dat trash man'd come 'roun' yeah befo' dem two chilluns come back. Dey's gwi

?" asked Neale

own beside her sister. "It was a combination of Te

whom readers of the previous volume

, was the ringmaster and lion tamer in the show billed as "Twomley & Sorber's Herculean Circus and Menagerie." Some time before the ope

more something of a feeling of responsibility toward him. This was due to the fact that Ruth was growing older, as has been ev

we simply must get the house in shape, if the girls

?" asked Neale eagerly. "Ar

" explained Agnes. "I don't suppose I may be clas

from the oldest Kenway girl. "I'd like

'em in school. Though maybe I'll come to the eats. But

with another bright smile. "But are you s

flowers I wanted to decorate with, and it only remains to put them in vases. Bu

voice sank when he said that. He spoke in almost a reveren

! That's why I ran to tell

ping him by the arm. "After all these years

excitable type than her sister, though she could g

nly wish he were. But I just heard, in a roundabo

" declared Ruth. "H

ell you that. He wouldn't have been in the circus business with Uncle Bill, and he wouldn't have had

elf Neale's circus experiences were an old story. He had often tol

ally didn't know him very well. He left the circus when I was still small and told Uncle Bill to loo

I suppose he realized that I would be better off out of a circus, but he knew he had to live, and money is need

to say he has come

t of tramp he is, to tell you the truth-and he says he knew a man who saw my father in the Alaskan Klondike

ked Ruth, her eyes gleam

d had started back toward civilization. But even that news makes me feel good. I'm going to see if I can find

sn't he know where your father can be found?" asked Rut

questions!" e

happened to look at one of the animals. It reminded me of one we had in the circus-a trick mule-but it took only a look to show me it wasn't the same sort of kicker. I got to talking to the man, and he said he was broke-only had just taken the job and the boss wouldn

ur father?" asked Ruth, wisely not

mp, Hank Dayton, he said his name was, remembered the men speaking of m

identity," Ruth conceded. "Where

ska, or that he will come here soon. He must have been writing to Uncle Bill, and so have learned that I came here to live. Uncle Bill knows where I am,

nd woods, as if he visualized his long-lost fath

ething to help y

" went on the boy. "I thought maybe we could ask Mr. Howbridge, your guardian, how to go a

ho are wanted to enable an estate to be cleared up, and the last time I was in Mr. Howbrid

t some money, and I can get more from Uncle Bill if I can get in t

he porch, to hasten awa

ternoon," said the girl. "You might s

the Corner House! No, thank you," he laughed. "I'll see him

ny help possible, I'm sure. Shall I speak to him about it when

e enough to do this afternoon without taking on my affai

al chum, in a way seemed like one of the family-at least as much so as Mrs. MacCall, the housekeeper, Uncle Rufu

on Neale, as he started down the walk. "Not knowing

nes. "I wish I could ask you

ff down the street he hastened, his step

imed Agnes, as she followed

true," returned the ol

ntal to making cakes and dainties for a bevy of girls. Mrs. MacCall could be heard humming a

a gay an'

st a waukri

rife minnie?" demanded Agnes

s in Burns' poem of that name. But do hurry, please, Aggie,

d her sister, and she ha

of Mr. Howbridge, and Ruth was earnestly presiding over the session of her girl friends in the library of

cries came from Dot and Tess, and mingled with

ething that was going on, while Uncle Rufus, tottering his w

but de chiluns done got

screamed. "What in t

the old colored man. "Tess an' Do