Half-way down the hill he turned. "Haven't we seen that fellow before,
Ricks?"

"Not as I knows of. He looked kinder pale and shaky, but you bet yer
life he knowed how to hit the bottle."

"He was sick," urged Sandy.

"An' thirsty," added Ricks, with a smile of superior wisdom.

The circus seemed such a timely opportunity to do business that they
decided to rent a stand that night and sell their wares on the street
corner. Ricks went on into town to arrange matters, while Sandy
stopped in a grocery to buy their supper. His interest in the show had
been of short duration. He felt listless and tired, something seemed
to be buzzing continually in his head, and he shivered in his damp
clothes. In the grocery he sat on a barrel and leaned his head against
the wall.

"What you shivering about?" asked the fat woman behind the counter, as
she tied up his small package.

"I feel like me skeleton was doin' a jig inside of me," said Sandy
through chattering teeth.

"Looks to me like you got a chill," said the fat woman. "You wait
here, and I'll go git you some hot coffee."

She disappeared in the rear of the store, and soon returned with a
small coffee-pot and a cup and saucer. Sandy drank two cups and a