"You two stay here, and tell Aunt Stanshy, Charlie, that I'll be back soon
to finish my breakfast," and away went Will, without a hat, a cake of
bread in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other.

"If that fellow isn't the greatest! He would leave a funeral in just that
way if the impulse took him," declared Aunt Stanshy, watching him from the
window, and secretly admiring him. "What a boy! He makes lots of trouble
for me, O dear!"

"Aint he funny?" asked Wort.

"Funny?" replied Aunt Stanshy, who did not intend that any one else should
depreciate her idol. "Funny? of course not."

All this time Will was chasing Sid, who was heading up the lane and was
about entering Water Street. Sid was in a hurry, and unaware that he was
wanted by any one in the lane, had broken into a run; but Will had run to
so many fires that he was equal to this emergency and overtook Sid, laying
a hand on his shoulder.

"What do you want?" asked Sid. "I want to catch that man ahead there and
borrow his clam-digger."

"Come back to the house with me a little while."

Any of the club boys would do any thing for Will, and Sid turned.

"Good-morning, Mr. Somers."