Were they bad people? he asked himself. Why did they not come to see
him? Were they ashamed to do so? he wondered, and was that what Tom
meant?

As noon approached, Rod began to feel hungry. He had eaten very little
breakfast, as he had been too much interested in a new family of
kittens which had been discovered in the barn. The other scholars who
had come some distance would have their dinner, and he could not bear
the thought of seeing them eating when he was so hungry. He,
therefore, planned to spend the hour by himself down by the river.

As the children flocked out of school, Rod moved with them. But the
teacher stopped him, and handed to him a small parcel, neatly tied.

"What's that?" Rod asked, much surprised.

"I do not know," was the reply. "Some one left it here this morning."

Then Rod remembered that he had heard a knock, and the teacher had gone
to the door, returning shortly with something in her hand. He had not
seen the visitor, and so had soon forgotten all about the incident.

Going back to his scat, he untied the string, and unwrapped the brown
paper. Then great was his surprise to find a dainty lunch lying
within. There were several slices of choice home-made bread, two
pieces of cake, a large wedge of pumpkin-pie, and a fine rosy apple.

For a few moments Rod sat staring at the feast before him. Who could
have sent it? he wondered, Then all at once he remembered. It was the
apple which solved the problem, and he knew that there was only one