Stick, stock, stone-dead."


"Biddy," he continued, "I 'm hungry--give me something to eat, quick."

Bridget paid no attention to this demand, but only twitched her needle
with a little more energy.

"I say, Biddy," continued the boy, "what did you have for supper?
Come, give me some, I 'm half starved."

"And why did n't ye come when the supper was ready, if ye wanted any?"
said Bridget. "If ye won't ate with the rest, it's not me that will
wait upon ye, Master Oscar."

"Well," continued Oscar, "if you won't help me, I guess I can help
myself. Ralph, what did you have for supper?"

The boy addressed named over several articles, among which were cake
and mince-pie, neither of which could Oscar find in the closet.

"Where did you put the pie, Biddy?" he inquired.

"It 's where ye won't find it," replied Bridget, "that's jist where it
is."

"I bet I _will_ find it, come now," said Oscar, with a determined air;
and he commenced the search in earnest, prying into every covered dish,
opening every drawer and bucket, and overhauling and disarranging every
part of the closet. Bridget was just then in too irritable a mood to