The two children hadn't the first idea as to what he meant by putting
the clothing up the spout. But the colored boy meant that he might pawn
them and get some money. He did not offer to take the coats and other
things that Margy and Mun Bun tried to put into his hands.

Just at this moment Mother Bunker and Aunt Jo, followed by Russ and
Rose, appeared on the stairs. They had missed the two little folks and,
as Aunt Jo had said, wrinkling her very pretty nose, that she could
"just smell mischief," they had all come downstairs to see what the
matter was.

The colored boy spied them. He had evidently been ill used by somebody,
for he was very much frightened. He thrust the coats back at the
children and turned to get out of the vestibule.

But the door had been sucked to by the wind and it was hard to open
again. It was really quite wonderful that Mun Bun had been able to get
it open when he and Margy had called the strange colored boy in.

"Don't go!" cried Margy.

"Take my coat, please," urged Mun Bun. "I know it will keep you warm."

And all the time the colored boy was tugging at the handle of the outer
door and fairly panting, he was so anxious to get out. Mother Bunker was
the first to reach the door into the vestibule, and she opened it
instantly.

"Wait!" she commanded the strange boy. "What do you want? What are you