"It didn't take you long to eat breakfast," said Paul.

"No, I hurried through it; I thought you would get tired of waiting. And
now I'll walk along with you a little ways. But wait here's something
for you."

So saying he unrolled the newspaper and displayed a loaf of bread,
fresh and warm, which looked particularly inviting to Paul, whose scanty
breakfast had by no means satisfied his appetite. Besides this, there
was a loaf of molasses ginger-bread, with which all who were born in the
country, or know anything of New England housekeeping, are familiar.

"There," said John, "I guess that'll be enough for your dinner."

"But how did you get it without having any questions asked?" inquired
our hero.

"Oh," said John, "I asked mother for them, and when she asked what I
wanted of them, I told her that I'd answer that question to-morrow.
You see I wanted to give you a chance to get off out of the way, though
mother wouldn't tell, even if she knew."

"All right," said Paul, with satisfaction.

He could not help looking wistfully at the bread, which looked very
inviting to one accustomed to poorhouse fare.

"If you wouldn't mind," he said hesitating, "I would like to eat a
little of the bread now."