breakfast. It did not seem to agree with him. Whenever he
stopped Van Bibber would point with his stick to a still
unfinished dish, and the Object, after a husky protest, would
attack it as though it were poison. The people sitting about
were laughing, and the proprietor behind the desk smiling
grimly.

"There, darn ye!" said the Object at last. "I've eat all
I can eat for a year. You think you're mighty smart, don't
ye? But if you choose to pay that high for your fun, I s'pose
you can afford it. Only don't let me catch you around these
streets after dark, that's all."

And the Object started off, shaking his fist.

"Wait a minute," said Van Bibber. "You haven't paid them
for your breakfast."

"Haven't what? shouted the Object. "Paid 'em! How could
I pay him? Youse asked me to come in here and eat. I didn't
want no breakfast, did I? Youse'll have to pay for your fun
yerself, or they'll throw yer out. Don't try to be too
smart."

"I gave you," said Van Bibber, slowly, "seventy-five
cents with which to buy a breakfast. This check calls for
eighty-five cents, and extremely cheap it is," he added, with
a bow to the fat proprietor. "Several other gentlemen, on
your representation that you were starving, gave you other
sums to be expended on a breakfast. You have the money with