He walked off then, laughing himself into a fit. "Good night, old man,"
he says, between spasms. "See you later. No, I don't think I shall worry
much."

If he hadn't been so big I cal'lated I'd have risked a kick. A man hates
to be made a fool of and not know why.

A whole lot of the boarders had gone on the evening train, and at our
house Van Wedderburn was the only one left. He and Mabel and me was the
full crew at the breakfast-table the follering morning. The fruit season
was a quiet one. I done all the talking there was; every time the broker
and the housekeeper looked at each other they turned red.

Finally 'twas "chopped-hay" time, and in comes the waiter with the
tray. And again we had a surprise, just like the one back in July. Percy
wa'n't on hand, and Jonesy was.

But the other surprise wa'n't nothing to this one. The Seabury girl was
mightily set back, but old Van was paralyzed. His eyes and mouth opened
and kept on opening.

"Cereal, sir?" asks Jones, polite as ever.

"Why! why, you--you rascal!" hollers Van Wedderburn. "What are you doing
here?"

"I have a few days' vacation from my position at Providence, sir,"
answers Jones. "I'm a waiter at present."

"Why, ROBERT!" exclaims Mabel Seabury.