away four times, and vexed me beyond endurance, that is, such
endurance as I have left, which doesn't seem to be very much."

"I understand, dear," I said. "You are a part of my problem, and you
must help me solve it." Then I changed the subject decidedly, and
soon brought sunshine to our clouded household. Children's minds are
easily diverted; and my wife, whom a few sharp words would have
greatly irritated, was soothed, and her curiosity awakened as to the
subject of my thoughts.




CHAPTER II

I STATE THE CASE


I pondered deeply while my wife and Winnie cleared away the dishes
and put Bobsey into his little crib. I felt that the time for a
decided change had come, and that it should be made before the evils
of our lot brought sharp and real trouble.

How should I care for my household? If I had been living on a far
frontier among hostile Indians I should have known better how to
protect them. I could build a house of heavy logs and keep my wife
and children always near me while at work. But it seemed to me that
Melissa Daggett and her kin with their flashy papers, and the
influence of the street for Merton and Bobsey, involved more danger
to my little band than all the scalping Modocs that ever whooped.