At thought of the fussy little man taking all this time and trouble, for
it must have taken a good deal of work to make all that formidable array
of sandwiches--the girls were sincerely touched and regarded their host
with a new interest.

"There, there," he was saying, regarding the heaped-up tray with evident
pleasure, "you must sit down and eat at once. You must be nearly starved--
famished. I hope this will be enough."

He looked at them so anxiously that Betty felt like hugging him--and
nearly did it.

"Enough! Well, I guess it is enough," she said heartily, as the other
girls seated themselves on the bench either side of the tempting tray and
began enthusiastically to help themselves. "It would be plenty for an
army. We can't thank you enough."

"Indeed we can't," added Mollie.

"It's awfully good of you," said Grace, as she took a bite of her ham
sandwich.

"Awfully good," added Amy, like an echo.

The little man waved aside their thanks and drew up the one chair in the
room, talking all the time in his quick, jerky fashion.

"It was no trouble, I am sure,--no trouble whatever," he said, adding as
though he wished to change the subject: "You didn't tell me your name--"
he hesitated, looking at Betty, who of course did tell him her name on the