Page:Stringer - Lonely O'Malley.djvu/122

 first grain of encouragement from them he would forsake his home and his family and his half-finished air-ship, and run away with them for all time, to carry water and hay to the elephants for the rest of a happy, happy life.

Lonely's old friend with the derby hat came in hurriedly, and sat down at one end of the long table.

"Anything else I c'n do for you?" the boy managed to squeeze out, in a sudden burst of courage.

The man at the end of the table looked Lonely up and down, sharply.

"Anything more?" asked Lonely, with one wistful shoulder hunched up.

"Yes, Carrots, there is," answered the man. "Here, sit down here!"

Lonely sat down, wonderingly.

"Now, put this into your face!"

And before the boy could fully understand, there was shoved over in front of him a cup of steaming coffee and a plate on which stood a goodly slice of beefsteak and a hot biscuit swimming in gravy.

Lonely devoured this plateful in rapt silence,