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 recounted, a month or two before, up in the O'Malley haymow.

"Oh, that was nothin' much," deprecated Lonely.

Was it a mad lion?" inquired Lulu Bird.

Just a common man-eater," explained Lonely.

A sudden shrill chorus of cries bore witness to the fact that school was out; and two minutes later scattered bands of children were racing and curveting out into the green freedom of the Common. Old Witherspoon, the town constable, eyed them closely, for experience had taught him that on such occasions law and order were often forgotten.

Cap'n Steiner and Cap'n Sands hobbled across the greensward to a shady seat close beside the kite-flier. A tug puffed and churned noisily down on the river; a robin fluted and trebled and piped across the breezy afternoon. It was a good world to be alive in.

"Go on with about the lion," commanded Jappie Barrison.

A curious boy or two joined the circle of listeners, and having critically tested the pull of the new box-kite, clustered indolently about