Tabitha's Vacation

r the sick girl lying in their darkened room, and her ministrations to croupy Janie, who had caught cold sleeping in the night air on the mountain top, the poor housekeeper was so n

et into mischief, and yet

, frankly found fault with her badly cooked oatmeal and unsalted potatoes, and insulted her attempts at housekeeping in such a heartless, unfeeling manner that she finally dissolved in tears and refused to do anything further toward their comfort. Susie and Inez quarreled over the dishes and had the sulks al

ntured Toady, when they had left the house far enough behind t

d blankly, his thoughts on an

Susie and the

bitha's making

a knows we did it?"

is, not 'nless Glory

ut

if they had heard our racket, so's the wh

eve she doesn't suspect. I'll bet the constable will be up there bright and early with his

und out even if G

odded g

if the constable shou

Toady

er-light

still in the roadway

ant to go

in jail here. I s'pose likel

illiard, turning pale at the mere thought of such a punishment at the hands of a desert consta

bravely replied Toady, whose co

e with unbelieving eyes at his brother, finally finding v

as dirt ever since we came here, and if Tabitha had been as hat

ng to get her to

t-better-if we told her ourselves, inste

sneered Billiard, not willing to admit t

aid, with eyes flashing. "But I'm going to own up to my part

off easy if you squeal. Well, go ahead, tattler! You wil

erated Toady, stung by his brother's taunts. "I'm going to quit bother

ttl

ode haughtily away, not daring t

cat! Sissy girl!

ominous manner. Thrusting his angry face close to Billiard's, and shaking his clenched

Toady mad, and now he would have the pleasure of

'Fraid ca

hower of stars danced merrily about him, blood spurted from his nose, and the next thing h

ack?" a menacing

ry victim, mopping his stream

ubled-up fist drew perilously near

n!" taunted the fallen bully, still un

almly but decisively. "I'll let you get onto your

he older boy temporized. It would never do to give in to Toady. If he took such a step as that, his leadership was gone forever. "Aw,

, or shall I pummel th

y, "but,"-as Toady removed his knees from his chest and

cheerfully. "But don't forget that yo

ff guard; you know you did, or you'd ne

her, and finding it very sweet, suggested casually,

astily. "That was a nasty place to fall.

emorse overtook him. "I'm sorry, old chap, if I hurt you," he said contritely.

hamed by Toady's frank and manly confession. "Say, ain't t

ercy promised to point it out the next time we climbed the

liard answered

place. But the younger boy's curiosity was aroused, and as they neared the deserted, unpainted, dilapidated hut, he studied it closely. To him it looke

rcedes said he died th

dead, with all his pockets

just like those mamma always has in her garden. I didn'

a cast

make cast

hat the burros won't eat. Folks could have flowers here the same as back home if wat

t castor bean

the drug-store! We've passed them do

ly hard enough to deal a telling blow; so the older boy, still caressing his swollen, aching nose, thought it wise to overlook such sarcast

. That's where the casto

les of the reddish covering. Then with his jack-knife he proceeded to investigate the in

says th

ng like castor oil, but th

they tas

you to

anything!" To prove his boast, he plumped one white bea

t, then held out another, and Toady obediently munched it. Three, four, fi

d McKittrick! How many do you t

how big a fool you was," he jeered. "Thought yo

anything but appetizing, and already

want some more?"

ss I'll

e the reason they were so far from the Eagles' Nest, and was al

-e

downright mean,

't tell

! They will kn

you ought to

you won't tell, I'll not p

xasperation Billiard caught him by

oy. "I'm going home, I t

oward him struck terror to the older brother's heart, and he

he castor-bean victim.

the rocky trail. But Toady was really too ill to care what happened or where he went, and he stumbled blindly on, tripping over a loose pebble here,

old and lay down in the middle of the floor. Irene had seen them coming, and rushed pell-mell for T

would have convinced her that Irene was mistaken, even if Billiard had not caught the words and indignantly denied it. However, recallin

ore ruffled at Tabitha's tone than at her accusation. "He-he-I da

at once. Dr. Hayes at the drug-store! Tell him it's castor-beans.

ith a start to the realization that something must be done at once for the suffering boy on the floor, or it might be too late. "We mu

t h

hree-cornered, blue bottle from the cupboard, Susie. Hurry! Your mother told me to use plenty of that if any of you got poisoned. Mer

he vile-tasting emetic down poor, unresisting Toady's throat. She worked hard and furiously, fearful that her efforts might fail, and he

she must scream with frenzy, the five watchers on the door-step shouted wil

and working as he questioned. It was over at last, the boy was pronounced out of dan

fainting now, my girl, when you have done your work so well. But for your efforts before I got here

few moments later, the brown eyes fluttered weakly o

well by morning. But

s, I pretended I was a burglar last night and hid unde

seeing an unspoken question in his eyes, she answered,

const

at all. He doesn't k

rite him. It was awful mean of me, a

y. I am sure you wil

brown eyes, and Toady answered with all the