The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-05-24

cellent hunting. Here they killed and
skinned bear, took fine ivory tusks
from dead elephant, and searched for
the trail of tiger.
The gate was an excellent place for
tiger. Around it was planted an al
most impenetrable screen of ever
green's, SO thick that the ground be-
the two hunters crawled on stomachs
that began to feel trifie empty, and
here they happened on the trail.
Tucker found it first. His stumpy
tail grew rigid. Nose to the ground,
he crawled and wriggled through the
underground, Bobby at his heels. And
now Bobby saw the trail, footprints.
1t is true that they resembled those
of heavy boots with nails. But on the
other hand, no one could say surely
| that the nail marks were not those of
| claws.
Tucker circled about. The trail
grew more exciting. Bobby had to
crawl ON hands and feet under and
through thickets. Branches had been
broken as by the passage of some large
body. The sportsman clutched his
weapon and went on.
An hour later the two hunters re-
turned for breakfast. Washing did
something to restore the leader to
normal appearance, but a wondering
family discovered him covered with
wounds and strangely silent.
'Why, Bob, where have you been?"
his mother demanded. "Why, / never
saw so many scratchesW
"Pve been hunting" he replied
briefly. ''They don't hurt, anyhow"
Then he relapsed into absorbed sill
ence. His mother, putting cream on
his cereal, placed an experienced hand
on his forehead. "Are you sure you
feel well, dear?" she asked. Il think
your head is little hot"
"I'm all right, mother"
She was wisely silent, but she ran
over In her mind the spring treatment
for children at home. The blood, she
felt, should be thinned after winter
Of sausages and rich cocoa. She men
tally searched her medicine case.
A strange thing happened that day.
A broken plate disappeared from the
upper shelf of a closet, where Pepy
had hidden it; also cup with nick
in it, similarly concealed; also the heel
of loaf of bread. Nor was that the
end. For three days a sort of magic
reigned in Eepy's kitchen. Ten pota-
toes, laid out to peel, became eight
Matches and two ends of candle
walked out, as it were, on their own
feet. A tin pan with hole in it left |
the kitchen table and was discovered |
hiding in Bobby's bureau, when the |
Ffaulein put away the washing.
The lgoverness protested that he |
heard nothing she told him, and was
at his lessons. But as
she was always protesting about some
thing, no one paid any attention.
Bobby drew ahead on his pocket allow
ance without question, and as his
birthday was not far off, asked for
"the dollar to grow on" in advance.
He always received a dollar for each
year, which went into the bank, and
dollar to grow on, which was his own
to spend.
With the dollar he made a number
Of purchases-candles and candlestick,
4 toy pistol and caps, one of the masks
'or the carnival, now displayed in all
he windows, a kitchen knife, wooden
plates, and a piece of bacon.
Now and then he appeared at the
scenic railway, distracted and viewing
With a calculating eye the furnishings
# the engine room and workshop.
from there disappeared a broken
hair, piece of old carpet, discarded
rom a car, and large paddock, but
he latter he asked for and obtained.
His occasional visits to the railway,
however, found him in old Adelbert's
hack. He filled his pockets with char
.oal from the pail beside the stove,
ind made cautious inquiries as to [
Methods of cooking potatoes. But the
,all of old Adelbert's gloom penetrated !
It last even through the boys abstrac-
ion. Ii
II hope your daughter Is not worse" {
le said politely, during one Of his
isits to the ticket booth. 4
"She is well. She RECEIVERS strength |
apidly."
sand the new uniform-does it fit
our +
II do not know" said old Adelbert
rimly. II have not seen it recently"
ION the day of the procession we are
II going to watch for you. I'll tell You b
there we will be, SO you can look for
81. q
There will be no procession"
Then to the boy old AdeIbert poured I,
ut the bitterness of his soN. He
bowed where he had torn down the
ing's picture, and replaced 1t with one Ip
dying stag. He reviewed his days r.
the hospital, and the hardships v
trough which he had passed, to come i
} this. The king had forgotten his n
rave men. ii
During the rest Of the day Bobby d
'nsidered. No less matter than the
laeing OF d certain secret OccuDfad