were eager for another.  So he sang them another and still another, while the warm blood rolled in under his dark skin, enriching his thin cheek till it looked no longer thin.  He was giving himself up to the task of pleasing his friends, with thorough enjoyment of his own.  After “Kate Kearney” he sang “Annie Laurie,” making Andy Murdison’s warm Scottish heart under his stiff Scottish manner beat throbbingly in sympathy.  So the hours passed, it never occurring to the company to go home as long as it was having the time of its life, until the sudden discovery of a row of boys’ faces peering eagerly in from the darkness of the late afternoon reminded Mrs. Kelcey that she had a family at home.

“The saints be prraised, ’tis afther darrk,” said she, rising precipitately, “and the bhoys promised the lavin’s of the table!”

They all followed her, suddenly grown shy again as they murmured their thanks.  Their host’s cheery parting words eased them over this ordeal, however, and each one left with the comfortable feeling that he had said the right thing.

Two minutes later the house was again invaded, this time by those who felt entirely at home there.  With a whoop of joy the boys of the neighbourhood took possession, and as they did so a curious thing happened:  Donald Brown himself became a boy among them.

But this was not the only curious thing which happened.

The sixteen guests at the dinner, in spite of the generous supplies, had not left many “lavin’s.”  The great turkey had little remaining now upon his bones and nothing at all inside of him; the potatoes and vegetables had been entirely consumed; of the pies there remained a solitary wedge.  But Brown, smiling broadly, attended to these difficulties.  He had the air of a commissary who knew of unlimited supplies.

“Tom,” he commanded, “pick three boys and go down cellar with them, and into the little storeroom at the right.”

Tom, grinning, made a lightning-like selection of assistants, and dove down the steep and narrow stairway from the kitchen.

“Burke and Jimpsey, explore the cupboard opening from my bedroom, and bring out whatever you find there that looks good to eat.”

Before the words were out of his mouth Burke and Jimpsey had disappeared.

“Tub and Jiggers, look under my bed, and haul out a long box you’ll find there.”

The two fell over each other to do his bidding.  In less time than it takes to tell it, the emissaries were returning with their spoils.  A whole cooked turkey, only slightly inferior in size to the original one, appeared to the accompaniment of howls of joy.  It was cold, to be sure, but what boy would mind that—­and to the critical palate is not cold turkey even more delicious than hot?  There were piles and piles of sandwiches with the most delectable filling, there were pies and more pies, and there were fruit and cake and candy.  Brown had not feared lest these later guests suspect him of too long a purse; he had ordered without stint, and his orders had been filled by a distant firm of caterers and sent by express.