Usually on these occasions beer was served only as a prize to the winners of the games.  The lucky fellow alone was given a drink while those who had lost were given only a smell of the bottle.  One time when John had won in a number of games and had been treated to as many drinks from the bottle of beer, he became very sleepy.  Going over to one corner of the room, he crept up on a table and soon was apparently asleep.  It happened, however, that, although he was sleepy, he was not wholly unconscious to what was going on; and suddenly he heard a plot that seemed to him so cruel that he could scarcely believe his ears.

[Illustration:  A Card-Party]

At the close of such gatherings, a chicken-roast was generally in order, and the fowl used was usually taken from some hen-roost not far distant.  On this particular occasion when the party was about to break up, John heard the roughest of the company ask: 

“I say, boys, who’s goin’ fer the roast tonight?  Some one ought to be off fer it’s nigh onter the midnight hour, and I, fer one’s got a big job ahead a me tomorrer.”

“I’ll go, Bill,” someone answered; “but wha do ye say ter go?”

“Oh, it don’t make no difference, so’s it’s not too fer away!” the other answered, and added:  “Whist, Tom, why can’t we git John’s turkeys?  They’d make fust-rate eatin’ all right.  He’s too far gone to know anything about it.”

John was just about to call out that they must let his turkeys alone when he remembered how hard it would be in the darkness to discover their roosting-place, so he remained quiet.  It was, however, with some uneasiness that he awaited the thieves’ return.  When they came, he was relieved; for they were carrying chickens instead of turkeys.  Although, because of the safety of his pets, a thrill of satisfaction swept over John, yet he had received in his heart a wound that was deep and wide.  These cruel, heartless men were willing to take from him, in so unprincipled a manner, his only companions and playfellows.  John somewhat realized that life had a hard and bitter side for him; but again he endeavored with all his strength to make the best of it.

It was morning before John and his father returned to their home; and it was with unusual joy that John found his pets waiting for their breakfast.  As he held them close to his breast, with their beaks close to his cheek, he again thought of his mother; also he wondered about a certain change that had come over his father.

For a time after their removal to their own home, the father had been very devoted to John and had seemed to understand something of the boy’s loneliness.  Perhaps it was a realization of this loneliness and a desire to bring into the life of the child the motherly interest of which he had been deprived that had turned the father’s heart toward a certain young lady of his acquaintance.  Anyway, whatever was the cause, the father became more and more interested in this young woman; while, on the other hand, he paid less attention to John, whose loneliness daily increased.  Night after night John’s pillow was dampened by the tears he shed while waiting and listening for the sound of his father’s returning footsteps.