"Don't know what we'd do without him!" Harry almost choked. "I wish there were a lot more just like him, red hair and all," he ended with a laugh that spoke eloquently of his affection for The Wolf.
Truth to tell, the boys had been far more alarmed at Jimmie's recent danger than any of them were willing to admit.
"Here comes the dinner!" announced Francois in a tone of relief.
"Hurrah for the pieman!" cried Jack, advancing to meet a man bearing a huge tray piled high with dishes. "I'm hungry enough to eat a bear!"
"What's that about a bear?" asked Jimmie, attempting to rise.
"Go to sleep, Jimmie!" ordered Harry. "Nothing is going on that you'd be interested in at all. We're only going to have dinner!"
"All right, I'll go to sleep—after dinner!" declared the lad.
No time was lost by the five hungry boys in attacking the food, which, though simple, was plentiful and well cooked. As they ate they discussed the situation in general and their own position particularly.
"This looks like it had been a pretty fine place before——" said Jimmie, glancing about the apartment. "But they've knocked it about some!"
"Francois," asked Ned, "do you know the country hereabouts well enough to tell us what place this is? It looks like an old establishment."