"We will have meat."
"I have no meat to-day."
"Then we will take sausage."
"I have no sausage to-day."
"Then what have you?"
"Noodle soup, and a cherry pudding."
"Good!" exclaimed the boys in a breath, "we all like pudding."
"Very well, take seats at this table and I will bring in the dinner."
The boys were not slow in obeying; there was no tablecloth but the pine table was scoured to almost perfect whiteness, and the dishes, few and poor though they were, glistened.
A large dish of lettuce was set before them, then a bowl of soup at each plate, and some thick slices of brown bread.