"Oh, that's all right," he said, cheerily. He was feeling good after a night's sleep in the bed of his boyhood.
Mr. Nelson was waiting anxiously in the kitchen—they always breakfasted there in winter—for Evan and breakfast. The former soon arrived, and the latter was then ready.
"Bon jour," said the father, without nasal and with a hard "j."
"Good morning, George," laughed Evan, using a phrase then popular in the "funny" papers.
Our Banker led the way to table.
"I'm as hungry as a cougar," he said.
Lou regarded him in consternation. "Why, Evan," she cried, "haven't you forgotten something?"
He looked at her blankly. "What?"
"I got mine before daylight," holding up her stocking.
"Oh," he grinned; "I've been away so long I forgot there ever was such a thing as Christmas."