Ollie blinked. This made no sense whatever. All the same, if not for the gnawing in his stomach, he would have picked himself up and run. As it was, he said, "Thanks. Guess in that case I'll have another order of stew. Maybe this time it'll stick to my ribs."
"Not the stew," replied the manager nervously. "You had the last that was left. Try the roast beef."
"Hmm, that's more than I was gonna spend."
"No charge," said the manager. "For you, no charge at all."
"Then gimme a double order. I feel starved."
The double order went down the hatch, yet Ollie felt just as empty as ever. But he was afraid to press his luck too far, and after he had downed one more dessert—also without charge—he reluctantly picked himself up and walked out. He was too hungry to spend any more time wondering why he had got a free meal.
In the back room of the restaurant, the manager sank weakly into a chair. "I was afraid he was going to insist on paying for it. Then we'd really have been on a spot."
"Guess he was too glad to get it for free," the cook said.
"Well, if anything happens to him now, it'll happen away from here."
"Suppose they take a look at what's in his stomach."