"Mary," said her husband, "can't you scare up some breakfast for this young man? He stopped at Jack Mangum's last night, and didn't like his accommodations well enough to stay to breakfast."
"You don't say so," repeated Mrs. Holcomb her countenance expressing curiosity. "That's about the last place I'd want to stop at."
"I shouldn't want to go there again," said Walter; "but I didn't know anything about the man, or I would rather have stayed out in the woods."
"Well, Mary, how about the breakfast?"
"I guess I can find some," said she. "Sit right down here, and I'll see what I can do for you."
She went to the pantry, and speedily reappeared with some cold meat, a loaf of bread, and some fresh butter, which she placed on the table.
"I've got some hot water," she said, "and, in about five minutes, I can give you some warm tea. It won't be much of a breakfast, but if you'll stop for dinner, I can give you something better."
"It looks nice," said Walter, "and I don't know when I have been so hungry."
At this moment the farmer's boy, who had served as Walter's messenger, came into the kitchen.