"Hi, Jerry! What you got?"
Instinctively Jerry hid the apple behind him, for it was Danny Mullarkey's voice that he had heard.
"Jerry's got something to eat!" Danny called over his shoulder to some one out of sight. "Come on, kids!"
Jerry hastily swallowed the piece of apple in his mouth and bit off the very largest chunk he could. He knew by long and bitter experience how little would be left for him after the Mullarkey brood had all nibbled at it.
Danny, who was past nine, reached him before Jerry could gulp down that mouthful and take another bite, as he had intended to do. Chris and Nora followed at Danny's heels, with Celia Jane, as usual, far in the rear.
"Save me a bite, Jerry!" called Celia Jane.
"Give me a bite of your apple, Jerry," coaxed Danny.
"Me, too," echoed Chris.
"It looks awful nice," observed Nora. "Where'd you get it?"
Jerry explained and handed her the apple first because she had not asked for a bite. Nora bit off a small piece and was passing it on to Celia Jane, who ran panting up to them, when Jerry stopped her by urging: