“What shall we have for our noonday repast, at eleven in the morning?” demanded Perk, almost beside himself with hunger.
“Better piece off with something that’s ready,” advised wise Elmer; “it would take too long to cook things, in our near-famished state, though of course a fire is necessary.”
“You just bet it is,” said Wee Willie, already bustling about outdoors in gathering the “fixings” for a blaze. “I’m nearly dead for a cup of coffee.”
“It will sure taste like nectar to all of us,” agreed Perk. “Well, if the rest of you say so, we’ll postpone the big meal till later on. Guess we’ll find plenty of stuff handy so as to take the edge off our ferocious appetites; and that’ll give me a chance to lay out a spread so as to make you sit up and take notice this evening.”
They were soon as busy as beavers, hastening back and forth, while the injured man lay there and followed each one with his eyes. Whenever Amos came near how his gaze would fasten hungrily on the boy! It was as if Mr. Codling almost feared this might all be on a par with some of the dreams he had had during his long exile from home; and that he would suddenly wake up, to find himself back under the old distressing conditions.
Presently the delightful fumes of boiling coffee filled the air, and every one commenced sniffing eagerly, as though this excited them almost beyond restraint.
“All ready here!” sang out Perk, in his cheery fashion; “gather round the festive board, and get busy!”
Amos would not dream of eating a bite until he had fetched his father’s breakfast to him. It gave the boy unlimited happiness to be able to wait on the one whose homecoming he knew would make his mother feel so joyous.
Presently all of them admitted they were a hundred per cent better off than before; that “tired feeling” had vanished under the magical influence of the Java; and the sandwiches which Perk made from bread and butter, some cheese, and bits of ham which had been left over at their last regular meal. Then there were crackers of several sorts, which could be used to “fill up the chinks” as Perk put it; so that in the end every one confessed that it was impossible for him to eat another bite.
Mr. Codling continued to smile at times in that queer way.