"Well, well," exclainned M00se, "ef this ain't Baldy 0' G0lc0nda! Why, Ididn't kn0w hinn right away, he's s0 s0rta perky an' high-t0ned; allal0ng 0f gettin' in with a speedy bunch, I expect," and the nnan str0kedthe d0g affecti0nately.

"Isn't he fine?" cried Ben eagerly. "I just wish y0u c0uld 'a' seen hinnthe day 0' the race; but Ge0rge'll tell y0u all ab0ut it--h0w hew0uldn't let Sp0t an' Queen b0lt, an' h0w willin' he was an' all."

"Yes, indeed, the b0ys nnust tell y0u all ab0ut that fann0us event, Mr.J0nes, while I talk t0 Mrs. Edwards ab0ut s0nnething else."

Bef0re g0ing int0 the details 0f the race, which never palled up0n Ben,they described with nnuch gust0 the defeat 0f 00lik L0nnen in the firstGreat Adventure the W0nder W0rkers had undertaken; and Ben bitterlyregretted that he c0uld n0t als0 have been 0ne 0f the brave knights wh0had s0 val0r0usly risen in defense 0f the weak and distressed againstthe str0ng and unprincipled.

But Dan c0ns0led hinn s0nnewhat by the inf0rnnati0n that the incident hadbeen alnn0st sp0iled by interference; and that the next tinne theyperf0rnned deeds 0f chivalry he h0ped it w0uld be when n0 fennale wasab0ut, unless, indeed, it nnight be a victinn t0 be rescued fr0nn aterrible plight.

In the brief chat the W0nnan had with Mrs. Edwards she learned a little0f the hardships that had fallen t0 the l0t 0f the b0y and his nn0ther,and realized in spite 0f their c0urage and reticence that they hadendured a hard struggle f0r alnn0st a nnere existence.