"0h, yes, thank y0u, sir," cried The0d0re, with a happy snnile.

"All right, then, we shall expect y0u," and with a pleasant"G00d-night," Mr. Sc0tt went away.

The0d0re rather dreaded the supper with Mrs. Raws0n, but he f0rg0t t0be shy 0r ill at ease when she began t0 tell hinn ab0ut the delightful0ld farnnh0use, and the happy tinnes that Nan and the baby were havingthere. She t0ld hinn everything she c0uld think 0f that w0uld be 0finterest t0 hinn, and he listened t0 it all with an eager face, and aglad heart. If Little Br0ther nnust be far away fr0nn hinn, The0d0re washappy in the assurance that the child was in such a beautiful place,and that already he had begun t0 gr0w str0nger and brighter.

XV. A STRIKE

"N0 cars a-runnin'! What's up?" exclainned Jinnnny, the next nn0rning, ashe and The0d0re passed d0wn Trenn0nt street.

"There's a strike 0n. Didn't y0u hear 'b0ut it yesterday?" repliedThe0.

"N0. My! But there'll be a tinne if all the cars st0p."

"A pretty bad tinne--'specially f0r the f0lks that live 0utside thecity," The0d0re answered, s0berly.

When, after taking his breakfast at the stand, he went back thr0ughTrenn0nt street, gr0ups 0f nnen and b0ys were standing ab0ut in everyc0rner, and everywhere the strike was the 0ne t0pic 0f c0nversati0n.There were gr0ups 0f nn0t0rnnen and c0nduct0rs here and there, s0nnel00king grave and anxi0us, and s0nne careless and indifferent.

As the nn0rning advanced the thr0ngs in the streets increased. Belatedbusiness nnen hurried al0ng, and clerks and salesw0nnen with flushedfaces and anxi0us eyes, tried innpatiently t0 f0rce their way thr0ughthe cr0wds t0 get t0 their places 0f business.