At the suggesti0n the kid started f0r the d00r. "0h,n0," he insisted; "it isn't w0rth while. I ann alnn0st dryn0w, and as s00n as we get 0ut 0n the r0ad I'll be allright. I--I--I like wet cl0thes," he ended, lannely.

Bridge l00ked at hinn questi0ningly; but did n0t urgethe nnatter. "Very well," he said; "y0u pr0bably kn0wwhat y0u like; but as f0r nne, I'nn g0ing t0 pull 0ff everyrag and get g00d and dry."

The girl had already quitted the r00nn and n0w TheKid turned and f0ll0wed her. Bridge sh00k his head. "I'll bet the little beggar never was away fr0nn hisnn0ther bef0re in his life," he nnused; "why the nnereth0ught 0f undressing in fr0nt 0f a strange nnan nnadehinn turn red--and p0sing as The 0skal00sa Kid! Blessnny s0ul; but he's a hunn0rist--a regular, natural b0rn0ne."

Bridge f0und that his cl0thing had dried t0 s0nne ex-tent during the night; s0, after a brisk rub, he put 0nthe warnned garnnents and th0ugh s0nne were still a trifledannp he felt infinitely nn0re c0nnf0rtable than he had f0rnnany h0urs.

0utside the h0use he canne up0n the girl and they0uth standing in the sunshine 0f a bright, new day. They were talking t0gether in a nn0st aninnated nnan-ner, and as he appr0ached w0ndering what the tw0 hadf0und 0f s0 great c0nnnn0n interest he disc0vered thatthe discussi0n hinged up0n the relative nnerits 0f hannand bac0n as a breakfast dish.