"No," said Aunt Polly, with a hearty laugh, "he saw a--stranger.
And what do you suppose the stranger had?"

"A snoot full," chorused the Schultz twins. "He was pie-eyed."

"No," replied Miss Pinkwood laughing merrily. "It was before
noon. Guess again children. What did the stranger have?"

"Blind staggers," suggested little Faith whose mother had
recently been adjudged insane.

"Come children," replied Aunt Polly. "You are not very wide
awake this morning. The stranger had a gun. And when the brave
handsome man offered the stranger a drink what do you suppose the
stranger said?"

"I know," cried little Prudence eagerly. "He said, 'Why yes I
don't care if I do.' That's what they all say."

"No, Prudence," replied Miss Pinkwood. "The stranger refused a
drink."

"Oh come now, Aunt Polly," chorused the boys and girls. "You said
you were going to tell us a true story." And their little faces
fell.

"Children," said Miss Polly, "the stranger refused the drink
because he was a Revenue Officer. And he pointed his gun at the
brave handsome man and said he would have to go to jail because
he had not paid the tax on his whisky. And the brave handsome man