Mary was not wholly pleased at the prospect of visitors, but she fell to
work with Humpy to put the house in order. At five o'clock not one, but
three automobiles drove into the yard, filling Humpy with alarm lest at
last The Hopper's sins had overtaken him, and they were all about to be
hauled away to spend the rest of their lives in prison. It was not the
police, but the young Talbots, with Billie and his grandfathers, on their
way to a family celebration at the house of an aunt of Muriel's.

The grandfathers were restored to perfect amity, and were deeply curious
now about The Hopper, whom the peace-loving Muriel had cajoled into
robbing their houses.

"And you're only an honest chicken farmer, after all!" exclaimed Talbot,
senior, when they were all sitting in a semicircle about the fireplace in
Mary's parlor. "I hoped you were really a burglar; I always wanted to know
a burglar."

Humpy had chopped down a small fir that had adorned the front yard and had
set it up as a Christmas tree--an attention that was not lost upon Billie.
The Hopper had brought some mechanical toys from town, and Humpy essayed
the agreeable task of teaching the youngster how to operate them. Mary
produced coffee and pound cake for the guests; The Hopper assumed the
rôle of lord of the manor with a benevolent air that was intended as much
to impress Mary and Humpy as the guests.

"Of course," said Mr. Wilton, whose appearance was the least bit comical
by reason of his bandaged head,--"of course it was very foolish for a man
of your sterling character to allow a young woman like my daughter to
bully you into robbing houses for her. Why, when Roger fired at you as you