"Dr. Weston will take care of it for you. Now come along, because cream puffs and pickles need something to keep them company." As they passed through the office Josie told Dr. Weston where they were going. "Bless my soul! I never thought of asking them if they were hungry. Well, come back as soon as you finish and we will see what can be done." "If you don't mind my making a suggestion, I think the wisest thing to do in this case would be to telephone Mary Louise and let her tackle the board. They could hardly refuse her anything just now." Such hungry children! First Josie ordered oatmeal and cream; then toast and scrambled eggs; and topped it all off with pancakes and maple syrup. She noticed that although the children were almost starving their table manners were good. "Gently reared!" she said to herself. "My, but it's been a long time since--" began Polly, and then stopped short. "Since what?" "Nothing! I was just--just--" The little girl faltered and was silent. "All right, honey, don't you tell me a thing you don't want to tell me," said Josie kindly, "but you must remember that I am your friend and if you need me--" "We do need you and I do want to tell you--but--but--" "Now, Polly, you 'member what Cousin Dink said," broke in Peter, with his mouth full of pancakes. "Yes, and you remember what Mother said about talking with your mouth full," admonished Polly. "Yes, but she just said people would think we were po' whites if we had bad manners and would blame her. An' you 'member Dink said if we talked 'bout things bad men would git us." "Well, no bad men are going to get you while I am around, I can tell you that," declared Josie stoutly. "Not even p'licemen?" "Not even policemen! They are my friends and they are your friends, too. Their business is to look after little children." Josie smiled her friendly smile. "Well, Cousin Dink was skeered to death of p'licemen an' she was a great deal bigger'n you." "Was she really? What did she think policemen would do to her?" asked Josie. "Git her!" "Your mother wasn't afraid of policemen, was she?" "No'm, my mother was jes' 'fraid of mice an' snakes." "Your mother isn't with you, is she?" "No'm, she--I reckon she's dead--me'n Polly ain't quite sure. Sometimes when we begs to go home Cousin Dink says she is dead an' th' ain't no home to go to an' sometimes when Polly an' me can't stop cryin' Cousin Dink says if we stop an' are real good some day she might take us back to our mother." "Cousin Dink is a born liar, so we don't know what to think," spoke Polly coolly. "Is she really?" questioned Josie cautiously. "I hope you and Peter don't tell lies." "We don't know how to very well because we were not born that way, but Cousin Dink has taught us right smart. You get out of lots of trouble if you can lie easy like Cousin Dink."