"But tell me," gasps Vee, "what on earth has happened? How did--did you get it?" "Oil," says Pa Gummidge. Vee looks blank. "I--I don't understand," says she. "Lemme guess," says I. "You mean you struck a gusher on the sheep ranch?" "I didn't," says Gummidge. "Them experts I leased the land to did, though. Six hundred barrels per, and still spoutin' strong. They pay me a royalty on every barrel, too." "Oh!" says I. "Then you and Brother Jim--" "Poor Jim!" says Henry. "Too bad he couldn't have hung on long enough to enjoy some of it. Enough for both. Lord, yes! Just my luck to lose him. Only brother I ever had. But he's missin' a lot of trouble, at that. Having to eat with your coat on, for one thing. And this grapefruit for breakfast nonsense. I'm always squirtin' myself in the eye." "Isn't that just like Henry?" chuckles Ma Gummidge. "Why, he grumbles because the oil people send him checks so often and he has to mail 'em to his bank. But his rheumatism's lots better and we're all havin' the best time. My, it--it's 'most like being in Heaven." She meant it, too, every word. There wasn't an ounce of joy that Ma Gummidge was missin'. "And it's so nice for you to be here in a comfortable apartment, instead of in some big hotel," says Vee. "Henry's notion," says Mrs. Gummidge. "You remember the Whitleys that complained about him? He had an idea Whitley's business was petering out. Well, it was, and he was glad enough to sub-let to Henry. Never knew, either, until after the lease was signed, who we were. Furnished kind of nice, don't you think?" "Why, Ma!" protests Rowena. Then she turns to Vee. "Of course, it'll do for a while, until we find something decent up on Riverside Drive; one with a motor entrance, you know. You're staying for dinner, aren't you?" "Why," begins Vee, glancin' doubtful at me, "I think we----" "Oh, do stay!" chimes in Ma Gummidge. "I did the marketing myself today; and say, there's a rib roast of beef big enough for a hotel, mushrooms raised under glass, an alligator pear salad, and hothouse strawberries for dessert. Besides, you're about the only folks we know that we could ask to dinner. Please, now!" So we stayed and was waited on by two haughty near-French maids who tried to keep the Gummidges in their places, but didn't more than half succeed. As we left, Rowena discovers for the first time all the hand luggage. "Oh!" says she, eyeing the suitcase. "You are in town for the week-end, are you?" "Not exactly," says' I. "Just a few things for a fam'ly that Vee thought might need 'em." And Vee gets out just in time to take the lid off a suppressed snicker. "Only think!" says she. "The Gummidges living like this!" "I'm willing," says I. "I get back my shirts." CHAPTER IV FINDING OUT ABOUT BUDDY