CHAPTER XVI
DOWN THE RIVER
"Dinner is ready, folks! Please gather around the table!" called Mrs. Baxter, as she rang a big bell vigorously.
Lanky instantly jumped from his chair as though on springs.
"That's a welcome sound, sure," he said aside to Ralph. "I reckon I'm about as hungry as a wolf."
"You mean that escaped prisoner, who must be mighty near famished. He looked like a wolf to me. Ugh! after hearing about those terrible eyes of his I just imagined I could see them, though it was too far away for that," returned his comrade, also moving to the other room.
Of course the boys had liberally splashed water, and used soap to such advantage that all the marks of the fire had been removed from their faces. They looked at the bountifully filled table with satisfaction, such as any three hungry lads might feel under similar circumstances.
The old farmer sat at the head, and there were
150
