6 THE ACORN Jim lay stretched on the floor, and by his side a five-year-old boy was kneeling and sobbing" with fright. "Who is the little fellow?" asked Dr. Carlton. "He's mine, poor little chap," said the injured man. The boy stopped his sobs as he heard his father's voice, and, looking up at the doctor, asked, "Now will we go to grandma's and have a Christmas?" His father winced and closed his eyes, and the conductor explained: "The little chap's mother is dead, they are going to his grandma's for Christmas." "Yes," said Jamie eagerly, "we will have a Christmas tree and candles, for grandma said so." Seems as if that is all he thinks of," said the fireman; "his poor mother, she" and he stopped and closed his eyes again. "Shall we go now?" insisted Jamie. "You said that we'd get there the night before Christmas." "Now young fellow," broke in the conductor, "you know this is road luck, brace up and let that tree wait a day or so." But Jamie' s sobs broke out afresh. Fireman Jim's head turned languidly away. "I should think some of those women might know what to do for the boy," said the conductor. The doctor nodded. "Take him away and have him amused if you can," said he. "He troubles his father. You might inquire if the passengers have something left from lunch, he will feel better after having eaten something." So the conductor, carrying the crying Jamie, went back to the passenger car. He found the young girl the center of what seemed almost a social circle. The traveling man's sample cases, covered with a napkin, formed an improvised table, and upon this the stock of eatables was being spread. "Well, anyhow, we shan't be starved," the old lady said. "That there basket" pointing to a huge covered wicker "is full of fixin's I was takin' to John's folks. I expect it won't seem so like Christmas to the children if they don't have them leaf cookies and ginger-bread animals. I am sure I never thought when I was baking them that they would save our lives." "We'll not touch the children's cookies unless starved into such robbery," laughed the girl. "How glad I am Aunt Mary made me take this great box of luncheon." She brought out an unopened jar of pressed chicken. "This will be our Christmas turkey," she announced. "Isn't there a way of melting that into soup," asked the conductor, who had just come in. "The doctor was asking for a little broth to brace our patient up." The pretty girl, Miss Marsh, got a chafing dish out of her trunk and soon pleasant odors began to diffuse through the car. During all that had passed, the boy had hardly left his dark corner. THE ACORN 7 He did not wish to talk. It was nobody's business where he was going, and someone would be sure to ask. But he looked on and thought how bright and quick and pleasant the girl was. With additions from all the lunch baskets a meal was soon made ready and all ate together, merrily if not bountifully. The boy declined all but a single sandwich. He was hungry, but the angry defiant pride which had hardened his face all day, melted somewhat and he felt less like eating. Each one of the company began to tell how he or she was expecting to spend Christmas, and of the disappointment in being left in this lonely place. "Never mind," said Miss Marsh, "we'll have an evening at home." "I want a Christmas!" sobbed Jamie. "Mamma said I should have a Christmas; an' gramma's got a tree, an' I want a Christmas." Again the big conductor told the short sad story of the dead mother who had promised a happy day to the boy; and Miss Marsh looked steadily out of the car window a half minute while her eye brightened and a resolve formed. "Jamie," said Miss Marsh, "you shall have your Christmas." He looked upin joyfultrust, "An' a tree." "Yes, dear, a real tree," said the girl. The others listened in astonishment. "When shall I have it," asked Jamie. Tomorrow Christmas morning," answered the girl brightly. Now go to papa, and go right to sleep, and in the morning you'll see!" Then with beaming face the little fellow let them put him to bed. One of the company was sent for a tree, and each told to search his baggage for something that would please the little fellow. Little evergreens grew just a few feet from the track and were easy to get. There were cookies from the old lady's basket, illustrated catalogs from the traveling man's grip, and many kinds of trifles from all. And the tree "did begin to look something like," as the old lady said. The boy looked on with a dull ache in his throat. He hoped it was not going to be sore. How sick he had been with those sore throats, and how good mother was! Mother was filling the stockings at home now, out of the little things she had. Poor mother! she would have it all to bear alone now. How could he leave her? Why didn't he think of her part? "But I won't go back," he said to himself. "I can't go back now. I'll go home rich some day, and give mother everything she wants; but I won't sneak back now." Then he didn't care to think more. The tree was about done when Miss Marsh said, "Well, we must