CHAPTER 3 _CHICKEN DINNER_
The discovery that Rhoda's brother had stolen food was disconcerting toPenny. Saying good-bye to Mrs. Breen, she prepared to drive away from thetrailer camp.
"Oh, you can't go so soon," the woman protested. "You must stay fordinner. We're having chicken and there's plenty for everybody!"
"Really we can't remain," Penny declined. "Louise and I both are expectedat home."
"You're just afraid you'll put me to a little trouble," Mrs. Breenlaughed, swinging open the car door and tugging at Penny's hand. "Youhave to stay."
Taking a cue from their mother, the three young children surrounded thegirls, fairly forcing them toward the trailer. Ted immediately started inthe opposite direction.
"You come back here, Ted Wiegand!" Mrs. Breen called in a loud voice.
"I don't want any dinner, Mom."
"I know better," Mrs. Breen contradicted cheerfully. "You're just bashfulbecause we're having two pretty girls visit us. You stay and eat yourvictuals like you always do, or I'll box your ears."
"Okay," Ted agreed, glancing at Rhoda again. "It's no use arguing withyou, Mom."
Neither Penny nor Louise wished to remain for dinner, yet they knew of noway to avoid it without offending Mrs. Breen. Briskly the woman herdedthem inside the trailer.
"It's nice, isn't it?" she asked proudly. "We have a little refrigeratorand a good stove and a sink. We're a bit crowded, but that only makes itmore jolly."
A man in shirt sleeves lay on one of the day beds, reading a newspaper.
"Meet my husband," Mrs. Breen said as an afterthought. "Get up, Pop!" sheordered. "Don't you have any manners?"
The man amiably swung his feet to the floor, grinning at Penny andLouise.
"I ain't been very well lately," he said, as if feeling that thesituation required an explanation. "The Doc tells me to take it easy."
"That was twenty years ago," Mrs. Breen contributed, an edge to hervoice. "Pop's been resting ever since. But we get along."
Rhoda and Ted, who had followed the others into the trailer, were acutelyembarrassed by the remark. Penny hastily changed the subject to a lesspersonal one by pretending to show an interest in a book which lay on thetable.
"Oh, that belongs to Rhoda," Mrs. Breen responded carelessly. "Shebrought it from the library. Ted and Rhoda always have their noses in abook. They're my adopted children, you know."
"Mr. and Mrs. Breen have been very kind to us," Rhoda said quietly.
"Stuff and nonsense!" Mrs. Breen retorted. "You've more than earned yourkeep. Well, if you'll excuse me now, I'll dish up dinner."
Penny and Louise wondered how so many persons could be fed in such asmall space, especially as the dinette table accommodated only six. Mrs.Breen solved the problem by giving each of the three small children aplate of food and sending them outdoors.
"Now we can eat in peace," she remarked, squeezing her ample body beneaththe edge of the low, anchored table. "It's a little crowded, but we canall get in here."
"I'll take my plate outside," Ted offered.
"No, you stay right here," Mrs. Breen reproved. "I never did see such abashful boy! Isn't he the limit?"
Having arranged everything to her satisfaction, she began to dish upgenerous helpings of chicken and potato. The food had an appetizing odorand looked well cooked, but save for a pot of tea, there was nothingelse.
"We're having quite a banquet tonight," Pop Breen remarkedappreciatively. "I'll take a drumstick, Ma, if there ain't no one elsewantin' it."
"You'll take what you get," his wife retorted, slapping the drumstickonto Penny's plate.
Louise and Penny made a pretense of eating, finding the food much betterthan they had expected. Neither Ted nor Rhoda seemed hungry, and Mrs.Breen immediately called attention to their lack of appetite.
"Why, Ted! What's the matter you're not eating? Are you sick?"
The boy shook his head and got to his feet.
"I'm not hungry, Mom," he mumbled. "Excuse me, please. I have a date witha fellow at Riverview, and I have to hurry."
Before Mrs. Breen could detain him, he left the trailer.
"I can't understand that boy any more," she observed with a sad shake ofher head. "He hasn't been himself lately."
The younger members of the Breen family quite made up for Ted and Rhoda'slack of appetite. Time and again they came to the table to have theirplates refilled, until all that remained of the chicken was a few bones.
Penny and Louise felt quite certain that Rhoda realized what her brotherhad done and was deeply humiliated by his thievery. To spare the girlfurther embarrassment, they declared that they must leave. However, asthey were presenting their excuses, there was a loud rap on the door ofthe trailer. Peering from the curtained window, Mrs. Breen immediatelylost her jovial manner.
"_He's_ here again," she whispered. "What are we going to tell him, Pop?"
"Just give him the old stall," her husband suggested, undisturbed.
Reluctantly, Mrs. Breen went to open the door. Without waiting for aninvitation, a well-dressed man of middle age entered the trailer. Pennyimmediately recognized him as Jay Franklin, who owned the Dorset TouristCamp. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Breen," he began, his manner falselycheerful. "I suppose you know why I am here again?"
"About the rent?"
"Precisely." Mr. Franklin consulted a small booklet. "You are behind onefull month in your payments, as of course you must be aware. The amounttotals eight dollars."
"Pop, pay the gentleman," Mrs. Breen commanded.
"Well, now, I ain't got that much on me," her husband rejoined,responding to his cue. "If you'll drop around in a day or two, Mr.Franklin--"
"You've been stalling for weeks! Either pay or your electric power willbe cut off!"
"Oh, Mr. Franklin," pleaded Mrs. Breen, "you can't do that to us. Why,with our refrigerator on the blink, the milk will sour. And I got threelittle children."
The man regarded her with cold dislike.
"I am not interested in your personal problems, Mrs. Breen," he said,delivering his ultimatum. "Either settle your bill in full by tomorrowmorning, or move on!"