oise in his throat was growing alarmingly louder every moment, the
latter went on talking almost wildly, to cover that weakness which he
could not control.

"I hope you git on," he said. "And I reckon you will. It's funny--it's
more'n that--and I don't know where I got the idea. But it's kinda
come to me, somehow, that maybe it was that account in the paper--that
story of Jeddy Conway--that's set you to leavin'. It ain't none of my
business, and I ain't askin' no questions, but I do want to say that
there never was a time when you couldn't lick the everlastin' tar
outen him. And you've growed some since then. Jest a trifle--jest a
trifle!"

The boy's smile widened and widened. Then he laughed aloud softly and
nodded his head.

"I'll send you the papers," he promised. "I'll send you all of them."

Old Jerry stood with his outstretched hand poised in midair while
he realized that his chance shot had gone home. And suddenly,
unaccountably, he began to chuckle; he began to cackle noisily.

"I might 'a' knowed it," he whispered. "I ought to hev knowed it all
along. Now, you don't hev to worry--they ain't one mite of a thing I
ain't a-goin' to see to while you're away. You don't want nothin' on
your mind, because you're goin' to hev a considerable somethin' on
your hands. And I got to git along now. Godfrey, but it's late for me
to be up here, ain't it? I got to hustle, if I ever did; and there
ain't too much time to spare. For tonight--tonight, before I git
through, I aim to put a spoke in the Jedge's wheel, down to the
Tavern, that'll make him think the axles of that yello'-wheeled gig of
his'n needs greasin'. Jest a trifle--jest a trifle!"

He opened the door and slammed it shut behind him even before the
boy could reply. Still smiling whimsically, Young Denny stood and
listened to the grating of the wheels as the buggy was turned about
outside--heard the old rig groan once, and then complain shrilly
as it started on its way. But no one witnessed Old Jerry's wild
descent to the village that night; no one knew the mad speed he
made, save the old mare between the shafts; and she was kept too busy
with the lash that whistled over her fat flanks to have given the
matter any consistent thought.

Old Jerry drove that scant mile or two this night under the spur of
his one greatest inspiration; and while he drove he talked aloud to
himself.

"And I was a-goin' to fix it for him," he muttered once, "I was
a-goin' to fix