he eyes, and as he spoke
those words he took one of my hands in both of his strong ones. "And
if you say snails, snails it shall be, if Cato and I have to invade
every rose garden in Hayesville and vicinity and stay up all night to
catch them."

"I think I shall choose that corn pone and whiskey that my Uncle, the
General Robert, has promised to me from one bad tempered cook at the
time of my luncheon," I found myself saying with a laugh that answered
the bare-footed boy who suddenly looked at me out of the cool eyes.

"I thought I would let him have a try-out with Kizzie before we
decided what to feed the savages," also said my Uncle, the General
Robert, with a laugh. "Besides, he's one himself and I'll have to go
slow and tame him gradually."

"No, he's ours. He's just come back to his own from a strange land,
General, and you'll kill the fatted calf or rooster, whichever Kizzie
decides, with joy at getting him." And this time the star eyes gave to
me the quick sympathy for which I had prayed before the Virgin with
the Infant in her arms in the little chapel of the old convent just
before we had to flee from the shells, leaving my father to the
Sisters to bury after the enemy had come. I think my eyes did tell
that tale to his and the tears ached in my throat.

"I know, boy," he said softly and then turned and presented me to the
Mr. Clendenning who was arranging papers at a desk beside the window.

I do like with my whole heart that funny Buzz Clendenning, who has the
reddest hair, the largest brown speckles on his face and the widest
mouth that I have ever beheld. Also, his laugh is even wider than is
his mouth and overflows the remainder of his face in ripples of what
is called grin. He is not much taller than am I, but of much more
powerful build, as is natural, though he did not at that moment
recognize the reason thereof.

"Shake hands, boys; don't stand looking at each other like young
puppies," said my Uncle, the General Robert, as he clapped his hand on
the back of the Mr. Buzz Clendenning. "You don't have to fight it out.
Your fathers licked each other week about for twenty years."

"Can't I even ask him to take off his coat once, General?" answered
that Mr. Buzz with the grin all over his face and spreading to my
countenance as he took my hand in his to administer one of those
shakes of which I had had so many since my arrival in America. For a
second he looked startled and glanced down at my white