ng suddenly before us, and staring wide-eyed at
the bedraggled boy who lurched along at her father's side.

"Davy," she cried, "have you come fishin' again?"

My answer was to hold out my hand to her, and together we three went
into the house. There, with my breath regained, and my parched throat
relieved, and my tired legs dangling from the most luxurious of
rocking-chairs, my spirits rose with my returning strength. It nettled
me to see the Professor giving so little heed to my warning. I had
performed what was for me a herculean task, and yet the precious
moments which I had fought so hard to gain for him were being frittered
away in preparations for a breakfast for me. He was evidently grateful
for what I had done, but he was getting no good from it. Had I run all
those miles to tell him that the bogie man was coming he could not have
moved about his cooking with less concern. For a time I watched him
with growing indignation, yet I hesitated to mention the purpose of my
errand before Penelope, who had fixed herself before my chair and, with
her hands clasped behind her back and her head lifted high, was gazing
at me in admiring silence. My uneasiness increased as the minutes flew
by, and when the first sharp demands of appetite had been satisfied I
looked at the Professor, now seated at the other side of the table, and
nodded my head toward his daughter, and winked with a sageness beyond
my years.

"Mr. Blight, hadn't you otter be going?" I asked.

The Professor, in answer, laughed outright. He clasped his hands to
his sides and rocked on two legs of his chair in exuberance.
"Davy--Davy, you'll be the death of me yet!"

To me this seemed a very hard thing to say, as I had no wish to be the
death of the Professor; but, quite to the contrary, had made a great
effort and had risked much trouble at home in my desire to help him.
Now I was beginning to think that I had done as well to drop a
post-card in the mail to warn him of his danger. The disappointment
brought tears to my eyes. He saw them. His face turned very gentle
and he leaned across the table toward me.

"Davy, I can't thank you enough for what you have done. But don't
worry about me--I'm not afraid of Byron Lukens."

At the name of the constable Penelope broke into laughter, and placed a
hand on my arm to draw my eyes to her. "Mr. Lukens was here this
morning, Davy, just before you came. And, oh, you should have seen
father knock him d