North Pole. They had a curious liking for torture,
blood-letting, and death. Nor were they without discrimination.

"I guess that fellow is only working his jaw," was one little chap's
criticism at a certain point of the narrative of a well-known African
explorer, rather famous for his success in advertising himself. Again,
"that's bully," was the comment uttered by another, when Peter, rather
than refuse their request to read aloud, had been compelled to choose
something in Macaulay's Essays, and had read the description of the
Black Hole of Calcutta, "Say, mister," said another, "I don't believe
that fellow wasn't there, for he never could a told it like that, if he
wasn't."

As soon as his influence was secure, Peter began to affect them in other
ways. Every fight, every squabble, was investigated, and the blame put
where it belonged. Then a mandate went forth that profanity was to
cease: and, though contrary to every instinct and habit, cease it did
after a time, except for an occasional unconscious slip. "Sporadic
swearing," Peter called it, and explained what it meant to the children,
and why he forgave that, while punishing the intentional swearer with
exclusion from his favor. So, too, the girls were told that to "poke"
tongues at each other, and make faces, was but another way of swearing;
"for they all mean that there is hate in your hearts, and it is that
which is wrong, and not the mere words or faces." He ran the risk of
being laughed at, but they didn't laugh, for something in his way of
talking to them, even when verging on what they called "goody-goody,"
inspired them with respect.

Before many weeks of this intercourse, Peter could not stroll east from
his office without being greeted with yells of recognition. The elders,
too, gave him "good-evening" pleasantly and smiled genially. The
children had naturally told their parents about him of his wonderful
presents, and great skill with knife and string.

"He can whittle anything you ask!"

"He knows how to make things you want!"

"He can tie a knot sixteen different kinds!"

"He can fold a newspaper into soldiers' and firemen's caps!"

"He's friends with the policeman!"

Such laudations, and a hundred more, the children sang of him to their
elders.

"Oh," cried one little four-year-old girl, voicing the unanimous feeling
of the children, "Mister Peter is just shplendid."

So the elders nodded and smiled when they met him, and he was pretty