r. "But up t' now,
it wasn't no story t' be tellin' a little kid--leastways, not a kid
that's got a loony way o' seein' things, and worryin' over 'em. And I
warn y'! Y're likely as not t' make him sick!"

The priest chuckled. "Y' ought t' know about that," he agreed. "Seein'
that ye've made him sick yerself, often enough."

At that, with a backward tip of his head, so that the wide hat fell off,
and with the strangest, rasping, strangling sound in his skinny throat
(his great, hairy Adam's-apple leaping, now high, now low), One-Eye
began to laugh, at the same time beginning a series of arm-wavings,
slapping first one thigh and then the other. "Har! har! har!" he
ejaculated hoarsely.

With a muttered curse, Big Tom walked to the door. "Go ahead!" he cried.
"But _I_ don't set 'round and listen t' the stuff!" Black, fuming, he
slammed his way out.

One-Eye pointed out the kitchen chair to Cis; and when she was seated,
got the wood box and set it on its side. "Come and roost along with me,"
he bade Johnnie, the single eye under the wet-combed, tawny bang smiling
almost tenderly at the boy.

When they were all comfortably settled, "Our good friend here got most
o' the information," informed Father Pat. "So, One-Eye, wouldn't ye like
t'----"

"Oh, not me! Not me!" the Westerner answered quickly. "I ain't no hand
for tellin' nothin'! No, Father! Please! I pass!"

"Johnnie," began the priest, "it's likely ye've guessed, after hearin'
all I said t' Mr. Barber, that ye was (what I'll be bold enough t' call)
stolen from yer Uncle, who wasn't ever able t' locate ye again."

"Yes, sir,"--with a pleased smile. His Uncle Albert was not more than an
hour away. That was the best of news!

"And ye noted me use the name o' Blake," continued the other. "Well, it
happens t' be yer own name."

"Blake!" Cis was amazed.

"Y' mean--y' mean my name ain't Smith," faltered Johnnie, who had, for a
moment, been too stunned by the news to speak.

"Smith was the first name Mr. Barber could think up," explained Father
Pat, "when he made up his mind t' take ye, Mr. Davis bein' gone t' the
hospital."

One-Eye burst out. "Never liked the name!" he declared. "Knowed a feller
oncet--Jim Smith--a snake! a bald-haided buzzard! a pole-cat!"

Johnnie was staring at the floor. "John Blake!" he said under his
breath. "O' course! Me! 'Cause it sounds all right, some way, and Smith
_never_ did!--Not John Smith, but John Blake!"

"Johnnie," went