ter. I was out first." He had liked the fun of banging
at the doors. "Old Woman Lamb said she couldn't wake him."

"Drunk, I suppose," said John absently, stamping out a spark among the
pine-needles at his feet, now freed from snow by the heat.

The night passed, and when the dawning came, the Squire leaving some
orders went homeward with John, saying only, "Go to bed at once, we will
talk about it later. I don't like it, John. You saw it first--where did
it begin?"

"Outside, sir, in the wood-shed."

"Indeed! There has been some foul play. Who could it have been?" He said
no more.

It was far into the morning when John awaking found that he had been
allowed to make up for the lost sleep of the past night. His aunt smiling
greeted him with a kiss, concerning which there is something to be said
in regard to what commentary the assistant features make upon the kiss.
"I would not have you called earlier," she said; "but now, here is your
breakfast, you have earned it." She sat down and watched the
disappearance of a meal which would have filled his mother with anxiety.
Ann was really enjoying the young fellow's wholesome appetite and
contrasting it with the apprehensive care concerning food he had shown
when long before he had seemed to her husband and herself a human problem
hard to solve. James Penhallow had been wise, and Leila a rough and
efficient schoolmistress. "Do not hurry, John; have another cup?"

"Yes, please."

"Have you written that letter? I mean to be naughty enough to enclose it
to Leila. I told you so."

"Yes, but it is not quite done, and now I must tell her about the fire. I
wrote her that Josiah had gone away."

"The less of it the better. I mean about--well, about your warning
him--and the rest--your share and mine."

"Of course not, Aunt Ann. I would not talk about myself. I mean, I could
not write about it."

"You would talk of it if she were here--you would, I am sure."

"Yes, that's different--I suppose, I would," he returned. She was struck
with this as being like what James Penhallow would have said and have, or
not have, done.

"If you have finished, John, I think your uncle wants you."

"Why didn't you tell me, aunt?" he said, as he got up in haste.

"Oh, boys must be fed," she cried. She too rose from her seat, and went
around the table and kissed him again, saying, "You are more and more
like my captain, John."

Being a woman, as John was well aware, not given to express