gain,
however, opening a heavy eye, he saw Potts go by the bunk, stop at the
door and listen. Then he passed the bunk again, and the faint noise
recommenced. The Colonel dropped back into the gulf of sleep, never
even woke for his chess, and in the morning the incident had passed out
of his mind.

Just before dinner the next day the Boy called out:

"See here! who's spilt the syrup?"

"Spilt it?"

"Syrup?"

"No; it don't seem to be spilt, either." He patted the ground with his
hand.

"You don't mean that new can--"

"Not a drop in it." He turned it upside down.

Every eye went to Kaviak. He was sitting on his cricket by the fire
waiting for dinner. He returned the accusing looks of the company with
self-possession.

"Come here." He got up and trotted over to "Farva."

"Have you been to the syrup?"

Kaviak shook his head.

"You _must_ have been."

"No."

"You sure?"

He nodded.

"How did it go--all away--Do you know?"

Again the silent denial. Kaviak looked over his shoulder at the dinner
preparations, and then went back to his cricket. It was the best place
from which to keep a strict eye on the cook.

"The gintlemin don't feel conversaytional wid a pint o' surrup in his
inside."

"I tell you he'd be currled up with colic if he--"

"Well," said O'Flynn hopefully, "bide a bit. He ain't lookin' very
brash."

"Come here."

Kaviak got up a second time, but with less alacrity.

"Have you got a pain?"

He stared.

"Does it hurt you there?" Kaviak doubled up suddenly.

"He's awful ticklish," said the Boy.

Mac frowned with perplexity, and Kaviak retired to the cricket.

"Does the can leak anywhere?"

"That excuse won't hold water 'cause the can will." The Colonel had
just applied the test.

"Besides, it would have leaked on to something," Mac agreed.

"Oh, well, let's mosy along with our dinner," said Potts.

"It's gettin' pretty serious," remarked the Colonel. "We can't afford
to lose a pint o' syrup."

"No, _Siree_, we can't; but there's one thing about Kaviak," said the
Boy, "he always owns up. Look here, Kiddie: don't say no; don't shake
your head till you've thought. Now, think _hard_."

Kaviak's air of profound meditation seemed to fill every requirement.

"Did you take the awful good syrup and eat it up?"

Kaviak was in the middle of a head-shake when he stopped abruptly. The
Boy had said he wasn't to do that. Nobody had seemed pleased when he
said "No."

"I b'lieve