ing-utensils.

The last thing Percy heard was a spoon clinking against a pan. Dead
tired, he turned his face to the wall and fell asleep.

It was eight in the morning before he woke. What had made his arms and
back so lame and raised those big blisters on his hands? Percy
remembered. He lay for a few minutes, his eyes shut. An unpleasant duty
was before him, and he must be sure to do it right.

Aching in every joint, he rolled out at last and stood up stiffly.
Filippo, who was washing the breakfast dishes, turned at the sound. His
face was neither hostile nor friendly.

"Your breakfast in oven," said he. "Sit down and I get it."

He set before Percy a plate of smothered cod and a half-dozen hot
biscuits. It was more thoughtfulness than Percy had expected.

"Much obliged, Filippo," he said, gratefully.

Filippo made no reply to this acknowledgment; but, as Percy ate, he
could feel the young Italian watching him curiously. It was the first
time Whittington had ever thanked him, and he did not understand it.

After he had finished eating, Percy took his plate, knife, and fork to
the sink.

"Let me wash these, Filippo," he said.

"No," returned the Italian, "I do it."

But a look of surprise crossed his face. What had come over the
millionaire's son?

Percy spent the rest of the forenoon on the ledges. At noon he came back
to the cabin. He had steeled himself for the task before him, and he was
not the fellow to do things half-way. The John P. Whittington in him was
coming out.

Everybody else was in camp when he stepped inside. Lane did not look at
him at all. Spurling and Stevens nodded coolly. Percy drew a long breath
and launched at once into the brief speech he had spent the last three
hours dreading.

"Fellows," he stammered, "I've been pretty rotten to all of you. There's
no need of wasting any more words about that. Last night I took one of
the boats and started to row up to Isle au Haut. But I got to thinking
matters over out there on the water, and it changed my mind about a lot
of things. So I came back. Jim, I want to apologize to you for what I
said last night. I deserved what you gave me, and it's done me good. I
want to stay here with you for the rest of the summer--if you're
willing. I'll try to do my full share of the work. You can send me off
the first time I shirk."

He ceased and awaited the verdict, looking eagerly from one to the
other. There was a moment of silence. Surprise was wri