ion to walk so fur in the dead of
night? Why, I declar, when I looked out an' saw you I couldn't believe my
eyes. That's not Mr. Dan, I said, you won't catch Mr. Dan out in the pitch
darkness with a lantern and ten miles from home."

"I really do not want to keep you," he broke in shortly, all the
good-humour gone from his voice.

"Thar ain't nothin' to do right now," she answered with a searching look
into his face. "I was jest waitin' to bring you some mo' cakes." She went
out and came in presently with a fresh plateful. "I remember jest as well
the first time you ever took breakfast here," she said. "You wa'n't more'n
twelve, I don't reckon, an' the Major brought you by in the coach, with Big
Abel driving. The Major didn't like the molasses we gave him, and he pushed
the pitcher away and said it wasn't fit for pigs; and then you looked about
real peart and spoke up, 'It's good molasses, grandpa, I like it.' Sakes
alive, it seems jest like yestiddy. I don't reckon the Major is comin' by
to-day, is he?"

He pushed his plate away and rose hurriedly, then, without replying, he
brushed past her, and went out upon the porch.

There he found Jack Hicks, and forced himself squarely into a discussion of
his altered fortunes. "I may as well tell you, Jack," he said, with a touch
of arrogance, "that I'm turned out upon the world, at last, and I've got to
make a living. I've left Chericoke for good, and as I've got to stay here
until I find a place to go, there's no use making a secret of it."

The pipe dropped from Jack's mouth, and he stared back in astonishment.

"Bless my soul and body!" he exclaimed. "Is the old gentleman crazy or is
you?"

"You forget yourself," sharply retorted Dan.

"Well, well," pursued Jack, good-naturedly, as he knocked the ashes from
his pipe and slowly refilled it. "If you hadn't have told me, I wouldn't
have believed you--well, well." He put his pipe into his mouth and hung on
it for a moment; then he took it out and spoke thoughtfully. "I reckon I've
known you from a child, haven't I, Mr. Dan?" he asked.

"That's so, Jack," responded the young man, "and if you can recommend me, I
want you to help me to a job for a week or two--then I'm off to town."

"I've known you from a child year in an' year out," went on Jack, blandly
disregarding the interruption. "From the time you was sech a
pleasant-spoken little boy that it did me good to bow to you when you rode
by with the Major. 'Thar's not