heir mixing corn and sugar.

[Illustration: The Night at the Sugar Camp]

Wilson plainly informed John that this thing had gone far enough. It was
John's idea of courtesy, or rather his confused notion, that a host's
guests should be permitted to conduct themselves as best suited their
pleasure. Several of them wanted to fight. John said, "All right, let
them fight." Wilson interfered.

John stepped out of the circle and invited any one or all present to
come out. "Any of you excepting Alfred, he's all right. I can lick any
of you with one hand tied behind my back," and John spat on both hands.
"Come out yer," he pleadingly invited Wilson, "or anyone excepting
Alfred."

John, when he invited any or all of the others out, had evidently
forgotten his courtesy to his guests or probably he desired to further
increase their pleasure. Perhaps that was the way he reasoned it, as
several had declared they would rather fight than eat. John did not wish
them to go home feeling they had missed anything.

As a last request, John just pleaded with Wilson to step out. He seemed
more anxious to have Wilson tackle him than any other. As a last
declaration of what he wouldn't sacrifice to have Wilson step out, he
concluded as he slapped his hands together: "Step out, ole feller, just
step out yer. Will you? I'll fight you anyway, I'll fight you now. Come
on; I don't care a dam if I have my Sunday pants on, I'll fight you
anyhow."

The shouts of the boys could be heard re-echoing up and down the hollows
as they wended their ways homeward. The moon had gone down, the night
was darkened; it was nearly dawn. The fire had gone down in the furnace,
the steam ceased to rise from the kettles, the hoot of the old night
owl, after the scenes of the night, made it seem even more quiet.

How to get John into the house that Uncle Jake and the family, might not
be awakened, concerned both Alfred and Wilson. To Alfred was delegated
the task of conducting John home. John led quietly until a shout of
laughter from those bringing up the rear was heard which he chose to
construe as derision directed at him, and then he balked. Alfred would
get him quieted and thus they finally reached the house.

Here John balked again. Alfred and Wilson were both over sensitive. If
the folks discovered John's condition it would reflect upon them. Alfred
greatly feared that Mrs. Young and Uncle Jake would blame him for John's
downfall. They had about made up thei