id he. "It's warm in
here."

He spread the sheep skin on the balsam boughs back under the lean-to and
I lay down upon it and felt the glow of the fire and heard the talk of
the men but gave no heed to it. I turned my face away from them and lay
as if asleep, but with a mind suddenly estranged and very busy.

Now I know what I knew not then, that my soul was breaking camp on the
edge of the world and getting ready to move over the line. Still no
suspicion of the truth reached me that since I came to live with him my
uncle had been bitting and breaking his tongue. It occurred to me that
Bill Seaver, whom I secretly despised, had spoilt him and that I had
done wrong in leaving him all the afternoon defenseless in bad company.

I wondered if he were beyond hope or if he would have to fry and smoke
and yell forever. But I had hope. My faith in Aunt Deel as a corrector
and punisher was very great. She would know what to do. I heard the men
talking in low voices as they cooked the supper and the frying of the
fish and bacon. It had grown dark. Uncle Peabody came and leaned over me
with a lighted candle and touched my face with his hand. I lay still
with closed eyes. He left me and I heard him say to the others:

"He's asleep and his cheeks are wet. Looks as if he'd been cryin' all to
himself there. I guess he got too tired."

Then Mr. Wright said: "Something happened to the boy this afternoon. I
don't know what. I stopped at the brook to clean the fish and he ran on
toward the camp to surprise you. I came along soon and found him sitting
alone by the trail out there. He looked as if he hadn't a friend in the
world. I asked him what was the matter and he said it was a secret."

"Say, by--" Uncle Peabody paused. "He must a stole up here and heard me
tellin' that--" he paused again and went on: "Say, I wouldn't 'a' had
him hear that for a thousan' dollars. I don't know how to behave myself
when I get in the woods. If you're goin' to travel with a boy like that
you've got to be good all the time--ye can't take no rest or vacation at
all whatever."

"You've got to be sound through and through or they'll find it out,"
said the Comptroller. "You can't fool 'em long."

"He's got a purty keen edge on him," said Bill Seaver.

"On the whole I think he's the most interesting child I ever saw," said
Mr. Wright.

I knew that these words were compliments but their meaning was not quite
clear to me. The words, however, impressed an