ose at the boy's heels. Tommy's objective he knew well
enough. A few days before Steve Earle had brought them both through this
very corn, into the woods, to the creek. The father had pointed out to
the boy the silvery fish darting here and there in a deep-shaded pool.
It had made a great impression. Tommy was going to see those fish now.
That Frank knew.

And he sympathized with the impulse, so far as that was concerned. Under
ordinary circumstances, he was not averse to looking at fish himself.
But now, with every step the boy took his anxiety increased. For it was
beside the pool that the strangers were camped. And it was straight in
their direction that little Tommy in his ignorance was headed.

The morning sun blazed down through the thin obstacle of the tall corn.
It flashed on the white-and-striped shirt and trousers and on the
turn-down straw hat with the blue-ribbon band. In the deep-furrowed rows
dust puffed up from under the hurrying little sandalled feet. Intent on
seeing those darting silvery fish in that deep-shaded pool, Tommy did
not once turn to look into the troubled eyes close behind him.

Within sight of the woods Frank made his last attempt. He stopped and
sat down firmly on his haunches. Then the boy turned, his face flushed
under the white hat.

"Come on, F'ank!" he said impatiently.

A gust of dry summer wind swept across the field and rattled the blades
of corn and tossed up the silvery side of the leaves in the forest.

The boy grew angry. "Come on, F'ank!" he cried.

Panting hard, saliva dripping into the dust of the corn row, Frank sat
where he was and looked everywhere but at the boy in the dignity of his
determination.

"Sit there, then!" said Tommy. "I'm goin'!"

He went; and Frank went, too; for obedience, even against his judgment,
is the penalty a dog has to pay who loves a boy--and will die for him if
need be.

In contrast with the bright glare of the cornfield it was dark in the
woods, like passing from out of doors into the cool, shaded living room
back home. Here and there shafts of sunlight pierced the dense foliage
and touched leaves and tree trunks with silver spots. Down the
heavy-wooded slope the boy went, but more cautiously now. Suddenly he
stopped breathless, Frank beside him with pricked ears. At the same time
the two men, both at work on the car down there by the pool, both burly
and flushed of face, glanced quickly around.

A moment they stared; then they beg