village, to rest and to write. The boys had named him The Chief because,
as Albert said, "He could lead any tribe and tame any savage." At this
Albert always laughed for he himself had been called a savage so many
times he almost believed he was one.

The boys dropped into their places. Jay, or the "Little Chief" as the
boys called him, sat opposite the Big Chief at the end of the table and
right in front of the fire. He was slim and tall and light of foot. He
could run faster, throw farther, and play better than any other boy in
the village. He always led, he never bullied, he played fair, so the
other boys always followed.

Albert, Jay's brother, big and heavy and as full of mischief as he could
hold, took his place at The Chief's right hand. Albert called this his
place of honour although knowing full well that he was there so The
Chief might have him within reach. Next to Albert came George,
frank-faced and bashful, sturdy and loyal. Opposite him red-headed,
stubby Peter sat always on the edge of his chair, always with a bit of
a smile on his face, never talking much, always agreeing good-naturedly.
Beside Peter and at The Chief's left was Jack, who wriggled constantly
like a young eel.

After the boys were seated and quiet, The Chief pushed back his work, a
plan of his summer's garden, leaned back in his chair and said, "I think
first we had better take up your reports." Then he pointed at Jay who
began: "Well, when Albert and I asked father for a piece of the garden
for our very own to work exactly as we pleased this summer, with no
questions asked or answered, he laughed. He said that Albert wouldn't
stick to it a day."