now I was in a fix for fair. I knew if she saw mother it was all up with
me, so I ran and met her and told her mother was out and would not be
back until late. She asked me how I was getting on. I said I was better
and would be at school in the morning. She said, "I am glad of that."

When she turned to go I could have flung my cap in the air and shouted.
I thought I had fooled her and could go on playing hookey, but you know
the old adage, "There's many a slip." Just at this time my mother looked
out of the window and asked who was there and what she wanted. Well,
mother came down, and things were made straight as far as she and the
teacher were concerned; but I was in for it; I knew that by the way
mother looked at me. The jig was up, I was found out, and I knew things
would happen; and I did not want to be around when mother said, "You
just wait!" I knew what that meant, so I determined to go out into the
world and make my own way.

I was a little over thirteen years of age, and you know a boy does not
know much at that age, but I thought I did. I went over the fence with
mother after me. If dad had been home I guess he could have caught me,
that is if he had been sober. Mother could not run very fast, so I got
clear of the whip for that time at least. I got a good distance from the
house and then I sat down to think. I knew if I went home a whipping was
waiting for me, and that I could do without.

There was a boy just a little older than myself, Mike ----,[1] that was
"on the bum," as we used to say. The boys would give him some of the
lunch they had brought to school, and I thought I would join forces with
and be his pal. I saw Mike and told him all about the licking, and Mike
said, "Don't go home; you are a fool if you do." We went around, and I
was getting hungry, when we thought of a plan by which we could get