it and come back. But he drank the coffee and when I had damped the
fire to ease his mind, I explained to him just why I'd felt the need of
thrashing him. For one thing I hadn't cared for the way he spoke to
his sister. And for another I hadn't cared at all for his insults to
me. He listened sullenly to the facts of my eavesdropping and
apologized. When he found that I was disposed to be friendly he
blurted out his justification for running away: an eccentric old
invalid uncle who in all probability is not so evil as the boy claims.

"I had an odd feeling as we talked that he stands at the parting of the
ways. Chance will make or mar him. And therefore I told him that if
he insisted upon running away, he might as well tramp with me and think
it over.

"I don't quite know yet why I said it.

"He reminds me of Kenny somehow, save that Kenny's more of a kid. Both
of them have an overdose of temperament and need a guardian with an
iron hand. And both have a way about them.

"Likely, after the wind was so pitifully out of his sails I could have
dragged him up the hill home but if he has the notion of escape in his
head, he'd go again.

"After a good deal of talk, friendly and otherwise, we took turns at
the searchlight and wrote, each of us, a letter to his sister, I in a
sense seeking to guarantee a respectability I do not look or feel since
I am a truant myself with an indifferent amount of worldly goods.
However, I couldn't help thinking how she'd worry and I promised to see
him through.