He looked at Cousin Nancy out of the corner of his eye. "I reckon he'll
never come to much."

"Now, Dennis Hanks, I want you to behave," said Aunt Betsy, but this
time Nancy paid no attention to his teasing. She held out her arms for
her son and cuddled him against her breast.

"As I told you," she said gaily, "you have to give him a chance to
grow."

It was almost dark by the time Aunt Betsy had tidied the one-room
cabin. She cooked some dried berries for Nancy, and fed Sally. Dennis
begged to spend the night. After his aunt had put on her shawl and left
for her own cabin, he curled up in a bearskin on the floor.

"Denny," asked Nancy, "what day is this?"

"It's Sunday--"

"I mean what day of the month."

"I don't rightly know, Cousin Nancy."

"I remember now," she went on. "It is the twelfth day of February.
February 12, 1809! Little Abe's birthday!"

Outside the wind rose, whistling through the bare branches of the trees.
There was a blast of cold air as the door opened. Tom came in, his arms
piled high with wood. He knelt on the dirt floor to build up the fire,