"Everywhere," the boy called back. But Jake followed him up.

"Stop a minute," said he; "I want to know. Did you go as fur 's the
pond?"

"What should I want to go to the pond for, like to know?" Jerome
looked around at him fiercely.

"I didn't know but he might have fell in the pond; it's pretty near."

"I'd like to know what you think my father would jump in the pond
for?" Jerome demanded.

"Lord, I didn't say he jumped in. I said fell in."

"You know he couldn't have fell in. You know he would have had to
gone in of his own accord. I'll let you know my father wa'n't the man
to do anything like that, Jake Noyes!" The boy actually shook his
puny fist in the man's face. "Say it again, if ye dare!" he cried.

"Lord!" said Jake Noyes, with half-comical consternation. He screwed
up one blue eye after a fashion he had--people said he had acquired
it from dropping drugs for the doctor--and looked with the other at
the boy.

"Say it again an' I'll kill ye, I will!" cried Jerome, his voice
breaking into a hoarse sob, and was off.

"Be ye crazy?" Jake Noyes called after him. He stood staring at him a