"All right," laughed the General. Chad trotted all the way home and there Miss
Lucy made him take off his wet clothes at once, though the boy had to go to
bed while they were drying, for he had no other clothes, and while he lay in
bed the Major came up and listened to Chad's story of the afternoon, which
Chad told him word for word just as it had all happened.

"You did just right, Chad," said the Major, and he went down the stairs,
chuckling:

"Wouldn't go in and get dry clothes because Dan wouldn't apologize. Dear me! I
reckon they'll have it out when they see each other again. I'd like to be on
hand, and I'd bet my bottom dollar on Chad." But they did not have it out.
Half an hour after supper somebody shouted "Hello!" at the gate, and the Major
went out and came back smiling.

"Somebody wants to see you, Chad," he said. And Chad went out and found Dan
there on the black pony with Snowball behind him.

"I've come over to say that I had no business hittin' you down at the creek,
and--" Chad interrupted him:

"That's all right," he said, and Dan stopped and thrust out his hand. The two
boys shook hands gravely.

"An' my papa says you are a man an' he wants you to come over and see us and I
want you--and Harry and Margaret. We all want you."

"All right," said Chad. Dan turned his black pony and galloped off.