Teddy jerked a significant thumb in the direction of Phil's
former home.

"Bear's got a grouch on a rod wide this morning."

"Oh, you mean Uncle Abner," answered Phil, his face clouding.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"I just dropped in to see if you were ready to go to school. He
yelled at me like he'd gone crazy."

"That all?" grinned the other boy.

"No. He chased me down the road till his game knee gave out;
then he fell down."

Phil could not repress a broad grin at this news.

"Good thing for me that I could run. He'd have given me a
walloping for sure if he'd caught me. I'll bet that stick hurts
when it comes down on a fellow. Don't it, Phil?"

"I should think it would. I have never felt it, but I have had
some pretty narrow escapes. What did the folks you are living
with say when you got home all mud last night?"