turned away; and David, after a moment's following him with
wistful eyes, soberly walked toward the kitchen door. Two minutes
later he was industriously working at his task of filling the
woodbox.

That for David the affair was not satisfactorily settled was
evidenced by his thoughtful countenance and preoccupied air,
however; nor were matters helped any by the question David put to
Mr. Holly just before dinner.

"Do you mean," he asked, "that because I didn't fill the woodbox
right away, I was being a discord?"

"You were what?" demanded the amazed Simeon Holly.

"Being a discord--playing out of tune, you know," explained
David, with patient earnestness. "Father said--" But again Simeon
Holly had turned irritably away; and David was left with his
perplexed questions still unanswered.




CHAPTER VI

NUISANCES, NECESSARY AND OTHERWISE


For some time after dinner, that first day, David watched Mrs.
Holly in silence while she cleared the table and began to wash