added.

"Then--I'll promise," she said. "If he does it, I'll tell you. But
I ain't--I mean I am not afraid, except for Peter. Jed Hawkins
will sure kill him if I take him back, Mister Roger. Will you keep
him here? And--o-o-o-h!--if I could only stay, too--"

The words came from her in a frightened breath, and in an instant
a flood of color rushed like fire into her cheeks. But Jolly Roger
turned again to the stove, and made as if he had not seen the
blush or heard her last words, so that the shame of her
embarrassment was gone as quickly as it had come.

"Yes, I'll keep Peter," he said over his shoulder. And in his
heart another voice which she could not hear, was crying, "And I'd
give my life if I could keep you!"

Devouring his bits of partridge breast, Peter watched Jolly Roger
and Nada out of the corner of his eye as they left the cabin half
an hour later. It was dark when they went, and Jolly Roger closed
only the mosquito-screen, leaving the door wide open, and Peter
could hear their footsteps disappearing slowly into the deep gloom
of the forest. It was a little before moonrise, and under the
spruce and cedar and thick balsam the world was like a black pit.
It was very still, and except for the soft tread of their own feet
and the musical ripple of water in the creek there was scarcely a
sound in this first hour of the night. In Jolly Roger there rose
something of exultation, for Nada's warm little hand lay in his as
he guided her through the darkness, and her fingers had clasped
themselves tightly round his thumb. She was very close to him when