Evening star., 1922-07-23

| to tell US, in jerky, throaty phrases
the rest of his story. Two OF the
bigger boys had taken him along
with them. For three days and
nights they hid in some woods. Then
| they made their way into Boston
There they broke into small stores
They got things to eat and tobacco
and a little money from the tills.
y
TT was easy You wrapped a brick
L in some rags and hid in doorway
where the elevated ran along. "hen
a train came by you smashed the
glass and>g got in. That was DUNK
lob. The others stayed outside ana
watched for the cops. But once
private watchman nearly caught him:
had his fingers on Dunk's neck. IN
fact. But Dunk managed to wriggie
loose and win the foot race that fol-
lowed. That scared him. He didn't
trv to find the two big boys again.
He got hitch on a truck out OF
town and kept going. A man 'oid
him he could get job at beiio"s
Falls. And here hewas
"Hm-m-m." says Barry, gianclns
at me. well. 1 guess another days
walk will take you there.
And if were you, Dunk
added. II shouldn't tell all OF that
story to any one else. l wish you
hadn't told quite so much Of 1t to U.S.
But 7 promised you a bed for the
night and you shall have it. I'll seno
the blankets out by Barry Good
night"
We agreed. Barry and I, not to re-
late the full history Of Dunk to the
others. Inez was nervous enough as
il was when she heard we were
sheltering a boy tramp. III sne
known he had escaped from re-
formatory and was a burglar as wei.
she'd have had seven cat hts. ana
ri admit / was more or less uneasy
in NV mind before I finally got 10
s1een that night. True. Dunk was
not q hardened criminal, but there
w.s no telling what he might be
nrompted to do. And out here on the
farm it was so still and dark ana
lonely.
X X X
MIST have been reused up soon
L after sunrise by hearing the souno
of dull thuds At first I was startleo'
hut then I concluded that Uncle Neis
had turned out earlier than usual ana
was chopping some wood Some one
had to do that every day. for sairy
was always demanding fuel for her
cook stove. The lack of 1t was one
of her bitter complaints.
81 do you wish't you'd git man.
Miss Dodge" she would plead "
work up enough stove wood sos
always be sure of havin' some on
hand T. never did learn to cook with
out fire.
"How careless of you. Sairy,
would say. But if you'll tell me JUST
where ! can hire stray wooo-
chopper III engage him for the sum-
mer'
AS she couldn't ] would prod up
either Uncle Nels or Barry Platt'
whichever was handy. Uncle Nels
would do it rather than go hungry,
but he said it hurt his back; ana
Barry's alibi was that he didn't know
how. In a pinch / have even had 10
persuade Inez to go out and cut up a
few sticks, but she always resented
having to touch an ak again.
"When- was poor girl by Mime
sofa" she protested, IT hafta chop
lotta wood, and. now I got rich uncle
I hafto some more. Huh"
So that yawning kitchen woodoox
had come to be what you might call
an aching void for all of us. 1t often
spoiled the beginning of an otherwise
perfect day. as well as the end
thereof eea~5
THE blamed thing leers at me
every time I pass it," complained
Barry. why didn't you inherit
farm, Trilby May, that was piped tor
gas?''
co these dull thuds. coming from the
~ direction of the woodshed were
more or less soothing to me. I was
sure that breakfast would not be de-
layed, and didn't lie awake wonder
ing whether it was Uncle Nels or
Barry who had suddenly become 80
ambitious An hour or so later, when
heard each of them stirring in his