ts for weeks, for Billy had not
learned how to eat anything without dividing with Jimmy and Belle. Since
he had been separated from them, he shared with Wesley and Margaret.
So he bent over the boy and received an instalment of cooky that almost
choked him.

"Now you can eat it!" shouted Billy in delight. "It's all dark! I can't
see what you're doing at all!"

Wesley picked up the small figure and set the boy on the back of a horse
to bring his face level so that they could talk as men. He never towered
from his height above Billy, but always lifted the little soul when
important matters were to be discussed.

"Now what a dandy scheme," he commented. "Did you and Aunt Margaret fix
it up?"

"No. She ain't had hers yet. But I got one for her. Ist as soon as you
eat yours, I am going to take hers, and feed her first time I find her
in the dark."

"But Billy, where did you get the cookies? You know Aunt Margaret said
you were not to have any."

"I ist took them," said Billy, "I didn't take them for me. I ist took
them for you and her."

Wesley thought fast. In the warm darkness of the barn the horses
crunched their corn, a rat gnawed at a corner of the granary, and among
the rafters the white pigeon cooed a soft sleepy note to his dusky mate.

"Did--did--I steal?" wavered Billy.

Wesley's big hands closed until he almost hurt the boy.

"No!" he said vehemently. "That is too big a word. You made a mistake.
You were trying to be a fine little man, but you went at it the wrong
way. You only made a mistake. All of us do that, Billy. The world grows
that way. When we make mistakes we can see them; that teaches us to be
more careful the next time, and so we learn."

"How wouldn't it be a mistake?"

"If you had told Aunt Margaret what you wanted to do, and asked her for
the cookies she would have given them to you."

"But I was 'fraid she wouldn't, and you ist had to have it."

"Not if it was wrong for me to have it, Billy. I don't want it that
much."

"Must I take it back?"

"You think hard, and decide yourself."

"Lift me down," said Billy, after a silence, "I got to put this in the
jar, and tell her."

Wesley set the boy on the floor, but as he did so he paused one second
and strained him close to his breast.

Margaret sat in her chair sewing; Billy slipped in and crept beside her.
The little face was lined with tragedy.

"Why Billy, whatever is the matter?" she cried as she dropped her sewing
and he