dly interesting.

The boy cut off the head of a fish with a crunch. "I'd ought to," he
returned grimly. "I've got to like something and I don't like folks."

"What folks do you mean?"

"Don't like any folks," the boy persisted, and slashed on savagely.

Peggy was not prepared to believe in such universal misanthropy on the
part of one so young. She guessed it to be a pose, and resolved that she
would not encourage it by appearing shocked. "I don't think you show
very good taste," she observed calmly, "disliking everybody in a lump
that way. There are as many kinds of people as there are birds or
flowers."

"You ask any of the folks 'round here about Jerry Morton," the boy
exclaimed. "They'll tell you what a good-for-nothing lazy-bones he is.
They'll say he isn't worth the powder and shot to blow him up with."

Peggy did some rapid thinking. "Are you Jerry Morton?"

"You bet I am." His tone was defiant.

"Oh, I see," said Peggy to herself. "People don't like him, and so he
fancies that he doesn't like people." This explanation which, by the
way, fits more misanthropes than Jerry, resulted in making Peggy sorry
for the boy in spite of the unbecoming sullenness of his face at that
moment.

"Well, Jerry," she said gently, "if your neighbors think that of you,
I'm sure they are as much mistaken as you are in what you think of
them." She counted out the change into his hand. "This is Thursday,
isn't it? Can you bring us some more fish Saturday?"

"Yes, I'll bring 'em," said the boy in a more subdued fashion than he
had yet spoken. He dropped his earnings into his pocket uncounted, and
went away without a good-by. Peggy carried the fish indoors, and was
greeted by mocking laughter.

"You've added one tramp to the establishment," said Priscilla, shaking a
warning finger in her friend's absorbed face; "don't try to annex
another."

Peggy was too much in earnest to notice the banter. "That poor boy! He
thinks he hates everybody, and I guess the trouble is that he wants to
be liked. I'm going to ask Mrs. Cole or some other nice, motherly person
about him." Then her eyes fell upon the clock and she uttered an
exclamation of dismay.

"Girls, where does the time go to? I meant to suggest that we go
berrying this morning, but now we've got to wait till after dinner. I
hope there are no naps to be taken this afternoon. I'm going berrying if
I have to go alone."

"You can count on me, darling," Amy cried, flinging her