crooked handle belonging to his father, he took possession of it.

Perhaps it was the recollection of what pretty Flo Temple had said when
jokingly telling him that he would presently be needing a walking stick,
if he kept on dieting for the Marathon race, that suddenly tempted Fred
to take this cane, for he had certainly never done it on any previous
occasion.

Later on he was inclined to believe there might be some truth in that
fable of the sea, to the effect that there is a "little cherub aloft,
looking after the affairs of poor Jack," and keeping him in times of
sudden peril. At any rate the sudden whim of Fred's, when he thought to
play a joke on Bristles, and pretend that he needed a crutch or a cane,
since he was becoming lame and decrepit, was fated to turn out one of the
finest things he ever did.

When Fred stepped out of the front door, he found that it was fairly
dark, as the moon happened to be past its full, and consequently had not
as yet appeared above the eastern horizon.

When Fred and Bristles wished to exchange visits they were in the habit
of taking a short-cut, that saved considerable distance. It wound in and
out over the open lots, though there was only one fence to climb. So
frequently had the boys made use of this way, in their endeavor to save
themselves from needless steps, that they knew every foot of it like a
book. Indeed, a plain trail had been worn by these innumerable trips.

Bristles had often declared he could go from his house to that of Fred
with his eyes bandaged, and never once get off the track. No doubt it
was the same way with the Fenton boy, who had impressed every little
peculiarity of that short-cut on his mind.

Swinging the heavy walking-stick around by the crook, Fred hurried along,
climbing the fence on the other side of the road. Just at that moment he
chanced to notice a figure coming up the street, and while astride the
topmost rail of the fence he stopped to see if his suspicions were
confirmed, for he thought he ought to know that peculiar gait.

When the other started in at the Fenton gate Fred called softly:

"Hello there, Colon!"

The tall figure turned around at being thus addressed from across the
street.

"That you, Fred?" he asked, starting to cross over.

"Nobody else," replied the other, with a chuckle, "and you happened along
just in the nick of time, let me tell you. I'd have been gone in three
shakes of a lamb's tail."

"Going acr