-meaningless grown folks' talk that didn't get
anywhere. It didn't seem to bear even remotely on the essential question
in hand, which was whether or not Frank was to be whipped. They weren't
even interested enough in the matter to speak of it. They just
talked--that was all. They didn't care anything about him and Frank, or
what became of them. They thought more of roosters than of anything
else. They were all against him and Frank and the gun. All right--he and
Frank and the gun would look out for themselves!

Once more his mind filled with visions of a wild life, in which escape
and vengeance were mingled in proper and satisfying proportions. In the
woods beyond the pasture was a cave, which he and Frank could reach
before dark. Then they would ring the farm bell and raise a great
hullabaloo, but he and Frank, safe within the dark cavern, would live
their own lives.

The more he thought of it, the more enticing it became, and his eyes
filled with a caveman's fire. The entrance to the cave was pretty dark
and "snaky"; maybe he would compromise and not go in. But the woods
round about were thick, and there were plenty of hiding places.

He left Frank, and, heart pounding, went round the side of the house,
looking up at the familiar windows high overhead. There came over him a
scorn of the civilized existence these people led, and he wondered that
he had endured it so long. He went quietly up the back steps, peeped
into the kitchen, then entered softly.

Old Aunt Cindy was in the dining room, which was separated from the
kitchen by a passageway. He could hear the rattle of dishes in there as
she set the table for supper. Well, there would be one seat empty this
night, and maybe through a good many nights to come. He got up on a
chair in front of the cupboard and filled his pockets with biscuits.

All excited, he came out of the house, hurried to the kennel, and turned
Frank loose. Frank had caught the contagion. Frank knew there was
something _sub rosa_ about what was going on, and his eyes were glowing.
Likely they would shine like a cat's eyes in the dark cave at night--and
maybe there would be other wild eyes shining in the recesses that led
off here and there and dripped with water!

He hesitated a moment, trying to think of some other spot where they
might run, some spot less suggestive of shining eyes. And while he
hesitated there came steps on the front porch, and around the house,
pipe in mouth, his father