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know what I'd like ter say to ye。 I was a whole week； off an' on； gettin'
hold of that crow； an' I wouldn't have got him at all if I hadn't hid half the
night an' all the mornin' in that clump o' bushes； watchin' a chance ter
wing him； jest enough an' not too much。 An' even then the job wa'n't done。
Let me tell yer； 't wa'n't no small thing ter get him hitched。 I'm wearin' the
marks of the rascal's beak yet。 An' now you've gone an' let him gojust
like that；〃 he finished； snapping his fingers angrily。
In David's face there was no contrition。 There was only incredulous
horror。
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〃You mean； YOU tied him there； on purpose？〃
〃Sure I did！〃
〃But he didn't like it。 Couldn't you see he didn't like it？〃 cried David。
〃Like it！ What if he didn't？ I didn't like ter have my corn pulled up；
either。 See here； sonny； you no need ter look at me in that tone o' voice。 I
didn't hurt the varmint none ter speak ofye see he could fly； didn't ye？
an' he wa'n't starvin'。 I saw to it that he had enough ter eat an' a dish o'
water handy。 An' if he didn't flop an' pull an' try ter get away he needn't 'a'
hurt hisself never。 I ain't ter blame for what pullin' he done。〃
〃But wouldn't you pull if you had two big wings that could carry you
to the top of that big tree there； and away up； up in the sky； where you
could talk to the stars？wouldn't you pull if somebody a hundred times
bigger'n you came along and tied your leg to that post there？〃
The man； Perry； flushed an angry red。
〃See here； sonny； I wa'n't askin' you ter do no preachin'。 What I did
ain't no more'n any man 'round here doesif he's smart enough ter catch
one。 Rigged…up broomsticks ain't in it with a live bird when it comes ter
drivin' away them pesky； thievin' crows。 There ain't a farmer 'round here
that hain't been green with envy； ever since I caught the critter。 An' now ter
have you come along an' with one flip o'yer knife spile it all； IWell； it
jest makes me mad； clean through！ That's all。〃
〃You mean； you tied him there to frighten away the other crows？〃
〃Sure！ There ain't nothin' like it。〃
〃Oh； I'm so sorry！〃
〃Well； you'd better be。 But that won't bring back my crow！〃
David's face brightened。
〃No； that's so； isn't it？ I'm glad of that。 I was thinking of the crows； you
see。 I'm so sorry for them！ Only think how we'd hate to be tied like that〃
But Perry Larson； with a stare and an indignant snort； had got to his feet；
and was rapidly walking toward the house。
Very plainly； that evening； David was in disgrace； and it took all of
Mrs。 Holly's tact and patience； and some private pleading； to keep a
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general explosion from wrecking all chances of his staying longer at the
farmhouse。 Even as it was； David was sorrowfully aware that he was
proving to be a great disappointment so soon； and his violin playing that
evening carried a moaning plaintiveness that would have been very
significant to one who knew David well。
Very faithfully； the next day； the boy tried to carry out all the 〃dos；〃
and though he did not always succeed； yet his efforts were so obvious； that
even the indignant owner of the liberated crow was somewhat mollified；
and again Simeon Holly released David from work at four o'clock。
Alas； for David's peace of mind； however； for on his walk to…day；
though he found no captive crow to demand his sympathy； he found
something else quite as heartrending； and as incomprehensible。
It was on the edge of the woods that he came upon two boys； each
carrying a rifle； a dead squirrel； and a dead rabbit。 The threatened rain of
the day before had not materialized； and David had his violin。 He had been
playing softly when he came upon the boys where the path entered the
woods。
〃Oh！〃 At sight of the boys and their burden David gave an involuntary
cry； and stopped playing。
The boys； scarcely less surprised at sight of David and his violin；
paused and stared frankly。
〃It's the tramp kid with his fiddle；〃 whispered one to the other huskily。
David； his grieved eyes on the motionless little bodies in the boys'
hands； shuddered。
〃Are theydead； too？〃
The bigger boy nodded self…importantly。
〃Sure。 We just shot 'emthe squirrels。 Ben here trapped the rabbits。〃
He paused； manifestly waiting for the proper awed admiration to come
into David's face。
But in David's startled eyes there was no awed admiration； there was
only disbelieving horror。
〃You mean； you SENT them to the far country？〃
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〃Wewhat？〃
〃Sent them。 Made them go yourselvesto the far country？〃
The younger boy still stared。 The older one grinned disagreeably。
〃Sure；〃 he answered with laconic indifference。 〃We sent 'em to the far
country； all right。〃
〃Buthow did you know they WANTED to go？〃
〃WantedEh？〃 exploded the big boy。 Then he grinned again； still more
disagreeably。 〃Well； you see； my dear； we didn't ask 'em；〃 he gibed。
Real distress came into David's face。
〃Then you don't know at all。 And maybe they DIDn't want to go。 And
if they didn't； how COULD they go singing； as father said？ Father wasn't
sent。 He WENT。 And he went singing。 He said he did。 But theseHow
would YOU like to have somebody come along and send YOU to the far
country； without even knowing if you wanted to go？〃
There was no answer。 The boys； with a growing fear in their eyes； as at
sight of something inexplicable and uncanny； were sidling away； and in a
moment they were hurrying down the hill； not； however； without a
backward glance or two； of something very like terror。
David； left alone； went on his way with troubled eyes and a thoughtful
frown。
David often wore； during those first few days at the Holly farmhouse；
a thoughtful face and a troubled frown。 There were so many； many things
that were different from his mountain home。 Over and over； as those first
long days passed； he read his letter until he knew it by heartand he had
need to。 Was he not already surrounded by things and people that were
stra