A bullet had gone through the other pail close to the bottom.
Mother took it out on me with a lecture on disobedience.

She must have known, after what I had done, that father wouldn't let her smack me; for, while she was lecturing, father winked at me across her shoulder.

It was the first time he had ever winked at me.
Back in the rifle pit Jed and I were heroes.

The women wept and blessed us, and kissed us and mauled us.

And I confess I was proud of the demonstration, although, like Jed, I let on that I did not like all such making-over.