"You can't fool 'em long." "He's got a purty keen edge on him," said Bill Seaver.
"On the whole I think he's the most interesting child I ever saw," said Mr.Wright.
I knew that these words were compliments but their meaning was not quite clear to me.

The words, however, impressed and pleased me deeply and I recalled them often after that night.

I immediately regretted them, for I was hungry and wanted to get up and eat some supper but had to lie a while longer now so they would not know that my ears had been open.
Nothing more was said and I lay and listened to the wind in the tree-tops and the crackling of the fire, and suddenly the day ended.
I felt the gentle hand of Uncle Peabody on my face and I heard him speak my name very tenderly.

I opened my eyes.

The sun was shining.