I began to feel as if I had, too.
Aunt rushed forward and gave me a shake.
"Another blunder, John," she said; "it's plain as the nose on a man's face that Providence never intended you to commit suicide." And then Blue-Eyes, repressing her mirth, came forward, half shy and half coaxing, and said to me: "How my sister and I would feel if you had killed yourself on our account! Come! do please show us the way to our boarding-house.

Mamma will be so anxious about us." Cunning witch! she knows, how to twist a man around her little finger.
"Come," she continued, "let _me_ untie this ugly rope." And I did let her, and picked up my hat to walk with them to the Widow Cooper's.
They made themselves very agreeable on the way--so that I would think no more of hanging myself, I suppose.
Only one more little incident occurred on the road.

We met a tramp.

He was a roughly-dressed fellow, with a straw hat such as farmers wear, whose broad brim nearly hid his face.

He sauntered up impudently, and, before we could pass him, he chucked Blue-Eyes under the chin.