"Sir, I'll tell you; it's no disgrace.

Though I'm such a big fellow I can't write; and your son was good enough to try and teach me.

I was afraid of forgetting the letters; so I tried to make them all over again, with a bit of chalk, on the bark-shed wall.

It did nobody any harm that I know of." The boy's tone, even though it was rather quick and angry, won no reproof.

At last my father said gently enough-- "Is that all, lad ?" "Yes." Again Abel Fletcher fell into a brown study.