OneoftheBentleysisterscookedthelittleanimalandheateitwithgreatgusto。Theskinhetackedonaboardandsuspendedtheboardbyastringfromhisbedroomwindow。
Thatgavehismindanewturn。Afterthatheneverwentintothewoodswithoutcarryingtheslinginhispocketandhespenthoursshootingatimaginaryanimalsconcealedamongthebrownleavesinthetrees。Thoughtsofhiscomingmanhoodpassedandhewascontenttobeaboywithaboy\'simpulses。
OneSaturdaymorningwhenhewasabouttosetoffforthewoodswiththeslinginhispocketandabagfornutsonhisshoulder，hisgrandfatherstoppedhim。IntheeyesoftheoldmanwasthestrainedseriouslookthatalwaysalittlefrightenedDavid。AtsuchtimesJesseBentley\'seyesdidnotlookstraightaheadbutwaveredandseemedtobelookingatnothing。Somethinglikeaninvisiblecurtainap-
pearedtohavecomebetweenthemanandalltherestoftheworld。\"Iwantyoutocomewithme，\"
hesaidbriefly，andhiseyeslookedovertheboy\'sheadintothesky。\"Wehavesomethingimportanttodotoday。Youmaybringthebagfornutsifyouwish。Itdoesnotmatterandanywaywewillbegoingintothewoods。\"